Meg's Story
Sobriety and Discos Just Don't Mix
I don’t do discos.
So, shall I explain why I’m sat in the 16-18’s Disco in the Village Hall at 9:30pm?
Well, it’s all Clea’s fault. And it’s not often I say that. See, she’s a teetotaller (as are most of my friends) so she always looks for a way to hang out without me, my brother and Takuya trying to get completely shitfaced. I can see that she has a point. I agreed to come along to this partly because of the promise of attractive young men, but mostly to prove to both Clea and myself that I can get through an entire social event without alcohol. It’s proving difficult already.
Clea herself has been dragged onto the dance floor by Maiku. Clea’s mum knows the organisers (because Clea’s mum knows everyone), so we got Maiku in even though he’s 15 until next month.
Tor sits beside me drinking soda pop and burping at regular intervals. He’s my safety net. If Clea sees me sitting alone she’ll demand that I dance.
I do not dance.
“How are you feeling?” Tor asks, pretending to be interested.
“Disgustingly sober.” I reply with a sigh.
“Want some fizzy pop?”
Although he’s trying to help, I shoot him a withering look. “It’s not the same.”
“Hey, that girl over there is pretty fit, huh?”
Face meet palm.
“Are you listening, Tor?”
“If you’re so moody why don’t you dance?”
“With you?” I ask, mildly surprised.
“Uh, that’s not what I meant.” He mumbles distantly, still eyeing up the pretty girl.
I ignore him and look to the door in the hopes of an equally pretty boy. Ok, so I’m sad, desperate and creepy. Leave me alone.
“Hey, Eri!” I call, seeing her enter.
“WHAT?!” Tor tears his gaze from his until-recently-love-interest and fixes his gaze instead on my blonde friend.
About a year ago the buses between our village and Eri’s village stopped running, so we don’t see her as often as we used to. Maiku, unable to stay away from us, his beloved cousins (and more likely, his beloved Clea), moved into our village almost straight away.
Wait…back to Eri.
“She must have gotten Clea’s message!” I squeal. I squeal often, don’t let it bother you.
Tor stares at me. “How come no one told me?”
“It’s not like she’s your girlfriend.”
“Well…she was on the list…” He says lamely.
Ah yes, Tor’s famous list of girl’s he considers worthy. He isn’t as shallow as he seems, honest.
After a brief conversation with me, Eri turns to Tor.
“Would you like to dance?”
“Yes!” He replies hoarsely.
I faintly remember Tor saying the reason he wouldn’t dance with me was because he “doesn’t dance with anyone, ever.” I take it all back about his not-shallow-ness. Tor’s an asshat and I hate him.
“Uh, wait.” I say quietly. Tor looks like he’s going to brick me. “Eri, is Mentha here too?”
Eri opens her mouth to answer my question, but before she does, Mentha herself appears in the doorway. Even though I’m very fond of Mentha, it takes all my effort to stifle a groan. It’s ok to be jealous, right? Just a little?
Amazingly, Tor keeps his gaze on Eri instead of her older sister. I would say this shows how he’s gained strength of character and earned my respect but he’s an asshat and I hate him.
Mentha floats over to us and looks at Tor distastefully. “This is the best you could do?” She asks Eri, arching a graceful eyebrow.
Eri grabs Tor’s arm possessively. “Old friend.”
“No excuse.”
“The night is still young.” She quotes with a grin, dragging an unresisting Tor onto the dance floor.
Mentha tosses her head and looks at me. “Hallo Meggie, how’ve you been?”
“Great.” I partly lie. “Did I tell you that…?” I can tell that she isn’t really listening. She looks around intently. Oh, three guesses for whom…
“Your brother around?”
Cha-ching, bingo, you win the jackpot! You may now pass GO and collect £200.
Sorry but, it was kind of obvious.
“Oh, sure, he and Tak…uuuuh…he and some friends are over by the table.” Weeping over the lack of vodka, I add silently.
“Thanks, I might head over there.” Mentha says with a smile and small wave, tossing her head again. Leaving me alone. God. Damn. It.
Ever get the feeling everyone is getting together but you?
Even more bitter than before, I sit low in my chair, seething. “You’re all bitches and whores and sons of bitches and whores and I hope you die in a vat of-“
“Oh, cut the melodrama, it doesn’t suit you.” Maiku says, prodding my long nose. “That’s my job.” He and Clea stand before me. Despite my whiny and pathetic state, I can’t help but grin. They’re those kind of people.
“Aren’t you having fun? You look a little lonely.” Clea asks, concerned.
“Oh, I’m bearing up well. The night is still young.” A little bit of plagiarism goes a long way.
Clea can tell I’m bullshitting because she has ESP. Or I’m easy to read, but I like the ESP excuse better. Either way, she’s not buying it.
“Cheer up, ok?” She says seriously.
“Yeah, you’re putting a downer on everyone else’s mood!” Maiku chirps, before leading Clea off for another dance. Right, like anything short of the words “No Coke” can dampen his spirits.
“Oh. My. God. Clea!” I hiss across to where they are. Luckily, no one else hears me. Or maybe they just don’t care. Clea hears me and looks over curiously. I nod my head towards the door in a totally obvious way and mouth the word “Blonde.”
Eri leans on Tor’s arm, whilst the pretty girl he noticed before leans on the other. I say again: asshat.
He leaves them for a second and crosses the floor to where I’m wandering aimlessly. “Having a good time?” He asks.
“Um…” You left me alone, remember?
“Where’s that blonde guy you talking to?”
Oh. Yeah. Him. “He left a little while ago with an equally blonde girl who giggled too much.” I say flatly.
“That really sucks.” Tor sounds like he really means it. “He seemed so interested in you!”
“C’est la vie. On the reverse however you appear to have pulled. Twice.”
“Heheh, I’m getting lucky tonight!” He chuckles, all helpful sympathy vanished.
“Woah. Random stranger girl? That’s fine. But Eri is a good friend of us all and not to be played with.” I say sternly.
“Right, like she’d let me.” Tor points out. “I’ll be good. Can I flirt though?”
I feel he’s missing the point. “Whatever.” I give in. “I’m gonna buy some fizzy pop.”
60 pence later, I wander outside, cheap replacement for alcohol in hand. Sitting on the steps in a pool of lamplight is Takuya, who I haven’t seen much tonight. Feeling an unwelcome guest, I quietly sit next to him anyway. This has been my lonely spot every year and I’ll be damned if I’m giving it up now.
“Oh, hi Meg.” He says distantly. “Where’s that blonde dude?”
“Alas, my blonde prince drove away in a flashy sports car with a blonde whore.” I say struggling to open my drink. Why are bottle caps all such a bitch to open?
“Really?” Takuya says with surprise. “Tough luck, I though you were onto a winner there.”
“Mmm, that seems to be the general opinion.” I agree as soda pop fizzes over the top of the bottle and sprays over my hands. See, this never happens with beer.
“You got a dance with Tor, right?”
“Ahm…” I shouldn’t really get Tor in trouble with his brother. “He found other entertainments.”
“Arse! I told him to look out for you.”
“He stuck around for a while, but I decided to give him some freedom.” I lie.
We both sip on the steps sipping pop as the opening chords of a romantic song blare out through the door. This causes all the girls standing in the car park and courtyard to squeal “Oh my God, let’s go slow dance!” whilst dragging their hapless boyfriends up the stairs and indoors. The bitter, resentful side of me can’t help chuckling.
“Mentha is here.” Takuya says very quietly, a little while later.
I’d forgotten all about that. Belatedly, I wonder just how long Takuya’s been sitting out here. I can’t think of a decent reply.
“She looked well.” He continues.
“Um. Yes. Yes she did.” I realise now that I shouldn’t have directed Mentha anywhere near him. Then again, Takuya could find Mentha in the middle of a crowded New York street. At rush hour. Blindfolded. “If Jak realised he wouldn’t…”
“Oh, it’s ok.” Takuya says quickly. “They’re both very happy, which is important, right?”
I remember with a guilty pang how I called the blonde girl a whore. “Um, yes. Yes it is.”
“Meg? Do you want to…have a drink at my house?”
“I thought you’d never ask.”
So, shall I explain why I’m sat in the 16-18’s Disco in the Village Hall at 9:30pm?
Well, it’s all Clea’s fault. And it’s not often I say that. See, she’s a teetotaller (as are most of my friends) so she always looks for a way to hang out without me, my brother and Takuya trying to get completely shitfaced. I can see that she has a point. I agreed to come along to this partly because of the promise of attractive young men, but mostly to prove to both Clea and myself that I can get through an entire social event without alcohol. It’s proving difficult already.
Clea herself has been dragged onto the dance floor by Maiku. Clea’s mum knows the organisers (because Clea’s mum knows everyone), so we got Maiku in even though he’s 15 until next month.
Tor sits beside me drinking soda pop and burping at regular intervals. He’s my safety net. If Clea sees me sitting alone she’ll demand that I dance.
I do not dance.
“How are you feeling?” Tor asks, pretending to be interested.
“Disgustingly sober.” I reply with a sigh.
“Want some fizzy pop?”
Although he’s trying to help, I shoot him a withering look. “It’s not the same.”
“Hey, that girl over there is pretty fit, huh?”
Face meet palm.
“Are you listening, Tor?”
“If you’re so moody why don’t you dance?”
“With you?” I ask, mildly surprised.
“Uh, that’s not what I meant.” He mumbles distantly, still eyeing up the pretty girl.
I ignore him and look to the door in the hopes of an equally pretty boy. Ok, so I’m sad, desperate and creepy. Leave me alone.
“Hey, Eri!” I call, seeing her enter.
“WHAT?!” Tor tears his gaze from his until-recently-love-interest and fixes his gaze instead on my blonde friend.
About a year ago the buses between our village and Eri’s village stopped running, so we don’t see her as often as we used to. Maiku, unable to stay away from us, his beloved cousins (and more likely, his beloved Clea), moved into our village almost straight away.
Wait…back to Eri.
“She must have gotten Clea’s message!” I squeal. I squeal often, don’t let it bother you.
Tor stares at me. “How come no one told me?”
“It’s not like she’s your girlfriend.”
“Well…she was on the list…” He says lamely.
Ah yes, Tor’s famous list of girl’s he considers worthy. He isn’t as shallow as he seems, honest.
After a brief conversation with me, Eri turns to Tor.
“Would you like to dance?”
“Yes!” He replies hoarsely.
I faintly remember Tor saying the reason he wouldn’t dance with me was because he “doesn’t dance with anyone, ever.” I take it all back about his not-shallow-ness. Tor’s an asshat and I hate him.
“Uh, wait.” I say quietly. Tor looks like he’s going to brick me. “Eri, is Mentha here too?”
Eri opens her mouth to answer my question, but before she does, Mentha herself appears in the doorway. Even though I’m very fond of Mentha, it takes all my effort to stifle a groan. It’s ok to be jealous, right? Just a little?
Amazingly, Tor keeps his gaze on Eri instead of her older sister. I would say this shows how he’s gained strength of character and earned my respect but he’s an asshat and I hate him.
Mentha floats over to us and looks at Tor distastefully. “This is the best you could do?” She asks Eri, arching a graceful eyebrow.
Eri grabs Tor’s arm possessively. “Old friend.”
“No excuse.”
“The night is still young.” She quotes with a grin, dragging an unresisting Tor onto the dance floor.
Mentha tosses her head and looks at me. “Hallo Meggie, how’ve you been?”
“Great.” I partly lie. “Did I tell you that…?” I can tell that she isn’t really listening. She looks around intently. Oh, three guesses for whom…
“Your brother around?”
Cha-ching, bingo, you win the jackpot! You may now pass GO and collect £200.
Sorry but, it was kind of obvious.
“Oh, sure, he and Tak…uuuuh…he and some friends are over by the table.” Weeping over the lack of vodka, I add silently.
“Thanks, I might head over there.” Mentha says with a smile and small wave, tossing her head again. Leaving me alone. God. Damn. It.
Ever get the feeling everyone is getting together but you?
Even more bitter than before, I sit low in my chair, seething. “You’re all bitches and whores and sons of bitches and whores and I hope you die in a vat of-“
“Oh, cut the melodrama, it doesn’t suit you.” Maiku says, prodding my long nose. “That’s my job.” He and Clea stand before me. Despite my whiny and pathetic state, I can’t help but grin. They’re those kind of people.
“Aren’t you having fun? You look a little lonely.” Clea asks, concerned.
“Oh, I’m bearing up well. The night is still young.” A little bit of plagiarism goes a long way.
Clea can tell I’m bullshitting because she has ESP. Or I’m easy to read, but I like the ESP excuse better. Either way, she’s not buying it.
“Cheer up, ok?” She says seriously.
“Yeah, you’re putting a downer on everyone else’s mood!” Maiku chirps, before leading Clea off for another dance. Right, like anything short of the words “No Coke” can dampen his spirits.
“Oh. My. God. Clea!” I hiss across to where they are. Luckily, no one else hears me. Or maybe they just don’t care. Clea hears me and looks over curiously. I nod my head towards the door in a totally obvious way and mouth the word “Blonde.”
Eri leans on Tor’s arm, whilst the pretty girl he noticed before leans on the other. I say again: asshat.
He leaves them for a second and crosses the floor to where I’m wandering aimlessly. “Having a good time?” He asks.
“Um…” You left me alone, remember?
“Where’s that blonde guy you talking to?”
Oh. Yeah. Him. “He left a little while ago with an equally blonde girl who giggled too much.” I say flatly.
“That really sucks.” Tor sounds like he really means it. “He seemed so interested in you!”
“C’est la vie. On the reverse however you appear to have pulled. Twice.”
“Heheh, I’m getting lucky tonight!” He chuckles, all helpful sympathy vanished.
“Woah. Random stranger girl? That’s fine. But Eri is a good friend of us all and not to be played with.” I say sternly.
“Right, like she’d let me.” Tor points out. “I’ll be good. Can I flirt though?”
I feel he’s missing the point. “Whatever.” I give in. “I’m gonna buy some fizzy pop.”
60 pence later, I wander outside, cheap replacement for alcohol in hand. Sitting on the steps in a pool of lamplight is Takuya, who I haven’t seen much tonight. Feeling an unwelcome guest, I quietly sit next to him anyway. This has been my lonely spot every year and I’ll be damned if I’m giving it up now.
“Oh, hi Meg.” He says distantly. “Where’s that blonde dude?”
“Alas, my blonde prince drove away in a flashy sports car with a blonde whore.” I say struggling to open my drink. Why are bottle caps all such a bitch to open?
“Really?” Takuya says with surprise. “Tough luck, I though you were onto a winner there.”
“Mmm, that seems to be the general opinion.” I agree as soda pop fizzes over the top of the bottle and sprays over my hands. See, this never happens with beer.
“You got a dance with Tor, right?”
“Ahm…” I shouldn’t really get Tor in trouble with his brother. “He found other entertainments.”
“Arse! I told him to look out for you.”
“He stuck around for a while, but I decided to give him some freedom.” I lie.
We both sip on the steps sipping pop as the opening chords of a romantic song blare out through the door. This causes all the girls standing in the car park and courtyard to squeal “Oh my God, let’s go slow dance!” whilst dragging their hapless boyfriends up the stairs and indoors. The bitter, resentful side of me can’t help chuckling.
“Mentha is here.” Takuya says very quietly, a little while later.
I’d forgotten all about that. Belatedly, I wonder just how long Takuya’s been sitting out here. I can’t think of a decent reply.
“She looked well.” He continues.
“Um. Yes. Yes she did.” I realise now that I shouldn’t have directed Mentha anywhere near him. Then again, Takuya could find Mentha in the middle of a crowded New York street. At rush hour. Blindfolded. “If Jak realised he wouldn’t…”
“Oh, it’s ok.” Takuya says quickly. “They’re both very happy, which is important, right?”
I remember with a guilty pang how I called the blonde girl a whore. “Um, yes. Yes it is.”
“Meg? Do you want to…have a drink at my house?”
“I thought you’d never ask.”