Obstacles

Booze is another word for alcohol, which was (and still is) illegal for a boy that was my age.

Viper took me, Katelyn, and the rest of he guys to a nearby, abandoned gas station.

'How are we s'pposed to get in?' I asked.

Viper simply kicked the boarded up window in response. The wood gave out and caved in, giving us access to the inside. The dust built up in corners and on shelves.

'You first, Toad!' Katelyn exclaimed with too much eagerness.

'Okay,' I had replied, too oblivious.

I crawled in, and everyone followed in suit. We sat down on old paint cans, and Viper got out the beer.

'What is that?' I marveled at the sight.

'Beer, Toad. And not yer root beer beer. Actual beer!' Katelyn laughed.

'Oh.'

'Drink up!'

Viper threw the bottle at me, and I lifted my head back. I gulped down less than a quarter of the bottle before I got queasy and felt my throat burn.

The effects of alcohol: it hurt like hell, but it felt like Heaven.

'Better share some, tadpole!' Viper snickered at me.

My face was in the expression of disgust and delight, an odd combination. The rest of the group chugged the rest of the beer down.

And that's when I got absolutely drunk.

I'll try to recall most of the events I experienced, but being under the influence never heloed your memory.

'You are so weird,' Viper stated as I grabbed the rim of my shirt and pulled it off, only to start slinging it around in the air.

Katelyn Ross giggled, which oddly made me feel accomplished.

The next few events were slurred in my mind. We just sat around talking into Viper went home and Katelyn passed out. I don't remember where the rest of the crew went, but they were gone after Katelyn woke up.

I was awake, staring at her face like the total and complete pervert I am. She woke with little surprise to where she was. The alcohol was draining my energy, however it hadn't completely worn off yet.

'Hey, Todd!' She yawned.

She rubbed her neck from her discomfort in sleeping position.

'Hi, Katelyn,' I whispered, knowing fully that hangovers were a consequence of drinking.

'You can call me Ross, ya know. Katelyn just isn't me.'

Which I did not understand since the name Katelyn basically defined her in every way possible.

'How's your head?'

'Messed up.'

I don't know what was running through my head at that moment, but I had ended up with my lips on top of Katelyn's pale, pink lips. She didn't stop me. She didn't deepen the kiss. She simply sat with her eyes closed and her lips pressed to mine. It was beautiful. Soon and too quickly, it ended.

'Damn it, Toad. You gave me cooties! I'm gonna wake up t'morrow with yer warts covering my face. You better hope it doesn't spread!' Katelyn joked.

'They say the only cure for cooties is to give them back to the person that gave them to you.'

'As long as I live, Todd, I will never give you yer cooties and warts back!'

And I thought she was just kidding.