THEO'S POV:
After school, the four of us decide to hang out at our usual spot, the club.
Annie is glaring at Sevi with a death stare as he downs shot after shot. Feeling her glare, he finally gets uncomfortable and speaks up.
Sevi: What?
Annie: Why are you drinking so much?! If you get drunk, who's going to be responsible for you, huh?!
Sevi: Relax… first, I'm not drunk.
Second, even if I do get drunk, my girlfriend is here…
Girlfriend?!
When did he get a girlfriend? I think to myself.
Annie: Who?
Sevi: Theo, baby.
He laughs drunkenly.
I roll my eyes at his nonsense.
Theo: Where's Kayla?
I ask Annie.
She points behind me. I turn and see Kayla kissing a random guy purely for pleasure.
It feels like a dagger straight through my heart. Seeing her kiss someone else hurts more than I want to admit but I pretend I'm completely fine.
I turn back and down my shot.
A while later, Kayla walks over.
Kayla: So… how's the night going for you guys?
Is Sevi drunk asleep already?
She chuckles.
Annie: Yeah. Like always.
I'm heading home and I'll drop him off at his place on the way.
Theo: Thank you so much. Please take him with you, he's already considering me his girlfriend now.
Kayla and Annie both laugh.
Kayla: You two look like a couple anyway.
He sleeps at your apartment, always hanging out with you…
Annie: Yeah! And you're always buying him everything he wants…
They chuckle.
Kayla: Honestly, you two would make a great gay couple like....made for each other.
They burst out laughing.
I can't deny it, I do buy him things, and he practically lives at my apartment. But he's like my brother, not my boyfriend. There's a huge difference.
Stop shipping me with this drunk idiot, I think to myself.
After Annie leaves, I turn to Kayla.
Theo: I think we should head home too.
Your mom must be worried about you and my dad as well.
Kayla: No, she doesn't care about me. She just pretends like she does but she doesn't.
And I'm not planning to go home early tonight, so keep your mouth shut and let me enjoy.
She downs one shot… then another… then another.
An hour later, she's heavily drunk.
She stumbles, and I hold her tightly, helping her walk toward the parking lot.
Theo: Stay right here for a moment, okay?
I'll bring the car.
She nods drunkenly and sits down on the sidewalk.
I quickly pull the car out of the parking lot.
When I turn back, she's gone.
My heart skips.
I look around frantically and spot her at the bus stop, getting on a bus.
Theo: Kayla!
I run after the bus, shouting at the driver to stop.
She sees me through the window, drunkenly waves, and happily mouths goodbye.
After running for what feels like forever, the driver finally stops. I pull her off the bus and drag her back to the car, holding her hand tightly so she doesn't escape again.
As we walk, she suddenly spots a seafood shop.
She yanks her hand away from mine, like a child pulling away from their parent and runs inside.
Theo: Kayla!
I chase after her.
She grabs a huge dead lobster… and starts eating it.
I freeze.
I don't know whether to feel nauseous or terrified.
She's eating a raw lobster, right in front of me.
Even the shopkeeper looks too shocked to process what just happened.
I quickly pull out my wallet, pay the man, grab Kayla, and rush out with her.