Forked Roads Back

8 - TESSA

THREE ROUNDS OF KING'S Cup are played, and with each game my cheeks feel a little warmer and my head a little more light-headed.

After the first game, I kept my drinks to relatively weak Malibu and cokes - so I'd be able to walk once we left and wasn't left destroyed like Mitch - and so far I was better off than most people. But after I finish my sixth Malibu and coke, I start to feel like I've had enough, even if they are weaker than I'd usually have them.

All three rounds of King's Cup have been as messy as I expected. After being paired with Will once, I know just how seriously the boys take it. Any slight indiscretion and you have to drink... pointing at someone, your drink being less than a finger's length away from the edge of the table, calling people by their first names... There were too many rules I had to remember.

Nelly had the first King's Cup, and has been sticking to water since, so I hope she makes it out. It won't be the same without her. The second one was me, but as my drinking partner, Ryan and I shared it, and it didn't turn out to be too bad... and the third one is about to be downed by Paul.

He groans before chugs it and slams the glass back down on the table, with a cheer erupting from the rest of us.

I'm about to ask when we're leaving, trying to make sure I didn't sound too desperate, but Sophie beats me to it.

"Can we go now?" she asks, sounding bored. She didn't join in the last game, and to be honest, she's looked uninterested all evening.

Ryan looks at her and then looks at Glen, who nods. "Yeah, I suppose so." He's not on Glen's lap anymore, but rather has his legs are draped across it.

"We are," Nelly and Will chime at the same time, and I nod too, glad to Nelly is coming.

She stands and leaves the room, returning with their coats, signalling to the whole group that we are leaving in a matter of minutes.

I get up and head to my room to get mine, checking myself in the mirror before I leave. My cheeks are sufficiently rosy, and my eyes are alight with something I hadn't seen in them for a long time: hope.

I smile to myself as I pull my coat on, wrapping my scarf around my neck, making sure it covers my ears, before joining everyone else in the kitchen. Everyone is now wrapped up for the snow outside, and I notice Mitch has joined us, although he looks incredibly green.

He gives me a nod, but I think he's going to peel off and head home when no one's watching. To be honest I think the others are too tipsy to notice he's even here.

"Did you have a song in mind?" Ryan asks me, looping his arm through mine. He's only wearing a body warmer, but I've realised, despite his small size, he's always really warm.

"You'll have to wait and see," I tell him, touching my nose. I was actually hoping people would forget by the time it came to me. I hadn't sung in years, not since school, and it brings back too many bad memories.

"Come on! We'll miss the karaoke at this rate!" Nelly shouts behind us to the stragglers. I bet they're thinking that's not necessarily a bad thing.

A few groans of 'coming' rise up from the group at the door, but Nelly loops her arm through my free one and the three of us start walking. It's not long before my teeth start chattering and I pull myself closer to Ryan.

"Just to be clear..." he starts as Glen comes up next to Nelly, "I am not singing."

Glen lets out a laugh. "I think you'll find you are, babe."

Ryan tuts as he disconnects from me and holds Glen's hand, and I gasp as a cold wisp of wind blows right down my neck, despite my scarf. Nelly and I pull each other close just as Will comes up to next to me, putting a large arm across my shoulders.