Me, myself and I (english version) [PAUSE]

Chapter 14: A very drunk Christmas

My friends look at me, moved by my speech and then surround me for a collective hug. We remain entwined for a few seconds before Eric ends this emotional moment and exclaims, raising his glass of champagne:

-Now it's time to party! Cheers, folks!

We all say, "Cheers!" before drinking the champagne. When the golden liquid slips into my mouth, a grimace forms on my face, I think I don't like champagne, finally, I should have abstained... Tae Il notices my grimace and asks me:

-you don't like it?

-No, I dont, this is the first time I taste champagne...

-What do you usually drink?

-I don't usually drink. I tasted beer once but didn't like it.

Tae Il takes the champagne glass from my hand before disappearing into the kitchen. He comes back with an empty glass and opens another of the three bottles brought by Eric. He pours the pink liquid into the empty glass before bringing it to me.

-Here, taste this. This is rosé, champagne has a rather special taste, but the rosé is sweeter, so you might like it better.

I take the glass that he hands me and taste the drink. He's right, it's better than champagne. The fruity flavour makes me want to drink it again. I drink another sip before Tae He asks me:

-So, what do you think?

-It's so good!

-I knew you'd prefer it, but be careful, it's still alcohol and since you don't drink it often, it may quickly get to your head ...

Three drinks later, I think I'm more than tipsy; I'm not sure of my ability to walk straight and I'm pretty sure that the sentences I utter don't really make sense...

-"You should stop drinking Anaelle," Tae Il kindly tells me.

I look at him with a smile and say,

-I don't want to, Timmyyyy. Im feeling gooooood. Its been a long time since I didnt feel so good so, let me be, pleeeaaaaase.

I get close to Tae Il, put my two hands on his cheeks and stretch them to force him to smile:

-Have fun with us Timmyyy. Give me a smile.

I let him go to get my drink that I empty in one go. I start to sway my hips, excited by the music that Eric just started playing on the Hi-Fi channel. Usually, I dont dance in front of people, however, tonight I dont feel any discomfort: I feel free to do whatever I want. Eric and Tamara join me while Tae Il looks at us all as if he no longer knows what to do with us. Eric gets close to Tae Il, puts his hands on his friends hips and starts swaying against him. Tae Il reacts right away, trying to push his friend away:

-Eric, stop it!

-Only if you stop thinking and start having fun!

Tae Il surrenders and begins to dance in rhythm with the music. I dont know if its because I drank too much, but it seems to me that he is not at all in rhythm with music and dances weirdly: his movements are not coordinated at all I expected him to be a good dancer; since he can sing and play guitar, it didnt occur to me that he could be a bad dancer. However, I must admit that this little flaw makes him more charming; nobody is perfect right?

After the dance, make way for karaoke! Tae Il and I sit on the couch, Tamara on the armchair and Eric on the floor. Tamara pulled out microphones for us to sing, as if we weren't making enough noise already... I don't think his neighbors appreciate all this noise, but I don't care, this is party time! I grab the microphone to sing one of my favorite songs of the moment: "The Reason Why" by TWICE. To be honest, singing while youre drunk is harder than I thought it would be, so I kind of butchered the song, but who cares? Its Christmas! Tae Il who is more in his element now that he no longer has to dance, follows up by singing "Let me Know" by BTS. He sings so well, and his deep voice compliments the song very well. After two rather sad songs, Eric and Tamara push up the atmosphere by singing "Mi gente" by J Balvin and Willy William. While they are singing, I get up and dance, I love being able to do that without worrying about anything.

At about four o'clock, I start to doze. When my head starts to pitch towards him, Tae Il lends me his shoulder for me to put my head on. I end up falling asleep with a smile on my face: this evening was fantastic.

Back to the present:

Tae He gets up from the couch, stretches his long limbs and then asks me:

-Are you okay?

-Yes, I just have a bit of a headache...

-I knew you would...

He goes to the bathroom, then to the kitchen and comes back with a glass of water and ibuprofen that he hands me. I accept while thanking him and swallow the tablet while observing him. Even in the morning when he wakes up, he is handsome...

Leah pulls me out of my thoughts when her thin voice rises:

-Now that tata Ana is awake, can we open the presents?

-Of course, little duckling.

Tae Il takes the little girl in his arms and walks towards the tree. Even if ibuprofen doesn't have any effect yet, the glass of water is already making me feel better and I my ideas slowly get back in place. So, I finally realize that two of my friends are missing:

-Where are Tamara and Eric?

-Tamara is sleeping in her room and Eric in the guest room. They are impossible to wake up when they drink too much like yesterday, which is why Leah came to see me when she woke up. You were supposed to sleep with Tamara, but you didn't wake up and since I couldnt stand up and Eric was too drunk, no one was in a position to carry you.

-So, you got stuck on the couch... Sorry, it must not have been very comfortable for you...

-Don't worry, it wasn't uncomfortable.

Is that his way of saying he liked it? Well surely not, but I have the right to delude myself, right? Don't judge me.

The morning continues calmly: Leah opens her gifts and loves them all. Obviously, in the middle of winter, the bike offered by Eric and the scooter gifted by Tae Il are not going to serve her much so she plays with her barbies and doll offered by Tamara and me.

Tamara and Eric emerge around 4 p.m. and swear that alcohol is over for them, but Tae Il tells me that every time they party, they say the same thing but, they alwaysend up getting drunk again.

This Christmas was completely different from the ones I spent with my family, but I loved it.

Dad, Mom, Gwen, I missed you today, but from now on, I'm going to fulfill my promise, I'm going to live to the fullest and without regrets.