Be My Addiction

16 • Truth or Drink

Eugene

By the next hour, Ethan and I have gone around to meet all the jocks and find Veronica. I was feeling a nice buzz and I’m sure Ethan was too considering this was his seventh cup. We were out of the way of all the dancers and against the wall that led to the dining room. That room was a bit messy from scattered cups but it was free of most of the people. Veronica ran over with a drunken giggle. She wasn’t exactly a lightweight but she has had a lot to drink. Her lipstick was smudged from her drinking out of her cup while bouncing around and her pink blouse was wrinkled, her skirt, slightly crooked. She was a mess.

“Heeey baaaabe” She slurred. I was a bit embarrassed considering she was a mess and pressing right up against me. Ethan shifted his gaze away. I didn’t want him to see her like this.

“Hey Veronica..” An awkward chuckle escaped my lips.

My girlfriend cocked her hips in that way that she does, “We are about to play a game! Com’mon it’ll be fun!”

Ethan glanced to Veronica before he finally looked at me “Are you going?”

Looking between the two, I caved “yeah, you?” The question was sent to Ethan.

The boy shook his head “Nah... I’ll sit out. I’m not a fan of party games” He chuckled and finished off his drink.

Really? He was content with just standing there? Nope. Not happening. I’m not letting him sit there like a fly on the wall while everyone else had fun.

Shaking my head, I turned to look at him fully “That’s boring, man. You won’t have any fun.” Ethan wanted to protest but I didn’t give him the chance. Soon I tugged him into the dining room. He grumbled but didn’t object. It must have been the alcohol because I am certain he would have put his foot down and refused.

In the room, there were already three people. A girl named April, a guy named Michael and another girl I could never remember the name of. I know that sounds rude but I haven’t even talked to the girl. She’s also in none of my classes.

Veronica pulled us to sit down. Ethan sat on my right and Veronica sat on the left. We made a complete circle around what looked to be shot glasses and a bottle of vodka.

April grinned lightly “welcome to our game. We are going to play Truth or Drink. We will each take turns asking someone in the circle a question and they have to answer truthfully or take a shot. Remember, if you take a shot, everyone will know you have a sketchy answer” She wiggled her eyebrows.

<×><×><×>

And with that introduction, the game began. We each went around the group, asking a few things. Ethan usually took a shot if the questions were too personal. I answered most of them, even ones about my father, who hasn’t been in my life for at least five years.

It was Michael’s turn to ask someone “Ethan” he started “so what’s the deal with the car accident?”

The group went silent for a moment and my eyes sought out Ethan. The boy was tracing his thumb around the rim of his cup. I thought he was going to drink but he surprised us all “You know most of it... Me and my brother got into a car accident. I survived. He didn’t” he then downed his cup, even though he had answered. One of the girls’ eyes widened and April bit her lip with a hint of concern.

She adjusted in her seat “how did it like.. Happen?” Ethan tensed at the question.

I’m assuming the alcohol was easing him because he continued to give responses. “I went to pick Brian up from a friends house. They were kind of being mean and he wanted to go home. It was a little after midnight.” He licked his bottom lip, seemingly as a distraction. Everyone waited, including myself for him to continue. “On the way back, I glanced off of the road and didn’t see the red stoplight... I didn’t get to react when a large truck smashed into Brian’s side of the car. We swerved into a ditch with a rough landing. Next thing I knew, I was looking at Brian and he wasn’t breathing.” He finished his words with a whisper.

I felt guilty. Guilty for being so curious to hear Ethan’s trauma. The boy looked to be remembering everything.

Michael glanced around before he looked to Ethan, “so it was your fault.” April punched the guy in the arm and he winced, “What? It’s true.”

Ethan had seemed to shrink at the accusation. He stood up, “I’m going to go..” he said quietly, not meeting anyone’s eyes.
 
I, of course, jumped to my feet, along with everyone else. The girl, Hanna, as I suddenly recalled spoke up “Ethan, just ignore him. He’s drunk.”

Ethan shook his head, “It doesn’t matter. I didn’t want to come here.”

As if searching for an opportunity to make matters worse, Michael crossed his arms, “Then why’d you come? You didn’t have to be here.”

I went to step in and take the blame but Ethan was quick to react. “Because I thought that maybe, just maybe, that there would be decent human beings here who didn’t want to dig into my business; my past. Maybe I thought that I could have a nice night without somebody reminding me that my brother is dead because of me.” He hissed. Most of us flinched at his harsh words even if they weren’t directed at each individual. Ethan’s eyes narrowed and his fists clenched. He took a deep breath, ignoring his obvious anger as he finally spoke.

“Clearly, I was wrong.”

We all stood in silence as Ethan stormed out of the house, shoving people out of the way as if he couldn’t survive if he stayed any longer.