“You into this type of thing too I take it?”
Adam turned his head slowly to face Jaime.
“It’s incredible. Your research is simply riveting.”
Jaime laughed and patted him on the shoulder.
“First things first bro.” He pointed to the box. “You need to change.”
Adam looked down at the box, then up at Jaime.
“Your clothes won’t fit me. I’m smaller than you.”
“It’s cool,” said Jaime, “These are some clothes I had before Andrew introduced me to weights.”
Adam looked at himself in the mirror. He was wearing a black Star Wars T-shirt, which was two sizes too big for him. Baggy denim jeans and a pair of beaten up New Balance trainers. He took a look through the box, with a helping hand from Jaime. After about 30 minutes they finally came to a decision. A simple but stylish ensemble consisting of a black V-neck jumper and fitted denim jeans. Jaime ransacked his wardrobe again.
“What size feet are you?”
“8.” Replied Adam.
Jaime handed him a pair of classic black and white Chuck Taylors. “Try these on.” Jaime straightened him up and admired his work with satisfied adulation.
“Now, you’re ready to go.”
Adam couldn’t believe how good he looked, turning and appreciating his own reflection.
“Thanks so much Jaime. I’ve never really done this type of thing before.”
“It’s cool bro. Keep em; I won’t have any need for them. And call me Jai.”
They exited his bedroom, locked up the house behind them and entered Jaime's car. Buckled up, he pulled away and off they headed to the party. After driving for a couple of minutes, they slowly came to a halt at a traffic light.
Adam turned to Jaime.
“So..."he started, 'Illuminati?”
Both of them grinned as they knew a discussion was about to take place.
The light turned green and off they went.
Andrew pulled up a few feet away from the chaotic atmosphere of the frat house. He turned his engine off and cut the lights off, as to lay low. He awaited the arrival of his teammates and passed the few minutes he had by sending a text to Louise.
‘Just got to the party. Hopefully, see you later x’
A tap on the window broke his concentration. He looked up. Josh signalled to him to get out. The whole squad had now arrived. The unmistakable colours of their varsity jackets made them a recognisable sight for miles away. As people’s attentions were slowly interrupted, conversations were cut short, drinking games were halted and a slow wave of cheers began as the presence of the warriors was acknowledged. This chorus got louder as the team walked up the lawn and onto the walkway leading to the front door. Word of their arrival travelled fast and the DJ appropriately cut the music sharply. People cleared space and made room for their squad of heroes. Praises replaced the sound of the music. Each player feeling like a god amongst mortals. Many handshakes and high fives were exchanged before the DJ dispersed the sounds of revelry.
“Could everyone please raise your glasses.” A multitude of hands went up. The sight of red cups rained above them.
“Let's make a toast to our champions; the warriors!” The crowd responded in uproar. “WARRIORS! WARRIORS! WARRIORS!” The house seemed to shake from the intensity of the collective voices. Simultaneously, everybody took a sip from their cup. The DJ then caught sight of Andrew and put him on the spot.
“Can we get a speech from our captain?”
Andrew declined enthusiastically but his rebuttals were drowned out by the spirited pleas of, “Speech! Speech!”
He rolled his eyes and sighed. “Arrrggggh. Ok Ok.” He reluctantly took the microphone from the DJ. The whole room was now staring at him. His eyes scanned over all the faces that were focused on him. A nervous smile crept across his face. The DJ tapped him and handed him a red cup. He took a swig hoping it would put him at ease.
“Ummm. I just wanna start by saying thanks to everyone that came to the game today. Did we kick ass or what?!”
The room awoke in cheers and screams of one accord. He waited for them to calm down then continued.
“Can we raise our cups again. For my team. Without them I’d be nothing. And also to my boy, Mr. Parker for making the winning touchdown today.” He pointed at his peers and as he did so, the room toasted again in unison.
“NOW LETS PARTY!” Andrew screamed. The DJ acknowledged his request and resumed his duties. The booming of the speakers recommenced and the party was once again alive with the rhythms of celebration.
Andrew rejoined his troop and they headed to the kitchen to begin drinking.
A couple of shots in, Andrew’s phone could be felt vibrating in his pocket.
‘Yo, I’m outside.’
He grabbed Josh and they made their way through the packed corridor to the front of the house. Jaime and Adam were coming up the pathway. They all greeted each other with a brotherly bond. Andrew looked at Adam and could tell he was nervous.
“Hey bro, it’s good to see you, I didn’t think you’d come. And you’re looking smooth too.” They all laughed as Jaime interrupted.
“I think you’ll find that’s my doing.”
Josh coughed loudly. “So no one gonna introduce me na?”
Adam extended his hand politely. “You’re Josh Parker, right? I’m Adam”
They shook hands and collectively walked back into the house. Upon entering the house Adam was trying to get to grips with being around so many people. He had never been to a party before and the new atmosphere was proving a little challenging for him. Andrew could see he was nervous.
“Hey, let’s all go get a drink.”
They headed for the kitchen. Andrew poured them all a cup and handed them out. Cheers as he gestured his cup up. They all reciprocated and took a gulp of their beverages. He looked at Adam and told him to relax and loosen up. They carried on drinking, between mingling with other students and dancing into the late hours of the night. A few hours passed and Andrew found himself chilling outside in the back garden trying to catch some fresh air. Josh was also outside; being flirtatious as usual and entertaining the advances of a beautiful female he had acquainted himself with earlier on in the night. He noticed Andrew sitting alone and politely excused himself from her company to see what his friend was up to.
“Yo.” He startled Andrew, “You ok?”
Andrew sunk back into his inflatable chair, slightly intoxicated. He sighed.
“I was hoping Louise was gonna be here tonight. You think she’ll come?”
Josh sat down next to him and tried to be supportive.
“If she likes you as much as you clearly like her, then I’m sure she’ll turn up. And the night is young anyway my friend. There is still much more fun to be had.” He reached in his pocket and pulled out a small, clear plastic bag. The pungent aroma wafted through the air as Josh gently flicked it. Andrew smiled as he knew exactly what that smell was.
“What time is it? 420 time!” they both laughed.
“This’ll take your mind off shit for a while. Come on let's go find the others.” Josh led him inside to look for Jaime and Adam. As they closed the door behind and made their way back through the house, they could hear cheering and clapping coming from the one of the rooms. Curiosity got the better of them and they peaked in to find Jaime and Adam taking part in a beer pong competition. Not only were they taking part, they were in the final round. And they were winning.
“Come on Jai. You got this Ad's.” yelled Andrew. Jaime looked over, followed by Adam and they both waved him in appreciation. Silence fell over the room. Jaime and Adam had two cups on the table, whilst their opponents had one left. It was the oppositions turn to throw. Concentration fell on their faces. The ball was aimed carefully, and then thrown. It was as if it was moving in slow motion as it flew through the air. Everyone that was crowded around the table was fully invested in the game now. The anticipation of knowing if the ball w
as going to drop into the cup was nerve racking. As the small white sphere dipped in direction a giant gasp echoed out.
PLOP!
In it went with a splash. The red cup rattled. Half the bystanders cheered whilst the other half jeered. It was now sudden death. Neck and neck. Andrew and Josh managed to battle their way through the crowd and were now directly beside Jaime and Adam. All slightly inebriated, they studied the last cup on the opposing team’s side of the table.
“You think you can make this shot? I mean from a quarterback’s point of view that’s a pretty hard shot to make.” slurred Andrew.
Jaime looked at him with a drunken expression on his face, then back at Adam. Adam was silent the whole time. Ball in his hand, hand to his mouth. He looked like he was speaking to himself. Josh looked puzzled.
“Errrm, is he ok? He looks zoned out.”
Jaime smiled, “Trust me he’s been doing this shit the whole game. Just watch.”
Adam came out of the trance like state. The crowd surrounding the table drew in closer to the table. They knew he was prepped to throw. Hush again fell over the room. He outstretched his arm to aim. Then with a slight bend in his elbow and a marginal flick in his wrist he threw the ball with the precision of a hawk. The entire room were on tip toes as the expectation was too much to bear for some. Even Josh and Andrew looked on in astonishment. Gaping jaws followed as everyone witnessed the ball travel with such grace and perfection, as it landed, clean and crisply in the opposing team’s cup. The only person who remained calm and collected was Jaime.
His arms crossed throughout the entire ordeal. He turned to Andrew with a smug grin on his face.
“Told you.”
The room erupted into an outbreak of hysteria. Everyone applauded and congratulated them both. Josh picked Adam up and danced with him as they fell into fits of celebration. It seemed today was a day of wins for all four friends.
Josh gathered all four of them together in a quiet corner of the room.
“So, who wants to celebrate?” Again he pulled the clear bag of marijuana out. He turned to each of them. Jaime and Andrew nodded in agreement. Adam looked at the bag, then at Josh. After a slight hesitation he agreed, “Ahh what the hell, let’s do it.”
They made their way to Jaime’s car, parked a few streets down, and indulged in the herbal remedy Josh had provided. After a while, they all started to feel the effects of the drug. Time seemed to slow down, as did their motor skills. They sat and spoke on subjects from girls on campus to the football game, what they were majoring in and even the party itself. The conversation changed topics sporadically. One thing that remained constant throughout their dialogue, however, was the contagious laughter they all shared.
Some time passed and Andrew turned to his friends. A slight look of mischievousness crept on his face as he smiled.
“Wanna see something cool?”
The car went silent. They all looked at him curiously.
“Ok, what?” said Josh. “Yeah, what?” repeated Jaime.
“Ok don’t freak out. And you can't say a word, ok?” Andrew made them promise before he exited the car.
“OK?” He reiterated.
They all agreed with conviction. He stepped out the car and shut the door. “Buckle up boys.”
They all looked at each other perplexed. They watched Andrew walk around to the front of the car. He took a deep breath and closed his eyes, clearly trying to focus himself as he was highly intoxicated by this point. He placed his hands under the grill of the Land Rover. Steadying his feet and entering a squat position, he proceeded to lift the front of the car. He let out a stream of breath as he exhaled heavily. The strain of the task could be seen on his face as his neck muscles tightened.
“Josh, what the hell was in that weed?! He’s trippin’ out.” Jaime panicked.
“Ay, it’s my good shit, nothing wrong with It.” replied Josh.
“Right I’m stopping this before he bursts a blood vessel or furthermore damages my car!”
Jaime reached for the door but as he did so he could feel the car begin to shake.
“What the hell?!”
They all clutched their seats tightly. Josh scrambled for his phone as it slid off the dashboard.
Adams voice softly spoke out from the back seat. “He’s doing it.”
They watched in disbelief as the car began to rise off the ground. They looked at Andrew and he was still lifting. His technique was flawless but even for him, this was an impressive lift. He had managed to get the two front wheels off the ground. Jaime shouted through the window.
“OK, that’s enough now, you proved you’re clearly on steroids. Can you please put my car down now?”
Andrew let out a little chuckle then lifted again. The front bumper was now by his chest. His hands had now gone from a lifting position to a pushing position. Josh could see what he was attempting but couldn’t believe he would.
“He’s gonna try and push it above his head!”
Jaime spun his head towards Josh in panic. His expression was filled with severe caution.
“No, noo, noooo. Andrew put my car down!” He shouted.
Ignoring him, Andrew set himself up to make the final push. His muscles were tight but robust. A slight bead of sweat trickled down his head. He inhaled deeply and with an almighty burst of explosive power, he pushed with all his strength, steadying himself by kicking his right foot back sharply.
“He did it! Ha, he did it.” Exclaimed Adam.
“Is this guy for real?” said Josh.
“You’re asking me? You train with him for fucks sake.” Yelled Jaime.
The car was now at a 45-degree angle and Andrew was partially underneath it, supporting the collective weight of the front of Defender and his 3 friends inside it. His shouts of accomplishment could be heard from below the car.
“Glad to hear you’re happy with yourself. Can you please put my car down now? Carefully!” Demanded Jaime.
Andrew slowly lowered it until it was safe to drop. The car bounced a little from the impact but all was intact. He sat down, back leant against the bumper. The boys all exited the car swiftly and gathered around him at the front of the car. Josh looked at the bag of weed and back at Andrew.
“This shit has never done this to anyone before. Maybe I should stop smoking it.” Andrew laughed as he inhaled slowly.
“You have some explaining to do man.” Jaime looked down at him like an angry parent looks at a misbehaved child. Extending his arm, he helped him up.
They walked back leisurely, taking their time so that Andrew could explain everything to them. He told them about what had happened in the gym previously that day. Then described how he met Adam in intricate detail. By the time they had arrived back at the party he had just finished telling them about the last play of the game. They all looked at him, bewildered, trying to piece together what this all meant. As Jamie was about to speak, Andrews phone vibrated. He reached in his pocket, pulled it out and read the text. His expression instantly lifted in spirit. He looked around frantically, gently shunning Josh out the way to get a clear view of who was outside the front of the house. He quickly texts back, ‘Come outside the front.’
His eyes were fixed on the front door as he waited anxiously. They all looked at him bemused as to why he was so happy, but this was cleared up as the door opened and out stepped Louise onto the front lawn. Her head searched from right to left until her eyes met with his. She smiled and walked over.
“Hey guys, having a good time?” She asked.
“Yeah we’re all good, and you?” replied Josh.
“I’m good, I’m good.” She turned to Adam and paused. “And you are?”
Andrew butted in.
“Sorry, this is Adam. Adam-Louise, Louise-Adam.” They greeted one another. Josh could feel the situation getting awkward and to make up for his previous interruption he acted on instinct.
“So...boys let's go get a drink shall we? I’m sure there are girls inside wai
ting for us, well for me anyway.” They laughed and traded sarcastic jibes at each other then walked towards the house leaving Andrew and Louise alone.
“I’m glad you decided to come.” Said Andrew
“I wasn’t going to. I had nothing to wear.” She replied.
He looked her up and down with satisfaction. “You look good to me.”
She was wearing a pair of tight, figure hugging washed out jeans, a fresh white crop top and classic beige Timberland boots. They continued to converse amidst flirtations and compliments. They had a playful rapport with each other, one that seemed to be a product of a lifetime of encounters. Their behaviour towards each other would have fooled anyone into thinking they were an item already.
“You wanna go in and get a drink?” Asked Andrew, trying to hold himself together and act sober. “How about I get a drink and you stick to water, yeah?” She joked with him.
“Pssht woman I’m fine, you got some catching up to do.”
They walked side by side into the house. Andrew took the lead and guided her through the maze of bodies to the kitchen. Louise poured herself a drink and they continued their discussion as before. As they chatted away, the sound of an all too familiar track boomed out the speaker, grabbing both their attentions. They both smiled at each other.
“I know you ain't just gonna stand there while this tune is playing,” Commanded Andrew
She laughed and nearly choked on her drink. “Boy, can you even dance in your current state?” She mocked his unsteady mannerisms. He grabbed her hand and ordered her to the dance floor.
They danced together with witty dramatics, singing to one another as they mimed the lyrics. Looking on from the corner of the room, observing their antics were Josh, Jaime and Adam.
“He really likes her huh?” Said Adam with an impressed smile on his face.
“Well obviously! About time he made a damn move.” Proclaimed Josh. “Saying that where has my girl gone?” He quizzed himself and searched the room. Jaime grabbed his arm to get his attention again.
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