Chapter 74. Booze

"Claire! Please don't leave me..." Rey shouted stretching his hands. What was that? How had he fallen this hard? He looked at Alaric and stood from his bed. He rushed out and he caught a glimpse of someone take a corner.

He did not care much as he headed out for his room. He pushed the door open and hurried to his room ignoring his roommates. He locked the door behind him and lay on the messy bed.

He was feeling gloomy and sleepy since she broke up with him. He shut his eyes and fell asleep easily. In his dream, he was falling down a deep abyss. He could not see any shred of light or hear any sound.

All he could feel was his endless fall. He tried to reach out for someone but all he could grab was the air. He was trying to scream but his voice had abandoned him.

He realized that his eyes were closed and he could not open them no matter how hard he tried to open them. Suddenly, there was a drumming sound in his ears. Also a voice he recognized came to his ears.

He tried to open his eyes to look at her and when he finally succeded, he sat up quick and realized that he was on his bed. The drums were someone knocking on his door. But the voice was legit, Claire was actually knocking on the door.

"Rey, can you hear me? Open up!" Her voice came from the other side of the door. His heart beat with excitement when he heard her voice. So she really came for him. She kept knocking and repeating the same words.

Rey sat like a zombie as he listened or maybe he was not listening. He suddenly stood up after almost ten seconds and headed for the door quickly. He opened the door and was received by a warm smile from Claire.

She appeared to be shining in his eyes. On her hands were a new set of clothes. All his gloomy mood disappeared and pulled her into his embrace. He did not even realize it but he seemed to be choking her.

But she did not push him away and just smiled. He finally let go of her and took a step back.

"Sorry, I just got excited," Rey apologized

"No need to be sorry. I forgive you if you wear these clothes I brought for you," she said with a cute smile.

"Where are we going to?" He asked. He did not even seem to realize that the sun was setting.

"In few one the party will start. Do you plan to go with me or should I head back?" She teased.

Rey quickly took the clothes she had been carrying on her chest and locked the door. He opened and waved.

"See you in a while. You should also get ready," Rey said as he closed the door.

He leaned on the door as he waited to hear her footsteps leave the room. The main door clicked locked and he jumped almost reaching the ceiling.

"Yoowoow!" He clutched the clothes tightly on his chest when he landed.

He then went to the bed and placed the clothes there. He went to the wardrobe and picked a towel. He quickly undressed and wrapped it around himself. He the rushed to the bathroom and after almost five minutes he came out all wet.

It was doubtful whether he was clean. If Claire heard he took five minutes she would make him go back and have a good bath. His thoughts strayed a little bit. He would just tell her to bathe him.

He raised his head high as he imagined her all crimson when she saw his well toned biceps and chest. He imagined her finger on his six packs trailing up and down.

He looked at his chest and it was close to flat. His six packs were barely visible and his muscles were a shame to the name muscles. It was like those of a girl. He breathed angrilly and promised to start working out like Alaric.

Alaric never missed a single day of work out. The only exception was when he was in a coma. Rey clenched his fist and lifted his hands to look at how great his biceps were but he just laughed selfdepreciatingly and gave up. That guy started working out at five years old.

He let the towel down and made fire around himself. As it dissipated, he was all dry from head to toe. He put on the new clothes quickly. He had been given a red mage robe, a white shirt and black pants.

He finally put on the black shoes and lay on the bed. He started contemplating. Should he go for her? Or should he wait for her? After much contemplation, he decided to wait for her for thirty minutes.

If she did not come for him by then, he would go for her. He was now coming up with pickup lines. How he was going to get her to dance with him. Also, how he was going to kiss her after the dance ended.

He then pictured how he would carry her out infront of everyone and prove that she was his girl. He would then clear the misunderstanding that he loved Aurora for her.

He rolled on the bed every now and then and finally the thirty minutes were up. He stood up and cleared his throat. He stood at the door for a while before he opened the door.

Like a saint, he walked out but his roommates were not around. That did him good for he did not have to hear complements and jeers for having a girl buy you clothes.

He locked the door and headed down the stairs. He finally stood outside the Amazon dorm. He could see the high number of people dressed to kill. He was glad he had dressed up too.

The sun was starting to set. Many were in a hurry for the party was already starting. The fun part was that there was usually alcohol for teenagers. Very few knew the history of the booze called 'teen alcohol'.

***

Ten years ago. A guy accidentally tasted alcohol from his father's winery. He loved its taste and enjoyed the effect it had on him. Unaware of what that was, he stole some and took to his gang.

Once they tasted it, their eyes shone with stars as they asked where they could find it. The boy told them of where he had found it and his friends went to their fathers' winery and found alcohol.

After one month, all teenagers had discovered alcohol and the city was filled with drunkards. After realizing their mistakes, parents decided on a meeting and agreed that it was better to confiscate all alcohol.

This though, did not lower the drinking rates. The teens would go out of the city and find some alcohol for themselfves and bring back some into the city for sale. Realizing they had been outsmarted, another meeting was called upon for.

They agreed for lockdown in the city and thorough searching of visitors. No visitor was allowed to enter if they had any alcohol scent. This slightly helped but not much.

Teen alchemist analyzed alcohol content and made concentrated one. In was usually sold in drops. A drop could be diluted with two litres of water. This way, alcohol was brought back and it took almost six months for higher-ups to know how it was done.

A third meeting was called for and it was agreed that no teenager was to be seen outside. After a month of rehabilitation, there was a strike. It was like something never seen before. The reason of the strike was really unreasonable. GIVE US ALCOHOL.

The first day was given to the lightning elementalists. They were told to strike at everything. But they were rejected. The second day was the wind.

Many people lost their belongings to the wind but they did not allow them. The third day was the earth elementalists. The city ground was all destroyed but they did not give in.

Next in line were the water elementalists. The whole city was flooded. The authorities were close to giving in on the fourth day and when they heard what was planned for the fifth day, they gave in.

The fifth day was for the fire elementalists. They had planned to burn the city down. A meeting was called for between all people and it was agreed there was to be the introduction of 'teen alcohol'. It was not as saturated as the adult one though but they finally agreed.

The leaders of the strike were goated and recognized by everyone. When other cities heard of it, they threatened to do the same and 'teen alcohol' was acknowledged in Aritze. A saying was invented then. Desperate people tend to do desperate things which turn out to be creative.

***

Rey knocked at the door twice as he rubbed his hands together.

"Coming..."