Immortals Of Byolla Bay
Chapter 22 – Rikki

Kinsley was fully supporting Meshella as they attempted to dance to some pop song playing on somebody’s phone attached to a portable blue tooth speaker. I was wondering how they were playing music out here away from any electrical sources, but now I know. Meshella has fallen on her rear end at least twice within the last hour, but still insists she’s not that drunk. She’s going to hate herself in the morning, I’m sure. However the sight is very entertaining.

Maggie had a red cup in her hand and was swaying to the music next to them, laughing and helping Meshella back on her feet every time she fell. The girls were laughing and having a great time, so that made this worth it I suppose, even if she is going to be hugging a toilet with the rising sun. Kinsley had been slowly sipping on whatever she chose to drink. It smelled like strawberries and looked like a slushy.

Meshella then hugged Kinsley and said she needs to go to the bathroom. Panic rose up in me at the thought of those two alone in the woods, but thank the stars for Maggie. “How about I take her this time? Besides, Rikki has been posted up against that tree long enough don’t you think, Kinsley? Drag him out here and make him dance with you. Don’t be shy girl, you’ve drank enough of that liquid courage to ask him by now.” Maggie wrapped her arm around Meshella’s waist and practically dragged her to the edge of the woods to replace a spot to relieve herself of the river of alcohol she’s consumed. Kinsley, shocking me completely, chugged the rest of what was in her cup and pointed a finger at me, then herself and started swaying to the beat. I chugged my own, not worrying about the effect because we learned a while back that alcohol doesn’t effect us anymore, and joined her.

“So Kinsley,” I grabbed her hand and twirled her around, “I remember someone saying they don’t like to party. I assumed that meant you didn’t like to drink, but after watching you chug the contents of that cup, one can only wonder how you can have such a high tolerance?”

She leaned her back against me, then spun around to face me, “I don’t particularly like to drink, but Meshella does. She doesn’t do it all the time of course, but when she does she talks me into drinking with her. I only drink enough to get a buzz, but then I stop because I need to be sober enough to either make sure we both get home, that no guy tries to take advantage of her, or if we are at her house I make sure the evidence of us raiding her dad’s liquor cabinet is gone before her parents wake up in the morning. She’s my best friend, and she would do the same for me.”

So there is a wild side to her. A small one, but it’s there. And yet, she’s still responsible about it. I chuckled at the thought. She looked at me with an eyebrow raised expecting me to elaborate, but I just shook my head, “You just never cease to amaze me, love.”

Maggie came back with a very wasted Meshella on her arm. Meshella reached for another red cup that was sitting on a fold out table someone set up next to a keg stand, but Maggie grabbed her hand. “Girl, you just threw up your weight in alcohol back there so I’m pretty sure we might need to try some water right now so you won’t get dehydrated. Tomorrow is gonna suck for you, dear.”

Kinsley stopped dancing and looked at her friend, “See what I mean? I need to get her home.” I held up my hand, “She drove didn’t she? Maggie can drive her home in her car and meet us back here, then we will take you home or you can stay with us again if you’d like.”

Kinsley thought about it for a moment, “Okay. I did tell her I would stay with her tonight, but I think she just needs to sleep it off. Thankfully her parents are out of town until Sunday, which is her actual birthday so they won’t wonder why there’s a strange girl carrying their daughter upstairs to her room, plus replace out she’s wasted. Her dad would have a conniption. I probably need to stay with you guys because if my mom smells anything even resembling alcohol she’ll have a nervous breakdown.”

I scooped up Meshella and was about to head to her car when we heard a disgusting voice behind us, “Aww look at that, the birthday girl can’t even hold her liquor long enough to host her own party. It’s a good thing I came because now I can show everybody what a real party is.”

We turned to see that awful girl, Analya and three of her sidekicks she never seems to go anywhere without coming into the clearing. Oh no, not now. Meshella seemed to stir at the insult, “You weren’t invited, bitch. Get out before you decide to screw someone else’s boyfriend, seeing that is all you are good at! Does anyone happen to have a volleyball?”

Analya bristled and was about to retort something probably not intelligent in the least bit, when Kinsley surprised us all by speaking up, “You know what? I’d be embarrassed to show my face anywhere if I had a name like yours. You might have a last name that pulls some weight around here, but your first name is just hilarious. You can’t spell your name without anal. Your parents knew you weren’t going to amount to shit so they named you something close to an ass, anal-ya. If I had as much money as you I would have paid for my name to be changed long ago.”

My mouth dropped at this comeback from this little spitfire next to me. Everyone around us burst out laughing and pointed at Analya agreeing with Kinsley then making their own comments, some a little more crudely than necessary. Analya teared up, “My

daddy will hear about this! I’m telling him all about this party, too!”