Page 76 of Delilah In Discretion

“No need to explain. And for a gentle-hearted soul like you, drinks are on me.”

“Looks can be deceiving,” I retorted, and he shrugged.

“I’ll take my chances.”

Reaching into my bag, I pulled out a hundred and slid it over to him. “And this tip is for a gentle-hearted soul like you. Now show me what you got.”

He smiled and whipped something else up and slid it my way. One drink turned into three, which turned into six. And soon enough, I found myself behind the bar, holding a bottle as I danced to the music I could barely hear anymore.

“Chéri,I think you’ve had a little too much,” the bartender said, slowly trying to pry the bottle of tequila from my hand. But drunken me was successful at hiding it behind my back before I let out a tiny burp as I looked up at him and shrugged.

“Maybe…” was all I said.

He chuckled. “Go on and find a trashcan or toilet. I’ll send your friend to come and get you. You look like you’re about to throw up.”

Just as he said that, I felt something come up slowly, but I ignored it.

“I’ll be fine. I’m a big girl! Don’t let her find me pleaseee,” I whispered for some reason, and he chuckled again as he went back to his work. Meanwhile, the bile in my throat was stillaching to come out, so I dashed towards the bathroom and threw up in the nearest toilet.

My throat burned slightly as my head began to spin, but I felt ten times better. Afterward, I wiped my face and walked over to the wall, sliding down it as I listened to the music pound in my head, and I stared at the tile of the empty bathroom.

I took another sip and bobbed my head as I whispered, nodding as I could vividly hear the drums beating of a classic Cheetah Girls anthem.

“Delilah.”I flinched as I heard a voice and looked around.

“Hello? Who’s there?” I asked, and that’s when I noticed my phone had somehow ended up under my thigh, and I must have butt-dialed someone. I pulled it out.

“Delilah, why did you call me?”

“Archer? Oh, I didn’t mean... Call didn’t mean... butt dial,” I tried to put the words together.

He paused for a minute.“Right...”

“Oh, hey! Are you here at the party??”I asked, my eyes opening slightly as I sat up excited, and he sighed.

“No, I’m not. Delilah, where’s Kimiko?”

“Shhh! I’m*hiccup*trying to hide from her… I think I’m drunk!!” I said.

He paused before I could hear him moving around through the phone.

“Really, Princess?”he asked, and I nodded even though he couldn’t see me.

“Mhmmm…”

“And how did that happen?”

“The bartender said I was cute!” I smiled, and he hummed.

“He did?”

I nodded. “He told me I was adorable.”

“Well, he wasn’t lying, sweetheart.”

I giggled, and slowly, my laughs turned into sobs.

“Delilah, what’s wrong?”

---