Page 72 of Scrimmage

“Do you really believe that marketing and mental health align?” He laughs in disbelief. “I want to make people better. You want to rip them apart, no matter the cost.”

Even Vale is finding this intriguing. He’s been silent, actually paying attention to someone speaking that isn’t himself. Everything Koda has said is exactly the sort of shit I would say.

“I just think your analysis of marketing is terse and lacking an understanding of our motivations. What about drugs? You need marketing to get drugs into the hands of patients.”

“If you think drugs should be marketed, then you’re part of the problem. Patients should be prescribed medication based on their symptoms and the things happening in their daily life by someone who knows what the hell they’re doing. Not a marketing firm who gets a script and repeats it. Not by some guy who comes to sell you new drugs in your office by offering free samples and a cut of the sales. If you’re going to be a good doctor, then you know how to listen to your patients and care about seeing them get healthy. You don’t need marketing for that.”

Ava is sitting at a table of sharks, and she’s a fucking minnow. Everyone here is pretty open minded, and we’ve all argued over all sorts of things. We’re no strangers to how the world actually works, even Vale. With the way Ava is reacting, she isn’t used to being told she’s wrong. I would say the atmosphere is uncomfortable, but it’s not. Ava is just uncomfortable.

She clears her throat. “Very well thought out, Koda. If you all will excuse me, I need to get some water.”

I practically fall out of the booth to get out of the way. Koda catches me and stands up, letting Ava out. Cole goes after her, shooting Koda an angry look. They disappear into the crowd as Koda ushers me back in, putting me next to Penny.

I clap. “Well done, Armory.”

“Some people need to think before they speak.”

“Arguing with him is like arguing with a genius,” Alexi chuckles. “He doesn’t talk about shit he doesn’t know about.”

Koda folds his arms. “She was making gross assumptions.”

“I’m gonna go grab another round.” Alexi raps his knuckles on the table, heading back for the bar.

“I’ll be honest. I’m surprised you’re a psychology major when you’re going to go pro anyways,” Vale says.

“If I’m going to be here, I’m not going to waste my time. You can easily get hurt and end your athletic career.”

“Great point. I don’t think enough people have a backup plan. Would you be a psychiatrist?”

“I’m not sure. There are benefits to psychiatry, but you can also go into research.”

“Are you going to go to medical school?” Penny asks.

Koda shakes his head. “I’m on track to draft into the NFL so it doesn’t really make sense. Never say never, though.”

For once, I’m fucking quiet. Listening to everyone else talk. I’m itching to draw, but I silence it, picking at the label on Koda’s empty beer bottle instead. I’m kind of surprised that Vale is into football, but he talks about how stadiums are designed and it doesn’t seem to bore Koda to death. Alexi returns with a tray of drinks and shots.

“Well, I don’t think Ava and Cole will be rejoining us,” he announces.

“What a shame,” I snort, taking two drinks.

“It looked like he was doing a lot of ass kissing.”

Penny nods. “He’s good at that."

“I brought us shots, though.” Alexi distributes two to each of us. “To our fallen comrades.”

We all cheers and throw them both back.

The more time that passes the more drunk we all get, including Koda. Vale and Penny leave around eleven because they both have classes on Fridays. Turns out the three of us don’t.

Alexi stretches out in the booth where they sat. “Well, folks, what’s the move?” he slurs.

Koda kicks him under the table. “You need to go the fuck home cause I’m not carrying you.”

“I haven’t finished my last drink.”

He grabs Alexi’s full glass and slides it to me. “There. It’s not your drink anymore.”

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