Free The Secret Trinity Unearth by Jenna Bernel Page A

is concocting some wicked shots back there. He is also collecting donations to cover the booze if you would be so kind.” He smiled again, and I noticed his eyes were starting to look foggy. Our tipsy host made another gesture toward the kitchen. Morgan led the way and I followed last.
    I heard him yell, “Have fun!” from behind me as we approached the kitchen.
    In the center of the kitchen was a keg surrounded by people holding empty red plastic cups, waiting for their turn to fill up. The counter was stocked with bottles of liquor and empty shot glasses of various colors and sizes. A guy was standing there with a martini shaker, the bartender I presumed.
    Morgan walked confidently over to him and hopped up on what little counter space was not covered with liquor bottles. Kayla and I looked at each other warily before following. I guess Morgan was serious about blowing off some steam.
    The bartender was already pouring something from his martini shaker into a shot glass for Morgan when we approached. The liquid in the glass was bright green and I wondered what the mixture contained. Morgan pulled a ten dollar bill from her jean pocket and handed it to the bartender. Kayla and I did the same.
    “Thanks, your generosity is most appreciated. What’s your poison?” he asked facing Kayla and me.
    “Ah…what’s the green stuff?” I asked, scrunching my nose. “Just blue maui and pineapple juice; it’s pretty weak.” He poured two more shots and handed them to us.
    The girls and I looked at each other shot glasses in hand, and then Morgan raised hers, “To surviving our first week!” She yelled out, and we clanked our glasses, downing the shot in one gulp.
    My face puckered from the after taste, but the bartender was right, it was mostly fruity. We took one more shot of the green liquid and he gave us cups for the keg. We filled up and went back to the living room where the music was playing.
    People were body-to-body in the living room, dancing and waving their cups in the air. We huddled together by the wall closest to the door sipping slowly from our drinks and talking over the music. Some other people from our dorm floor showed up and soon our group of three was a group of ten, laughing and joking about our first week of classes.
    Eventually we made our way to the dance floor where everyone moved in synchronization to a hip-hop beat. Morgan went back to the kitchen a half a dozen times and it was starting to show. She was stumbling slightly over her feet when she danced and slurring her words. It was almost one in the morning when we decided we had blown off enough steam. Before heading back to the dorm Kayla took Morgan upstairs to the bathroom preparing for our walk home.
    I had gone earlier and the line had been long. I figured I had a couple more songs to dance to. I went toward the center of the crowd to dance under the disco ball hanging from the ceiling.
    I closed my eyes and let the starry light cascade over me, feeling relaxed for the first time all week. My hand was in the air mid-wave when someone from behind pulled me by the elbow, spinning me around. My mouth fell wide open.
    I was so surprised I could not even blink -- it was Doug. I couldn’t believe it! Out of all the parties going on this weekend he had to walk into this one. And why was he bald? His head was shaved cue ball style to the scalp. Even though the room was dark, the disco lighting revealed enough to see his eyes were piercing through me like a knife.
    He dragged me by the elbow to the other side of the living room, near an old chipped-up fireplace. We were masked from the rest of the room by a sea of intoxicated dancers. He swung me around so my back was up against the wall and laid his hands flat against it on either side of my shoulders, trapping me.
    “Well, well, look who it is.” His breath reeked of alcohol but just the sound of his voice made me nauseous.
    “Get away from me Doug! I have nothing to say to you!” I yelled