The night of Chester's party came. 

Among the streets, each side bustled with hushed excitement. Ciro hadn't seen Vance since he bandaged him. Somehow that was worse than seeing him. His nerves only struck harsher.

Ciro dressed in the laid out clothes and stuffed his pocket with a pack of cigs. He wrapped his favorite black jacket around his waist and slowly wandered out of his bedroom. From the kitchen, dishes clinked delicately. Ciro cautiously approached. 

"Mom?" 

She turned slightly and gave a warm smile. This time her hair was neatly pulled back, allowing her olive green eyes to show. 

"Go and have fun. Don't worry about your father, he understands how important this is to you."

Ciro thought back to last night. I haven't seen dad since then. 

He hugged his mom, still confused about this and what happened with his dad last night. 

"T-Thanks. I'll be back in the morning with Vargo...you sure it’s okay?"

A part of him felt bad for lying to her.

“Mm-hm.” She pecked the top of his head. "Stay by Vargo's side."

"I will mom, don't worry I will." 

She nodded before returning her attention to the dishes. Ciro awkwardly walked out the front door. This is weird. Moms acting normal. Dad's still not here either.

The sky glowed with a smoggy orange as sunset was quickly coming. A few street lights that did work buzzed dimly. He dangled the lose change in his pocket anxiously. 

He walked down 97th and turned towards the courts. He smiled as he saw Vargo waiting at the 86 bus stop. 

“Yo! Ci!" 

Ciro looked both ways before striding across the cracked street.

“Hey man.” 

His friend lied his arm across his shoulder, “You sure you wanna go through with this?” 

Ciro frowned. “Huh?” 

“Ya know, Chester’s is gonna be crawling with West End snobs.” 

“East is gonna be too, it’s not gonna just be us. Plus, once I beat that son of a bitch, those Wests’ won’t be so snobby.” 

Vargo retreated his arm and sighed. He seemed to be hesitant on going. Well, I did force him into this… 

Ciro inhaled. “Look, if things go south, we leave - drinking contest or not, alright?” 

Vargo shrugged his shoulders. “Nah it’s good dude, I’m sure the worst will happen is you puking your guts in front of all the West!” He laughed, trying to lighten up the mood.

“Tch! Paddy is gonna be the one losing his guts!”

The noisy engine of the 86 city bus cuts the innocent bickering off. It roared from down the road. Ciro grabbed his bus fare - his hands unknowingly shaking a tad bit. A sharp exhale escaped.

It will be okay. 

He tried to reassure himself. 

It will. 

The private road leading up to Chester’s house was a bit far. The gravel underneath both boys' shoes crunched. 

Ciro groaned. “Didn’t know Chester’s house was up a fucking hill."

Vargo joined in with annoyance. “All these West fucks got cars or money for taxis.”

“They just lazy Vargo. That’s why I’m confident I’ll win.”

“How does that work?”

“They used to the fancier shit, ya know? Drivin’, maids, fancy foods we only see on T.V…I would bet anything that they used to drinkin’ bitch beers and wine. Liquor? They’ll be done after two shots!” Ciro slipped a cigarette out. 

Vargo joins in with the smoke. “You got a point Ci, but Paddy....he seems a bit different from the other West side. You know what I mean? I think they have ‘im use cause he's Irish.” 

Ciro thought about it. Maybe Vargo has a point…I mean Paddy’s always riding his bike, wears plain clothes, he don’t play sports. He's a wild card on that End.

 Now he became worried. I mean he was pretty confident back at the Old Courts….

Vargo laughed under a drag. “Dude, you gettin’ nervous now!” 

“I ain’t!” He shot back.

Excited yells of teenagers ripped through the air. A subtle rhythm of bass blared from behind a lively, and very immense house. 

“Ugh,” Ciro grunted. “Sheesh, that’s his house? That’s more like a mansion.” 

“It makes sense why he has the yearly party here. We up no doubt a mile from the main road. Secluded by trees too.” 

Both boys track the rest of the way up to the mansion. Each step making them feel more out of place. Luckily East would be there as well but this did little to help the unease. 

As they got closer to the front grand entrance, two voices made Ciro freeze up. 

Vance and Chester were leaning against the entrance. Chester was already drinking a wine cooler. Vance only had a cigarette in hand. Ciro huffed. Hmpth, I guess he didn’t want to drink right before. 

Closing the distance to the house, Ciro silently choked on his cigarette drag. Vance was wearing the typical blue jeans but this time he had a black tank top with black leather coat. His dirty blonde hair was slicked back, a few strands misplaced intentionally. 

Oh God… Ciro thought with a hint of an unwanted blush. Why did he have to dress up like that? 

Chester glanced behind Vance with an akward stare at the two boys coming up the brick drive way. 

“Yo, no way!” He chuckled. “Temptation for the rich style finally got ya?” 

Ciro and Vargo glared in unison. 

Vance turned around. Ciro could’ve swore he saw a smile flash before immediately vanishing. 

“Hey Sicily!” He nudged Chester's arm. “Yo man, I challenged him to a Shot-Drag.” 

Chester bellowed with laughter. “With this kid!?” He slapped his knee. 

Ciro gave a questioning look to Vance. “Shot-Drag? I’m here for a drink-off. Ya know, who can take the most shots.” 

Chester chugged the rest of his drink and threw it in a nearby trash bin. The glass clanked loud. “Ya, with a bong in between.”

Vargo leaned to his friend. “Dude, what the hell are they talking ‘bout? You said this is a shot challenge. You know you can’t handle that with your stomach and all…” 

Chester stepped up to the boys. He set his hand on Ciro’s shoulder. Vance’s eyes twitched a bit. 

“Didn’t my boy here give you the low-down?” His ugly face got a little bit too close for comfort. “You can back out if you want. Enjoy the party, if you can with all the whispers around here calling you a bitch-ass pussy for not doing it.” 

Ciro clenched his fists. With feigned courage, he whispered. “I ain’t backing down.” 

“Ci.” Vargo warned. “Dude we can just go. They lied like little ass-munchers.”

Chester looked Vargo up and down. “Can’t take the heat, then get off my damn property.” 

Vargo scoffed. “Ci?” 

“It’s fine Vargo. I can take it.” 

If I just half inhale maybe I can still do it…

Chester backed off with a prestigious smirk. He glanced at his watch. Suddenly he clapped his hands in the air “Alright!” He yelled excitedly, “Let’s get this party going!” 

Vance watched with subtle worry as Ciro and his friend walked into the house. Their presence engulfed with blaring music and wild teenagers. 

“Fuck…” Vance rubbed the back of his head, feeling a bit guilty for misleading Ciro. Well, I guess it wasn’t my fault since Chester was the one who suggested the shot-drag after the fact. It was his party after all at his house….

Maybe I should be easy on the little guy…

Vance followed behind, blending into the crowd within. 

Chester led Ciro and Vargo through the house, giving a brief explanation of different rooms. 

Ugh, he’s showing off. Ciro rolled his eyes with impatience. “We gonna do this or not?” He asked. 

Chester snickered. “Ya dude, c’mon I already had Jon set it up in the backyard.” He opened a sliding glass door that led to a huge fenced yard, complete with a pool, barbecue area, patio, and sitting area. At the gazebo a glass table and padded chairs rested. Two vodka bottles, two shot glasses, and a single bong sat in the center of that table. 

Ciro gulped. 

“Go sit, I’ll get everyone ready.” 

Ciro took his seat. Vargo stood near him, leaning against the wooden panel circling around the area. Vance soon joined, taking the opposite seat. 

After a few minutes, they were crowded by both East and West kids. Some familiar and some new. 

Chester, already past buzz, whistled. “Alright! Everyone quiet!” He leaned over the table. “We got a few rules. You both take a shot on the count of three, whoever finishes the shot takes the first inhale, then the other inhales. Repeat. First one to puke or pass out loses. Hell, I’ll make it more interesting, the winner gets fifty.” 

Ciro and Vance both nod, not really intrigued by the monetary gain. They both wanted the title of winner, nothing more, nothing less. 

Chester gestured to his friend “Jon, pour the drinks.”

Jon, a tall boy with pale skin and dark brown hair, twists the vodka open. He pours the shots to the brim. 

Ciro’s heart raced being just a few feet away from Vance, the alcohol, and the pot. 

“GO!” 

Ciro gulped the first shot no problem. 

“East! Inhale!” Chester shouted. 

Ciro grabbed his lighter, the bowl was already packed. He swerved the flame of the lighter over the bowl as he slipped his lips under the brim of the bong. He tried to not inhale all the ways while trying to appear he was. 

His lungs spasm as he handed it to Vance. Vance took his turn. His coughs weren’t so brutal as Ciro’s.

Vargo bit his lower lip, becoming anxious. He can already notice that first inhale was effecting him. He tried his hardest not to inhale much...

Jon pours the second shot. 

“GO!” Chester shouted once more.

Again Ciro downed the shot first. He took the bong and inhaled. His throat burned.

Vance takes a careful glimpse at Ciro. A concern growing on his face. He takes his inhale. 

“How you two doing?” Chester smiled. 

Ciro’s face was at this point a rosie pink as Vance barely looked different. 

“F-Fine.” Ciro tried playing it off.

Vance grimaced. There’s no way someone like him can take more than this….

Chester shouts for the third round.

Both boys down the shot, Vance was the first to finish. He inhaled and handed the bong over to Ciro. He noticed how red the boy became. 

Ciro closed his eyes as he inhaled. He couldn’t mask the coughing nor sickness. Vargo stepped in, he couldn't handle seeing his best friend do this to himself.

“Ci, cmon that’s enough!”

Ciro covered his mouth. The sickening nausea making its way up his throat. His stomach gurgled sickeningly. Vance opened his mouth to speak but before he could say one word, Ciro leapt from the table with his mouth covered. He pushed past the crowd and toward the main house. Giggles and laughs ring about the crowd.

“You’re a fucking asshole you Irish prick!” Vargo snarled at Vance as Chester raised his friend's arm in triumph. Vance wasn’t smiling, he frowned knowing he put Ciro through that. Vargo vanished through the crowd. 

Vance took his arm back. Before Chester could slip him the fifty, Vance stumbled off the gazebo towards the path Ciro took off on.

“Dude, where you going? You won, let’s celebrate!”

“I’m gonna check on East real quick.”

Chester cocked an eyebrow. What the fuck? “Why?” He was annoyed.

“You wanna risk having an ambulance came here? You know they’ll call Blue Tops and then this party is fucked.”

Chester thought a moment. “Fine whatever dude, if you want to nurse that Italian grum go ahead but don’t take too long.” His smug smile returned. “I got some hotties that want to meet you so don't take long." he winked at Vance. 

Vance feigned a smile and quickly rushed inside. His eyes jolted from person to person. He slipped past the rowdy crowd towards the stairs, he ran up them. His eyes captured Ciro's small frame hunched over, his black hair askewed. “Sici-“ his voice cuts short upon seeing the other boy's arm wrapped around his waist. He was carrying Ciro towards the nearest bathroom. 

A type of anger flowed through Vance, his face now reddened.  “Tch! Whatever...” he clenched his fist, his teeth grinded without thought. He  hastily trampled down to the first floor. He wants his help? Fine. He stopped at the footing. Why the hell am I getting so angry? Why am I angry? He touched his face - it’s hot, real hot. 

I saw Vargo's arm around him - touching him. Then I got mad. He grunted. FUCK! His teeth grinded harder in his confused state.

“There you are man!” Chester smacked his shoulder. “Dude that pussy ain’t gonna be waitin'! I got a good East End bitch, look!” Vance looked up at the direction Chester pointed to. 

A beautiful girl stood by a couple others. She stood out with her tan skin, a-line shaggy hair, and stunning olive green eyes. He gulped. She looks just like….

He forcibly smiled at his drunken friend. “Thanks man.” Vance inhaled deeply. Maybe she’ll get his mind off of his troubling thoughts…