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Mizuki sighed to themself.
They knew they shouldn't be drinking. Like, at all. They'd already been sober for a couple years and they'd promised Rui that it'd stay that way.
But ahh, the past few days had been ever so hard for them.
Having to go to make-up classes for a week straight did wonders for their mental health.
Not. God, how they managed to get through the week was a mystery to them as Mizuki could barely even last a day in that building.
So they needed a drink.
Which winded them up here. In front of a bar, mentally berating themself for breaking their promise to Rui.
Whatever, they sucked at keeping promises anyways. How Ena or anyone else did it was once again, a mystery to them.
Now their only hope was to be allowed in. Though, they certainly did look young - too young to pass as a twenty year old.
Which left them with the question — "why did I come to a bar of all places to get a drink?"
There was clearly a problem.
Well, their parents weren't home. Might as well take something from the liquor cabinet.
They really fucking needed a drink.
Mizuki sighed again, about to turn away—
"You also wishing you could go in there?"
"Ack—" Mizuki jumped at the sudden noise, it having come out of nowhere. They spun around to face the direction of the voice. "Who… are you?" The girl shrugged, holding out her free hand, the other one holding a zebra-striped flask.
"Farrah." She simply said.
"Ah… Mizuki's the name!" They went back to their signature cheery attitude in seconds, causing the girl - Farrah - to raise an eyebrow. "And, no. I wasn't. I was jus—"
"Sorry, but you can't fool me. What other reason would you have for staring longingly up at a bar?"
"Ahaha… whoops, looks like I've been found out." Mizuki groaned internally. So much for "nobody needs to know." It's fine. It'd be fine, Farrah would forget them after they parted ways and Mizuki could carry on like normal.
"You need a drink?" She held out her flask. Well fuck. There goes their plan. That offer was hella tempting.
But Mizuki had just met this person. And today was one of those good days where they didn't have the words "I want to disappear" ringing throughout their head. What if whatever liquid was in the flask was poisoned? Or was drugged?
Getting high was essentially another equivalent to getting drunk so Mizuki did not know why they were worried about that.
"Why did you just— Dude, we just met." Farrah shrugged.
"You're like me. Highschool, right?"
"Yep. First y— second year." God, they'd have to get used to that. Yet another reason to get a drink.
"Right. Same." She tapped a foot on the floor, "Maybe here, out in the open wasn't the best place to offer."
"My parents are out of down for a while—" They blurted out, "what the fuck, Akiyama???" They thought immediately after. "Can't believe I actually said that…" They muttered to themself.
"Heh. Alright, let's go…"
So that brought the two to Mizuki's kitchen's island counter, a crate of beer cans on said counter.
"And you're sure your parents won't find out?" Farrah asked, gripping her flask tightly.
"Positive. I'll buy another crate later anyways." Mizuki picked up a can, cracking it open, watching Farrah do the same not too long after. "Bottoms up," they sighed. Farrah nodded.
"Bottoms up." She repeated as they both lifted their cans to their lips, taking a sip in sync.
"That felt good after forever…" Mizuki said, a slight smile on their face.
"Staying sober is hard. Disappointing people sucks, withdrawal is the worst feeling." Farrah took another sip, licking her lips.
"True to that." Mizuki took another sip.
And that's how Mizuki spent their evening. With this girl they'd just met in front of a bar, at their house, getting wasted.
Shit. They'd need to sober up before the Niigo meeting tonight.
Well, they weren't exactly thinking about that considering how foggy their brain had become as a result of all the drinks.
Drinking like this was exactly what Farrah needed after her most recent fight with Annleigh. Granted, she definitely didn’t expect to find someone around her age that looked like she was also in need of a drink.
And that’s why she didn’t mind offering this stranger her flask or when she invited Farrah over to her house with the proposition that the two of them drink there.
So here she was now.
"Hey, what's your number?" Farrah asked. The two were leaning against the side of the kitchen island, each with a can of beer in their hand. Farrah didn't know why she wanted this girl's contact. She didn't think they were going to meet again.
But she apparently wanted to. The only other person besides Chess (and Farrah didn't particularly like Chess) who seemed to understand. Mizuki nodded at her, fumbling for her phone in her pocket and giving Farrah her contact information.
The two sat in silence after that, for a little bit at least, each taking sips from their own cans, grabbing another once they'd finished one. Farrah was the one who broke the silence, however.
"My step-sister hates me, I think." Her words were slurring together.
"Sucks." Mizuki nodded at her. "'M 'n' outcast at school. Or somethin'…"
"Same. In a way." She agreed, "'m known by three million people as the girl who got a concussion on YouTube. Cool shit, right?"
"Totes." Mizuki sipped their drink. "Being treated like shit for somethin' sucks. Been there." Go figure. Farrah wasn't surprised. Mizuki frowned a bit. "Ya think 't was a good idea we met?" She asked.
"Yes. You understand. Others don't." Mizuki nodded again.
"Right. Gotcha. Glad we met, then. You're… really cool." Even while drunk out of her mind, Farrah was still shocked.
"Thanks. You're cooler than… everyone else I know." Mizuki giggled at that, downing the rest of her can of beer and grabbing another one. Farrah had also opened another can a couple seconds before.
"Shocker. 'M told I'm annoying and 'n' attention seeker sometimes."
"Nuh uh…" Farrah shook her finger at them. "They're wrong! You're very dope." Mizuki laughed, turning to look at Farrah.
"Did'ya jus' say dope…?" They questioned.
"I did. Suck it up." Mizuki let out an airy laugh.
"Yes'm" She slurred out, mock saluting and raising her can in the air. "Drinkin' buddies? Mayhaps?" Farrah hesitated slightly before grinning and raising her can in the air as well.
"Drinkin' buds."
Their cans made a clinking noise as they connected with each other.
Oh god, the two were going to have the worst hangovers in the morning.
No doubt Annleigh would be even more pissed at Farrah and the girl couldn't even begin to imagine her dad and her step-mom's reactions.
As if she cared about any of that at the moment.
Farrah had finally found someone. Someone who understood her and her need to drown everything out and forget, her need to escape everything.
Alcohol was just that. For the both of them. An escape. Even though they both knew this wasn't right.
When reality was pushing you to your breaking point ever so slowly you simply just didn't care.