Chapter V
June 9, 2000
“William, let’s have some drinks tonight,” Emily said as they exited the gas
station.
William didn’t know how to get alcohol. He wasn’t twenty-one yet. He didn’t even
know anyone over twenty-one willing to buy him alcohol.
They had hung out a few times since she started working at the gas station. She
hadn’t initiated a kiss. William was glad to have someone to hang out with but
remained disappointed. Emily hadn’t brought up drinking.
“I already have the alcohol,” Emily told him, as if she could read his mind. “My
brother was in town earlier and put it in my car. We just need a place to drink.”
William sighed.
He had boxed up everything in his room to prepare for moving into his first
apartment tomorrow. He could take her to the basement at his father’s house. There
was a television and a decent couch down there.
That was where he and his friends would play video games when they were in middle
school. William didn’t remember if the VHS player was still hooked up or if it even
worked.
“Yeah, we can go to my house,” William agreed. “We just can’t be too loud and wake
my dad up.”