"C'mon, Cor. It's just one little beer." Shawn shoved the bottle towards his friend. Cory cringed.
The bar, as he knew, was no place for them. First of all, it was late. At least 2:00 AM. Second of all,
they were only 16.
"Hey, Hunter," Cory turned in surprise to see Harley! Joey and Frankie followed behind. "Hunter,"
Harley said, putting an arm around Shawn's shoulder. "I see you have gathered some courage over the years.
Finally, Shawn Hunter, drinking. This, by far, is a great day."
Shawn smiled nervously. His hand shook. "Um, yeah." he said. Cory wanted to defend his friend, but
he didn't know what to do. He'd always feared Harley. But now, he feared him more than ever.
"Whats a matter, Hunter?" Harley challenged. "Aren't you gonna drink that?" Shawn shivered. His mind
was racing. Should I? It won't hurt me, right? Just a little drink.
"Shawn, don't!" Cory whispered. Shawn reached for the glass and took a sip. It burned his throat. Breathing
fast, he took another sip. Out of sheer nervousness, he chugged the glass down and gasped for breath. Harley laughed.
"Well well. I suppose I was wrong about you all these years, Hunter. Have another glass?" That wasn't so bad,
Shawn thought. Why not? Cory just sat there, helplessly watching his friend drink one beer after another. Harley joined him.
Cory checked his watch..3:30 AM. He decided to get home...NOW!
Sliding out of the booth, he tugged at Shawn's shirt. "C'mon, Shawn." he murmered. "Let's go home."
Shawn pushed him and he fell onto the floor. Fine, Cory thought. Forget you! He stormed out of the bar. The sky was a murky purple.
A breeze touched his face. Cory began his walk home.
It all started earlier that evening. It was 9:00, and Cory and Shawn went for their usual dinner to Chubbie's. Somehow,
they'd snuck into a bar just to "see what it was like." I should have stopped him, Cory thought. Why can't I ever show some
courage?
The next morning, Cory woke up, feeling sick to his stomach. He'd had a horrible nightmare about getting drunk.
What does it feel like? he wondered. Is it..fun? Is it scary? Is Shawn ok? Later that afternoon, Cory knew, he had to tell
his parents. Hopefully, they would help him.
Cory walked downstairs and spotted Eric. "Hey Eric, where's Mom and Dad?"
"Oh yeah, thats right." Eric said. "I forgot to tell you...Shawn got drunk last night and was raving around town
with some guys."
"He what?? Eric! That was important! Why didn't you tell me sooner?? What kind of moron are you?"
"Uh, hey." Eric said. "Diane called. I got my own personal life TOO. I mean, I couldn't just hang up on her. She
actually wanted to talk."
CHAPTER 2 COMING SOON
The bar, as he knew, was no place for them. First of all, it was late. At least 2:00 AM. Second of all,
they were only 16.
"Hey, Hunter," Cory turned in surprise to see Harley! Joey and Frankie followed behind. "Hunter,"
Harley said, putting an arm around Shawn's shoulder. "I see you have gathered some courage over the years.
Finally, Shawn Hunter, drinking. This, by far, is a great day."
Shawn smiled nervously. His hand shook. "Um, yeah." he said. Cory wanted to defend his friend, but
he didn't know what to do. He'd always feared Harley. But now, he feared him more than ever.
"Whats a matter, Hunter?" Harley challenged. "Aren't you gonna drink that?" Shawn shivered. His mind
was racing. Should I? It won't hurt me, right? Just a little drink.
"Shawn, don't!" Cory whispered. Shawn reached for the glass and took a sip. It burned his throat. Breathing
fast, he took another sip. Out of sheer nervousness, he chugged the glass down and gasped for breath. Harley laughed.
"Well well. I suppose I was wrong about you all these years, Hunter. Have another glass?" That wasn't so bad,
Shawn thought. Why not? Cory just sat there, helplessly watching his friend drink one beer after another. Harley joined him.
Cory checked his watch..3:30 AM. He decided to get home...NOW!
Sliding out of the booth, he tugged at Shawn's shirt. "C'mon, Shawn." he murmered. "Let's go home."
Shawn pushed him and he fell onto the floor. Fine, Cory thought. Forget you! He stormed out of the bar. The sky was a murky purple.
A breeze touched his face. Cory began his walk home.
It all started earlier that evening. It was 9:00, and Cory and Shawn went for their usual dinner to Chubbie's. Somehow,
they'd snuck into a bar just to "see what it was like." I should have stopped him, Cory thought. Why can't I ever show some
courage?
The next morning, Cory woke up, feeling sick to his stomach. He'd had a horrible nightmare about getting drunk.
What does it feel like? he wondered. Is it..fun? Is it scary? Is Shawn ok? Later that afternoon, Cory knew, he had to tell
his parents. Hopefully, they would help him.
Cory walked downstairs and spotted Eric. "Hey Eric, where's Mom and Dad?"
"Oh yeah, thats right." Eric said. "I forgot to tell you...Shawn got drunk last night and was raving around town
with some guys."
"He what?? Eric! That was important! Why didn't you tell me sooner?? What kind of moron are you?"
"Uh, hey." Eric said. "Diane called. I got my own personal life TOO. I mean, I couldn't just hang up on her. She
actually wanted to talk."
CHAPTER 2 COMING SOON