Emmett turned into a dark alley.

I frowned. "Uh… where are we going?"

"Somewhere fun."

Fun? In a dark alley? Suspicious.

He parked the car and handed me a fake ID with a grin.

"What is this?" I asked, staring at the ID.

"Your ticket to fun, squirt. Follow me."

I followed him hesitantly, clutching the fake ID like it might bite me. My nerves skyrocketed as we approached a dingy bar with neon lights buzzing overhead.

"Emmett, this better not get me in trouble—"

"Relax," he said, opening the door for me. "Trust me. You'll thank me later."

The smell of sweat, booze, and bad decisions hit me like a freight train. Humans milled around, laughing and dancing under dim, flickering lights.

"This is your idea of fun?" I hissed.

Emmett grinned mischievously. "Oh, you have no idea. Come on. " We flashed our IDs to the security and he let us in.

He didn't waste any time. The second we sat at the bar, he waved the bartender over and ordered a shot.

"Tequila, extra salt," he said in perfect Russian, sliding the glass my way when it arrived.

I stared at the shot like it was a ticking time bomb. "Why don't you drink it?"

Emmett shrugged casually, leaning back on his stool. "I can't get drunk. You, on the other hand? That's what we're gonna find out tonight."

My jaw dropped. "Are you serious right now? Do you want me to die?"

"Oh, come on, squirt," he said, rolling his eyes. "One little shot's not gonna kill you. You're half-human, not made of glass. Plus," he smirked, leaning in closer, "it's everything your parents would hate. You're gonna love it."

And that's when he got me. He didn't even have to say it out loud—the forbidden fruit vibe was enough.

I hesitated, gripping the tiny glass. It smelled like regret and bad decisions, but… wasn't that the whole point? A rush of defiance bubbled up in my chest.

"You're right," I said, raising the glass dramatically. "Let's find out what happens."

Emmett grinned like the devil himself.

I licked the salt off my hand (which tasted weirdly good), downed the tequila (which tasted awful), and bit into the lime. My face scrunched up like I'd just swallowed an entire lemon.

"UGH! What is that?!"I wheezed, smacking my chest like it would help.

Emmett burst out laughing, slapping the bar in amusement. "That, my dear niece, is the taste of rebellion."

"It tastes like battery acid!" I choked out, reaching for water, but Emmett swiped it away.

"Nope. You're committed now."

My stomach burned, but there was something oddly thrilling about it. My parents would lose their minds if they ever found out. And that thought made me smile.

"Hit me with another one," I said, slamming the glass down like I'd just won a poker game.

Emmett whooped, clapping me on the back. "That's my girl! Let's get this party started."

Turns out my metabolism wasn't going to let me enjoy a normal drunk moment like a regular human. One shot? Nothing. Two shots? Nada. A full bottle later, the bartender looked visibly concerned, leaning over the counter like he was about to call the cops—or my parents.

"Are you sure you're okay?" he asked, his brow furrowed.

"I'm fine," I slurred, waving him off. "Super-duper fine. Like, Olympic-level fine."

He hesitated, but I gave him my most convincing smile. It was a little lopsided, but it worked. He sighed and poured me another drink.

That's when it finally hit.

I blinked at Emmett. Then I blinked again. "Uh… Emmett? Why do you have two heads?"

Emmett exploded into laughter so loud, half the bar turned to stare. "FINALLY!" he shouted, throwing an arm around my shoulders. "Now we're talking!"

I giggled uncontrollably, the room spinning like I was on a carnival ride. Emmett slid another drink toward me, and I gulped it down without a second thought.

"This. Is. AMAZING!" I declared, wobbling to my feet. "Why didn't I do this sooner?"

Emmett grinned ear to ear. "That's the spirit! Hey, do me a favor?"

I squinted at him, trying to focus on one of his heads."Whaaaat?"

"Show me how it feels!" he said excitedly, leaning closer like a kid asking for candy.

"Huh?"

"It's been so long since I've felt drunk. Come on, use your powers! Show me what it's like!"

I burst out laughing. "Ohhh, you're serious? Okay, sure!"

Without thinking, I grabbed his hand and let him see through my mind. I wasn't entirely sure how it would work with all the tequila sloshing around in my system, but as soon as the connection hit, his eyes widened.

"WHOA!" Emmett stumbled back, clutching his head.

Emmett grabbed my hand and dragged me toward the dance floor, grinning like he'd just discovered a new superpower.

"This is GREAT!" he shouted over the music, his voice booming so loud half the bar turned to look. "I haven't been this drunk since forever! Literally forever!"

I stumbled after him, still giggling. "I thought you couldn't even get drunk!"

"I CAN'T!" he hollered, spinning me around like I was in some cheesy rom-com. "But YOU, squirt, are my loophole! You're my personal drunk genie!"

We burst onto the dance floor, immediately drawing attention. Emmett didn't care—he was in his element, throwing his massive arm around (the other arm clutching mine for the drunk effect), doing some hybrid of a dad-dance and a gorilla impersonation.

"What are you doing?" I asked, laughing so hard I could barely stand.

"It's called freedom! Try it!" He twirled me dramatically, nearly knocking over a couple of humans nearby.

I gave in to the chaos, flailing my free arm and jumping around like a lunatic. The tequila was fully in control now, and I didn't care. The music pulsed through me, and for once, I felt… normal. Okay, maybe not normal, but free.

"Is this what humans do for fun?" I shouted, spinning in a circle.

"Hell yeah, it is! "Emmett bellowed, fist-pumping like a frat bro.

The humans around us started cheering and joining in. I threw my head back and laughed, feeling more alive than I had in years. Emmett was right—this was great. For a moment, I forgot about my overprotective dad, Alice's nagging, or the fact that I wasn't a normal teenager.

But, of course, the universe wasn't about to let me have my moment.

Just as I was attempting an overly ambitious twirl, my foot caught on something, and I went flying—right into a group of humans holding drinks.

"Oh nooooooo!" I cried, landing in a puddle of spilled beer.

The humans gasped, staring at me like I'd just ruined their lives. I looked up sheepishly, covered in beer and embarrassment.

Emmett, of course, was no help. He doubled over, laughing so hard he had to lean on the bar for support. "Classic Cullen clumsiness!" he howled. "You're DEFINITELY Bella's kid!"

I groaned, dragging myself to my feet as the humans gave me pitying looks. "I hate you, Emmett," I muttered. He was no longer drunk after letting go of my hand.

A wicked idea crept into my mind. I grinned mischievously, my fingers itching to make it happen. I turned to him, who was still laughing like a maniac.

"I've got an idea," I whispered, leaning in closer so only he could hear.

I reached out and touched his hand, making sure my fingers barely brushed against his skin. My pulse quickened, and I focused hard, sending the thought straight into his mind. Breakdance!

A split second later, his whole body froze.

And then—BOOM—he dropped into a full-on, perfectly executed breakdancing routine.

"WHAT THE—?!"he shouted, spinning across the floor like some kind of hyperactive tornado.

I stood there, mouth agape, watching in absolute disbelief as Emmett, suddenly started busting out moves that would make a professional dancer jealous. He hit the floor, spun on his back, popped and locked, and even attempted a headstand—all without missing a beat.

The entire bar went silent.

I couldn't hold it in anymore. I doubled over in laughter, clutching my stomach as Emmett kept spinning like a top. His moves were so ridiculous that even the humans in the bar couldn't help but cheer him on.

"That's my uncle!" I shouted, barely able to get the words out.

Finally, he stopped, panting like he'd just run a marathon. He looked up at me, his eyes wide, confused but thoroughly entertained.

"Did… did I just… breakdance?" he asked, eyes darting from me to the crowd, who were all still cheering like crazy.

My mind was racing. Did I really just—control his mind? I mean, I had wanted him to breakdance, and then he actually did it. I looked at my hand, still tingling from the contact. That had to mean something, right?

I couldn't help myself. I had to test this.

I scanned the crowd, my eyes landing on a girl at the bar, a stranger, who was sipping her drink while texting on her phone. She had long, silky hair, and her bangs kept falling into her face, slightly blocking her view.

A wicked grin tugged at my lips. I brushed my hand lightly against her shoulder as I walked by, and just like I had done with Emmett, I focused hard, my thoughts slipping into her mind. Brush your hair behind your ear, I commanded, just testing the waters.

I didn't expect anything to happen.

But then, to my complete and utter shock, she did it.

Her fingers reached up and casually tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. I blinked, my jaw dropping. It wasn't just some coincidence.

I had done that.

A thrill shot through me. The power, the control, the feeling of being able to manipulate a situation at will. It was… intoxicating.

I couldn't stop myself. I brushed my hand against the girl's shoulder again, this time focusing even harder. Now, fix your lipstick, I thought, just to see what would happen.

She froze for a moment, then pulled out a compact mirror and touched up her lips, not once questioning the strange urge.

I stood there, gaping. "Oh my God, I really can do this."

This wasn't just some accidental mind-sharing trick. I had control.

"Can do what?" Emmett asked.

"I think I just controlled your mind." I whispered.

"You mean, when I was breakdancing, it was you?" I nodded. Emmett suddenly looked serious, his expression wary. "Let's go." He grabbed my hand and hurriedly left the bar.

Mind control, huh? Did you see that coming?

Also, I was watching Dark Winds and I was like, okay Embry, I see you.

English is not my first language, I used chatgpt to check the grammar. Hope you don't mind. Thanks for reading!