TW: Drug usage/negative reactions to drugs. If you don't feel comfortable reading this chapter, feel free to message me and I will give you a summary of the chapter!
CHAPTER ELEVEN: MIXED DRINKS
June 5th, 2020
Gemma was not expecting her first day working retail to be so exhausting. But after three employees had called off, Gemma was forced to work the floor instead of getting paid to watch a bunch of training videos. So, her entire eight hour shift consisted of cleaning up the store, specifically the toddler section which was a mess from groups of children coming in throughout the day. Gemma sighed as she folded more baby clothes than her cramped up fingers could handle. She wished she was using her film degree this summer, but unfortunately, Michigan just wasn't the state for aspiring film makers.
When she finally dragged her feet through the door at 7PM, she wanted nothing more than to watch American Horror Story and pass out. Though when she walked into her room to see Marcie wearing party clothes, she immediately knew that her best friend had other plans.
"How was your first day at Target?" Marcie asked as she applied bright pink lipstick to her lips.
"Exhausting. Not sure how I'm going to last working there all summer," Gemma admitted. She stripped herself of the bright red shirt she was required to wear, leaving her in only a sports bra and dress pants. She fell back on her bed, taking off the dress pants in the process and covering herself with her childhood blankets, with every intention of going to sleep.
"Well get up," Marcie laughed. "We're going to a party!"
"Why?" Gemma groaned. She placed the blanket over her face so she couldn't see Marcie anymore, as if that was going to save her from attending whatever party her best friend was talking about.
"Because your brother and his girlfriend invited us. I got to meet Marissa; she's so cool! She reminds me of my future self."
"She's definitely a partier," Gemma mumbled, closing her eyes.
"Don't you fall asleep on me. I worked all day at Dunkin' making latte's and you don't see me trying to go to sleep before 8PM!"
Gemma groaned. She didn't want to attend a party; likely one of Jax's friends parties -- which usually got out of control. Though she knew Marcie would feel awkward going without her, so Gemma couldn't help but feel obligated.
"Fine," She sighed. But we're only staying two hours."
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Two hours quickly turned into three as Gemma, Marcie, Jax, and Marissa found themselves playing multiple games of beer pong.
"I have never been so drunk," Gemma burped as she downed yet another beer, or whatever was in the red solo cups. Jax and Marissa, on the other hand, handled their alcohol well so both of them barely appeared drunk. Marcie was just as drunk as Gemma, though she was using it to her advantage to show off her beer pong skills. The more drunk she was, the better she played.
"Wanna take a break? We've been playing for an hour." Marissa yelled over the loud rap music playing throughout Jax's friends house.
"Yeah. Let's go find the guys." Jax insisted. "You two okay on your own?" He asked in a protective tone.
Gemma drunkenly rolled her eyes. "I can take care of myself, Jax."
"Me too!" Marcie laughed.
"Just checking," he shrugged. "Just want to make sure you're good."
"I'm good," Gemma promised. She knew her brother was just being protective, given this was her first house party since she'd been back home. She didn't know anyone really, aside from a few of Jax's friends. But Gemma was with Marcie, so she figured she'd be fine.
Jax took Gemma's word for it, and within the next few seconds, he disappeared into the crowd forming in the dining room and kitchen.
"Now what?" Marcie asked.
Gemma shrugged. "We party."
Gemma and Marcie found their way towards a table in the living room, with multiple people Gems recognized. Jax's entire friend group from high school, along with some girls Gemma could not remember the names of sat along a stained up coffee table.
"Gemma?" the voice belonging to Jax's oldest friend and owner of the house, Theo, said in disbelief over the loud blaring music. "Are my eyes deceiving me or is that Gemma fuckin' Perry?"
"It's me," Gemma laughed. She sat down in one of the empty spots next to the coffee table. Marcie joined her, her eyes almost bursting out of her head due to the amount of attractive men surrounding her. No one knew Marcie here, so she was on a mission to find a summer fling.
"How the hell you been, girl?" Another one of Jax's friends, Brett, asked. "We haven't seen you since you said fuck Michigan and moved to the big apple."
"That is how it happened, isn't it?" Gemma laughed, feeling immediately at home. Though she didn't hang out with Jax's friends much in her youth, she knew they had her back since Jax was one of their best friends. "I've been alright. Feels good to be home."
Marcie laughed from beside her, knowing that Gemma was bullshitting. If it wasn't for Olivia's pleas, Gemma would be back in New York. Marcie figured she was just trying to make conversation though, since she hadn't seen these people in over two years.
"Well since you're back," Theo held his cup up in a cheers motion. "Let's celebrate by playing hot cup. Lena, go prepare the drinks." he nodded towards the girl sitting next to him, who Gemma did not recognize. The girl smiled, listening as she kissed Theo's cheek. She disappeared into the crowd formed around the living room.
"Hot cup?" Marcie asked.
"It's like hot potato," Brett explained. "We set a timer and pass a bunch of drinks around. When time is up, you have to drink whatever is in your cup."
"Sounds easy enough," Marcie grinned, excited to drink more and continue the party.
"What's going to be in the drinks?" Gemma asked. She'd been sticking to beer for the most part, and knew if she started mixing alcohol, then she'd likely vomit -- or have zero memories of the night.
"You'll see," The girl known as Lena winked as she brought the drinks back. The devilish grin plastered on her lips was enough for Gemma to know that by playing this game, she was definitely going to be mixing alcohol. She looked at Marcie nervously, to which her best friend just shrugged. Marcie did not mind whatever was going to be in the cups -- she could handle her liquor.
"Usually just a mix of whatever alcohol we have in the house," Theo shrugged. "Don't worry, Gemma. Nothing too crazy. But then again, Lena made the drinks, so who knows what she put in them."
"Shut up," Lena playfully smacked Theo's shoulder. "Let's just say some of them are .... mixed."
"Great," Gemma turned towards Marcie. "Hold my hair back while I puke?"
Marcie laughed, throwing her arm around Gemma. "Always."
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After two rounds of hot cup, Gemma began losing track of time -- despite checking her phone in a panic every few seconds. At first, the drinks felt good gliding down her throat, but after the second round, she noticed her body breaking out into sweats, and her vision was spotty. She was definitely drunk from beer before playing the party game, but not that drunk. She had no idea what was in the second red solo cup in her hands during the round of hot cup, and although it tasted like a tequila mixed drink, Gemma wondered if something else was in there. It didn't make sense why she was feeling a good buzz before partaking in the game and all of a sudden, her vision was spotty and her body temperature spiked.
"Marcie?" she turned towards her best friend. The game was paused for now, as Lena ventured back into the kitchen to make more drinks for the third round. "Are you feeling drunk?"
"Of course," Marcie laughed, though when she turned her head to look at Gemma, her expression quickly turned from carefree to worried. "Holy shit, are you okay?"
"I don't know," Gemma gulped. Her heart was beating faster than she'd ever felt before, and it didn't take long for the colors in the room to start changing. "I think something was in that drink."
Marcie's expression changed once more, from worried to frustrated. "Hey," she whipped her head in the direction of Lena. "The fuck is in these drinks?"
"Relax," Lena rolled her eyes. "I just put a little LSD in that one drink, no big deal."
"You put acid in these fucking drinks?!" Theo threw his cup on the floor, not caring that the liquid was staining the carpet.
"Lena, what the fuck?" Brett yelled. His eyes snapped towards Gemma, whose entire body was drenched in sweat and shaking. "Gems, are you alright?"
"No," Marcie snapped, speaking for Gemma who was in the midst of a panic attack. "She was fucking roofied, so no, she's not okay."
"Gemma," Theo's face was full of regret. "Let me get your brother." Before anyone in the group had the chance to respond, Theo disappeared into the crowd, desperately trying to find Jax.
Gemma's lips were sealed. She couldn't see the people in front of her anymore, let alone respond to them. Though she was struggling to see Marcie, she kept her hand gripped tightly on her best friend's arm.
"We're gonna get you home, Gems." Marcie felt herself sobering up as she instantly became protective of her best friend. "Try to breathe and keep holding on to me."
Gemma heard Marcie's voice, but the changing colors in the room made it difficult for her to find her best friends' eyes.
"I can't find Jax or Marissa, anywhere," Theo sighed as he approached a shaking Gemma and a pissed off Marcie. "But I ordered an Uber for you guys. It should be here in five minutes," he turned towards Lena. "And you - get the fuck out."
Marcie helped Gemma off the floor as Theo and Lena broke into a screaming match. Marcie wasn't paying attention to anything the two were saying, since the only thing she was focused on was getting Gemma the hell out of there.
She struggled to get Gemma outside but once she finally did, she frowned when she noticed fresh tears streaming down her best friend's face.
"Marcie?" Gemma's voice was quiet. "What's going on?"
Marcie was not sure how much Gemma would understand, but tried to explain it to her anyways: "Your drink was spiked. We need to get you home."
All Gemma could see now was darkness, given the pitch black sky and hardly any streetlights. She kept her arm linked around Marcie's but it didn't help much as her body broke into sobs. Marcie kept Gemma close to her as the Uber finally arrived.
"Drive fast, please." Marcie begged the Uber driver. "She's gonna puke."
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As the Uber driver pulled up to the Perry household, Marcie was quick to get herself and Gemma out of the car. Thankfully everyone in the Perry household was asleep at almost one in the morning, or so Marcie thought as she noticed Liv standing at the refrigerator in the kitchen.
"Hey," Olivia yawned, though her eyes widened as she watched Marcie practically drag Gemma towards the steps. "Uhhh. Is she okay?"
Marcie quickly tried to formulate a story. She did not want to admit that Gemma was currently on drugs. Even though Olivia was sixteen and likely knew a decent amount about the danger of drugs, Marcie wasn't sure if she should let Gemma's younger sister in on all the gory details. "She uh, she's really drunk - "
"Wait," Olivia gulped. She frowned as she eyed Gemma's bloodshot eyes and trembling body. "It happened again."
"What - "
"She was roofied, wasn't she?" Olivia sighed, closing the fridge and walking up to her older sister, who was barely functioning.
"This has happened before?" Marcie asked, looking back and forth between the two Perry sisters.
"Yeah," Liv looped her arm through Gemma's free one and started guiding her up the stairs. Marcie followed, grateful that Liv was here to help. "Once before, her first year of college. She was at a party and accidentally drank a mixed drink that had LSD in it."
"Sounds familiar," Marcie sighed as they finally approached Gemma's bedroom. As soon as Liv and Marcie laid Gemma down on the bed, her sobs became louder and harder to control.
Gemma had no idea what was happening, and although the familiar smell of her bed should have calmed her down, it didn't. Her body continued to break out into sweats; her heartbeat faster than before. No matter how wide she opened her eyes, she could barely see the people in front of her, though she found comfort in the fact that she was home in her bed.
"She's freaking out," Marcie panicked, hoping Gemma's loud cries did not wake up her parents. "What should we do? How do we calm her down?"
Olivia gulped. This had happened before, and Liv wasn't the only person there to help Gemma the last time. She knew that Gemma would likely not be happy about what Olivia was about to do, but there were no other options. She couldn't wake up her parents, because they would have just made it worse. They would reprimand Gemma instead of helping her, which left Olivia with no other choice.
"We can't do anything to help her. But I know someone who can."
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a/n: this chapter was going to be longer but i felt it was best to end it here ... shit is getting crazy.