Chapter 43: The Drinking Contest
Sonya, amazed at how small the world felt, carried the liquor with Leo Jones back to the private room.
“Who set this up?” she asked.
“Jake, but it’s really for Julian. He couldn’t back down. There’s a Reynolds project that Oration’s been trying to secure a partnership for, but it’s been going nowhere. Henry’s the one leading that project,” Leo Jones explained.
Sonya nodded. Julian Jennings had probably tried to get on Jason Reynolds’ good side without success, and now he was trying to cozy up to Henry. But Henry was just an employee; even though he was the project lead, he didn’t make the final decisions.
“Sonya, just give me the bottles, don’t go in,” Leo Jones urged.
Sonya scoffed. “Come on, I want to watch the fun.”
Leo Jones sighed. “Julian’s riled up by Henry. He might say something nasty.”
“How did Henry provoke him?”
“Henry doesn’t even have to do anything. Julian gets triggered just by his presence. It’s probably a conditioned response. Growing up, Julian was always compared to Henry, and Henry always outshone him. Even in college, Henry went abroad, and that’s when Julian finally escaped his shadow.”
“So, he suddenly lost it and said all that stuff?”
“Ahem, it’s my fault. I mentioned back in high school how every girl in school liked Henry, including Seraphina.”
“Seraphina liked Henry?”
“She even publicly confessed, but Henry rejected her in the harshest way.”
“Wow, no way.”
Leo Jones sighed. “You should have seen how embarrassed Seraphina was. She was so confident, thinking Henry would say yes. It became a school-wide joke.”
Leo Jones then mimicked Henry’s words:
“Aren’t you Julian’s girlfriend? Or not? If not, why make him beg for your attention like a dog? Sorry, I don’t get your twisted sense of humor. I prefer being human, you should too!”
Sonya burst out laughing, imagining Seraphina’s humiliation.
The words had been meant to defend Julian Jennings, but considering his pride, he probably wouldn’t appreciate it.
In the private room, Henry and Julian Jennings were already drinking heavily, with Jake Parker trying to mediate to no avail.
“Get the liquor!” Julian Jennings bellowed.
Leo Jones walked up with the bottles, trying to calm Julian. “Julian, this is a reunion, no need to drink so much.”
“Drinking is part of the reunion,” Julian laughed, before turning to Sonya. “Sit here, pour me a drink.”
Sonya scoffed and headed straight to Henry.
She poured him a drink, whispering, “Vaxy.”
Henry discreetly hooked her hand under the table, grinning mischievously. “Watch me get revenge.”
“You two don’t even know each other, what are you saying?” Julian Jennings asked suspiciously.
Henry tilted his head, smiling. “I’m asking this lovely lady if she has a boyfriend.”
“What’s it to you?”
“A lot. If she doesn’t, I’m going to chase her.”
Julian Jennings clenched his glass, yelling at Sonya, “Come here!”
Ignoring him, Sonya looked at Henry. “I don’t have a boyfriend.”
“Then can I chase you?”
“Of course.”
As soon as she spoke, Julian Jennings slammed a bottle onto the table. “It’s a drinking contest, let’s go!”
Henry turned to Julian Jennings, smiling, but his eyes were cold.
“Let’s go.”
Sonya poured for Henry, and Leo Jones poured for Julian Jennings. They quickly finished one bottle.
Sonya remembered Henry’s dislike of alcohol and his presumably poor tolerance. She grew concerned.
“Maybe we should stop,” she whispered.
Henry placed his empty glass on the table. “Relax, I’m going to drink him under the table tonight!”
“Whoever passes out first is the loser!” Julian Jennings yelled, noticing Sonya whispering to Henry. He was furious.
They opened another bottle each, quickly finishing it. Julian Jennings started to sway in his seat, unsteady.
“Pour me more! More!” he demanded.
Leo Jones tried to intervene. “Julian, let’s call it a night.”
“Get out of the way!” Julian Jennings shoved Leo Jones aside and pointed at Sonya. “Come over here!”
Sonya gave him a withering look.
“Don’t you dare flirt with every guy you meet. You’re my woman!”
Suddenly, Henry grabbed his glass and flung it at Julian Jennings. It missed, shattering against the wall behind him.
Julian Jennings was stunned. Everyone else was shocked.
“Henry, what are you doing?” Jake Parker frowned.
Henry kicked the chair. “His mouth is foul!”
Jake Parker glanced at Sonya, but he couldn’t argue. Julian Jennings had been incredibly insulting to her.
Henry grabbed a bottle of strong Chinese liquor and raised it to Julian. “If you’re still a man, let’s chug this whole bottle!”
Julian Jennings, his eyes red, tried to stand but stumbled. He grabbed a bottle, determined to drink. Leo Jones and Jake Parker tried to stop him, but he shoved them aside.
They both raised their bottles and started drinking. It was whisky, and they’d already had a lot to drink. Julian soon vomited and collapsed.
Henry paused a few times, but then finished the bottle, slamming it on the ground.
“Julian Jennings, that’s all you’ve got?”
“You… don’t laugh… I didn’t lose…” Julian slurred.
Henry scoffed and pulled Sonya toward the exit. As they passed Julian Jennings, he lurched toward Sonya.
Henry stepped in front of Sonya, shoving Julian Jennings away.
Julian Jennings fell to his knees, grabbing the tablecloth, sending food, drinks, and tea flying all over himself. The mess was revolting. In the chaos, Julian looked pathetic. Seeing him like this, Sonya was shocked. He was crying.
“Sonya, Sonya, take me home.”
In eight years, she’d never seen him like this. Henry’s shadow was deep. She wondered what had caused Henry to beat him up in the first place.
“Sonya! Sonya!”
He kept calling her name, as if only she could restore his dignity.
