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                                                       CHAPTER 17

            "Drunken men give some of the best pep talks..."

                                                    ― Criss Jami

HELENE HAD BEEN drunk before, but this was an entirely new experience for her. The booming music poured from the deck, filling the spaces in between. The smell of fresh water was as toxic as the smell of her alcoholic breath.

It was never supposed to happen. Brenna had approached her earlier for a talk, and one thing led to another. Now here she was, drunk as hell and nobody to share her secrets with.

Helene had been gazing over the railing, as she had been doing a lot these past few days. She had stood there, staring at Brenna before she had approached her. Helene had been watching Brenna from the corner of her eye, waiting.

Waiting.

What did Brenna want now?

Brenna had slowly begun to walk towards her until she was standing beside her, the two girls shoulder to shoulder, watching the vast ocean with her dirty secrets.

Finally, Helene had had enough. "What do you want Brenna?"

Brenna looked away slightly before turning back. "Look, Helene," she paused. Sighing, she ran a hand through her dark hair and sighed again. "I think we should be friends."

Helene blanched. "What? Did I hear properly? You want to be friends?"

"Yes," replied Brenna. "Look, we're going to Ethele and if we continue bickering like always, how can we expect the mortals to help us when we can't even help each other?"

Helene was quiet for a moment. "Okay."

"Okay?"

"Okay, we can be friends. But," Helene said, looking at her. "I like the bickering. Can we still do that?"

Brenna laughed. To anyone, it would have sounded almost like a friendly laugh, but Helene knew better. It was the cackle of a witch who was getting what she wanted. "Oh please bitch, we both know I bicker way better than you."

"Yeah, keep on dreaming."

Brenna didn't reply and instead began to strut away. "Oh," she stopped, not bothering to turn around. "Cas and Raylan wanted me to ask you to join us at the bar. I don't think you could hold your beer down but hey, you do you."

"Oh, you did not just insult my ability to keep my alcohol down," Helene replied with intensity, but something had shifted. Before, they were both at each other's throats, but now it was easy banter and playful words. Their tones were still on edge and threatening, but it was different. It was all different.

So Helene had walked back with Brenna, still arguing who could keep their alcohol down and who couldn't.

"You can barely walk properly, let alone take a drink," sneered Brenna.

"Don't insult these gorgeous legs. You probably drink like Cas," Helene shot back.

"Oh, don't give away my secrets Hel," said a voice as the girls entered the room. It loud, the music booming and the lights flashing. Girls and boys danced together on the side while people lined up to drink shots, drowning themselves. Cas was walking beside them now, an easy smile on his face.

"Oh, no you don't," Helene replied. "Remember last time when you told Raylan where I was ticklish and he wouldn't leave me alone that entire week? This is payback."

"Don't be like that. It was funny watching you squirm."

"Well, now it's my turn."

"Ay, the girls are here!" Raylan came into view as they navigated through the cluster of dancers grinding on one another and sat down beside him. Raylan frowned at them. "Hey, where's Ella?"

"Didn't invite her. She would just ruin the fun," replied Brenna. Helene felt a slight twinge. They were insulting her sister, shouldn't she care? But that was the thing. Helene didn't.

"Oh. I don't see the prince either," Raylan continued frowning.

Helene jolted and realized that too. Where was Legion?

"Couldn't make it. He's busy with some girl," Brenna replied.

Helene felt their eyes fall on her, and all of a sudden she couldn't hear. The music was loud, it was booming and there were screams and the glass was shattering.

He's busy with some girl.

Helene was suddenly furious. How dare he? Ignoring the ache in her, she smiled, laughing a little. "Well, what are y'all waiting for? Let's get this party started!"

Jumping out of the booth before anyone could stop her, Helene walked towards the counter. A bartender was polishing his shot glasses but came over to ask her what she wanted.

"Give me the strongest you have," she replied fiercely, "give me everything."

He was a boy about a bit older than her, his brown hair tousled as he handed her a shot glass. He grabbed a beer bottle, about to fill her cup but she snatched the bottle out of his hand.

"I'll be taking the entire thing," she said sweetly. Popping the cork off, she gulped some down, liquid running over her chin. "What's your name, pretty boy?"

"Jay," he replied, giving her a charming smile.

"Okay, pretty boy Jay, how much is this for?" Helene asked, batting her eyelashes and leaning forward, her lips plump and full.

Jay looked down at them before looking back at her. "For you sweetheart? It's on the house."

Helene giggled. "Maybe I'll save you a dance. Look for me when you're bored."

With that, she walked off, making sure to move her hips as she sashayed to the dance floor. She fit right in with the rest of the grinders, moving with the beat. She let the music flow through her body as she took another gulp of the bitter-tasting wine.

"Woohoo!" she let out a shout over the roaring beats. "Let's go!"

"Wow there, chill out." Helene felt a hand on her shoulder as she was whirled around. She came face to face with Cas. "Stole that entire bottle, did you now? How'd you get it, by seducing that bartender?"

Helene laughed. "Something like that. How did you know?" Suddenly, she brought her fingers to her lips. "Shh, don't tell anyone."

"Okay crazy, I won't." Cas still had his easy smile on. "You're really drunk, aren't you?"

"Drunk, bunk, sunk. HA! We're gonna be sunk! QUICK! EVERYONE! The boat is sinking!" yelled Helene as she twisted away and began to run. "GO! RUN!"

"Helene!" Hands grabbed her again, locking her in place.

"No, you're gonna drown! We have to go!" Helene replied. No one had heard her shouts over the loud music, but some bystanders watched her in amusement.

"Helene, they fixed the boat, it's not going to sink," Cas said reassuringly.

Helene stopped moving. "Are you sure? Pinky promise me." She lifted her pinky and wrapped it around Cas's, holding on tightly.

"Pinky promise."

Helene began to laugh again. "You know, Legion's with a girl. A girl. A girrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrl."

"Yes, I know," replied Cas. He cupped the back of her head, pressing her against him. "I know you liked him."

"Liked him mmm. He looks yummy," Helene said dreamily. She closed her eyes and sniffed. "Almost like you. Yummy yummy. Why is it yummy?"

"Is it now?"

"Yes," Helene sniffed some more for confirmation. "It is."

Then she bit his shoulder.

With a sharp yelp, Cas pulled her off him, staring at her with a horrified expression. "You bit me! Why the hell did you bite me?"

"You smelled good! You looked yummy, what was I supposed to do?" Helene asked defensively.

"Okay, come on, I'm taking you to Brenna. That's it, I can't deal with you. If you bite me again, I'm gonna bite you back," Cas said as he began to lead her to Brenna.

"Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo, but I looooooooove you!"

"I know you do, but this is for my own good."

"Pweaaaasseee Cassius, pweaaaaase."

"Nope, I'm dumping you."

"Whyyy?" whined Helene. Just then, Brenna came into view. "Brenna!" Helene jumped at her, hugging the girl. "There you are! From now on, we're besties!"

"Agh!" Brenna pushed Helene off. "Nope nope, nope. I LIKE RAYLAN!"

"What? Why?" Helene asked in confusion.

Cas slipped away, melting with the other dancers as Brenna frowned again. "He doesn't hug me as you do."

"Oh," Helene began to pout. "I won't hug you again."

"Okay, stop crying! Think of the future at stake. WE'RE GONNA BURN THIS MOTHERFUCKING EARTH DOWN!" screamed Brenna, raising her own beer bottle into the air.

Helene joined her as she began to get excited too. "FIRRREEEE!"

Still chanting, the girls stumbled towards the dancers, letting out whooping screams of joy. "BURN THEM DOWN!"

Other people watched them as they made their way to the center. Drunken dancers began to join, their voices getting louder and louder. "BURN THEM DOWN. BURN THEM DOWN. BURN THEM DOWN."

"Let's go people! Come on!"

"BURN THEM DOWN. BURN THEM DOWN. BURN THEM DOWN."

That's when Brenna let out a scream.

Helene turned quickly, raising her beer bottle in a threatening manner. She was gonna kill whoever was trying to murder her best friend. No one hurt her best friend.

But Brenna had not screamed in fear, rather she was jumping in joy. "Look! LOOK! I love it! I love his haircut! I want one too!"

Helene lowered her beer bottle as she squinted in the direction Brenna was pointing in. A familiar brown haired boy stood in the middle of the dance floor as if he was waiting for someone.

"Oh, it's Jay, the pretty boy!" Helene laughed. "He's still waiting for me to dance with him." Then she frowned as she remembered why they were talking about him in the first place. "Are you sure you want boy-short hair?"

"Agh, yes!" moaned Brenna. "Long hair is boooooooooooring!"

Helene pulled Brenna to the side, unsheathing a dagger from her belt. She handed her the dagger carefully, looking her in the eye. "You can cut your hair with this. I will help you," Helene said solemnly.

Brenna smiled. "Alrighty!" She grabbed her dark mane, bunching it up high over her head. "Bye bye hair."

And she brought the dagger down.

Her hair fell to the ground.

It was all gone.

There stood Brenna, her teeth flashing as Helene stared, admiring the new look. "You look just like Captain Marvel, but with black hair!"

"I know right!" Brenna agreed but then frowned. "I don't like her though."

"Don't worry, me neither."

Brenna beamed in response.

Helene shrugged, feeling her common sense fly away into thin air being replaced with a chunky fog in her brain. "Let's daaaaaance."

Brenna burped and laughed. "In the water?"

"With the fishies!" Helene nodded happily.

The two girls looked at each other and agreed. They quickly walked to the railing of the ship, Helene still holding the large bottle of vodka and Brenna burping loudly on purpose.

"Now what?" Brenna asked.

Helene clapped her hands together. "Now we jump in-"

"And dance in the water!" Brenna sighed contently.

Together, they jumped in with a loud splash.

And they began to drown.

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Ah, what a crazy chapter. I think I was going a bit crazy here.

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