She had been walking with her Indian friend, just the two of them from school to their own houses, luckily they lived close to each other. Their Malaysian friend had been absent, sick he says. She knew what he had been sick of, extreme grief. She understood, he had lost two friends in such a close time.

No. She doesn't understand.

She had lost two friends too, his friends had been her friends too. He's so oversensitive. Her Indian friend also lost two friends and he's going to school. Why only he got the privilege of taking an absent? This is so unfair.

She can't help but drown in jealousy for her Malaysian friend. She's also drowning in grief, yet she's here. He's also drowning in grief, yet he's here. They're both going to school and try to live their lives normally, why can't he join too? He's not the only one grieving.

"Hey," her friend called for her, causing the girl to turn her head towards him. "I think we deserve a drink. Sit here and give me your water bottle."

She did what he asked. Once he held the bottles, he manipulated the molecules of the drink to be green drinks.

"It's absinthe," he said whilst giving her one. She grabbed the bottles and smelled the liquid.

"Isn't absinthe strong?"

"Well, we lost two friends." He shrugged. "Three- if you count him."

"Wouldn't absinthe kill you?"

"Not if you're careful." He looked around and found two pebbles and from them, he transferred the pebbles to glasses. He poured the absinthe to the glasses up to the brim and manipulated the molecules so that it turned to clear liquid. "Just in case."

"Bottoms up." The two friends drank the green spirit. The taste of herbs and spices filled her mouth as she swallowed it down.

"Woah-" she raised her brows as she stared at her bottle. "That's strong."

"And our friends died," her friend bitterly rued. "If you don't want to drink it, drop it. I've had a gulp already."

"For you?"

"Who else?"

"Don't have the fun to yourself, you're so selfish ya?" The girl chuckled as she playfully hit her friend. Her friend laughed as he drank more.

She drank one more gulp before she sniffed, placing the bottle down. Too much, she's not having more. That's not the case with her friend as he drank more.

"Hey," she called for him. He faced her and she can see his eyes drooping, his breathing slowing down. "I think that's enough."

"No."

"That's enough."

"Nah," he drank one more gulp. The girl gasped as she slapped the bottle off his hand.

"That's enough!" She yelled, fire in her eyes. Her friend's head dropped down with a thud and she knew instantly that she'll regret yelling at her friend. She kept calling his name as she shook him awake, but he's not waking up. She didn't give up, her voice wavering with each call. She kept slapping him in an attempt to wake him and checked his vitals.

Why can't she save her friend?