One Green Bottle

I'm drunk again.

I'm having problems talking. It's all clear what I have to say, but she's just looking at me, bemused, half smiling, and embarrassed. I have to save myself, and her, from this situation.

"I'm not quite sure you understand.."

"I understand." He says, and he's laughing slightly, for her benefit. It's a game he's playing, and of course he's winning, he's sober, his eyes are bright, and I can see his pupils dilate as he looks at her.

She's flushed from the attention.

"Perhaps we should go." she says

"But I haven't finished."

My drink is somewhere on the table, it's a bottle, but it's not the only bottle on the table, and the rest are empty, and I can't tell which was the last one I put down.

"Please." she says

I have to be methodical, it's a process of elimination, the first one will be at the back, the next by the side, so the four in the front may decrease the odds for me. A one in four chance, and there may be other clues, or I could just go for those odds and pick one at random. I have no choice - he expects me to lose, and she wants me to go, maybe to be alone with him, and I can't let that happen.

"There's no need. I know what you're saying Ray, but it's all a matter of consequence."

I pick a bottle second from the right, bring it up to my lips, and put my head back. Smooth as you like. ...

Only it's empty, it's fucking empty, and he knows. He's won, he's triumphant, but he can't win, I need her, all he wants is a trophy, and she can't see it.

"Please, just let's go." She says

I need to save us. I can't let it end like this, on the throw of a dice, it's just too cruel.

"Maybe you should go. Maybe you should just go. Maybe you don't understand."

She's not smiling anymore. She's visibly upset.

"Fine... suit yourself." She looks at me expectantly, as If I should say something.

I say nothing, I'm a blank canvas. She's the diversion.

"Don't call me." and she turns and Ray watches as she walks away.

I quickly switch bottles, and I can feel this one's full, and nobody knows, and I've won.

"What did you do that for?" says Ray.

You know Ray. You know.

"It's your round Ray." I say.