The bass from the speakers thrummed through the floorboards of the terrace house, vibrating in Nicole's chest. It was their "End of A-Levels" party, a humid Malaysian night thick with the scent of cheap cologne and store bought alcohol.
"Try this, Nic," Kenneth said, leaning against the kitchen counter. He looked handsome in the dim light, his usual messy hair dampened by sweat. He handed her a tall glass filled with ice and a clear, amber liquid. "It's just tea. Long Island style."
Nicole took a sip. It was dangerously sweet, cold, and went down like water. "It doesn't taste like alcohol at all."
"Right? It's refreshing," Kenneth grinned. He was her best friend—the guy who helped her with physics and walked her to her car every day. He was also the guy she knew her "Tan Sri" father would never let her date. Kenneth's dad was a mechanic; Nicole's lived in a gated community with three guards.
"To us," she said, clinking her glass against his.
One glass became three. The world began to tilt in a way that felt like floating. The music turned into a distant hum, and suddenly, the crowded kitchen felt too small.
"I need to sit down," Nicole whispered, her head spinning.
Kenneth put an arm around her waist to steady her. The touch sent a jolt through her that the alcohol couldn't numb. "Let's go upstairs. It's quiet in the guest room."
In the dimly lit room upstairs, the "tea" finally took full control. They sat on the edge of the bed, laughing about nothing, until the laughter died down and they were just staring at each other.
"I'm going to miss you when uni starts," Kenneth murmured, his face inches from hers.
Nicole felt a surge of reckless bravery. She reached out, tracing the line of his jaw. "Then don't miss me yet."
When he kissed her, it wasn't like the movies. It was clumsy, fuelled by gin, vodka, and tequila disguised as tea. Nicole knew she should stop—she knew her parents had a path paved for her that didn't include a boy from the wrong side of the tracks—but as they fell back onto the pillows, she chose to give in to the curiosity she'd been hiding for years.