Chapter 4: A List of Rules
798 Words
Three hours later, I'm sitting in my favourite bar with my third margarita in front of me.
The bar is relatively new, literally only been open a month or so. Tallulah has never been before and she is still looking around in awe. I guess it is quite impressive.
"So, this is your new hangout?"
"Yeah." Cameron tells her with a grin.
There are red drapes hanging from the ceiling and books on the shelves around our booth.
I'm barely paying attention to their conversation but I can't resist adding my piece.
"We had to stop going to The Last Leg because Cam slept with the barmaid."
"Not the old landlady?"
Lou's eyes are wide with a mixture of fear and delight.
"God no!" Cameron shivers at the thought.
I let their conversation merge with the background noise as I return to thinking about my earlier conversation with Cameron.
"I'm just so fed up with all the rules," I accidentally say out loud.
"You do realise you are an adult, right?" Tallulah pipes up.
"Exactly! I'm an adult!"
It's different for Tallulah though. She hasn't got to live with my parents. As much as they love me, their expectations are crushing.
Cameron chuckles, his eyes shining with mirth.
"It's up to you what you do."
"Exactly! And I want to... I want to do tequila shots."
Cameron jumps to his feet and pulls out his wallet.
"Better get the lady some tequila," he says before making his way over to the bar.
"Do you think I'm being stupid?" I ask Tallulah. I feel stupid. I feel like I've wasted a lot of opportunities. It makes me feel a little bit sick.
"No," Lou sips her drink, "I think you need to live your life for yourself, not your parents."
I nod my head slowly.
"But how?"
I don't even think I know where to start. I've done everything I can to be exactly what they expect me to be for the last twenty-two years. I don't know how I'm supposed to go against everything I know now.
"Well... What do you want to do?" she asks seriously, more sincere than I've ever seen her.
"I want to break all the rules my parents gave me," I respond without stopping for breath.
"Okay then."
Tallulah opens her bag and pulls out her sketchbook and a pencil. I always find it a bit bizarre that she insists on taking them everywhere with her. As if she'd really start drawing in the middle of a dark nightclub.
"I think we need a list."
"A list?" I ask bewildered.
"A list of rules to break," Lou replies.
The irony isn't lost even on drunk me. I'm the queen of rules and lists and plans so of course, I'd need a list to help me break them.
When Cameron arrives back with our tequila shots, there are already seven things on the list and it keeps growing.
"Don't swear."
"Yeah. You really need to break that one," Cameron laughs teasingly.
"Don't get drunk," I continue, watching Tallulah write down what I say. I can't help but wonder if this list will even be legible in the morning when we're sober.
"Well, you're starting on that one tonight." Lou grins as she continues, "Welcome to the world of too much tequila."
"Don't do drugs," I add calmly.
"As a med student, I really can't encourage the use of narcotics..." Cameron sits sniggering to himself.
"Don't smoke."
"Well, someone in this bar is bound to be willing to give you a cigarette," Tallulah replies.
"No inappropriate relationships... No s*x!"
"Again, there are probably at least thirty guys in here who would happily help you out with that one," Cameron says with a smirk.
"Hell - I'll be able to have a fricking lie in! No one telling me that it's a waste of valuable time that could be better used volunteering at church."
Not that I have anything against my parents' religion but it just isn't for me and yet I feel like I have no choice but to take part regardless.
"I think you mean a f*cking lie in." Tallulah's eyes are glowing with laughter.
"Yes," I giggle, "I mean a f*cking lie in."
"What about lying?" Cameron asks. "Don't you wish you could just say a little white lie once in a while?"
"Yup! All the time."
Tallulah stumbles to her feet with a mischievous smile, grabs my hand and pulls me out of our booth.
"Let's go find you a cigarette."
"What?" I'm shocked.
"Seriously!"
Tallulah is nodding now as she drags me through the bar towards an outdoor smoking area.
"It's against the rules and you've got to start somewhere... and it's not like we can get you a tattoo tonight!"
- Writer
