It started out like any normal Friday night. I was hanging out with Cali in her room, where we often hung out, talking, listening to music, writing songs and for the most part, staying out of trouble. She was 16 and I was 19 so there wasn't much else we could do. Her cousin Canton came through and decided to kick it with us too. Shortly after, Elgin, Cali's oldest brother, showed up. Bored with his usual club scene, he invited Canton to go drinking and kick it with him at a hotel. Canton invited Douglas. Jordan, Cali's other brother, over heard the conversation and invited himself. Because Elgin was going to go get the room, Canton asked me to go pick up Douglas. I didn't mind that task at all! I had a huge crush on Douglas. The next thing I knew, I was in a hotel room with Elgin, Canton, Douglas, Jordan and Jerome, Elgin's best friend. Apparently, Elgin invited him after he left Cali's house.
I wasn't close with Elgin but Canton and Douglas were my friends. Jordan and I were fairly close but never really hung out. He spent most of his time with his girlfriend. Jerome sometimes came around when Elgin was there but never for very long. I would hang out with Douglas, Canton and Detroit all the time. Mostly getting high and drunk. Like I said, they were my friends. So, the thought of me being the only female in a hotel room with 5 guys didn't strike me as odd, nor did it seem like a bad idea.
"Ari, have you ever tried this?" Elgin asked, holding up a bottle of Hypnotiq.
"No," I replied. "But I've been wanting to!" He prepared a half glass for me to "taste." It was disgusting! I finished it though, fearing a "party foul" would be called on me. I didn't want to see the consequence for that. At the time, I prided myself on being able to keep up with the boys in our drinking games. I'm short and petite but I could definitely handle my own. It wasn't my intent to get tore up that night, but before I realized it, I was there.
Most of the night was either a blur or completely wiped from my memory. I remember at one point getting very emotional and crying. I called Cali from Elgin's phone. Not sure why I used his phone when I had my own or what set off my crying episode but, she didn't answer. I remember being on the balcony trying to calm down. I remember bits and pieces of a conversation with Elgin. The conversation somehow went from me telling him what a good friend his sister was to me, to how he found me very attractive. From there, my memory flashes to the dark bedroom of the hotel suite. I remember kissing someone but I couldn't see their face. My mind then flashes to me laying on the bed alone when I hear someone come in.
"Ari, are you ok?" I heard Douglas ask. I told him I was fine but that I was super dizzy. He said he was too and asked if I minded that he lay down. I said "go ahead," thinking I was about to be asleep.
I'm not sure how much time passed, but I remember feeling like I woke up. I said "Douglas?" I hadn't moved and couldn't tell if he was still in the room.
"What's up?" He asked.
"The room is spinning out of control," I said.
"Are you ok? What do you need?" He asked, sounding very concerned. I asked him to just hold me. He did as I asked. Flashes of him and I making out are still visible in my mind. There are a couple of minutes worth of memory of him and I having sex also.
We all woke up in different parts of the suite the next morning. Elgin was gone. Jordan slept on the couch. Canton and Douglas were on the living room floor. Me? I woke up in bed.... with Jerome. I wasn't sure what to make of that since I had no memory of him in the room at all and we were both fully dressed.
On my way home, I tried replaying last night's events. I started by counting the number of drinks I had; 1/2 a glass of Hypnotiq and most of my 40oz of Mickey's. Wait... that was it? Really? I couldn't remember drinking anything else. I was able to drink 2 40's and still know everything that happened. Like I said, I could keep up with the boys. So, why was my mind mostly blank? I took a shower and went straight back to bed. On top of feeling uneasy about my memory loss, I was disgustingly hung over.
The next thing I know, I am waking up to my phone ringing loud in my ear. "Hello?" My voice cracks as I answer.
"Ari? You sleeping?" I heard the familiar voice ask, but I couldn't make out who it was.
"I am not sleeping anymore. Who is this?" I asked, irritated.
"It's Elgin." I paused for what seemed like forever. I was shocked he was calling me. I'm not even sure I knew he had my number. He is Cali's brother, but him and I aren't friends. We don't talk. So, confused, I say "Elgin? Um, what's up?"
"I was calling to see if you are ok?" he explained. This was getting even more weird. Not only are we not friends, Elgin is known for being very self-involved. Not really caring about anyone else but himself.
"Yeah. Are you ok?" I sort of giggled. I could not fathom a reason for this phone call and in all honesty, I wanted it to be over already.
"Yes, definitely. I'm cool. Just wanted to make sure you were."
At this point, I was just rolling with the conversation. So I tell him that other than feeling very hung over, I was good. It was then that he asked if I remembered anything from the night before. Feeling that this was a very strange thing for him to be asking me, I said that I thought I could remember most of it. He then asked for confirmation that I was "OK."
Irritated by now, I say "Ok Elgin, what's really up? Why are you calling me? And why are you making sure I am ok? We aren't friends."
"You don't remember, do you?" he asked.
"Remember what Elgin? Damn! I'm getting irritated!" I exclaimed.
"We had sex last night," he said. I froze. My stomach began to turn. He had to be kidding. I remember Douglas. Kissing Douglas. Having sex with Douglas. It wasn't Elgin. No way! It was Douglas. Plus, he was Cali's brother! But... Wait... Who was I kissing before Douglas came in to lay down? Disgusting! There is no way I had sex with two different guys in one night! I felt weird about having sex with more than one guy between menstrual cycles! Why couldn't I remember anything? "Elgin, stop playing. We did not hve sex last night!" I said, trying to laugh so he wouldn't hear the terror running through my veins.
"Yes we did. I can't believe you don't remember." He said this with a slight twinge of pain in his voice. Nothing more than a bruised ego, I'm sure.
"Nice try. I had sex with Douglas last night. I remember that for sure!" I was still trying to sound very confident and comical about it.
"Well if you had sex with Doug last night, then you had sex with both of us," he said in his familiar cocky tone. He proceeded to tell me what happened. The bits and pieces I had in my own memory, were all included in his story. He had to be telling the truth. Based on my usual limits, there was no way I got to a black put point from 1 40oz of Mickey's and a half glass of Hypnotiq. I could usually double that and not even be hung over, let alone black out!
I may never know what truelly happened to me. One thing is for sure, someone gave me more than just alcohol that night.
