The Ark Diary of Dylan De Rovia Book One of De Rovia Diaries

Drink Like a Adult

Thursday December 18th, 2149

Four days of working and I love it. I get to fix things going all over the ship. This why Mecha was one of my career choices because I'm not good at staying still. Even as a child I couldn't stay in one place for long. Caretakers said I was like a frog that I hopping or moving around.

Primary school was hard for the first year I struggled to stay focused. I got better of course learning to stay still but any chance I got I would be playing ball. Teaching moving around helping kids that was close to what I needed but now I know for sure what my passion is.

I pause my writing it's the end of my first week of work, I was writing a few lines before I deciding where to go. Boredom is a very real thing here I could be working on Dad's present but I need a break from that. Lori's gift is done waiting for her to open it, soon. The problem Lori is working and so is Kye. I could go the arcade but its to full of kids since schools out now for winter break.

"Dylan?"

I look up its a guy Kye's age, I've seen him around he's a car man. "Your Coleman right?"

"Just Cole only my Mom's call me Coleman." He looks to the door a couple guys are waiting on him looking at us. "Um...What are you doing tonight?"

"Nothing all my normal hang out place are overcrowded right now."

He nods. "Good cause I know this place it's kinda exclusive."

"Exclusive this won't be your apartment would it?"

His face turns red. "No it's this um...its a bar type place only middle workers like us know about it."

"Okay."

I put my tablet in my bag and follow them down to the basement of the building. Now I've always been told this was storage. But as we go deeper down into the basement then into a sub tunnel I smile.

"Is this a clubhouse?" Most blue collar workers have their clubhouses in response to the Artro-club for uppers.

"Your to smart."

I blush, "It's just deductive reasoning my father's a guard so he kinda taught me the basics of fact finding."

This tunnel is a very well lit with paintings on the walls some of them are outlines people who just started. They tell a story of this ship. The outlines are of Gillespie the alien plants and animals that are waiting for us. The middle is images of space bodies we've passed or major events that happen on the ship. Other's are names Hal was here in graffiti style writing. It's beautiful not because its planned all to these artist used a style that flows into the next piece.

"You can add to that if you want." Cole say leaning down his friends don't seem to interested in art. "Paints all here just look at the supply list add point to collection pool."

The two other stand at the door each with satisfied grin on their faces. "Welcome to the club kid."

It's loud a music cube is hooked into a sound system with mismatched chairs and tables. There is grill here with food being cooked plates of deliciousness sizzle past me as people talk and drink. This is an adult place I feel a little out of place here, Cole stears me to a table. "I'll get us some drinks."

The two others melt off into the crowd. I look over to the left of the bar are stalls, in bright neon green paint it says Tattooland. I'm tempted to go over not for a tattoo but to look at the drawings. My dislike for needles means I'll probably never get a real one.

Cole returns with a bottle of clear liquid and to glass he pours me a shot. "Have you drank before?"

"Yeah." I say over the crowded downing the shot in one gulp. My first thought I shouldn't have done that. It feels like I swallowed fire, this isn't the fruit scrap brandy that I'm use this is pure grain alcohol. "WOW!"

Now as loud as this place is my wow was louder people stop and look at me I turn red I feel my cheeks get hot. Cole quickly pours us another shot. "To Dylan De Rovia the newest Mecha."

"To Dylan!" They all cheer and we all drink it doesn't taste so bad this time.

He laughs, "It's good stuff right?"

"Great." I say looking at the homemade pool table where a group of people are playing.

"You can really hold your stuff." Cole offers me another I take it sure it might be liquid fire but I feel great not drunk at all.

"Yaba." I say as our glass clink together.

Two more shots later I feel funny like my head is swimming. Lori said that when she was drinking and thought she'd had to much that she'd bite her lip. I feel my teeth on the soft flesh but pain no. I need to leave. "Cole I'mma go."

He nods, "Cool do you need me to show the way out or take you to the train?"

I giggle. "No-a I'll bes a fine just needs to clear the head."

"Okay I'll see you tomorrow."

Taking the my last glass I rise my hand. "To tomorrow!"

My feet dance along the painted tunnel as the pictures come alive as I slur out the lyrics to the last song playing. Coming out of the Mecha building the freezing air helps my spinning head to land on where I'm going. The dim night light looks like real night to me right now and I know I'm drunk so have to get home. Looking up the building lights look like stars. I start singing a song about stars as I step onto the train.