“I’m sorry, I just can’t hear you!” I screamed at the bartender in Zeenos. I was only twenty five and yet already felt too old for this. The bartender have given up on whatever question he’d been trying to ask for the past two minutes and poured whisky into two glasses.

I looked around the club anxiously. I’d only come here for Kai, and it was beginning to look like she wasn’t even coming. Most people get to do what they want on their birthday. Not me, I have to bend to the will of my well-meaning friends and in particular Kai. She practically lived in Zeenos.

Suddenly and arm brushed behind me and I heard murmurs of a woman’s voice. I looked around, it was Kai. “Finally!” I yelled “I thought you’d abandoned me”.

“Don’t be so dramatic” she replied taking a sip of her drink. “And why the **** are we drinking whisky?”

“Me and the bartender have been having some communication issues. Can we go some place quieter now? Where I can actually hear my own thoughts?”

“Who needs to hear their own thoughts? Honestly, you need to relax Blake. Tonight’s about fun!” She whistled at the bartender and made a hand gesture. He nodded and poured two gin and tonics.

“Clearly I don’t belong here. I don’t even speak the same language as you people!” Kai didn’t look over. Clearly my buzzkill mood was taking its toll on the party animal.

“Blake please just try to let loose and party. I really feel like you could love this place if you just give it a chance”. Over Kai’s shoulder I saw JJ sitting in a booth on the other side of the dance floor.

“I tell you what. I’ll let loose if you’ll be my wingwoman”

Kai’s eyes widened and immediately fixed on me. “Are you kidding? Hell yeah!” She passed me a drink. I downed it and began to make my way towards the dance floor. If I was going to spend my birthday in this place I might as well make it worthwhile.