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It had been one of those nights--the slow, ego-bruising grind of rejection after rejection. Tony went first, making a play for a girl in a leather jacket. He came back two minutes later, shaking his head. "Not feeling the vibe," he muttered, classic Tony confidence masking the sting.
Kyle struck out next, losing a brunette's attention halfway through a story about his summer job. "She just walked off," he said, downing his drink. "Not even a fake excuse." His fingers drummed against the glass before he set it down, and I caught myself remembering the way those same hands had lingered on me once, tentative and warm in the quiet of his basement. The memory flickered like a spark before I buried it, focusing instead on his frustrated grin. "Maybe she just wasn't ready for all that charisma," I joked, forcing a laugh.
Chris, ever the optimist, went big. He bought shots for a group at the bar, flashing his best smile. They took the drinks, thanked him, and turned right back to their conversation.
By the time I tried chatting up a woman reading alone in a corner booth, I barely had the energy to laugh when she said she was waiting for her boyfriend.
"Alright, guys," I said, slumping back in my chair. "Plan B. Let's drink until we're stupid."
We flagged the waitress for shots and beers, determined to drown our collective failure.
Tony, Kyle, Chris, and I stumbled out of "Sips and Secrets", the local dive bar. We'd been friends since we were kids, but had all gone our separate ways for university. The summer had come, though, and we were back in town to either cause trouble or find it. The cool summer air hit us as we walked out the door, sobering us up, but only a little. It was a good thing Chris lived walking distance from the bar, or we'd have been in real trouble.
As we turned a corner, we realized we'd gotten a bit turned around and didn't know exactly where we were. After a few more blind turns, a neon sign caught my attention. "Hold on a second," I said, stopping dead. "Is that...is that a fucking video store? I thought these things were all gone!"
The other guys followed my gaze and started laughing. "Oh, we have to go in. When was the last time we rented a movie? Fucking middle school?" I laughed and headed for the door. The other guys followed me, shaking their heads and chuckling to themselves.
Kyle reached out and pulled the door open, the smell of old carpet and popcorn hitting us all at the same time, a wave of nostalgia washed over us. Rows of DVDs and VHS tapes stretched toward the back, where a section marked "18+" was half-hidden behind a beaded curtain. "What's the plan here?" Tony asked, scanning the shelves and pretending he wasn't curious about the curtain. I shrugged and walked for the curtain, turning to face my friends as I walked through it. "We find the most ridiculous thing we can, and we make a night of it. Something so bad it's good," I said.
Tony shook his head and laughed, "You mean 'so bad, it's awkward as hell,'" he countered, though he couldn't stop the smirk creeping onto his face. "Alright, fearless leader, I'll set up an account while you pick the prize."
While Tony was talking to the clerk and setting up an account, Kyle, Chris, and I ducked behind the curtain to see what was hidden within. Kyle leaned in close to whisper something about one of the titles, his shoulder brushing mine as he spoke. His breath was warm against my ear, sending a flicker of heat down my spine. "These titles are insane," he muttered, his voice low. I laughed nervously, stepping aside to put some space between us, but my heart pounded in my chest.. Finally, I picked it up and headed back for the curtain, telling them I'd found the perfect one.
As Tony turned around, I held aloft the case to the other three, letting them see it. A woman face down on a truly massive cock, and the title "Mouthful of Mischief" in what looked like dripping white letters. They groaned, but Tony motioned for me to hand it over so he could check it out.
The four of us stepped out of the shop, the neon glow of the sign reflecting off the cracked sidewalk. I held the DVD up high, like a trophy, as if it wasn't the most questionable decision they'd made all night. "This," I declared, "is going to be legendary."