“Let’s make sure Karen gets drunk”

Andy gives you a questioning look as you whisper this to him, so you inform him what she just told you, that she loses control when she is drunk, and so it could add to the evening’s entertainment.

Andy grins fully understanding what you mean, and gesturing for you to wait a moment, he grabs a couple of shot glasses from the shelf.

“Hey Karen” he calls to her even as she is making her way back to the table where your friends are. “How about a shot with me and Dani? Call it a warm English welcome.”

She pauses and walks back to you and Andy, looking at you directly, her eyes meeting yours, making it clear she knows what you are doing. However, she still smiles and nods her head to Andy accepting his offer.

Andy quickly grabs a bottle from behind the bar and pours three shots into small glasses, then takes one himself. You take a second and after a moment, Karen takes the third.

“One, two, three” Andy counts and then downs his shot in one. You follow suit and again Karen joins in last. You are the first to cough as the shot burns down your throat. Karen on the other hand simply places her glass on the top of the bar and grins at you.

“Another?” Andy asks you both, and through watering eyes you nod leaving Karen no choice. He pours another three and again counts to three and you, Andy and Karen down them in unison this time.

Once more the liquid burns down your throat making your eyes water more, and once again Karen simply smiles and places her empty glass down next to the other two.

“Again” you splutter, but now wondering if Karen was lying about being a lightweight. Andy immediately lines up three more and does the count.

You and Karen pour the hard liquid down your throats, and as you do you notice Andy has left his untouched. As you place your glass down, he grins, “Well, I got to stay sober for work” he informs you.

You look sideways to Karen who has also finished her third shot, and whilst after the first two she looked fine, suddenly you see a red flush run through her face and she slightly sways on her feet.