[i]Christ.[/i] 

He throbbed, feeling woozy even from under his eyelids. That wasn't the beer at the Stein, and it wasn't the beer from the crate Stoney had fished from his car. It might have been the vodka they'd had. Wasn't the weed. May have been the E. Elwood patted the floor beside his bed for his phone, the screen glaring harshly in his eyes as he brought it to his face. 8am, and a text from Dove. Another 50. Elwood would have to have another chat about accounts.
"Hey, Elwood! School!"
[i]Shit.[/i]

-

An hour later and Elwood was on-campus, shirt tucked into trousers and one hand thrust firmly into the pocket of his peacoat, the other running a still-shaky hand through his slicked hair. His pupils were dilated, partly from the hangover and drugs of the night before, and partly from the three cups of coffee he'd had between his dad's house and the school gates (one at home, one from the starbucks on the corner down the block from his house, and one at the cart just down the hill), and his bladder was full of yesterday's beer and this morning's black caffiene. He sniffed, the cool morning air invigorating him, and looked up toward the sky. Beautiful stark blue, with a white shining sun. It would be a warm day. Elwood shielded his eyes lest his head start to throb again. 
Alas, Block appeared.

"Heading under the overpass tonight, Elwood?" 
"Overpass? Fuck are you talking about, Block?"
"Some party. Ya ain't heard?"
"No, Block, I 'ain't heard', obviously."
"Bunch'a kids are heading down after dark, attendance seems to be hundreds plus. Should be pretty blaster."
"'Pretty blaster'?" Elwood said incredulously, throwing a hand up for silence before Block had even drawn breath to respond. "Shut up, Block. My head is heavy and I have a whole fuckin' day of school to get through before I even think about [i]more[/i] beer and god knows what else Stoney and Roy turn up with, and that's all [i]after[/i] you assault me before I even get five feet onto school grounds."

Block scowled, but put his hands in his pockets and shut up, walking alongside Elwood. They took strides in silence, until a cherry red sports car pulled up in front of them. Elwood swore as Alexis hopped out, and then quickly walked around the car and toward the main building. 
"That smart-ass waitress from the pub."
"Sure is, Elwood."
"Shut [i]up[/i], Block."

They watched as Alexis met her boyfriend, son of the city's local tech-mogul, and then walked a few paces behind them as they all entered the halls. Some inane discussion about a garage band, because of [i]course[/i] the pretentious wanker had a garage band. Elwood kept his head down as he and Block passed them, but was caught by a tap on his shoulder. He whirled round, a few strands of hair breaking free and flopping down over his forehead, only to be smoothed back again .
"[b]Yo buddy, please tell my girl why Kurt Cobain was one of the greatest artists of our time.[/b]" Zebulun asked Elwood, and Elwood sneered.
"I think '[i]was[/i]' is the best part of that sentence." He replied, before nodding at Alexis. "Loved your performance last night. Very believable. I'll let the Mavericks know where they can send their offer letter."
Elwood walked off, shoulder-checking Zebulun as he went - and Block followed. He just needed to get through school, and he could return to drinking. He probably would end up at this party. It would be better than anywhere else.
[i]What's the worst that could happen?[/i]