Deadly #6.

Midnight.

A young woman sits bundled underneath her nightgown on her large L shaped couch, watching her new husband, Brandon, bring their two separate bowls of large buttered popcorn.

"Wala." Brandon smirks, sitting beside his new wife as he hands her a bowl of popcorn.

"Thank you, babe." The woman smiles, giving him a kiss as she takes her bowl.

"Oh, I didn't forget."

Brandon hands her a Capri-Sun, the woman's favorite drink since she was a child.

"Well, aren't you the best?" She smiles.

"I know," Brandon smiles back, picking up his remote and cutting on Netflix. "Since it's my turn to pick the movie, I'm gonna try to find us a comedy. I'm in the mood to laugh."

Brandon Lou and his wife, Trisha, are in their first 3-months of marriage. Their first apartment isn't the fanciest, but is roomy enough for a new couple. Young and in their early 20's, Brandon is an Asian-American from a large family, one who traveled to America for a better life for their son. Trisha is an African-American woman, the oldest of four, is from a prominent family who resided in the suburbs of Chicago. The couple that met in college couldn't be further apart in terms of their worlds. The two fell fast after meeting their first year in college, marrying the year after. Though sudden, both families knew that the couple loved one another.

"Man, I wish we could have more date nights like these," Trisha exhales, bundling under the covers with her husband. "Just me, you, and no-"

Suddenly, loud banging is heard on their apartment door. The couple jumps violently as cries are heard from outside.

"Brandon! Brandon! Let me in!"

"Oh God.." Brandon sighs, leaving the couch and approaching the door.

Trisha rolls her eyes, looking away. She already knows who the man is.

"...Nicholas." Trisha grumbles, looking away.

The couple rarely had any problems in their 2-year-relationship, but Trisha wasn't too fond of Brandon's closest friend, Nicholas. The two had been friends since childhood, but had went on different paths when it came to life decisions. Nicholas had went to college, but decided to drop out due to a lack of interest. A stereotypical white boy party animal is an understatement. While Brandon had gotten it out his system in high school, Nicholas had seemed to just begin. Their friendship thrived, but Trisha wasn't a fan of Nicholas's obnoxious and over-friendly behavior. Still, she tolerated it because she knew that that was Brandon's "bro".

"Dude, do you know what time it is?" Brandon complains. "Me and Trisha are trying to have a date-"

"You will not believe what I just saw!" Nicholas interrupts, stumbling inside. "You will not fucking believe what I just saw!"

"Have you been drinking?" Brandon wonders, smelling the trail of alcohol behind his breath. "Who dropped you off?"

"Just a drink or six, but I snuck and called an Uber!"

"Six?" Brandon gasps. "That deadly number..."

"Weren't you supposed to be on a date?" Trisha asks in an annoyed tone, wanting Nicholas to leave.

"That's what I came to tell you guys about!" He spats, opening his hands. "My date was a literal horror show! Her face began to morph!"

"Yeah, you've had too much to drink," Brandon sighs, rubbing his forehead. "Let me take you home."

"No, please dude, I've never seen anything like this," Nicholas begs. "She made her eyes change colors, i-i-it was literally like witchcraft. She had to have been some form of an alien or something?"

"What?" Trisha says.

Nicholas inhales, sitting at the end of their couch. Brandon sits beside Trish. They're all ears, listening to another one of many Nicholas's crazy nights.

"For starters, let me tell you guys, my date was totally hot," Nicholas begins. "Like hot hot. Hottest date I've ever had."

"How did she look?" Brandon asks.

Trisha shoves Brandon's arm, giving him a stern look.

"What?"

Nicholas describes the looks of his date of the night.

"Marilyn Monroe?" Trisha asks, not believing him.

"Just like her. I even have her Instagram," Nicholas states, showing the couple her phone. "Check her out."

Trisha and Brandon look at the pictures of the woman. Platinum blonde curls, blue eyes, a near perfect figure and ocean blue eyes. The newlywed couple is impressed.

"Wow," Trisha says, eyebrows raised. "I thought you may have been over-selling it, that girls an exact copy."

"But check this out, picture her going from Marilyn Monroe to-"

"Alright Nick, i'm gonna take you ho-"

"No no no, I wanna hear this," Trisha smiles, smacking her arm across Brandon's waist. "What happened?"

"Okay, we meet up at the bar a block from campus, right?" Nicholas mentions. "The one that everyone likes to meet at."

Hours prior...

Nicholas approaches the bar, sitting in one of the few available seats. The young female brunette bartender already knows Nicholas, AKA..

"Party boy," The bartender smiles, placing a drink in front of another man.

"Junie." Nicholas responds, sitting in his seat. "The usual, please."

"I'll get that ready for you."

Nicholas's usual. Half-cranberry, half-Vodka. She wipes the counter first, placing his mixed drink down.

"My boss almost had you banned from here, y'know," Junie says, wagging her finger. "You got so drunk that we had to carry you to your car."

"Oh I'm not, trust me," Nicholas says, sipping his drink. "I've got a date."

"Who's the lucky lady?"

"She should be meeting me here in a second."

"Mm. Well, let's not go over Deadly Number 6, tonight."

A beautiful girl appears in court like a ray of sunshine. She makes a couple heads turn inside of the bar. A blonde bombshell, slim figure, and high heels that's complimented by a walk of flawlessness. Nicholas himself is taken aback. "No way is this my date." He thinks to himself, doubting that he could score a woman this high of a caliber. She's even more beautiful than she appears in her Instagram photos. The girl approaches Nicholas, hugging his upper shoulders.

"Nico!" The woman cheers. "It's so nice to finally meet you!"

"H-Hi.." Nico stutters, trying not to cough from the woman's overpowering perfume.

"How are you?" She smiles, sitting in the seat beside him.

"I'm fine, now that you're here," Nico says, spitting a cheesy line. "Wow! Margot, you're even more beautiful in person."

"Thanks," Margot cheers, stroking his face. "You're almost as sexy as I am."

"Alright, don't go there," Nicholas flirts, sipping his drink. "This is our first date and I'm trying to be classy. You're gonna make me say something that'll probably get me smacked."

Margot rests her chin on her interlocked fingers, gazing at Nicholas's drink.

"Didn't know I was attending my first date with a babysitter." Margot says, sliding in a sly comment as she flags down the bartender. "One shot of Vodka, please."

"Oh hoh, was that a challenge?" Nicholas says, raising an eyebrow.

Junie places Margot's shot on a napkin. Margot immediately downs her shot of Vodka, scooting the small cup back towards the bartender.

"Another one, please."

"One for me too, Junie," Nicholas says, wagging his finger.

"Here we go.." Junie sighs, turning and grabbing two shot glasses.

"Tell her about me, Junie!" He rambles, continuing to brag. "She thinks I'm a punk!"

"Even as an avid drinker, you guys know that I need a chaser. I don't drink Vodka straight. Ever," Nicholas narrates. "But I was trying my best to impress her. One shot. Then two. Then four. Then six. You all know what happens when I reach six. I thought I was a drinker, but this girl just wouldn't quit. My chest was burning, meanwhile she hollers.."

"Seven!"

By this time, the couple has a small crowd around them, cheering them on in the drinking Olympics. Margot is buzzed, but not phased. Nicholas on the other hand, is ready to tap out. Sitting slouched in the bar, the alcohol seeps into his speech. He wants to cry, "No more!", but struggles to get a word out.

"Mer.....Got.." Nicholas slurs lowly, struggling to call the woman's name as his voice drowned out by the increasing volume of the music.

"Merlot?" Margot laughs, smacking his shoulder. "Weird switch of drinks, but I'll do it. A glass of Merlot for him. I'm not a fan, so I'll take red!"

"One more drink and I knew I was gonna be toast for the night," Nicholas states. "All's I remember is Junie placing a glass in front of me. Without warning, those shots gave me this weird superhero strength. I went from nearly wanting to throw up, to-"

Nicholas snatches the glass of Merlot, downing it as if it's Kool-Aid to a toddler. He gulps, gulps, and gulps as three men and women cheer him on. Margot stares in shock as he finishes in record time, slamming the wine glass down. Though she was having fun at first, Margot begins to feel that Nicholas may be feeling pressured to drink.

"Hey, if you don't want another drink-"

"Oh don't you worry, I am completely fine!" Nicholas spats, forcing his eyes shut.

"After that glass of Merlot, it was lights out." Nicholas describes.

Without warning, Nicholas falls back on the counter, collapsing in a drunken frenzy. A few people gasp as Melissa covers her mouth, helping him up.

"Deadly number six." Junie grumbles, knowing Nicholas's usual routine.

"It's okay, he's fine. He's fine!" Melissa giggles, waving at everyone.

Brandon and Trisha appear confused.

"That's it?" Both ask.

"I don't even remember leaving the bar. I just remember us going at it."

"Going at it?" Brandon repeats in confusion.

"Oh!" Brandon and Trish nod.

"Anyway, next thing I know, I blinked and we were back at her apartment room. The mood was set," Nicholas describes, speech still slurred due to his intoxication. "I thought it was gonna be another night of me getting action on the first night."

Margot pushes Nicholas onto her bed, asserting her dominance as she's done the entire night. Both share a similarity. Young and frequenting one-night stands. Nicholas smiles at her, burying his fingers in excitement in her pink fur sheets. A dark-purple lava lamp is lit in the room, creating a dark pink lighting in the room. The mood is set.

"Tiger," Nicholas growls sexually at her.

Without warning, Margot's eyes morph from Blue to Brown.

"Woah!" Nicholas jumps, sitting straight up in the bed.

"What?"

"How'd you do that with your eyes?"

"Do what?"

"I thought your eyes were blue?"

Margot laughs, placing her index finger on his lips. Shh. She straddles and crawls on top of Nicholas's body, kissing him and lying him down. He temporarily opens his eyes when large red blemishes began to appear on her face.

"What the hell!?" Nicholas jumps, snatching his lips away from hers.

"What?"

"What happened to your lips?" He stutters, standing as he points directly at her mouth.

The woman's plump and beautiful pink lips have all but shriveled into thin slits. Nicholas is terrified. He slowly backs away as Margot stands, trying to approach him.

"What's wrong?" Margot cries, opening her hands.

"You tell me! Bumps just appeared across your face, your eyes just changed colors, your lips just turned into two sheets of paper, are you a witch?"

"I think you may have-"

"How'd those dark rings get around your eyes?" Nicholas interrupts, holding his hand out. "What's going on?"

Nicholas in in a full panic. Before Margot can speak, he runs into her bathroom, locking the door behind himself. Margot tries to get inside, standing by the door in confusion.

"What is your problem?" Margot asks, knocking on the door. "I thought we were having fun?"

Nicholas shakes violently, struggling to hold his phone as he opens his Uber app. He taps, quickly putting in the order for the closest ride.

"And I ran out of there as quick as I could," Nicholas states, concluding his story.

Brandon and Trisha don't buy it. The story resembles a bad horror flick.

"You're still drunk," Trisha says, placing her hand on his shoulder. "There's no way a girls face started melting like that. It's not even possible."

"I saw it with my own eyes!" Nicholas pleads.

Back at Margot's...

Margot's female neighbor, another young woman, decides to check on her after hearing the commotion. She spots Margot in her bedroom, crying in crumbled tissue.

"Everything okay in here?" The neighbor asks. "I heard screaming!"

"No it isn't, Cynthia," Margot scowls, ferociously blowing her nose. "All men are the same! Just assholes."

"Oh God," Her neighbor sighs, folding her arm. "What man did you bring over now?"

"He ran out of the house when I took my makeup and contact off," She bawls.

At Brandon's...

"What have you learned tonight, Nicholas?" Brandon asks sarcastically.

"No more." Nicholas answers, burying his drunken face in his palms.

"No more one night stands?"

"No more Merlot!" Nicholas hiccups, shaking his head. "I had no idea wine was that deadly!"