Super Chill all the Time

There’s no one else he’d spend Friday night at a karaoke bar for.

But, against his better judgement, he’s leading Mel to a booth where he’s spotted Santos, Whitaker and Javadi. Mel taps his back, tells him she’s going to order drinks, walks away before he can offer to get them. He’s left to approach the table alone.

Only Javadi looks happy to see him.

“Dr. Langdon!” she exclaims, already looking tipsy, while Whitaker stares at him with his mouth open.

Santos glares.

“What the fuck are you doing here?”

“My girlfriend invited me.”

He smiles at Javadi as he sits next to her, before nodding tersely at Whitaker.

“I can’t believe she didn’t ask me first,” Trinity mumbles.

Whitaker only shrugs, still staring at him slack jawed, like an idiot. He rolls his eyes.

“She has to ask before she invites someone?”

“Yeah. If she’s going to invite a drug addict to hang out with us, I’d like her to ask first.”

He bites down on his tongue. Mel appears at the table like a ray of fucking sunshine, placing his Diet Coke and her virgin Shirley Temple on the table.

“I’m going to use the restroom and then we can start. Trinity, you’re still up first?”

Trinity smiles tightly. Mel kisses him on the cheek quickly before walking off.

“This is going to be so fun,” Santos mutters, grabbing Mel’s Shirley Temple off the table.

“What the fuck are you doing with Mel’s drink?”

Santos looks at him for a long moment, then laughs.

“Do you really think I’ve been getting her to sing karaoke sober?”

Whitaker stares at the floor. Santos sneers at him. Suddenly, he’s transported back to screaming at Santos on that first day. Javadi blurts out what’s blaring through his brain like a tornado siren.

“You’ve been spiking Mel’s drinks?!”

Santos shrugs. He’s trying to think of something to say that won’t get him in trouble with HR, when Mel comes back to the table.

“Here!” she says obliviously. “Trinity, what are – “

“I think we should go first, Mel,” he interrupts. “Trinity said that she’s not feeling well. Whitaker’s going to take her home.”

“I’m fucking sick alright,” Santos mutters. “C’mon, Huckleberry.”

Santos and Whitaker start towards the door. Mel frowns after them.

“Is she okay?”

“She’ll be fine,” he assures her. “Let’s get in line. You want us to sing I Got You Babe, right?”