As I mentioned, Emily and Jen didn't drink, but I did. So I made my way to the kitchen and tossed water bottles to Emily and Jen, while I grabbed the rum and a Coke can to make my own drink. This was always my drink of choice, but I did switch it up a bit every now and then.

"Hey! Y'all made it!" Marcus walked up to us, Mike and Scott behind him.

We laughed and greeted each other.

"So where's your mom this time?" I asked.

"California," he chuckled.

"Why always California?" I asked, taking a drink.

"It's where my grandma lives," he said, getting a beer from the fridge.

I nodded and Emily and Jen had already gotten Mike and Scott's attention. Marcus looked at me, looked at them, and looked back to me. He chuckled and stood by me.

"They seem cozy, eh?" He nudged me.

"Almost too cozy," I laughed.

"Hey!" Ethan walked up to me, hugging me.

"Um... hey," I said completely thrown off and pushed him off me lightly.

Something to know about Ethan, I'd known him since the fourth grade and he always had the biggest crush on me.

"You wanna dance?" He asked.

"Nah, I'm good. I just got here, y'know?" I tried to be nice.

He held his hands up and walked away. Was he high on something? He really had looked it.

"Do you know if someone brought drugs here?" I asked Marcus.

"No, but that doesn't mean that it hasn't happened already," he sighed.

"Oh my gosh, there you are!" Kylie went up to Marcus, immediately touching him. "Been looking for you."

"Well, you found me," he chuckled.

"Come on," he grabbed his hand.

"Actually, I'm just gonna greet, have a couple beers. Later?" He offered.

I had to try so hard not to laugh. That was Marcus talk for no.

"Okay," she chirped, walking away.

Once she was gone, I released my laughter. "Oh my gosh, what are you gonna do?"

"I have no clue," he sighed, drinking his beer. "Maybe if I get drunk enough, I won't care."

"Aw, such a gentleman," I said sarcastically.

"What about you and Ethan?" He asked.

"Nope," I shook my head. "Never has happened, never will."

"Why?" He stood in front of me.

"We're not even together and he's possessively clingy. Can you imagine what would happen if I agreed to be his girlfriend?" I shuddered. "It's scary to think about."

"Well, enjoy the party, I'm gonna go do some stuff I'll hate myself for later," he walked off.

I drank my rum & Coke, wondering how in the world this boy lived with himself.

After about five more, I was wondering the same thing about myself.

I was dancing—most likely, not well—on a table, I'd lost my shoes, and I felt like I might fall very soon, but I didn't care at all. I had my seventh drink in my hand as I made a fool of myself and some idiot guys were getting really turned on. Somehow I was able to remember things when I got drunk.

One guy felt my leg and I looked at him. He laid down on the table to look up my dress, so I stepped on his face. After calling me the b word, he walked off and I just kept drinking and dancing.

I got off the table safe and sound and began to stumble around. I wasn't the get drunk and sleep with a guy type. I was the get drunk and annoy everyone type. Even if I didn't say anything to them, my constant clumsiness got on people's nerves.

"Hey, you look like you're having fun," Ethan said.

"Yep! Are you?" I asked.

"Would be if every guy would stop checking you out. I'm gonna kiss you, but only because there's a sleeze eyeing you," he said.

Before I could respond, he kissed me. Gross. He was an awful kisser. I didn't know bad kissers existed, but he just showed me. When he pulled back, I must've had it written on my face, because he looked disappointed.

"Hey, there you are," Marcus walked up to me. "Emily and Jen are looking for you."

"Okay," I said and he wrapped his arm around me, to guide me away.

"What time is it?" I asked.

"Midnight," he said.

"But we don't leave till two," I said, confused.

"I know, but I saw that awful kiss and had to save you," he chuckled.

"My hero," I laughed and then hiccuped. "Ah man! I never hiccup! Hey, do you know" hiccup "where my shoes are?"

"I think Emily has them," he reassured me.

"Aw, I love Emily! And Jen! And you! And Mike! And Scott!" I laughed and then a hiccup followed. "Hey! You were drinking earlier, too. How come you're not drunk?"

"Because I stopped drinking an hour ago and have been drinking water ever since," he laughed.

"Ohhhh," I nodded and noticed we hadn't stopped walking. "So where are we going?"

He led me to a room set me on the bed.

"Oh, no, no, no, no," I waved my finger at him. "We are not doing it."

He laughed and laid me down, taking my cup from me. "I know, but you're gonna sleep this off."

"But I'm having fun! The party isn't even over!" I protested.

He ignored me and covered me up with the blanket and tucked me in. I started giggling.

"Are you tucking me in?" I laughed.

"Gotta keep you here somehow," he laughed.

"But what if a couple comes in and I can't leave?" I fake gasped.

"I'm gonna lock the door on my way out, doofus," he said.

"Why don't you stop other people from partying?" I asked.

"Why do you ask so many questions?" He laughed.

I fake pouted and freed my arms. I turned on my side and looked at him. "Can I go now?"

He sighed and sat on the foot of the bed. "No, you need to calm down. In case you didn't notice, you were the only one on the table."

I sighed and closed my eyes and fake snored. Two seconds later I opened my eyes and said, "Okay, I'm sober!"

"No, you're not. Here," he gave me a water bottle, I didn't know he had.

"You're a magician!" I laughed.

"This is why I love having you at my parties," he shook his head at me with a grin.

I drank the water and began to feel the consequences of seven rum and cokes.

"Sleep tight, Danes," he stood and walked out.

*

I woke up to a massive hangover and buried my face in the pillow. I lifted my head too quickly and put my face back in the pillow. "Ow," I muttered.

"You're up," Jen's voice chuckled. "Here."

She set a water and some aleeve next to me to cure my hangover. "Morning."

"Morning. Emily ran to get breakfast and my parents decided to go to a bed and breakfast for the weekend," Jen sat on the bed.

"Okay," I said, taking the pills. "Y'all have fun?"

"Oh yeah, it was a blast. We tried getting you away from the table before you got there, but you didn't listen," she laughed. "I did talk to Scott though."

"And?" I pressed.

"Nothing's happened," she chuckled. "Maybe it will soon though."

"You're up!" Emily chirped.

"Ooh, ow, okay, not so loud," I chuckled, holding my head.

She set the donut box on the bed and everyone got one.

"So what happened with you and Mike?" I asked Emily.

She blushed and shook her head. "Nothing."

"Oh, so him waiting on you hand and foot is nothing?" Jen teased.

"Shut up," Emily rolled her eyes with a smile.

"Y'all are both so cute," I chuckled.

"I heard Ethan kissed you," Emily looked at me.

"Oh my gosh, it was awful!" I chuckled.

Their faces scrunched up in disgust, but we laughed it off and had a relaxed day.