That special day, I laughed heartily with the others like it really meant something. In truth, my mind was elsewhere, but if I didn't keep up with them, then how would they think I was okay and that nothing was wrong? I'd been like this for a while, but luckily I'd been able to keep up the status quo with some determination, and-admittedly- the help of a little whiskey.

I looked away in a moment of thought toward the wall when the conversation buzzed again in the background. I shook my head a little when my best friend called my attention.

"Sorry, what'd you say? Whiskey's getting' to me just a little," I joked, staring him down. He laughed a little and repeated himself.

"So how does it feel to finally have made it into 1st-Class?" he asked. With a fake smile, I replied without hesitation.

"It's been normal so far, but it feels good," I said.

He and my other friend chuckled at something when they looked at each other and they both leaned forward a little bit.

"Hey, Sena? How much is that whiskey getting to you?" Kunsel jokingly asked.

"Don't even go there again," I snapped a little, rolling my eyes as the two burst into laughter, and I then forced myself to smile and laugh along with them.

"No, no, come on," Zack insisted after our laughter died down. "How much?"

"Not enough to make THAT happen again," I said with a little bit of an indignant sniff.

We were both referring to the time we had all celebrated Zack getting promoted to 2nd-Class. We'd gone to this same bar; the same table in the corner and everything. I blushed a little as that night came back to me. We'd been drinking a little bit more than we should have been, and I had mistakenly chosen whiskey that night. We really didn't know what happened except for one thing:

We'd all woken up on my room's floor that afternoon after the hard party. We'd originally thought that we'd barely made it past the door and gotten it shut before we'd passed out. Everything was okay until Kunsel threw up on my discarded armor and Zack started laughing while I was very upset. This event was what led me to realize a very certain thing that was quite embarrassing.

I was stripped down to my very girly, lacy and pink underwear and my also very girly, lacy and pink T-shirt I wore under my uniform every day. And somehow, my T-shirt had gotten worn backwards, which I normally would have noticed. Once all three of us noticed this and Kunsel and Zack had gotten their fill of staring, the two men had started laughing at me! I had screeched and turned bright red and ran into my bathroom, throwing things at the two along the way. I'd screamed "Get out, get out! Get out!" but they couldn't stop laughing.

They ended up having to coax me out of the bathroom, which had taken an hour, and even then I'd rushed out and started punching Zack's chest in my anger when he and Kunsel started laughing uncontrollably again. Looking back now, it was a little funny, but I still can't help but wonder what had happened that night, and why or how I had gotten my shirt on backwards and the most of my clothing off... Without help... Drunken help... Zack and/or Kunsel's help.

At this secondary thought my blush brightened. I turned to look back at the other two, whom I noticed were getting quite sloppy in their movements. I was barely buzzed, so I sighed in knowing that I'd be having to deal with two drunk men tonight. Currently, we were out celebrating my own promotion, but I didn't intend on letting it get as wild as Zack's party.

A little while passed and I noticed that it was almost closing time and that I was pretty much sober. I could have said the exact opposite of the boys. Kunsel and Zack were currently stumbling about, looking for some imaginary keys. I rolled my eyes and stood, paying my tab for that month in advance at the bar.

I went back to our table and collected a boy on each arm and marched them out the door sternly.

"Noooooo-hic- we gotta find my-hic- keys, Sena!" Kunsel protested and I just mumbled to myself.

"I have all of our keycards in my pocket for one, and for two-You don't have any keys!" I insisted, but I got no reply other than Kunsel drooping severely and nearly falling to the ground.

I almost fell over myself, but I managed to pull him up and over my shoulder before that happened. It was pretty awkward walking back to the Shinra building with Zack hanging on my arm and Kunsel over my shoulder, but we all managed to make it in one piece. Leaned the semi-conscious Kunsel against the wall while I opened him and Zack's room with the card. I managed to then shuffle the sleepy man to his bed and plop him down with a hefty sigh from my part.

I pushed Zack off my shoulder, he just stumbled slowly to the bedroom. I thought he was going to go to sleep in Kunsel's bed in his drunken state, but he surprised me by closing the door and looking over his shoulder back at me. I sighed and closed the main door, seeing that I'd have to help him to bed too, confused as he was.

I dragged him over to his own bedroom and finally got the protesting man into his bed. I huffed a little at the effort of dragging his heavy boots off with him squirming around and then putting his legs up on the bed. Zack then decided to grab me as I turned to leave and pull me down as well.

"No, Zack, I'm sleeping in my own bed. You'll be fine," I grunted at him, trying to pry his large, strong hands from around my arm.

"Then aren't you going to say goodnight?" he slurred, making me roll my eyes.

"Goodnight, Za-" I was cut off when Zack suddenly pulled me down, pressing his lips to mine firmly. My eyes widened in slight shock, and I tried to pull away, remembering him talking about that new girl he might like.

However, he didn't budge for several moments so I was subjected to the only slightly forced kiss. He pulled away after a moment and looked me in the eyes.

"Isn't it what you want, Sena?" he asked, looking at me with his sleepy, drunk eyes. I bit my lip to stop myself from answering "God, yes!" and tangling myself with him in his messy sheets. I wasn't going to take advantage of a drunk man, let alone my best friend. No, sir.

"No, Zack..." I began, trailing off when I saw the look in his eyes.

Zack gripped the back of my neck firmly and kissed me again, harder this time and more insisting. I protested at first, trying to wriggle away from his strong, toned arms, but as soon as I accidentally placed my hands on his well muscled chest, I closed my eyes and returned the kiss. It lasted for a while before I finally forced myself to stop and wrench myself away from him. I panted a little and quickly backed away.

Zack watched me move away and began to struggle out of bed to catch me.

"No, Zack. You're drunk and need to go to bed. Goodnight."

With that, I ran away from a drunken Zack and went into my own room, never knowing that was going to have been my last chance to confess and tell him before it was too late...

"I love you."