After finally disentangling myself from Chloe, I went in search for another drink. On my way to the counter full of Jello shots I managed to tip over a pile of empty bottles. I stayed on the floor laughing loudly. A small group of girls witnessed my graceful dance and joined in the laughter. The girl sitting closest walked over to help me to my feet.

"Are you okay?" she asked while still chuckling.

"Gordo!" Lizzie took hold of my arm to keep me balanced. The girl retreated back to her friends, but not before advising Lizzie, "You might wanna watch your friend a little more closely." She smiled in my direction. "Take it easy."

I turned to my friend and smiled lazily. "Hey Liz."

"Are you insane? What are you thinking?"

"Huh?" Still holding onto me she turned to Charlie. Huh? How long had he been standing there?

"Could you hold onto him?" she asked.

Since Charlie was much shorter than me I ended up using him as a crutch. "I never told you this...but I like you, man. No really. You treat my friend with respect and that's what I like about you." While I continued rambling, Lizzie was busy yelling into her phone. The music made it near impossible to even think.

She gave me a worrisome once over. "I don't know, Randa. I just found him like this and Veronica is nowhere in sight. She did? Oh my gosh. Okay, well I'm taking Charlie home and I'm going to have to try sneaking Gordo in his house. In this state, he'll probably break his neck trying to climb the stairs to his room. Yeah..I'll be back to take you home. Uh huh...you too."

I promptly passed out on the ride home. A splash of cold water was my wake-up call. "What the hell?"

"Hey, you were out cold. Sorry," Lizzie apologized. I shook my head and laughed strangely. "Come on, big guy. Boy you sure have grown." She tried to take hold of some of my weight. I hadn't realized how sluggish I was.

"Glad I'm not fat?"

"Definitely."

It was nothing short of a miracle that we made it up the staircase to my bedroom. I didn't expect her to drop me off into my bathroom. She leaned me against the wall. After she removed herself from underneath my arm I slid across the wall until I landed on the floor. Just like before I remained lying there. Only this time I didn't laugh. "Cold," I muttered.

Lizzie propped me up against the wall after kneeling down beside me. The next thing I knew, Lizzie took hold of my jaw and started brushing my teeth. "I don't want you to greet your parents in the morning with your breath reeking of alcohol," she explained. "Your clothes smell like cigarettes. Since you obviously aren't up to the task I'm going to have to change your clothes for you. Do you mind?"

The drowsiness was coming back so I merely shrugged. After completing said task she maneuvered me to my bed. She had barely pulled the covers over me when I reached out and fingered one of her loose tendrils. She was leaning over my head so I didn't have to reach far. "I like your hair like this."

She smiled wearily and sat on the bed beside me. The clouds in her eyes were still present.

"Are you okay?"

"I think I should be the one asking questions, Mr. Gordon." When I didn't respond she continued. "What possessed you to drink? I always thought you were too good to get caught up in the overrated high school scene."

"I thought you were too."

That silenced both of us. I was still buzzed so I was saying what I was thinking. Evidently I was more up front about things when I had thrown back a drink or two.

"Gordo, I-"

"No, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to judge you. I mean...I'm obviously no better."

She gave me a supporting squeeze of the hand. I hadn't even realized she was holding my hand. I kept my gaze locked on our hands and intertwined our fingers.

Lizzie spoke, "You scared me tonight." My eyes turned up to meet hers. "Never once in our 17 years of friendship have I worried about you. I guess I figured you were too smart to get yourself into trouble."

"I'm sorry, L-"

"Just don't do anything like that again. Okay?"

"Promise." I smiled and bent my head downward to kiss the back of her hand. She smiled and the clouds appeared to lift.

"So where did Veronica wander off to?"

I shot up from my lying position. "Oh shit!" The headache suddenly hit me, full force and the room spinned.

"Whoa, whoa. Easy tiger. I had talked to Miranda before we left. Daniel walked her home. She was tipsy but manageable."

"I'm the worlds biggest ass hole."

"Don't be so hard on yourself. She lives right up the block from the party."

"That's not what I meant."

"So what do you mean?" Lizzie had been lightly raking her fingers through my hair as we continued our dialogue. It was then that I realized what a cat must have felt like when being stroked just right. My eyes closed again. "Mmm."

"Gordo?"

"I swear you have magic powers."

Her surprised laughter rang throughout the bedroom. "What?"

"I feel like I'm under a spell when you do that."

"Do what?"

I leaned into the ministrations of her slow moving hand. "That." I smiled lazily while my eyes remained shut.

Lizzie laughed. "Now I know what Denisse went through when she'd drag me and Randa from parties."

"Denisse is hot." I said bluntly.

"I'm sure Blake would love to here that announcement from you," she teased.

"This stays between us."

"Scouts Honor."

"What makes her hot to you, anyways?"

"The red hair, for starters. And I guess the innocence factor."

Lizzie giggled. "Those are the things that drew Blake to her in the first place."

"Yeah well, he's lucky she's even interested in him."

"Jealous much?" she joked.

I smiled ruefully. "Maybe a little."

"I think they finally kissed tonight."

"What?"

Lizzie explained what she had witnessed earlier that night. I was surprised, to say the least. They were both incredibly shy so it was a tossup to see who would make the first move. Lizzie's phone rang. "It's Miranda. She's probably ready to leave to party." She kissed my forehead and ruffled my hair. "I'll see you at school."

I spent the next morning mulling over my disastrous mistake with Chloe.

What the hell had I gotten myself into?