A/N: Hot off the press, enjoy :).

*****

I'm not quite sure how it happened. One minute I'm just standing there, and the next I'm being swept up in Aiden's arms, his mouth smothering mine. It's an awkward, sloppy kiss, and he suddenly seems so big it's like he could just engulf my whole body in seconds. I want to pull away from him, but something inexplicable is stopping me; and my senses just feel so overwhelmed by him, and the music, which seems impossibly louder than it was a few minutes ago. I feel like I'm drowning in music.

"Hey! Get off her!" And then there's Ashley's voice, and her hand on my arm, pulling me away from him. Ashley's touch is like electricity, it makes me feel all tingly inside. So much better than Aiden, so much better than anyone.

"Ash!" I celebrate, wrapping my arms around her neck. "You're here!"

Ashley returns my hug tightly, her gentle laughter brushing past my ear.

"What the hell have you been drinking, Spence?"

I pull back, regarding her more seriously. "Just one. One little drink."

Ashley laughs so loudly it makes my insides jump.

"Sure you did! God, you can barely stand up." I sigh as Ashley concedes her point, holding me close again. "I guess I'll be the one taking care of you tonight, huh?"

"Mmm." I lift my head from her shoulder, the room's spinning and flashing bright, white; there's so many faces. "Where's Madison?"

"Don't know, don't care."

I drop my head back onto her shoulder, feeling awash with contentment. Ashley's so soft, like a great, big pillow. Or a fluffy, float-y cloud.

"What's wrong? Spencer?"

Maybe I'm the cloud. I feel funny, like I'm not really in Ashley's arms at all; like I'm suspended from the ceiling, like a great big, colourful piñata.

I can see and hear everything that's going on, feel it even, but it's all happening so fast. Or maybe it's slow and disjointed, or a mixture of the two. I don't really know.

I just know that Ashley's here, and she's shouting, shouting at that big idiot Aiden, asking him the same thing over and over.

"What did you give her!?"

Then it all starts to get all blurry and scary, and I can't really hear Ashley's voice anymore. I can just hear loads of voices, and there's a cascade of people staring at me. Madison's one of them, and she's yelling too.

I can't feel any part of myself; I can't feel my legs or my arms, I can't move. I can't call out.

I want Ashley, I just want Ashley.

I wonder if I'm going to die?

"Ash?" I think that was me, I think I said that. Only it doesn't sound like me, and it was so quiet. Everything's so loud, I wish they'd all stop shouting.

My face feels all hot, and I think it's started raining, either that or I'm crying rivers.

"It's okay, it's okay." Ashley's leaning over me, her hands are cool and she's wiping the raindrops from my cheeks. "Ssh, it's going to be okay. It'll stop soon, I promise."

And it does, gradually everything stops; the numbness dwindles from my limbs and I don't feel like I'm going to float away anymore. I feel the opposite, heavy and groggy, like someone whacked my piñata-self with a great big stick and got all the candy out.

"Are you okay?" Ashley asks, her face slipping into focus as I open my eyes. I don't even remember closing them, or being laid down on Madison's couch.

"Better." I tell her, because I don't really know how else to describe it. I don't feel normal, but I don't feel completely bizarre anymore either. "I want to go home."

"Back to mine?" Ashley suggests, stroking the back of my hand lightly with her thumb. "Your Mom will freak big time if she sees you like this."

I nod tiredly, she's right.

"Thanks."

"Do you think you can stand up?"

Honestly, I have no idea, but I seize the opportunity to try. Ashley helps, letting me lean on her; my legs are still unsteady and uncoordinated, but I'm determined. I want to get out of here.

"I'm not sure I should drive." Ashley admits, and my mind wanders back to earlier, and the entire bottle of tequila she demolished. God, that feels like days ago.

"There's a taxi outside, if you want it." A friendly voice offers, and I vaguely recognise the girl as being one of Madison's devout cheerleaders. "I'll get the next one."

"Thanks." Ashley accepts quickly, never one to linger on pleasantries. "Come on, Spence, let's go."