The first sense that came back to Juliet was scent. She smelled something acidic, which made her stomach churn. It was sour and burning her nostrils. She opened her eyes next, to see her head resting on a toilet bowl. She was wrapped in a blanket, but stripped of her shirt. She raised her head to get her bearings, as she did this her head began to pound. What the hell happened last night?She tried to remember the night before, which made her head pound more, so she slowly got up to check the bathroom for Advil. I was out with the girls. We ate dinner and then went to the bar. I had a martini and we were talking to some guys. The cute blonde-haired, blue-eyed, muscular guy- Ethan bought me Tequila and- That was it. She couldn't remember anything else. Oh my God, am I in his house? She let out a whine.

"I think I hear her, I'm going to check on her," Kirsten entered the bathroom.

"Oh, Kirsten, thank God. What happened? Where is your Advil?"

"Right here honey," she handed her 2 pills, "Here, lets get you to the living room, and get you some food and water."

"What time is it?"

"It doesn't matter, Hannah already called into work for you, pretending she was you and had the flu."

"Uggh. Wait, where is my phone?"

"We had to confiscate it from you last night. Here," she pulled it out of he pocket and gave it to her.

"Oh God, what happened?"

"You don't remember anything?"

"The last thing I remember is Ethan buying me a couple shots of Tequila."

"Or seven."

"Seven? Oh no!"

Kirsten led Juliet to the living room and sat her down on her couch.

"Here, honey. I got you a coffee, some water, and dry toast," Chloe brought her a tray out from the kitchen.

Juliet looked at the toast disgusted, "Thanks but I think I'll just take the water," she said as she swallowed the pills down with her water.

"Eat the toast. It will soak up some of the alcohol in your stomach."

"That's if she didn't puke it all up already."

"Hush, Kirsten, that's not going to help anything."

"Where's my shirt?"

"In the washer."

"Uggh. Guys, tell me what happened."

"Are you sure you want to know?"

"Yes."

"Well-"

……………….

"Come on girls, let's have some real fun! The kind we haven't had since college!"

"Juliet, we're 30, we're not exactly invincible anymore."

"Aww come on, look, let's just get a drink and scope this place out."

"Ok. I'll go get us all martinis. Any objections? No? Good, I'll be right back," Kirsten smiled as she went to the bar.

"Oh, look," Hannah pointed to a stage, "They have karaoke. We should all do it!"

"Ok," Juliet looked at her, "That's the one thing you won't get me to do, unless I'm totally smashed."

"Hey girls," Kirsten came up behind them, with two guys linked around her arms, "Ethan here bought us our drinks, what do you say girls," she led Ethan right to Juliet.

"Thanks," Juliet blushed, "I'm Juliet."

"I'm Ethan," he replied, "And very pleased to meet you."

Juliet smiled, and looked over at Kirsten, who winked at her.

"Why don't you lovely ladies join me and my buddies over at our table," Ethan invited them.

"We'd love to," Juliet replied, and Kirsten raised an eyebrow.

……………………………………

"Wanna get away from everyone so we can talk alone?"

"Sure."

"Let's go up to the bar and get drinks."

"Ok," Juliet held onto Ethan's hand as he led her through the crowded bar.

"Two shots of Tequila," he ordered.

"Oh, I can't handle Tequila very well."

"It's only one shot. So tell me, why is a stunning lady like you at a bar, on a night like this?"

"Well," Juliet took the shot handed to her, "I just wanted to have a girls' night with my friends. Oh, that felt really good."

"Two more," he ordered, "Oh, time away from your boyfriend?"

"Hahaha," Juliet laughed out loud, already feeling the effects of the alcohol, "If I had one," she smiled at him. God, I don't remember the last time I felt this good! She giggled to herself, and took the shot.

"Another? So you're single?"

"It appears so." Juliet's phone vibrated and she looked at it after downing the next shot.

Shawn
Sent- 10:57
I hate being stuck at home. Wanna play the Word Association Game? I'll start. BEAUTIFUL

"Who's that," he asked ordering two more shots.

"No one," Juliet deleted the text, put her phone back in her purse, and grabbed the next shot that was waiting for her.

"Another round! So, Juliet, what do you do for a living?"

Normally Juliet hated that question, guys always seemed to be intimidated by her career, but it didn't seem to matter that much right then, so she took the shot and asked, "Promise you won't be intimidated?"

He raised an eyebrow to that, "I promise."

"I'm a cop, a detective actually, for Santa Barbara," Juliet laughed.

"Impressive."

"Haha. Right. So mister mystery. L.O.L." Juliet laughed, "What is your profession of choice? Oh, and bartender, can I get another one of those thingies?"

"Well, I'm a lawyer."

"Haha, very funny," Juliet said taking the next shot, "You're too cute to be a lawyer. Can I get another shot?"

"Maybe you should hold on that shot, or eat something with it."

"No, I'll be ok."

Ethan looked at the bartender, and shrugged his shoulders. "Are you sure you're ok?"

Juliet took the next shot, "Yeah, crystal."

"What?"

"I-I mean, yeah. Let's dance!"

"Ok."

Juliet led him to the dance floor and started dancing with him. She started swinging her head back and forth, and began to tumble off balance, but Ethan caught her, and rested her head on his shoulder, as he put his arms around her to keep her balanced. "You are such a great guy!"

"I think you'd be less quick to say that another time."

Juliet looked up at him, "You're so sweet, and handsome, and kind, and- here," without further thought, Juliet kissed him. She put all of her anger into it, all her sadness, all her confusion, everything into this guy that she just met. But that didn't matter, he was interested in her, he wanted her, he held her, he listened to her.

"Oh, your phone's vibrating."

"What? Oh," Juliet looked, "It's just Shawn, here, let me take it."

"Ok, just sit down, please."

"Ok," Juliet let Ethan seat her and she picked up her phone,"Hola mi amigo!"

"Juliet?"

"Si!"

"Juliet, are you drunk?"

"No, silly," she laughed.

"Are you ok?"

"Oui, Monsieur."

"Um, ok. Why didn't you respond to my text?"

"Shawn, I'm not your back-up girl for when Abigail can't keep you entertained! I am actually on a date as we speak. Oh, wait! Stay on the phone," Juliet ran up to the empty stage, "Hey, I know I haven't signed up yet, but can I quickly sing a song for my friend on the phone?"

"Um, sure," the guy leading the karaoke replied.

"Ok, thanks," she whispered the song in his ear, "Ready, Shawn? This song is going to be for you."

The music started, and Juliet had the mic in one hand and the phone to her ear in the other.

"If I should stay Shawn,
I would only be in your way.
So I'll go, but I know
I'll think of you every step of the way.

And I will always love you, Shawn.
I will always love you.
uh-dadadada"

"Jules, where are you? You're completely wasted. I'm going to pick you up."

"Ssh, Shawn, listen to my song.

"So, goodbye. Please, don't cry.
We both know I'm not what you, you need-Kirsten get off me," Juliet shouted as Kirsten grabbed the mic and then the phone.

"Sorry, Shawn. She's not feeling well," Kirsten told him.

"Should I come get her?"

"No, it's ok, we've got her," Kirsten hung up, and turned back to her friend, in which Ethan was helping her off stage and into a seat.

"I'm so sorry," Kirsten said to him, "She's normally not like this at all."

Juliet grabbed Ethan's arm and tried to pull him into a kiss, "Not now, ok," he told her.

"Well then let me give you my number," she laughed, "Oh, wait, I don't have a pen," she pouted.

"Here, why don't I give you my number, and you can call me when you are over this Shawn guy. I really like you- sober."

"Why don't you come back to my apartment and get to know me?"

He looked over to Kirsten and wrote his number on a napkin and handed it to her. "I really do want to get to know her. Will you give this to her when she's-"

"Not out of her mind? Yeah. Hey, thanks for not taking advantage of her. You really are a great guy."

He smiled, "Let me help you get her to the car," He hoisted Juliet up as she got sick everywhere.

…………………….

"Oh my God," Juliet put her head between her legs, "I can't believe this happened. I'm so stupid, what am I going to tell Shawn?"

"It's ok honey, we've all been here before."

"Kirsten, you're used to making yourself look like an idiot, how do I get myself out of this?"

"Ouch."

"Oh, no. I didn't mean it like that. I'm so sorry. I just- don't know what to do."

"It's ok. I think the best thing to do is go on like normal, pretend it didn't happen, let him bring it up first, if he does at all, and don't let him shove you around, let him know he has no power over you. Well, that is if it is Shawn you were referring to."

Juliet silently thought to herself for awhile, while her friends sat around her, with their arms around her. "Thank you guys so much, thanks for being there for me, even though I was a stupid ass. I don't know what I would do with out you," she hugged them all.

The dryer buzzed, her shirt was clean. Chloe went and grabbed it for her.

When Juliet put her shirt back on, she stood up, "I think I need to go and wash that whole night off me, get some sleep, and just think. Thanks so much guys."

"Aw, honey, you know we would do anything for you."

"Yeah," she forced a smile.

"If you need anything, don't hesitate to call."

"Ok, thanks."

"Oh, Juliet," Kirsten smiled as she pulled out a napkin, "Ethan left this for you."

"Throw it out."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah, I'm not ready yet."

"He was a really nice guy…"

"I know, he deserves better than what I can offer him now, or anytime soon."

"Alright."

……………………

Juliet opened her apartment door, walked in, and slid down the wall. What the hell did I do? Dammit, you could have hooked up with a really nice guy and been so much happier, but you had to screw it up. Would I really be happier? Probably not, but I'm 100% sure I'd feel better than this. She let out a moan.

After sitting for a couple more minutes, she got up, closed her door and turned on her tea kettle. Then she went to her bathroom and drew a steaming hot bath, complete with bubbles and candles. She put a MUSE CD in her CD player that was in the bathroom, and turned it up full blast.

By the time she was done with that, her water was done, and she put the teabag in, to let it brew. While it brewed, she went to her bedroom and shed her clothes, which was satisfying in itself.

She headed back to her tea, and took a sip. It felt nice and calming, as it went down. She then headed over to her tub, set her tea down on the tub, slid in, took a deep breath, and allowed her mind to think only of the hot, soothing water and the crackling bubbles. Or, at least tried to.