"Billy's party's tonight," Spencer started, not turning her head from it's straight up view of the sky.

"I can't decide whether I'm going to go."

She sat up and took her sunglasses off, looking down at me, "You said you were going to go."

"I know, but I don't really like parties."

"You have to go," she forced.

"Why?"

"Because! Who else am I going to hang out with?"

"Who did you hang out with before you met me?"

She stopped and actually thought, "I don't know. I was usually too trashed to remember."

"What about before you were drunk?"

"I don't know. I used to get knocked out pretty fast."

"Can't you do that again?" I asked, kind of tired of this conversation. Parties just weren't my thing. Alcohol just wasn't my thing.

She leaned down closer to me, putting both of her hands on my bare shoulders, "Please go."

I think I let out an uncontrolled smile while my brain spoke for me, using my mouth to say the words, "Okay, I'll go."

She jumped up excitedly doing her happy dance, kicking sand everywhere, "We will be victoriousss!" and I think she even fist pumped...like a champ.

I laughed at her antics, "You look like a dork."

I'd become used to Spencer. Ever since she came over to my house on Tuesday, it was like there was no going back. I couldn't help it. She was here and I wanted her to be my friend.

"Get up stinky butt! We have a party to get sexy for."

I sat up but didn't completely get up, "What time is it?"

She looked around for a sun dial but there wasn't one in site so she bent down to her bag, grabbing her phone, "5:13. Party starts at 8."

"Can't we be fasionably late?"

"I like to get there a little early, since Billy is my friend and all."

Begrudgingly I got up, grabbing my bag and my towel and we headed to Spencer's car, "So...Aiden driving you?" she asked me as she started the car, leaving the beach parking lot.

"Yeah, I think so. We always carpool."

She nodded her head signaling she heard, not removing her eyes from the road, "Well, if you want, I can give you a ride to the parties sometime."

"Yeah, but don't you usually spend the night?"

"Only when I drink."

"Which is usually, right?"

She laughed because I cornered her into a wall, "Okay, yeah. But you could stay over too."

"Why Miss Carlin? Are you trying to get me in bed for the second time?"

She thoroughly laughed this time, "Not unless you want me to," and I could hear the playfulness in her voice, even though I couldn't see her face.

I began to text Aiden while Spencer drove me home.

Billys tonight?

yeahhhh fersurrrre =)

Your dd yeah?

haha I guess so.

Sounds good bro.

hey, olivias gonna go okay?

And jerry?

nah. she said he has some soccer tourni. thats why shes going.

Okay cool. see you tonight.

"Aiden's taking me," I informed her as I could tell we were nearing my place.

"Well then I guess I'll just see you there?" she didn't really have to ask, but I knew it was kind of an insecurity of hers. I could just tell.

"Yep. Olivia's going."

She smiled, "She seemed sweet."

"Is that sarcasm?"

"No! I'm serious. She seemed like a sweet girl. A bit odd, but sweet."

"She is. She's an aquired taste, but eh, you get used to her."

"I'm sure," she replied genuinly, "And here your suite awaits, madame."

She pulled up to a topless Aiden in the driveway washing his truck and she honked, making him jump and then blush as he turned around, "See you tonight!" I jumped out of her car and watched her drive off and then focused my attention back on Aiden, "Washing your car? Now?"

"Some girl said my car was filthy last time I drove. I did not need that."

"How can she tell? It was night time and you drive a black car."

He shrugged, "Women."

I slapped him and walked in the house, frantically getting ready for tonight. I washed my hair twice because I swear it makes it softer and I added Chi because it makes my hair softer and smell really good. I picked an outfit that said I'm sexy but I'm not trying...too hard and was ready approxamately around eight. I walked into Aiden's room to see him staring at himself in the mirror, fixing his hair, "You're such a gay man, Aiden."

"I think I'm metrosexual."

"Is metrosexual another term for being gay and not admitting it?"

He fixed me a pretty stern glare and I smiled because it was fun to tease Aiden. He was probably one of the straightest guys I knew but it was fun to joke about, "Let's go, Aid."

"My hair's pissing me off."

"What's to piss you off? You hardly have any hair."

"It's too long. So it sticks out. It needs to be cut."

"Maybe we can go get your hair cut tomorrow," I called back at him as I began to walk to the door.

"Yeah. Let's do that," he seemed 10x happier as he followed me to the door.

~*~

We got to the party at like...8:20, 8:30 at the latest and it was already cranking. I couldn't hear my own thoughts and I couldn't really see any one individual as they all kind of meshed together. And I was sober. This had to be, by far, Billy's biggest party, thus far.

Aiden split almost immediately and Oliva began to bob her head, already feeling in party mody and me...well I was looking for my familiar blonde. Olivia dragged my hand and led me with her, "Let's check the outside scene."

"I doubt anything will be going on out there. There never is."

As we stopped outside, it looked like beer pong had taken on a tournament style. There were multiple tables and multiple cups and plenty of empty coors light cans. Ew.

"In. Your. Face!" some slobbery guy yelled across the table to a couple of other guys who looked like they were going to fall over, "We be the champs!" he high-fived his partner, "Who's next!"

"We are!" Olivia yelled excitedly, continuing to drag me.

The louder guy gave us one look and laughed, "You're going to get your asses kicked."

"Well. We'll just see about that!" Olivia tried to sound tough but she wasn't that menacing and even I kind of laughed.

3 minutes into the game and they only had 3 cups down, meanwhile we had 2 left and it was increasingly difficult as Olivia and I kept swaying from side to side. Two light weights did not do well together.

The big crony, who I learned's name was Joe just shot it but missed, then the other one, Hank shot and also missed. And pretty soon it was one cup to one cup and I'm not sure how that happened but it did and as I held that ping pong ball in my hand, and squinted at the one, last red cup standing, my body was having trouble keeping balance and Joe and Hank kept yelling slanderous remarks my way, trying to get me to miss when Oliva's voice jumped up from behind me and rang too loud in my ear.

"You got this champ!" she sounded toasted and I began to wonder how much beer was in each cup because it seemed like a full beer can, which was kind of odd since usually when I played they only poured part of the can. I guess Joe and Hank go all out.

I turned around to look at her through squinty eyes and smiled, "Okay."

As I wobbled more, I flicked my wrist and the only reason I know we won was because of the splash I heard and the sound of Joe cussing at 30 mph. A bunch of guys crowded around Oliva and me or maybe it didn't happen that way but it felt like that and I smiled not really knowing what was going on, "Thank you….everybody!"

I stumbled out of the group and meandered back inside and into the kitchen where once again I saw David, "Ey Ashley!"

I turned my head to look at him and noticed he sat at a table with a couple other guys and a girl and a bunch of shot glasses, "Jager bombs?"

I nodded and sat in the empty chair that David patted, "On three," he called out, "One. Two. Three!" we all knocked it back and the next one and the next one and the next one and 6 jager bombs later, until there were no more jager bombs and I began to pout. Drunk me pouts.

I looked around the kitchen for a blonde head but I didn't see it so I got out my phone and began to text the blonde.

SPENcerrr. where are youuuuu!

I laughed at myself, putting my phone away, "More shots!" I yelled, excitedly.

I think David was pouring shots of Tequila, which freaked me out and sent me walking out of the kitchen, "Ashley you didn't have your tequila shot!" he called out at me but I was already outside, scanning the patio for Oliva who was sitting back on a chair, redder than a baboons ass in mating season. My little Irish.

"Olivia!" she looked up surprised.

"Ashy? I've been waiting for you. I won two more games, but I want to do one more with you."

I nodded in agreement, setting up table on our side as the two guys set up on their side, "Let's do this livs," I told her through my drunken state.

"Ashley, is that you?" Spencer asked and I turned around quickly, stumbling on the cobble stone part of the patio. She looked buzzed. But not drunk.

"Yes! I'm playing beer pong!" I turned back around and aimed to shoot and missed. Olivia pushed me at my poor shot but when she shot she missed as well.

Both guys laughed and both of them sank theirs and as we'd sunk none, they'd sunk all of ours. My body really began to sway as I walked over to the guys, "Good game," and I smiled.

One of them eyed me up and down, "Hey want to join me upstairs. I want to show you my uh...tattoo."

I felt an arm around me, "She doesn't want to suck your dick you perve," Spencer growled as she dragged me away.

"Spencey what are you doing? He was going to show me his tattoo. I love tattoos!"

She looked at me in disbelief but kind of laughed, "Let's get you laying down. You've had enough to drink."

"Wait hang on!" I ran into the kitchen to find David sitting sleepily with his head on the table, "David I want my shot!"

He lifted a shot glass full of tequila and I downed it, my eyes watering from the taste, "Okay Spencer."

"Did you just down another fucking shot?" she asked, clearly irritated. Even drunk me could tell she was irritated with my choices.

"It's a party Spencer what do you expect!"

She shook her head, closing the guest bedroom door and laying me gently on the bed, "Lay down, babe."

And as I layed there and the room was spinning and thoughts weren't connecting my stomach began to churn and I felt contents that were once nuzzled deep in my stomach making a path up my esophogus, "Oh no! Oh no!" I jumped up and ran for the bathroom that was thankfully inside the guest bedroom.

All my insides were in the toilet and at one point, I thought, if I die, Billy's going down for throwing such amazing parties. Mid throwing up, I felt hands grab my hair pulling it back, one hand caressing my cheek, "It's okay, Ash."

I grabbed a piece of toilet paper and wiped my mouth, and turned to look up at Spencer, "You called me Ash."

She smiled, "Ashley takes too much time to say everytime."

About an hour later or I don't know how long because time kind of blurred together, I threw up all there was to throw up and Spencer layed me back down on the bed, "Spencerrrr?"

"What?"

"You're super pretty."

She rolled her eyes, "Thanks."

"No, I mean it. Like you're really hot."

She rolled her eyes again, "Ashley, shut up."

"Why?"

"You're drunk."

"Drunk words are sober thoughtsss," I sang.

"Well, thanks for the compliment then, but I could never be as beautiful as you are."

I had a lop sided smile and sleepy eyes, "You're way more beautifuler."

She shook her head in an amused way, "Go to sleep, Ash."

"Are you drunk?"

"I'm tipsy."

"Why aren't you drunk?" I asked thoroughly curious.

"Because I knew you would be," she answered honestly.

"So?"

"So...somebody has to take care of you."

"I can take care of myself."

She laughed, loudly too, "Clearly you can't. At least, not when you're drunk."

"Spencey, I'm sleepy."

"Go to sleep."

"Don't leave."

"I won't," and I could feel her lay down next to me and before I knew it, I was asleep.