I woke up to the sound of loud rock music and the sight of Sally dancing while rummaging through my closet. I thought I was dreaming, but when I closed my eyes and opened them, the sight was still there.

"Jessica! Wake up already!" Sally said and started shaking me vigorously.

My eyes fluttered open and I realized that my dream was a reality.

"You stayed overnight?" I asked Sally.

"Yeah. You need to get up because today is the day!" Sally gushed.

"The day for what?" I asked, hoping I didn't sound stupid.

"Terry's party."

"I told you I wasn't—"I started to say, but Sally harshly cut me off.

"You know I can't leave you alone. Do you remember what happened last year?" Sally asked me, giving me a stern look which made her grey eyes widen.

Of all the things in the world, she had to remind me of last year! As the jinxed girl I am, I was in a relationship last year with this guy I was really committed to. Everything fell apart and my heart fell along with it. I was shattered into a deep bout of depression and had attempted suicide.

Ever since then, Sally had made it a point to be a "mother" to me. She always brings that issue up, claiming she doesn't want to leave me alone.

"That was last year. I've changed. Things are different now", I replied.

"I can't take any chances", Sally told me.

I knew it was pointless arguing with her, so I consented.

"Fine. Let's try on some of the dresses", I said.

♛♛♛

Approximately two hundred dresses later, Sally and I selected the perfect outfits for the party. I picked out a black linen jumpsuit and flat sandals. I finished with my hair and make-up and let my blonde shoulder-length hair fall down. Satisfied with my appearance, I turned to Sally.

"How do I look?" I asked her.

Sally smiled at me in approval. I smiled back and let out a breath I didn't know I was holding. Okay, I was ready for this.

✽✽✽

I pulled out my phone to call the chauffeur but Sally stopped me before I could press the call button.

"I'll drive", Sally told me.

I looked at her in surprise but didn't speak any further.

We took a cab to Sally's house. She hopped in the driver's seat of her Toyota Camry. I got in with her and we started the drive to Terry's house. The booming of loud pop music could be heard thirty minutes before we entered the drinveway of Terry's house. Sally found it difficult to get a good place to park because the driveway was littered with cars.

We hopped out of the car and entered the house. The sitting room was packed with couples dancing, kissing and some drunken people half-asleep. I was completely lost in the crowd.

"Sally, thanks for dragging me to this party and leaving me hanging!" I silently screamed in frustration.

Sally had more social skills than me and always left me out of the conversation anytime I sat with her and her numerous friends. I found my way into the kitchen where quite a number of people were drinking while some where refilling their cups. I badly wanted to leave, but Sally was my ride home. Unfortunately, she was nowhere to be found. I didn't know anyone here whom I could go with.

If Dustin was here, he would crack a joke and we would both laugh. I wouldn't even be here at this dumb party, but out with him on a romantic date. Ugh! Life was so unfair.

I stared at the bottle of vodka in front of me.

"Should I?" I wondered.

"No, Jessica, you're going too far", my conscience told me.

Whatever, I'm alone here, and this is the only fun activity so far. I downed the bottle of vodka in a few minutes. This was the first time I had ever drank alcohol and I was beginning to understand why it was such a popular drink.

Twenty empty bottles of vodka later, I staggered out of the kitchen, not knowing exactly where I was going. Before I was aware, a tall, muscular guy grabbed me by the hand and pushed me against a wall.

I knew I was drunk, but I was in my right senses to know this guy was bad news.

"Get off me!" I said and pushed him away from me.

Regrettably, he didn't budge, but pulled me closer to him. Before I could think of the next action to take, I was pulled back by a set of strong arms.

"Hey! She's mine!" Muscle guy shouted.

"That's my cousin you just mishandled." Anonymous said.

"So? She's drunk", Muscle guy said.

"Go pick on someone else", Anonymous told Muscle guy.

Muscle guy raised his hands in surrender and hurried back into the house.

Anonymous then looked at me with warm, kind eyes. I wanted to thank him, but my brain refused to form the correct words and my tongue seemed to stop functioning. I needed to go and look for Sally. I wanted to leave as soon as possible.

While heading back into the house, my foot caught a stone and I stumbled. Just as I was about to fall, a hand caught me. I saw those same warm, kind eyes before fainting from exhaustion.