I took another sip. “That’s awesome. What year are you?”
“I’m a junior. And I know, I know. Still on campus and all. But I like the atmosphere and it saves me money on rent. Rent around here would be so much more expensive than just getting my own private dorm room.”
I sipped again. “Wait, you can get your own dorm room?”
Hannah giggled. “Don’t go getting any ideas, now. I want to be your roomie until we graduate.”
Rachel gasped. “Oh, my gosh. You guys are roommates. How cute! Sophomores, right? Did you guys room together last year?”
While the three of us talked, I continued sipping my drink. It didn’t taste terrible, and it was helping me to relax. Maybe a bit too much, though. The second my drink was drained, the cup was plucked from my fingertips and replaced with another drink I started sipping on again.
“I feel all warm and fuzzy inside,” I said.
Rachel smiled. “First time drinking?”
Hannah nodded. “Yep. That’s why I’m cutting her off at three.”
Rachel snickered. “Might want to cut her off after this one. I made this myself, and it’s very strong.”
I took a long pull from my drink. “And very good!”
“Move. Get out of my way. Get the fuck away from me.”
The hardened voice turned my head and I staggered on my feet a bit. I squinted my eyes as I took another long pull from my drink, almost finishing it off. I felt someone hook a finger into the belt loops of my jeans. Was I teetering that much?
“Get the fuck out of my way.”
Benji gnashed his teeth at people as he stomped down the hallway. I watched him shove others out of the way as he came straight for me. I stiffened. My knees went numb. My eyes followed him as he shot me a dark look before shoving himself into one of the dorm rooms. This wasn’t his dorm. This wasn’t our dorm, either.
So whose room had he just walked into?
“Benj!”
Max’s voice boomed over the music and my lips parted in shock.
“Benj! Where the fuck are you?”
After finally focusing my vision on Max, I noticed how disheveled he looked. His shoulder looked slumped a bit, and he was limping. Or maybe that was the alcohol distorting my vision. I wasn’t sure. I blinked in confusion as a hand darted out from the room Benji had just walked into. And the hand was covered in bruises. In blood.
At least, it looked like blood.
“Come on, we should get back to our room,” Hannah said.
Rachel sighed. “Aww, you guys don’t want to stay for another drink?”
I licked my lips. “What are they doing here?”
Hannah wrapped her arm around my waist. “Doesn’t matter. Come on. Let’s just get past the--”
“Is Bambi getting all liquored up?”
Benji’s voice filled my ears as Hannah walked me past the open door.
“Hey! I asked you a fucking question!”
Hannah snarled at him. “Can it, you piece of shit.”
“What did you just call me?”