He grins at me and Jackie pays me no mind. She looks stoned and she’s caressing Misty’s cheek. They look at Ben and start kissing. His eyes bug out and I laugh to myself. I feel stupid sitting here alone while they all make out. Hayley and Liam have their tongues down each other’s throats, and I wish I had stayed in. I don’t know why I keep coming here. It’s not like I really ever have fun at these parties.
My phone beeps with a text from Hunter and I smile.
Hunter: Meet didn’t go so good. I didn’t place. My shoulder was giving me trouble.
Liri: Sorry to hear that. You’ll get them next time.
Hunter: I’d like to see you, but I won’t get back until tomorrow. What are you doing?
Liri: I had a girls day with my mom and Hayley. I brought her over to see Liam and will probably go back to the dorm soon.
Hunter: You’re at the frat house again? I thought you didn’t like that scene.
Liri: I don’t but my friends are here.
Hunter: I get it. Have fun okay. I’ll be thinking about you.
His words make me smile but still I don’t feel that all-consuming fire—passion.
I promise myself that I am only going to go upstairs to the bathroom and then I will leave. I tuck my phone in my back pocket and don’t bother telling Hayley. I will send her a text before I take off.
Woodrow stops me before I go up the second set of stairs. “Didn’t expect to see you here tonight.”
“I didn’t expect to be here.”
“I need a partner for quarters.”
“I don’t know how to play.”
“I’ll teach you. Come on.” He leads me to a screened porch that sits off the kitchen. A table is set up lined with shot glasses full of clear liquor. “Make way for the virgin,” he teases. Everyone in the group laughs. I don’t recognize any of them.
“I don’t want to get smashed.”
“You won’t. One or two shots won’t kill you. Live a little,” he encourages me.
“Fine. How do I play?”
“It’s simple. All you have to do is bounce the quarter off the table and land it in a glass. If you succeed you get to order someone to take the shot.”
It seems simple enough. I crack my knuckles. “Let’s do this.”
I land my first attempt and Woodrow chuckles and brushes it off as beginner’s luck but then I get the next three. It isn’t until my fourth turn that I miss.
“About time.” One of the guys laughs. When he sinks his shot, he makes me drink. “Payback is going to be a bitch.” He winks at me and I shrug.
I’m on my fourth or sixth shot when I feel the liquor running through me, and I stumble up the stairs to find the bathroom. I lick at my teeth and start freaking out because I can’t feel them. I’m drunk and now I can’t drive myself back to the dorm. I’m mad at myself as I wander down the hall trying to remember which door leads to the bathroom.
I try a knob and the door swings open. “You’re not a bathroom.” I smirk and point at Killian when I see him hunched over a desk working on his computer.
“Liri?” he turns to look at me. “What are you doing? Are you…” he squints at me, “Are you drunk?
”
“I gotta pee, and I really want my necklace back.”
He shakes his head and runs his fingers through his hair. “What are you doing wandering around the house alone? Who are you here with?”
I hold up my hand and for some reason I lick my finger and point it up. I have to concentrate really hard to answer his questions. “I came with Hayley, but everyone was all over each other, and I didn’t have anyone to kiss me. I went back upstairs and then Woodrow wanted me to play with his quarters, but I started losing, and I need to pee and that brings me to now.”