Playing With Fire || d.h

7. Drunken Drama

Your POV

Ignoring the awkward introduction, Dodie and I actually hit it off pretty well. We had similar style and sense of humor, and she was refreshingly open and filled with joy. She seemed quiet and soft spoken, yet her personality was strong.

People start arriving at eight, some by themselves, others together. Some I don't recognize, and some aren't YouTubers, which makes me feel a lot better since I don't automatically feel inferior to them. After the first few introductions, I feel like I've kinda gotten the hang of it, and I'm a lot more relaxed when meeting new people.

However, after a little bit, the blissful mood I've been in slowly starts draining out of my system, as more and more people start arriving.

"I thought you said you only invited seventeen people!" My body is trembling, I feel extremely nauseous, and the room has somehow become a furnace.

"I... I'm sorry!" Apologizes Dan. "I wrote in the invitation to feel free to bring a guest, but I didn't know people had this many friends!"

I've pushed myself into a corner in the kitchen, unable to control my breathing. Dan automatically noticed me panicking, and rushed over, trying, but not necessarily succeeding, to help. It's 8:30, and there's easily thirty people who have shown up, causing the apartment to feel less like a house and more like a tin of sardines.

"Do you need me to tell people to leave?" He asks anxiously. "This isn't what I wanted to happen at all." I look past Dan's shoulder and see Zoella and her boyfriend Alfie drunkenly giggling in the corner. Dan had bought plenty of alcohol, but a lot of people felt obligated to bring their own.

Alcohol... Alcohol! It's the only solution I can think of at the moment, as none of the coping methods that usually help with my anxiety attacks are doing anything, and I'm definitely not about to make Dan end the party and embarrass the shit out of me.

"No, I have a better idea," I say, shouldering past Dan. I pour myself a heaping shot and without a second thought, throw it down my throat in less than a second. I feel the familiar burning in my throat, and the comforting warmth filling my stomach. I grab another and down it, just for good measure. I walk back to Dan, who looks extremely confused and alarmed. "That should help," I sighed. "Come on, I think you need to introduce me to some more people."

I may be an extremely introverted regularly, but alcohol causes my personality to do a complete backflip. I'm laughing and dancing with anyone I come across, whether I've even introduced them to myself or not. I take shots with PJ, then Zoella, then Emma Blackery. Everything is blurry and sometimes I can't tell whether I'm the one talking or someone else, but I don't care. I feel careless, and happy, and free. Why did I ever stop drinking?

While in the middle of dancing with some guy I don't know the name of, I feel a steady hand place itself on my shoulder and easily turn me around.

"How are you doing?" Asks the owner of the hand. It's Dan. As if some nasty secret is scribbled across my forehead, a second after he looks at me, his eyes grow with shock. "How much have you had to drink?" His voice sounds incredibly serious. Way too serious.

"It's fine!" I reply, not able to stop from swaying to the music. "I'm just havin' fun, I feel great!"

His eyes narrow. "Just promise me you won't drink anymore," he demands.

"Ugh, fineeeee," I whine. "But only if you dance with me!"

"What? I... no!" He replies, looking even more shocked at his reaction than I feel. "I mean... I..."

I feel the euphoria in me turn straight to red-hot anger. "Fine, but you don't have to be so rude about it! The only reason you're upset about me drinking is because you don't have someone else to be sad with!"