Present

1.3

Audrey

The room was hazy with smoke that drifted in from the gang of guys hanging out on the porch. The windows shook with the beat of the music coming from the speakers in the living room turned dance room. Gaggles of girls swayed, red solo cups glued to their hands. They laughed obnoxiously and made eyes and the DJ, who was just another brother of the fraternity who had a large library of music and a pair of giant speakers. In the other room, cheers and shouts could be heard as they played beer pong.

"Come on, you have to play with me," I heard a voice say. I turned to look and saw a man in khakis and a button up, indiscernible from every other male in the room. Why did they all have to dress the same? It made remembering their names more complicated. I could have called them all Brad or Chad and it would have made no difference. But he wasn't talking to me.

"But I'm not very good," a pretty blonde slurred.

"Doesn't matter, I'm good enough for the both of us, Jenn." Brad or Chad or whatever his name winked at her, but she was probably too drunk to really notice. He linked elbows with her and steered her toward the table.

"We got next game!" He declared. I rolled my eyes and sipped my drink. He would also probably text Jenn and about ten other girls at 2 am, asking if they were still up.

"Jeez, Audrey, stop staring." I felt a finger dig into my side. It was Spencer, my best friend. He was always dragging me to his fraternity's parties, despite the fact I rarely knew anyone; I could never find the time or the patience to actually get to know any of the people around me. Spencer was all I had and all I needed, with his ability to track me down every time I would wander off. He once found me several miles away from a party, sitting on the steps of the library, oblivious to how I got there.

"Oh, you can't tell me that watching people isn't amusing," I retorted.

"It is, but that's not what we're here for." Spencer smiled, his green eyes full of mischief.

"Remind me what we're here for again, I think I might have forgotten."

"To get fucked up!" Now drink!" Spencer pushed my cup closer to my lips and I accepted it, chugging until my drink was gone, fighting away the nausea that came with the bitterness of vodka mixed with whatever juice I had on hand.

"That puts me at more than you, better keep up!" I laughed, dragging him to the kitchen for more. I snatched the large bottle of vodka we had hidden in the freezer and dumped some into our cups, followed by fruit punch. Spencer took his cup and downed almost half of it immediately. He set his drink onto the counter, his face contorting.

"God, that's strong," Spencer shook his head.

"Best way to have it." I grabbed Spencer's arm and dragged him toward the dance room. I could feel the bass reverberating in my chest, beckoning me to sway my hips like the other girls, to let the alcohol and music take control of me for the night.

As I entered the room, a brunette drunk girl stumbled and dropped her plastic cup, covering my shoes in what I thought was beer.

"Oh. My. God. I am soooo sorry," the girl slurred, brushing her fingers in my hair. The beer on her breath seeped into my nostrils.

"It's fine, I promise," I nearly shouted in her ear. The girl pulled back, as if to get a better look at my face. Her glazed eyes tried to focus in the dark room but the strobe lights only made it more difficult.

"Audrey?!" The girl gasped, grabbing my face and leaning in closer for a double take.

"Wait. . . Eliza?"