I glance at the empty shot glasses on the table. Oops, I accidentally drank too much. Asher's forcing me to chug two glasses of water but I already feel so bloated. Priya seems to be having a great time. She's on the dance floor right now grinding with Chad. He probably thinks he's going to take her home tonight. Little does he know Priya has a strict no sex policy. She likes to have fun and mess around, but she doesn't seal the deal... anymore. I think she's scared to get hurt again. She lost her virginity last year to a guy in her Intro to chemistry class. He was really sweet and a total nerd but she soon learned that even nerds can be fuckboys.

"Finish your water," Asher demands as he hands me the glass.

"I don't want it!" I whine as I rest my head on the table. "I'm fine."

"You're falling asleep at a club." Asher pushes me back up into a sitting position. "Does that seem fine to you? Drink."

I grunt as I take a slow sip. "You're so annoying."

"You won't be saying that in the morning when you wake up hangover-free." Asher's gaze buries into my tired eyes. "I need to piss. Will you be ok for a few minutes?"

"Yeah," I mumble incoherently and wave him away. Asher's been surprisingly good company. Although, he didn't want to do shots with me earlier so that was lame.

If Gabe were here he'd probably yell at me for getting too drunk. Or, for being at a club in general. My parents loved him because he was a good influence. Not that I was out of control or anything but Gabe was definitely more wholesome. I suppose he had to be, considering our Pastor was his uncle. Ugh, I miss him.

I pull out my cell phone, and close one eye as I scroll through my favourites. I click on Gabe Abbott. The line rings. Pick up, pick up.

"Hello?" Gabe answers in a groggy voice. My heart flutters.

"Hi, it's me," I say as I hold a finger against one ear.

"I can barely hear you, Poppy. Where are you?"

"One second." I stand up and begin to walk towards the bathroom. Pausing in the hallway I slide down the wall and sit on the ground. "Is that better?"

"Poppy, it's almost midnight. Why are you calling me?" Gabriel's irritation is palpable over the phone.

I feel my eyes begin to water. "Because I miss you, Gabe."

My ex-boyfriend sighs. "You can't keep doing this. You're the one who left me."

"I didn't leave you! I left Trenton to go to school, Gabriel!" I yell as my chest starts to ache. He wanted me to join him at uPenn but then I received a scholarship to NYU.

"It's the same thing, Poppy."

"No, it's not." I wipe a hot tear off my face. "I wanted to do long distance."

"Long distance doesn't work."

"And how would you know? You broke up with me before we could even try!"

"Poppy, it's been a year. Just get over it."

My heart sinks to my stomach. He's telling me to get over it? He's the one who texts me practically everyday. He's the one who still sends me heart emojis and says 'I love you'.

"How can you say that?" I cry. A muffled female voice looms through the speaker and my heart rate increases. "Are you- are you with someone right now?"

"Uh- listen. I gotta go, Poppy."

"What? No. Answer me! Who is that?"

"Stop calling him, Poppy. You're acting pathetic," a faint voice answers. I'd recognize that voice in my sleep.

"You're with Jenna?" I spit out. "Really? How could you do that to me?"

"Do what?" Gabe asks. "We're not together. I'm not doing anything wrong."

Three years! We dated for three years. He took all of my firsts. And now he's with Jenna freaking Larsen? The girl who bullied my sister all through high school? The girl who started the rumor that almost ruined her life? Jenna is the reason Daisy needs to see Dr. Li every week. Anger begins to fester in my veins. Just as I'm about to spew out a series of unladylike curses, I hear a door slam. Looking up, I blink away tears as I find Asher hovering above me, a puzzled expression on his face.

"Why are you on the floor?" he asks wryly. A voice echoes from my phone but I've had enough and I hang up on Gabe without another word. Gabe doesn't want me, he wants Jenna. Well, screw it then. I know someone who does want me. Asher.

I wipe my eyes and look down at the smudges on my finger. Great, now I definitely look like a raccoon.

"Clearly this is where the party's at," I answer with as much pep I can muster up. "You're welcomed to join."

"Tempting offer." Asher squats down in front of me and holds out his hand. "But maybe the 'party' can move, to say, a table?" Asher reaches for my hand. "Let's get you up."

"I can get up by myself, thank you very much!" I push his arm away and attempt to stand up. I refuse to be babied.

"Just because you can doesn't mean you should." Asher shakes his head and grabs hold of my forearm and in one swift motion pulls me up to my feet.

"Thanks," I mutter as I brush off my jeans. "So..." I add.

Asher cocks an eyebrow. "So, what?"

"I'm ready to leave," I state with coy inflections.

"Do you want me to call you a cab? Or Uber?" Asher pulls out his cell.

Ugh. Do I need to actually spell it out for him?

"With you," I add quietly.

Asher's eyes grow wide with disbelief. "What did you just say?"

I slowly stride toward Asher and walk my fingers seductively up his chest. "Let's leave. Together."

Asher takes a step back and runs a frustrated hand through his hair as he curses under his breath. "Poppy," he sighs. "As much as I would love to take you home, I can't."

"What?" My jaw drops. "You can't? You've been hitting on me all night and now that I'm saying yes, you're saying no?"

Asher closes his eyes. "I'm saying no." My bruised ego smashes into a zillion dejected pieces. Asher tilts his head. "Poppy, you're wasted. You can barely walk straight. I'm not going to take advantage of you," he adds.

This is unbelievable. "I am giving you the advantage!" I narrow my eyes, offended. "And I can definitely walk straight!" I begin to walk an imaginary line. "See? I'm doing great."

Triumphantly, I spin around to find Asher smirking in amusement. "I think we have different definitions of what a straight line is."

I grunt in vexation as I notice that he's standing off to the side. God, this is embarrassing. I am making a complete fool out of myself. Crap. I need to find Priya. I begin the voyage down the vertigo-inducing staircase, gripping the railing so tight my knuckles turn white.

"Where are you going?" Asher asks as he catches up with me.

I don't answer him as I elbow my way through the dance floor until I find my roommate. "Priya!" I tug on her arm and she spins around and throws her sweaty arms over me.

"Poppy! Oh, my God. I love you! Where have you been?" Oh, no. She's done.

"We need to leave!" I yell over the music. "Like right now." Chad begins to pry Priya away from me but I toss him a menacing scowl. "Excuse me! We're talking." Chad backs away and I face Priya. "Please!" I beg.

Priya's gaze is stern as she examines my face. "What happened?" she asks.

"I'll tell you later. Can we just go?"

She hesitates but ultimately agrees. "Ok, I'll meet you by the front door in a minute." She nods towards Chad. "Just gotta say bye."

I stumble to the front of the club to wait for Priya and find Asher lingering by the entrance. Ugh, I don't even want to look at him.

"Are you leaving?" he asks softly like he's hurt.

"Mhm." I nod, feeling mortified. I turn away from Asher. Priya, where are you?

"Do you have Instagram?" he asks and I can feel that he's shifted closer to me.

"No," I lie. "I don't."

"Snapchat?"

"No."

"Facebook?"

"Nope."

Asher narrows his eyes. "You're lying."

"I could be." I shrug as Priya emerges from the dance floor, Chad in tow. "Or maybe I'm just too wasted to remember!" I run to Priya and grab her hand, dragging her to the front door. "Let's go."

"Bye, Chad!" Priya waves with her free hand. "Asher," she states with an edge. I'm guessing that she figured out he was a catalyst to my current shitty demeanor.

We slip past the bouncer and walk down the street in silence for a few minutes. I need to get as far away from Esquire as possible.

"Ok, stop." Priya halts in the middle of the sidewalk. "You're walking too fast. I can't keep up."

I hadn't realized I'd been speed walking. "Sorry, Pri," I mutter as I join my friend.

"What happened? You seemed to be having fun with Asher earlier?" Priya asks as she takes her foot out of her shoes and wiggles her toes while using my shoulder for balance.

After Priya and Chad left to go dance we stayed behind and talked about documentaries and animal rights. It was actually a rather lively discussion. He kept his promise, he ended up entertaining me. That is until he rejected my advances and smashed the little self-esteem I had left.

I cringe as I reminisce. "I called Gabriel and he was with another girl so then I tried to go home with Asher but he said no." Priya begins to chuckle. Rude. "It's not funny!"

"Girl, you gotta admit. It's a little bit funny." she muses as she switches feet. "Wait. Gabe was with another girl? Hasn't he been begging you to visit him? I thought you even had a ticket booked."

"I don't know." I shrug. "Maybe he changed his mind."

Priya slips on her shoe and we begin walking towards the Golden Arches. "Well, it's his loss." She pauses. "Asher's too. Why didn't he wanna leave with you? He's been trying to get in your pants all night."

I roll my eyes. "He said I was too drunk."

"That's rather off-brand for someone like Asher," Priya notes as she swings open the door of Mickey D's.

"Yeah, well it was super embarrassing. I'm just glad I'll never have to see him again." I quickly look at Priya. "Please tell me you aren't planning on seeing Chad again." He's an unwanted degree of separation.

"I don't think so. He's not exactly dating material. He asked for my number but I said no. But he did give me his, so I guess the ball's in my court."

"Can you keep it in your court?" I plead. "Please?"

"Fear not, the ball is safely secured." Priya laughs as we approach the counter.

"What can we get for you today?"

"Can we get thirty chicken nuggets and two of every dipping sauce," I answer without missing a beat. Drunken chicken doesn't count. "Plus two cups for water and-" I look at Priya who nods. "A large Oreo McFlurry."

"Is that everything?"

"For now."