Chapter 1 Prologue


    I blink aching eyes, my head pounding and my mouth dry. My tongue seems to weigh a ton as it sits


    in my mouth, but it doesn''t taste sour like my usual hangover mouths do. I moan as I slowly push up


    to a sitting position; I moan, again, when my head spins wildly for a moment. I hold my head as if


    that will stop the whirling world, close my eyes when that doesn''t work, and then lick my lips as


    nausea churns in my stomach.


    "Lord, how much did I drinkst night?" I ask aloud only to be met with silence. I risk opening my


    eyes back up and frown when not even the sound of snoring echoes back to me; I nce over my


    left shoulder to find the other pillow on the bed hasn''t even been slept on and finally wonder where


    my best friend Prisci is. I vaguely remember waking up to her in the shower, the running water


    making me have to pee in the worst way; I know that I used the bathroom, took some pain pills, and


    brushed my teeth using her toothbrush. "Where the fuck are you?" I grumble as I rub at my aching


    temples, but I push to my feet.


    I nce down at my body and realize that I''ve slept in my party clothes, something else that Prisci


    never usually lets me do. I frown as I pull my too-tight shirt away from my body, then I look around


    for my shoes; I find them tossed by the door, so I know that Prisci removed those. "But where the


    fuck are you?" I repeat as I reach down to scoop up my shoes and slide them on. I walk on silent


    feet, the carpeting masking the click-ck of my high heels until I reach the smooth marble flooring


    of the bathroom; the sounds my shoes make might as well be gunshots to my poor pounding head.


    I walk slower, tiptoeing so that the heels don''t click.


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    I lost count of the drinks that I hadst night, something that I don''t normally do. I had made ns


    with my boyfriend to celebrate Prisci''s birthdayst night and then had promised to sneak off with


    him right after the cake was served to finally give him my virginity. My best friend had been really


    wonderful about offering us her bedroom to use, but my boyfriend never arrived and he ignored my


    calls. I had left a few voicemails only for the call to go straight to voicemail around tenst night; I


    had been so upset that he had turned his phone off on me that I had hit the vodka until the bottle


    was gone and then I had switched to something stronger.


    I don''t remember how much of the second bottle I had drunk, though...


    I wash my face, pop two more pain relievers, drink my weight in water, then dry off with a towel


    discarded nearby. I hang the towel back on the rack, then tiptoe out of the bathroom until I''m back


    on the silencing carpet. "Prisci?" I call loudly, then give a listen as I expect to hear her call back


    up to me from the kitchen or living room; I know that she wouldn''t leave the house without me...I


    think... "Prisci?" I try, again, and walk toward the stairs.


    I hear fumbling behind me, from the other end of the hallway, a second before I hear a lock click. I


    frown as light emerges from the doorway down the hall and I slowly make my way toward that room;


    I hear hushed voices hissing, but can''t make out the words. "Prisci?" I call as I reach the doorway


    only to gasp and jump backward when Prisci leaps in front of me; I watch her pull the bedroom


    door closed, then stare at her flushed face through narrowed eyes.