I broke my own drinking-rule back at the Thomas's house. I've always stuck to two drinks and its never failed me.

Not once.

I've never suffered from a hang over. And two drinks gets me to the perfect buzz of having fun but still sober enough to be sure me or any of my friends don't do anything to hurt themselves.

But I gave Maggie, as well as myself, a promise to live a little. So, my two glasses of wine turned into four while Jane and Maggie dolled me up. Then, with a decent buzz and a constant giggle, I tried on Maggie's outfits.

They were comical. I'd never wear them. I even felt silly enough to send Jeremy a picture of a pinstripe jumpsuit that looked horrid on me.

Eventually, I decided on the safest option. High waisted jeans, clear buckle heels with a chunky heel, and a gold sequin crop top that clasped in the back by a chain. Jane worked on my hair for two hours only to run her fingers through the curls, and Maggie covered my face in make-up.

I liked it, but I wasn't sure if it was because I was slightly drunk or if it was because I didn't totally look like myself. I did, however, protest when Maggie covered my freckles with foundation and contour, but she did draw on 'faux-freckles' when originally I wasn't happy with it.

The drive inside the Uber was quick and the neighborhood we were driven to is just as affluent as Notting Hill. I knew judging by the sizes of the duplexes and how beautiful the buildings were Stewart was most definitely not splitting the rent with Ollie evenly.

However, I'm positive Ollie is having no trouble covering the majority of the rent, if not all.

When the Uber parks along the curb Maggie and I step out quickly huddling tightly beneath an umbrella Maggie brought from home.

A large cement barrier contains the modern three-story house with a keypad near a black metal gate. Maggie types in the code and the gate clicks open, allowing us inside.

Our heels click against the wet cement as we walk the slight incline if the front walkway. Above the front door is a balcony to which I notice a group of people hanging out and smoking.  The smell travels down and I know it could be weed and cigarettes. And by the deep pounding noise, it's obvious they've got loud music inside.

All of this would normally send my nerves into a tailspin, but luckily the alcohol in my system doesn't allow me to be antisocial. Instead, I feel excitement when Maggie opens the front large door. "Let's dump our things in Oll's room before we get sidetracked." Maggie tells me hooking an arm around mine and collapses the umbrella.

I only have a moment to scope the large crowded bachelor pad out for a few moments before Maggie is escorting me up a flight of acrylic stairs to the second floor.

"If you need to get in here, use my code. It's my birthday, 0511."

I can remember that, even in my current state, "May eleven. Check." I salute her as she types in her birthday into the keypad outside the door then she opens and we step inside.

Messy. As always.

It's not as bad as his room at Jane and George's, but that could be because this room is nearly triple the size, and there's hardly any personal effects in here.

"Hurry up, I need a drink." Maggie says leaving her purse on Ollie's bed but retrieves her phone. I decide on dumping my entire purse, phone included, because if my dad calls tonight I'd be tempted on answering it and giving him the deserved ear-full I have waiting to give like a bullet in a loaded gun.

"Let's go! But first, selfie!" Maggie holds the phone up, and I just start laughing at my reflection in the screen of her phone.

"Stop laughing, open your eyes Mur. I'm putting this on Insta."

My blue eyes are striking in the image on the camera and accentuated with a thick black wing of eyeliner and full lashes. My lips are glossy with a clear gloss and my cheeks are chizzled, while the high points of my face are highlighted.

I wasn't sure what Maggie had planned for my face. She's always been obsessed with make up like my sister. The two of them could talk cosmetics for hours.

She snaps a picture and quickly posts it, tagging me, then hooks her arm around my own and we leave Ollie's room behind.

Second hand smoke fills my lungs but after a few minutes in the thick air I've completely become oblivious to it.

"Move, move, move, move." Maggie nudges and shoves bodies out of the way as we round the banister and slowly make our way through the crowded living area.

I just giggle like a giddy idiot behind her and apologize to anyone who gives her a look of irritation.

"Here we are." Maggie reaches the open kitchen and begins making two drinks to which it mostly consists of all vodka and a splash of pineapple juice.

I guess im drinking straight vodka.

"Cheers babes." She holds the red plastic cup and we clink rims. I take a sip preparing to gag but grin, happy My tastebuds have decided to not attend this party.

I guess being drunk is...kinda fun.

"Any lads catching your eye?" She asks me with a twinkle of mischief in her green eyes.

"I've literally been here five minutes. And just because Jeremy and I are on a break doesn't mean we're still not exclusive to each other." I say taking another long sip from my drink and licking my lips forgetting about the gloss that is now gone from my lips.

"Haven't you heard of the term 'hallpass'?" She begins searching the dense crowd of twenty somethings.

I shake my head but drink again.

Gosh this is so good!

I lick my lips again just as a body comes up to Maggie and scoops her from the ground in a bear hug.

Stewart.

Yaaaayyy

Stewart is average looking and just about six foot. For the longest time I was taller than him until about the age of sixteen then he shot up like a tree.

"Bloody hell. Muriel?" His jaw nearly hits the floor as the kitchen area becomes so packed with bodies it's like we're sardines in a tin can.

I nod and drink.

"You look great, it's so good to see you. It's been too long-"

"Since we were seventeen and you locked me in the coat closet. No, it hasn't been long enough." I hadn't intended to speak the words out loud but when the group erupts into laughter I realize I must have.

"Ouch..guess I deserve that one. I was a right cunt." Stewart licks his lips but smiles sheepishly taking a haul off a beer bottle.

I cringe at the word usage, but refrain from correcting him because the word gets thrown around in this group like it's nothing.

"Twat. Twat is a better word." Ollie says walking between Stewart and I and begins making himself a drink. My eyes linger on him still thrown off by how tall he is. The shirt he's wearing is a plain white crisp t-shirt that fits nice and tight around his sculpted shoulders and frames his large shoulder blades.

I sip slowly peering at him from the corner of my eye appreciating a prime example of a mans body.

When my eyes land on his butt in his dark jeans I nearly choke on my drink and feel the burn inside my nose.

"You alright, Mur?" Maggie swoops in beside me as I cough into the crook of my arm completely baffled that I was just checking out Ollie's backside.

"Uh, yeah. I think I need another drink." I say.

"Here, take this one." Ollie hands me the one he was just making for himself and takes the one that's nearly empty and maybe has some of my snot in it and dumps it into the cluttered sink.

"Thank you, what is it?"

"Whiskey and coke."

Eww and eww.

But I'm living on the edge tonight so I take a small exploritive sip.

"Mmmm, it's good." I nod to him in thanks even though I can't tell if it's good or not.

"How much have you had to drink tonight, Murry?" My heart does a little skip at the old nickname only he uses.

I crack a smile my fuzzy veins warming with all the memories of him using my nickname and the drink he's given me. "Four glasses of wine with your mom and Mags. Then a vodka thing, then this." I raise it proudly and take another sip. Ollie turns with his own drink and links his cup against mine and drinks.

"Impressive." He says with a cheeky smile.

I giggle and roll my eyes fully aware he's teasing me.

"Your place is really nice, Ollie." I say not wanting him to leave quit yet.

"Thanks. I miss mum and dads. I reckon this will only be temporary."

"You can't live with your parents forever." I tell him, although if I had his parents I'd consider it.

"I can try." He fires back his eyes never leaving my own. I begin to smile wider and fold my lips between my teeth when we are just standing there looking at each other for a long moment. It's not awkward, but it's not comfortable either. I know he's checking my face for all the tiny changes, just as I'm doing to him. "You look good, Murry." He says softly. "I missed you."

My brows furrow. He's missed me? I've missed him as well, but has he really missed me or does he just need to say this because I'm gazing at him like some puppy dog.

I nod, unsure what else to do, so I drink again from my cup.

Being drunk is amazing. Everything is funny, my body feels light and fluffy, and I'm somehow an actual comedian.

Who knew.

I've lost track of time and only noticed the crowd has thinned when I'm able to spot Ollie easily through the crowd. His friends are a lot better than I remember and I'm actually getting along with them really well, even Stewart.

"I'm basically the Michael Jordan of marketing." This guy tells me. I've forgotten his name twice now but just nod as he talks. I would ask him his name but he hasn't shut up once since he has started chatting my ear off about how great he is. "I'm due for a promotion in a couple weeks and essentially they are going through the basics to make sure my peers have a chance at the promotion. Everyone knows though, I've got it in the bag."

My God...can you shut up?

"This company I'm working for is lacking hard core on their social media marketing..."

Jabber mouth continues to talk and I nod periodically scanning the room for Ollie or Maggie.

A large hand clasps my shoulder and I glance back at Ollie who gives me a comforting smile then turns to talk to the group behind me.

I nod and drink, and even smile as Jabber mouth continues shuffling in my heels, inching backwards wanting to feel him behind me.

My free hand rests on my lower back knowing we're basically standing back to back and my lips twist into a grin when fingers slide slowly along mine.

The calloused fingers glide over my knuckles and ridges so softly it's hardly noticeable.

Our fingers play and slowly twist around in a sort of digit dance causing me to smirk and suck on the bottom of my lip. My body is numb but I can feel the alcohol in my warm veins swishing around happily. My cheeks are hot and I know my chest is blotchy from blushing.

My fluttering stomach dips and flips relentlessly as our fingers interweave. I feel his back press against mine caging out hands between our bodies and that's when my heart drops.

What the hell am I doing?

Suddenly, I realize I have to pee and I should not be doing what ever I'm going with our hands.

"Um excuse me. I have to pee." I cut off jabber mouth and then cross the room to the downstairs bathroom. The door is locked so I head up to the second floor and enter in the passcode, 0511.

The 'digit dance' has been long forgotten while I pee and hum to myself on the toilet.

I wash my hands and check my makeup then leave, glancing at my phone before I leave.

One missed call and one unread text message.

Jeremy: please call me. I need to talk to you.

Great, I suppose I could call him for a few minutes. I'm in a pretty good mood. I spin and flop back onto Ollie's bed pressing the ringing phone to my ear.

What do we think Jeremy has to say?

Thank you for reading!