"I didn't think you would show up," Blake tells me as soon as I step out of the car.

"There's one thing I do, keep my word." I throw the keys in his direction before pointing back at my vehicle. "Park it."

I know that's a lie. But he doesn't have to know. I wouldn't have shown up if it wasn't for that stupid dinner with Genesis's ex. Throughout the car ride, I've tried to calm my anger and I do feel a little better now that I'm not in the same room as both of them.

"Who do you think I am, your personal valet?"

I dramatically pout at him, "No, boo. You aren't that lucky yet."

A loud laugh hits my ear and I turn to frown at the guy behind him. He grins at me, "You must be Emma?"

"Emily!" Both Blake and I correct him together which makes me frown because he's the one who always calls me with that stupid name.

"I'm Nick, his best buddy."

Blake rolls his eyes at his friend's introduction and I check out the guy. "I didn't think he had any friends, given that he's never brought you around."

He's tall, pretty much as tall as Blake but has more built, his black skin complimenting his dark eyes and sharp jaw.

"Yes, like you're the queen of friendship." Blake retorts, giving my car keys to Nick. "Can you take care of it?"

Nick nods, taking the keys and getting into my car. I give a baffled look to the guy who invited me to the party and just gave my car to a stranger, "What the hell?"

"He won't crash it, you can chill. C'mon now, don't be pissed. I'm already letting you off the hook with the dinner thing and settled on a party."

I grumble under my breath before meeting his eyes. "Why do you want to hang out with me at all?"

"Jesus, don't we think highly of ourselves? You owe me a bet, and more than that, I want to even this favour now that you've got me an internship and all."

I roll my eyes, of course, that's what this is about. I can't believe I came here, it's a frat house party! Last time I went to one was before my graduation. This is either going to be a disaster or absolutely amazing.

After reminding myself that I'm here to drink and forget about that stupid man Genesis was engaged to, I look at Blake and meet his stupid blue-green eyes. I don't understand how he has such rare coloured eyes, I've always envied him a little for it but he doesn't have to know that.

"Well, are we getting drunk or are you going to stare at me all night?"

He grins at my words, "You really are self-obsessed, aren't you?"

"No, I was just stopping you from being creepy."

I ignore him, moving ahead to enter the frat house where a bunch of people are shouting and dancing to the loud music which is buzzing throughout the house. I can already smell alcohol without being near it, and that's something.

Blake takes the drink from a guy's hand and passes it to me which makes me glare at him. "The first rule of parties is to make your own drinks. Have you learned nothing in your two years or are you enjoying the male privilege?"

His lips thin at my comment but he doesn't respond. After keeping the red cups aside, he leads us to the kitchen where Nick joins us from the back door.

"So, Emily. I heard you were our senior?"

"Yup, are you majoring in business too?" I ask Nick and he shakes his head.

"Nope, psychology. Business is his thing for HR." He points to his 'best-buddy' and I nod, picking up a fresh beer can and opening it myself.

Blake gets distracted as another guy and a girl join us. He talks to the two of them while I sip on the bear, trying to calm my anger with each gulp. Nick narrows his eyes at me and I shake my head at him, "Studying psychology means no judgment, buddy. You are doing a terrible job at it, are you sure you want to continue with this major?"

He laughs at my statement, "Aren't you the smarty-pants."

"What can I say? It's all a package." I decide not to go too much on the alcohol, given that I'm surrounded by strangers.

The girl turns towards me, and she's shorter than I am, even with the heels she's wearing but she's a little cute with her blue streaks and multiple ear piercings.

"I'm Sara, have I seen you around here before?" She extends her hand which I shake.

"Nope, do all of you live in this frat?" I look around the three of them but the new guy speaks up.

"No, none of us live here, yet. I'm joining it though. That's why an apartment hunt's going on." He grins at his friends before turning to me with a beautiful smile. "I'm Audran."

"Nice to meet y'all bunch. I'm Emily." I tip my beer at them before looking around.

From across the room, my eyes meet a guy's and he grins at me. Fucker. I shake my head, emptying the can and turning to toss it in the bin.

"Ay, nice shot."

"I played basketball in high school, quit it in college." I shrug, feeling Blake's gaze on me which I choose to ignore. "Did you mention apartment hunting?"

Nick chimes in, "Yep, we shared our previous place but now Audran's daddy's funding his frat stay so he's moving out. Leaving us beggars behind to fend for ourselves. Our current apartment doesn't come cheap."

"It's New York, Nick. Nothing here comes cheap." Sara elbows him.

"Except for getting laid. That's free of cost." Blake speaks up, making me scoff.

"Yes, so is catching STDs, you moron."

"Is there anything you don't have a comeback for?"

"No, you make it too easy."

He arches an eyebrow at me as if challenging me. What the hell? I glare back at him, narrowing my gaze to his face. His eyes soften a little, making me scowl.

"Are you two done flirting?" Audran pats my shoulder and I turn to give him a look this time. "What? Just stating facts."

"I'm literally like his cousin and much older than him, how does your brain even work?" I shake my head at him in disappointment.

"Cousin?" Sara's voice pipes up. "I didn't know that. I thought you were a friend."

Blake rolls his eyes, giving me a look. "She's a family friend. Not a cousin."

"Same thing." Audran shrugs and I pass on a victory smile to Blake.

I know it's annoying when people call us cousins, but to see him flustered is more entertaining than that. Nick takes a box of pizza from the guy who was carrying a stack of seven and opens it in front of me.

After picking up a slice and chewing on it, I turn to him, "Listen, I might know two-room apartment deal, one's taken but if Brooklyn suits you."

"Really?" His eyes lit up before he scowls. "Did you say one room is taken?"

I nod, "Aha. Is that an issue?"

Instead of him, Blake speaks up. "Yes, we're both looking for it."

"Wait, you're both apartment less?" I frown at them and suddenly regret suggesting the room, already aware that it will come back to bite me in the ass.

"Yup." Nick nods. "We have some places to look at in the coming week but he'll let you know if it comes down to separate places."

God, I hope not.

"Sure."

After ten minutes, I find myself texting on the group chat with Sam and Olivia, discussing how I'm on my second beer at a frat party at this age. I'm not even thirty and I've already hit rock bottom. Fucking great.

My phone rings after two minutes and it's a call from Genesis. Just when I was starting to go for an hour without thinking about her! I ignore the call and Blake passes me a look.

"Really, you're fighting again?"

"It's really none of your business!" I snap at him.

God, why did I even agree to come here? Booze. Yeah, right. For once I wanted to forget about my own life and pretended to be someone else for a while to escape this shitty girl-drama I definitely don't deserve at this age.

"I don't think I've seen two people who fight as much as you both." He comments, obviously not taking the hint.

"Have you not met the two of us?" I gesture between him and I and he chuckles at me.

"I meant couple-wise."

"Gross." I scrunch up my nose in disgust and he smiles at me. "Why do you smile so much?"

"Wow," he chuckles, "Does it annoy you?"

"So much, you have no idea!"

His grin only widens at my comment, flustering me further as I feel like tossing the can at him. He's about to retort when a blonde girl walks right up to Nick who's standing next to him, wraps her arms around him and starts kissing him.

Woah. Nick's eyes stay open from the shock and when I notice that he's not even kissing her back or returning her embrace, I get off the kitchen counter and tap the girl's shoulder. She doesn't budge, so I do the only thing that comes to my mind, pulling her back by the belt loop in her tiny shorts.

"The fuck?" She screams in my face after she turns around, her breath laced with alcohol and I immediately take a step back to avoid smelling it again. "Are you insane?"

"Calm your tits," I keep my hand on her shoulders to maintain the distance between us. "Do you not take consent now before kissing someone, is that a new trend?"

Blake is staring at the entire situation with the same shock that his friends are wearing.

"I'm his girlfriend."

Shit. What? I look back at Nick to confirm but he doesn't move so Blake comes to stand by my side.

"Ex. How many times does he have to break up with you?" He snaps at her, and relief washes over me. I would've been so embarrassed if she was actually the girlfriend.

"Don't get into this, Blake. You've already brain-washed him enough." She hisses at him.

"Okay, hold up. If you think your partner, who is an adult, is capable of being brain-washed into breaking up with you, do you really want to be with someone like that?" I scowl at her and her glare only intensifies.

Blake snickers behind me, obviously amused at this entire situation which only makes me displace my glare at him. He shuts up almost immediately before turning to Nick.

"You alright, man?"

Nick finally snaps out of his gaze, and nods, turning to the brunette. "You're a crazy chick."

"Don't be like that!" She steps closer to him but I shake my head, using her belt loop to hold her back.

"Out, at least ten feet away from him." I point in the different direction and she looks at Nick for help who just shrugs at her.

She throws her hands in the air frustratedly and stomps her foot like a child before storming away.

"Wow, that's exactly how Ohana reacts when she can't get away with her tricks with Dad," I comment at her retreating figure, making Blake laugh.

Nick frowns at my comment so Blake explains it to him. "Ohana's her ten-year-old sister."

Wow. He remembers her age. Now, that's something. Nick chuckles, along with Audran and Sara before he turns to me.

"Thanks, Em! You're one crazy chick too."

I shrug, nonchalantly. "I try. Are you okay?"

He nods and Blake shakes his head at me but there's a smile lingering on his lips which causes me to return it. However, his face drops when he sees behind me.

"Incoming." Audran chimes in a tone and I turn around to see the guy who had been eyeing me earlier.

"Hey, quite a show you put on earlier." He smirks at me, and I nod in return, keeping my face blank.

"Thanks."

I turn around to avoid him because I am really not in the mood to flirt or even pretend to flirt. There has been nothing but annoyance running through me since I've left the dinner at Genesis's place. I know she left a text, but I don't want to talk to her right now.

"So, what's your name?" He steps closer, making me frown.

"Did you not hear the ten feet rule I just established with exes and strangers?"

He looks taken aback by my harsh tone and Blake, along with his friends laugh at my comment. The guy passes me an angry glare before moving along. Good.

"C'mon, let's go out the back. I heard there are jello shots." Sara suggests, catching my attention.

I love Jell-O shots! My head turns to Blake as I speak to him. "Listen, I don't want to drink a lot, but I wanna do a couple of those. It's my favourite! So, in case I lose my senses at any point, can I trust you?"

He looks taken aback by my question. I don't understand what's the surprise for. I've known him since the day he was born, and given that he's the only one I know here, I don't have a lot of people to choose to rely on.

"You got it. But you're a mean drunk, so try to keep it down a little?" He offers, teasingly and I smack his shoulder.

"When have you ever seen me drunk?" I ask but immediately remember the number of holidays we've spent together because of our families.

His face lights up with amusement as we walk out the back door to the yard. "Mm, let me recall. The first time you got shitfaced, it was New Year's Eve. You had gotten into Columbia, so you were celebrating that, which followed with a huge fight with Diana because she was furious—"

"Okay, stop!" I put my hand on his mouth to get him to stop talking. "It's disturbing how well you remember this."

He's staring at me like I've just committed a crime but then I realise that my hand is still on his mouth. I immediately retract it and he shrugs at me casually.

"It's disturbing how well you don't remember what happened that night."

His words confuse me as I follow behind him, "What happened that night?"

"Nothing, you were your usual charming self."

I don't buy a word he says, but I let it go for the time being. Whatever happens when I'm drunk should stay in that moment. I'm not a very pretty drunk, I am aware of that. My mother never shies away from reminding me that I cannot hold my liquor well, which is honestly both a shame for her and also her taunting way of telling me not to drink.

When we're back out, the night air hits me and I tuck back my hair into a bun. I can feel Blake's gaze on me, and I want to say it's unnerving but he does that a lot. He has been doing that since we were kids, but not like in a creepy manner, more in the way he looks at me with this undying curiosity which honestly amuses me.

There's not much to be curious about me. I'm on the face what I'm in the heart. Well, except a few things that no one else needs to know about.

"Is there any way those two are looking for you?" Blake points at two people who look extremely lost.

Fuck! What the hell are they doing here?

"Sam? Liv?" I shout out and they immediately catch my eye.

They come rushing through the people to where I'm standing. Sam's the first one to wrap his arms around me. "Thank god! I thought we were in the wrong place."

"No, I told you we couldn't be. I'm tracking her!" Olivia holds up her phone to show the map which reflects my location.

Dammit. I forgot that we share each other's locations all the time. One day she took my phone and did it herself, so I really didn't go around changing the settings after that.

"What the hell are you two doing here?" I look between them.

"You said you were hitting your rock-bottom at a frat party, so we thought of joining you." Sam shrugs like it's the most obvious thing in the world.

I jut out my lower lip at his cuteness and ruffle his hair. "You're the sweetest little bean, you know that?"

"Fuck, don't do that shit." He pushes my hand away, making Olivia and I laugh.

I turn towards Blake who's observing the entire scene with amusement. "Blake, this is Sam and Olivia. Both of them also work at Cox and Bell, just different departments."

He nods before extending his hand to Sam. "Nice to meet you again."

"Again?" I frown. "Oh."

They met at the club the other day, and it wasn't a very pleasing atmosphere. Olivia eyes Blake and turns to me.

"You didn't tell me that's who you were with."

"I'm here for booze, don't judge, geez." I pinch her side and she yelps.

Blake's face falls a little at my words but I shrug it off. He's evening the favours, so I'm hanging out with him to escape. It sounds like a good deal to me.