Page 123 of The Friend Zone

I feel heat rise to my face. I’m not sure if it’s the compliment or the drink. I’ve only had a couple of sips and Topher watered it down, but it’s starting to go to my head. “Thank you. But what I meant is that if you like her, maybe now Rachelle will notice you. She had really nice things to say about you.”

Topher’s lips curl up into a smile. “Nah, she has a boyfriend. And besides, Rachelle isn’t my type. There’s someone else I have my eye on.”

I walk straight into it. “Really? Who?”

Lame, I know. I blame it on the effect of the Champagne mixed with the margarita. I should have listened to my Nana. She swears by one rule when partying. Pick your poison and stick to it.

“The prettiest blonde I’ve seen in a long time.” His smile widens. “I’m talking to her right now.”

I take another sip of my drink, just to have something to do with my mouth other than talking. I’m not used to these kinds of compliments from a total stranger, so I don’t know what to say.

“Let’s finish these drinks,” Topher says. “And then I’d love to dance with you, if you’d do me the honor.”

I scan the room, silently searching for the blond hair of my tall, hot stranger. Since he’s nowhere to be seen, I guess one dance with Topher isn’t going to hurt.

“Hey Mumford!” Someone yells from the living room. “Your roommate is passed out outside. Come and get him before someone throws him into the pool.”

He closes his eyes, a frustrated sigh escaping his lips. “I can’t wait to be Gamma president. Then I’ll live just upstairs and won’t have to worry about a dumbass passing out at the wrong time. Bay,” his tone softens. “I really want that dance. Can you wait for me? I should be just a few minutes. There’s a couch covered in tarp in the basement, it’s the drunk couch. All I have to do is take that idiot downstairs where he can sleep it off and not make a raging mess if he pukes.”

I open my mouth to say that we can dance another time, but Topher is already halfway into the crowded living room.

I set down my drink. The red solo cup is empty. How much tequila did they put into that margarita? Topher added a fair amount of lemonade, but the drink has gone straight to my head.

It must be the combination of it with the Champagne I had earlier, there’s no other explanation.

“Shit,” I grab the edge of the kitchen island to steady myself. The entire room is spinning.

My legs feel like wet noodles and a wave of nausea hits me, sudden and violent. I stumble out of the kitchen. I’ve seen people in line for a bathroom on this floor. Hopefully the line isn’t toolong, because I think I’m about to be sick and I don’t think my legs will take me up the stairs.

By some miracle, everyone has gone into the living room to watch some kind of loud drinking game and the large bathroom is deserted.

There are three sinks lined up against one wall and I make a beeline for them. My mouth feels drier than a desert and my face is on fire.

I just wish I could open the faucet. Is it actually moving out of my reach every time I try to grab the knob or is my head spinning so fast that I can’t steady my hand enough?

“Whoops,” I giggle. “Missed it.”

The room is now spinning so fast that I can’t focus on anything. I can’t see the walls, the sinks or the toilet. Everything is a blur, as if I was on a crazy fast merry-go-round.

“Stop spinning.” I wail.

Wait. Is that my voice? Why do I sound so weird? My tongue feels huge in my own mouth and I think I tried to say “stop,” but what came out of my mouth sounded more like “sh-to-psh.”

“Ooh. Ouch.”

I think I just lost my balance and my face hit the ceramic tiles of the bathroom floor.

“Hmm.” It’s a surprised moan, half pain, half pleasure.

Pain because, fuck. I hit the floor pretty hard.

But damn, the tiles are cold against my cheek and it feels so good. So, so good.

I attempt to close my eyes. If the room stopped spinning so fast, I think I’d feel better.

Trouble is that now that my eyes are closed, I doubt I’ll be able to reopen them any time soon.

The room has no intention to stop spinning and fuck me, I can’t feel my legs. Like, I can’t move them. The only reason I know they’re still there is because they feel so heavy.

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