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She looked to the ceiling and let out a sigh. “Thank goodness.”
As the day dragged on, I found myself staring at the clock on my phone more than usual. Nick’s wedding started at four thirty, and the lead balloon in my stomach grew heavier with each hour that passed.
“We have to be drinking by the time the wedding starts. I can’t be here. I have to be drowning in alcohol by then. Please. Promise me?” I begged, knowing how pathetic I sounded.
Rachel placed a hand on my shoulder. “We’ll head to the bar whenever you’re ready. But we’ll definitely be there by four, okay?”
“Okay.” I let out a long breath, feeling somewhat relieved. Apparently the cure for my broken heart was not only my girlfriends, but alcohol. Lots and lots of alcohol. And I wasn’t even that much of a drinker.
We got ready together in the bathroom, and Brooke begrudgingly let Rachel do her hair and makeup. When she was done, Brooke looked gorgeous but nothing like herself, and even though I knew she was uncomfortable, but I could tell she also felt pretty.
“Thanks, Rachel,” she said as she stared at her reflection in the mirror.
“You have gorgeous skin and cheekbones, girl. All I did was accent them a little,” Rachel said with a wink.
Brooke touched a finger to her cheeks, running along the contour line.
“I’d never be able to recreate this look. Ever.” Then she took out her cell phone and snapped a few selfies.
“I can,” I said from behind her. “I’ll help you anytime you want.”
“Thanks, Jess.”
Several bars were lined up only a few blocks away from our apartment, so the decision to walk there was easy. But that didn’t stop Rachel from complaining the entire time about the weather (too chilly) and her shoes (hurt already).
I gave her an exasperated look. “No one told you to wear four-inch heels. It’s a college bar, Rachel.”
She stuck out her tongue. “Don’t make fun of the fact that I like to look gorgeous at all times.”
She did look gorgeous, but the shoes were ridiculous.
I glanced at the time on my cell phone once more, noting that it was almost four. All the air in my lungs expelled as if I’d been punched in the stomach, and I stopped walking, bending over at the waist to catch my breath. Squeezing my eyes closed, I demanded the tears not fall.
I will not fall apart. I will not fall apart.
Both girls were at my side in an instant. “You okay?” Rachel asked, and I nodded.
“Come on. Let’s get you drunk!”
The fact that those words came out of Brooke’s mouth and not Rachel’s had me standing up and putting one foot in front of the other instantly.
“You can do this. We’re right here with you,” Rachel reassured me as we walked arm in arm.
“Yeah. And Nick’s the stupidest guy I’ve never met. I may not really know him, but I hate him anyway,” Brooke said.
Glancing at her, I couldn’t stop myself from laughing. The girl was comedic gold today.
Our first stop was at the biggest and rowdiest bar on the row. Even though it was still early, plenty of people were already there.
Brooke and Rachel were both already twenty-one, but I still needed to use the fake ID Nick had gotten for me. This would only be my third time. Nerves shot through me as we approached the beefy security guard manning the door, even though I knew I had no reason to be nervous. The picture on the ID was me, even if the name wasn’t, but this would only be my third time using it.
When we got in easily, I glanced at Rachel, my eyes wide like it had been a close call, and she laughed.
“That’s literally the best fake I’ve ever seen. Stop stressing.”
“Nick got it for you, right?” Brooke asked, even though I’d told her that the other time we’d gone out together.
“Yeah.”
