Beer, Spaghetti, and Pharmaceuticals ||COMPLETED||

Twenty Four Part Two

Hours had passed, and Alice was swaying with her chin on Mark's shoulder to the band's rendition of 'O Holy Night'. She eyed up the caterer carrying a tray of champagne, pondering if she should sneak away to quickly gulp down a glass, but decided against it as her efforts would have been wasted.

That night was one of those magical nights where no matter how much champagne you tossed back, it was impossible to get drunk.

She turned her nose towards Mark's neck and inhaled deeply, taking in his woodsy cologne and let her eyes flutter shut. The second she saw only blackness, she felt her knee buckle and she snapped her eyes open.

Realistically, she was probably drunk. It was more that no amount of alcohol could dull the cocktail of confusing emotions that had invaded every neuron in her brain. She glanced at the clock hanging on the wall and sighed in relief when she saw it was nearly eleven. That was a respectable time to leave. All she wanted was to crawl into bed and sleep for a month. Only twenty-four hours had passed since she and Isaac were stargazing on her balcony. Along with Simon losing it on Isaac the weekend before, Alice felt as though she had hit a new level of emotional exhaustion.

She felt Mark's phone vibrate against her thigh in her pocket and she moved away so Mark could grab it. He grimaced when he glanced at the caller and said, "Ugh. It's my boss. Sorry, I've got to take this. I'll be right back?"

Alice nodded and Mark left, leaving Alice to learn that standing alone in the middle of the dancefloor was awkward so she trudged to the bar. Even though she knew she shouldn't, she ordered a vodka soda from the bartender, and leaned against the wood, scanning the dancefloor.

Emily was stumbling with a man who was handsome, but also at least ten years older, and Alice made a mental note to collect Emily before she and Mark left. Her eyes moved to the other side of the room and naturally, they rested on Isaac and Fiona. They didn't have the same staggering choreography that Emily had perfected, but they did have their own hint of glamour.

Alice felt her chest clench as she watched Isaac dip Fiona so low, the ends of her golden-brown hair tickled the mahogany floor. When Isaac lowered his lips to gently brush them against Fiona's neck, Alice folded her arms and rolled her eyes.

Gross.

"'Sup, Alice?"

Alice turned her neck and smiled at her friendly visitor.

"Hey, Blaise."

After quickly ordering a scotch from the bartender, Blaise leaned beside Alice. "How's your night going?"

"Oh, it's great," Alice lied. "But I'm pretty tired. I think Mark and I are going to leave soon."

"Ah, that's too bad," Blaise said before motioning his neck towards Emily, whose exaggerated laugh was bouncing off the walls, as she crutched over with her hand on the shoulder of the man who must have said something hilarious. "You should probably take drunky home with you, huh?"

"Oh, definitely," Alice laughed. "Trust me, I will not be leaving here without her."

"Good," Blaise said and tutted his tongue as his eyes stayed fixed on Emily, who was bobbing her head back and forth, a little too sensually for the classic Christmas carol. "What does she see in those blokes?"

Alice groaned and reached for her temples, massaging them as she said, "Oh my god, Blaise. You're being an idiot."

"What?" Blaise snapped his eyes from Emily to Alice. "How am I being an idiot?"

She threw head back and let out another groan. "I shouldn't tell you this..."

"Shouldn't tell me what?"