My work threw a Valentine's Day party (because why not?--and yes, it was a couple weeks late). Like, the kind after hours where you invite your significant other. And apparently where everyone gets insanely drunk and loves each other and is hugging.
Or turn slutty.
Or hateful.
It was held at one of the supervisors houses. She's apparently married to a doctor so they aren't hurting in the money department. And their house shows it.
I thought since I was new, I should make an appearance.
Aaron and I showed up about an hour after it started. You know, fashionably late.
Almost everyone who was there were doing shots. Rumple Minze, to be exact. Delicious, but oh so dangerous. Three were immediately done back to back. I didn't drink much anymore, so it hit me hard, and quickly.
The next game that started was Thunderstruck. I played one game of that, and then it was time to go to the bathroom. I tipsily tottered my way to the bathroom. Aaron was chatting it up with William and another guy I worked with, so I felt comfortable leaving him. Aaron seemed to get along well with William, which really made me happy since he was my best work friend. Or, really, my only work friend at this point.
I got to the bathroom and the door was shut. I knocked lightly. Or, well, I thought I knocked lightly. Let's just say drunk me thought I had knocked lightly.
"Who the fuck-" was the start of a bitchy tone as the door flung open, stopping only when Stephanie saw it was me. She rolled her eyes. "Of course."
She opened the door fully and Mercedes was also in the bathroom. The two in the office who hate me. Of course, I sarcastically thought in my head.
Mercedes sweetly asked, "Aleah, is that your boyfriend out there?" Her eyes were wide as she gripped my forearm.
I yanked my arm away. "Yes." I scowled at her.
Her eyes widened and she leaned towards me. "He is so fucking hot."
I half grinned at her. "Why yes, yes he is. And he feels that same way about me!"
"Well, isn't that a miracle," Stephanie snipped.
"I am lucky, that's for sure," I grinned innocently at her. I put my hand on the door frame to steady myself, then, because the room was slightly spinning. "Now, excuse me, I have to use the bathroom."
I pushed past them, shutting and locking the door.
Before leaving the bathroom I leaned into the mirror and studied my complexion, wiping away any eyeliner that was smudging. Then I giggled at myself in the mirror. Because, there's nothing funnier when drunk than looking at yourself closely.
When I flung the door open, William was standing there leaning against the wall. "Oh, hey!" I happily greeted him.
His arms were crossed across his chest. He wasn't dressed in his usual Hawaiian print shirt. He had on a button down and jeans. Relatively dressed up, for him. "Having fun?" He cocked an eyebrow at me.
"Yes sir! Where'd your wife go?" I hadn't met William's wife until this night, either. His wife was a bit older than him and seemed... dull, compared to him.
He shrugged his shoulders. "I think she's chatting with some of the people not playing the drinking games."
I started to walk past him to go find Aaron when he lightly grabbed my upper arm to stop me. "Hey, Aleah?"
"Yeah?"
"I really like Aaron. He seems like a good guy. I think you made a good decision."
I grinned broadly at him. "Thanks."
I walked out to the area where everyone was and looked for Aaron. I didn't see him anywhere. I stopped to chat with a few people but he still didn't appear.
I walked through the kitchen area out onto the three seasons porch, which was being heated currently by some fancy stand-up heaters.
Standing at the other end of the porch was Aaron, casually leaning up against a pillar, with Stephanie and Mercedes cornering him. They were all laughing. Well, Aaron was laughing and Stephanie and Mercedes were over-the-top giggling, while twirling their hair.
I raised an eyebrow and started making my way over to them, slowly and drunkily.
