one- through the dark

I jumped awake from another nightmare, sending my book across the room. I glanced around and rubbed my eyes as I yawned; I turned off my light and left my book on the floor, there getting bad again.

When I woke the next time, it was less violent, and because there was sun in my eyes, I squinted and pulled my blanket over my face shielding my green eyes from the rays. I rolled over, and after a few minutes, just as I was drifting to sleep, my alarm started to go off. I reached around my bed until my fingers touched the cold glass; without having to look, I turned off the alarm, and after a few seconds, my phone rang. "Hello?" I mumbled.

"Party tonight. Your place."

"Cece." I groaned.

"Come on, I'm going back to school Monday, and I need one last little party."

"Ce, we're not in high school anymore."

"Exactly my point, we can drink and smoke without needing someone to buy it for us." I wasn't going to argue.

"Your lucky I don't have my coffee in me yet."

"I know, love you." Click. I sighed and threw the blanket off my 5'2 frame. I went to the bathroom to see how much makeup I needed to cover the bags under my eyes. Surprisingly they were minimal. I was pale so crappy sleep always gave me overdramatic bags under my eyes. My prominent box died red hair was semi-clean. I hated today; I didn't have work, so I had to go grocery shopping and clean; I also had to go to the liquor store for the girl who's always 'good for it, I just need to get paid first'. I love Cece and her empty head, but I always thought dumb blondes were a joke until I met her. How she was going to become a nurse, I have no idea.

"Get out. I need to get dressed," I said to Cece, who hadn't stopped talking since she got here. She closed her eyes and slapped her hand over them as I went to my closet. I shook my head and grabbed the first dress I saw. I held it up to my chest and looked in the mirror; I pulled off my robe and pulled on the dress. I turned sideways to look at my figure, and I held my breath for a second.

"Damn."

"C-"

"Listen, stop worrying. And do me a favour." She said, walking over to me; she grabbed my shoulders lightly. "Get laid tonight." I rolled my eyes, and she smiled. "Loosen up a bit, ok? Everyone gets here in like twenty minutes. Let's do a couple of shots, and by the time they get here, you should be pretty near normal." I rolled my eyes again. "Your eyes are going to get stuck like that someday."

"They've been stuck like that since the day I became friends with you."

"Wasn't that just the smartest thing you've ever done?"

"It truly was." I nodded, and she smiled at the sarcasm.

"Come on, let's get a little pregame in." She grabbed my hand, pulling me to the kitchen. She poured up six shots, putting three in front of me and three in front of herself. "Ready?"

"Nope," I said, and we downed the first. I screwed up my face, and before I had my eyes open, she was on her second. She could drink the devil under the table. I took the second and shook my head as she took the third and offered me mine. "No, no." I shook my head again, and she took the shot-making me pucker my lips at her. "Cece, make me a promise."

"What?" She asked as a knock startled me.

"Don't drink too much; I'm not in the mood to babysit." She waved me away as she went over to the door pulling it open.

"Cece!" A girl squealed. I was already over it. I poured up another shot and took it, shaking my head.

"Viv!" The girl yelled, I walked over to her, and she pulled me into her arms. Had I ever met her? "How are you? Good." She said before I could answer. Within fifteen minutes, pretty much everyone had shown up; I perched myself at the island in the kitchen. I had a view of the living room, front door and hallway. If anything was going on, I was going to see it. After the party had picked up and the room started to grow smokey, the lights had been turned to red for some dumb reason there was a knock at the door. I went over opening it, and two girls were smiling.

"Hi." One said.

"Hey- Cece is over there." I pointed to the speakers and went back to my seat. I kept looking around nervously; I was not too fond of parties.

"Are you for hire?" I jumped to see a girl leaning over the counter looking at me.