Billie stood next to the food table, where she could eat to her heart's content, leaving the thoughts of how hard she would work out to burn it off for another day. The table in the large kitchen had every inch covered in party style food, and she stood at one end, gladly hoarding the little tea sandwiches.

“Come on Bills, back to the dance floor!”

Billie turned to see Jackie damn near running to her, shot glasses in hand with a tired-looking Chris in tow.

“Please,” Chris begs, “let’s just rest here for a second. Eat some food like Billie is doing.”

“Nonsense.” Jackie hands a shot glass full of clear liquid towards Billie, who accepts it while laughing at Chris. This was about the fourth shot they had taken tonight and it had Billie in good spirits, and feeling a warm spot in her belly.

“Last one for the night,” Billie says, ignoring the pout on Jackie’s face.

Chris scrunches his nose at him as he jealously watches them take a shot, regretting his decision to be the designated driver instead of them all taking cabs.

Billie finishes her shot in one gulp, feeling the burning liquid go down , and quickly places the glass on a table close to them where other empty shot glasses and cups were lying. Billie might have been dreading the party, but she couldn’t deny that it was a good one. The Eight was indeed rich if he even had people regularly come and clean up the designated empty cup station. So far, though, Eight wasn’t in attendance, so now one mobbed the floor.

“To dance!” Billie says. Jackie smiles, as Chris collapses into himself. With a laugh, Jackie grabs Billie’s hand, pulling her along, and Billie quickly grabs Chris’ hand, pulling him along.

They squished past plenty of people jammed together on the dance floor until the found at spot that three of them could fit into. The music was perfect. Not too fast and not to slow. The kind of music were you could easily sway if you wanted to, or could throw your hands up into the air and go wild. Billie was neither of those but somewhere in between. Chirs was a swayer, and Jackie went crazy, making them both laugh.

“Ah!” Jackie immediately stops dancing. “Gotta pee. Be back.”

“I’ll come with you.” Billie has to yell over the music to be heard but Jackie shakes her head..

“No, then Chris will stop dancing. I’ll be right back.”

“No longer than five minutes, or I’ll come looking for you.”

Jackie winks at her and pops off finger guns, making Chris and Billie laugh, and then she rushes off the dance floor. Chris begins his swaying again and Billie dances, enjoying the feel of the music vibrating through her.

Just when she’s almost lost in the song, she feel a hand snake around her wrist and pull her close, her back leaning on someone’s front. A male’s front. She goes to lean away but the man’s arm holds her tight. While looking down at the arm, she watches as Chris reaches out and forcefully pulls the arm away. When she’s free Cris swiftly pulls her close to him until shes wrapped up in his eyes.

Surprised, she looks up at him to see him staring down whoever it is behind him. She looks back too, but the guy is already walking away.

Chris doesn’t let her go but bends down to whisper in her ear, and she’s sure he can feel her heart pounding.

“Are you okay?” He asks.

“Yeah. Yeah, I’m good.”

“Sorry for grabbing you like this, but it’s the only way for some of these bad guy to back off.” Chris still holds her in his arms as he says this and she can feel his warm breath on her ear.

“Ah, that’s okay. Thank you.”

“Oh My God! Eight is here!” Some girl scream that, and then more chorus’ of “Eight” follow along as more girls push past them to get to the front of the dance floor.

Almost knocked off their feet, the two of them stay that way, hugged together, until all of the girls are successfully mobbing whoever they came to see and only her, Chris, and all the other males were standing on the dance floor.

“That’s our cue, huh?” Chris asks, letting Billie out of his arms and backing up.

“Yeah,” Billie shyly smiles, “Let’s find Jackie and maybe score some food before blowing this joint.”

But before they can even find Jackie, she finds them holding a large tupperware container. “Look, I got food! We can go now.”

“Where did you even get that?” Billie asks.

“And why are you bringing back food?” Chris asks.

“No, I get that part,” Billie laughs. “the BBQ meatballs were amazing, but where did you get the tupperware from? Where were you hiding it??”

“The Attendant gave it to me. Already packed and everything! Look, it has compartments, and they stacked it with so much food.”

“Well, The Eight threw a wonderful party. Come on, let’s go home and eat the rest of this,” Billie says, grabbing Jackie’s hand.

“Why can’t we stay?” Jackie asks.

“Eight just showed up, and if we don’t move now they might block the door. I’m not trying to get trampled just to party.”

“I heard he just broke up with his latest girlfriend. If I go in there I still have a chance.”

“Jackie,” Chris rolls his eyes.

“What?” She asks. I don’t need a whole 24 hours, just one night. One long, sweaty night.”

“Ew,” Billie says, but still smiles. She points to the crowd of girls jam packed. She couldn’t even see through the crowd to see what the Eight looked like. “If you can get through that, then good luck.”

“You’re right. Better luck next time. Let’s go!”

Chris takes the container from her hands and follows behind them. When they’re out the door, and free from the loud music, Chris turns to them. “If we go to the common room in my dorm, we can eat and have a couple of beers. The attendant tonight is very chill.”

“Col!”

Billie looks back at the large house that they had to take an uber to just to get there. “Does he have any siblings?” She asks.

“Eight? Not that I know of, and I heard his parents are abroad running a company,” Jackie answers.

“You are quite the expert,” Chris laughs.

“This is all common knowledge. His whole life is all over the compass.”

Billie looks at the house more. “How lonely. In this big old house all alone.”

“Lonely?”

Billie looks away from the house to see someone outside smoking a cigarette. She did not know who he was, but bowed to him to say hello.

“Do you think he’s lonely?”

“I don’t know,” she answers, “I just know I would be.”

“He has tons of friends, and a new girlfriend every week.” The stranger puts out his cigarette and stands up, coming closer to them. He’s very handsome, and his blonde hair brings out his light eyes and tan skin.

“Girls who are okay with just coming and going… I think that would make me even more lonely.”

“Bills. This is Jun. One of Eight’s friends. He’s a third year in the IT department.” Jackie introduces him and bows a hello.

“I didn’t mean any disrespect. I’m sorry.”

“No need to be sorry to me, I’m not the topic of conversation.” Jun laughs.

“Well, I would appreciate it if you didn’t tell him I said all that, and if you do, please pass along my apology as well,” Billie smiles, trying to put on her best please face.

“Our cars here,” Chris says.

“Goodnight,” Billie says before turning around. And then she has to bounce back to pull on Jackie, who is still standing in front of Jun and smiling.

“Goodnight,” He says, “get home safely.”

They squeeze into the car and while Chris gives the driver the address, Jackie is too busy reaching over Billie to wave out the window to Jun.

“You are so boy crazy,” Billie laughs.

“And your need to study and be top of the class balances out.” Jackie sits back in her chair and sighs. That was such a great party.”

“The food was good, and the alcohol definitely had to be top shelf,” Chris says, looking at them both.

“Agreed. That was the best part. Oh, and Jackie’s dance moves. I would have needed way more alcohol for me to do anything like that.” Billie picks up her phone and looks through her message.

“Any word from the cute library guy?”

“No. I was supposed to meet him at the party, but I guess he didn’t show.”

“Did you text to ask him where he was?” Chris asks.

Billie puts her phone away and looks at her friends. “ I did, but I’m not going to keep texting him just in case he’s busy.”

“Or just in case you look clingy, right?” Chris gives her that look like he was saying “I know all about girls and double texting”.

“It’s not like that,” Billie laughs, “we have been texting each other all week, so I don’t think he’s the kind of guy to ghost me, but you never know. If he doesn’t answer this, then I’ll text him one more time when I go to the library to study. If he doesn’t text back then, then i wont text any more. I need to focus on my studies first.”

“And guys second,” Jackie proclaimed.

“No. Food second, boys… maybe third. Right now they’re tied with anime.”

“Ugh. No fun,” Jackie says, leaning her head on Billie’s shoulder, “but maybe I can rub off on you before the semester ends.”