Visitor

“And that,” Lucy concludes, swallowing loudly, “is how worms have .”

“Whoa,” I say, amazed. “No way! I never knew,” a hiccup escapes me, “that.”

I’m not sure why we’re talking about worm . It just happened. As did my alcohol intake. It started two hours ago and hasn’t stopped.

She giggles loudly, reading a message on her phone. Suddenly her expression turns pout-y as she looks up at me. “Joon’s mad at me.”

“Why?” I whine, leaning back against the couch and staring up at the ceiling, mouth wide open. “You’re so lucky to have so much love. And HE,” I point to her phone, but my finger won’t stay still, “doesn’t know it. You were right Lucy,” I nod, squinting at my friend, “he’s stupid.”

She begins laughing, unable to control herself as wave after wave of giggles escapes her. “I know! Isn’t he so stupid? Sometimes I think his mom dropped him more than she let on.”

“But,” she becomes somber. “He is right. I have been out all day. And now I’m,” she laughs some more, “drunk! I’m drunk! I haven’t been this drunk since I went back to the states! Isn’t it great?”

I giggle, nodding as some of my soju spills on to the floor. “This is great. I don’t know why I’ve never done this before!”

“That,” Lucy says, pushing her bottle away from her body with a distasteful look, “is because you’re stupid too. Who the hell does unprotected ing at sixteen?”

“I am stupid,” I agree, drinking the rest of my bottle and reaching for hers. “But it’s okay!”

“Because you’re not pregnant!” She breaks into giggles, clapping happily. “It’s a good thing you’re not pregnant. You’re too young to have kids.”

“I agree,” I sip from a bottle. Where did this one come from?

“And Taemin—HAHA! Taemin would his pants!” She nods, pointing to herself, “I am right.”

Now she starts ranting, “You know, I’m right a lot of times, but no one ever listens to me!” Her gaze lowers, I stare at my friend in awe, “Except for once. But I didn’t know I wasn’t right. Besides,” she throws her hands out, “who ever really know when they’re not right. Don’t we all think we’re right.”

“Right!” I giggle.

“Right?” Now her face lights up, “I know I’m right, right? I’m always right!”

“HAHA! You’re right!”

“I’m right!”

And so on our night continues, until the liquor is gone and my brain and body become one and shut down.

Throw your hands up if you know that you’re a star

You better stand up if you know just who you are

Suddenly I’m surrounded by people. It’s the worst flashmob ever. Their hands and pull, yanking and twisting at my hair, my limbs, tearing me to pieces.

They all drop, and then suddenly the ground underneath me is like a treadmill, moving. I fall, crawling and digging to get up. I’m trying to get up, I promise I am, but the world just keeps spinning and moving and nothing will stand still. Finally, I get up, running faster than I ever have in my life.

You’ve gotta strut like you mean it

Free your mind

It’s not enough just to dream it

Come on, come on

“Come on!” Jonghyun pours a bottle of water over my face, jerking me out of my dream.

I gasp, clutching my chest and my head, both of which are pounding. Lucy groans, face shoved into a pillow, “No loud noises.”

Joon glares at her from where he leans against the wall. “I’m bringing you to the radio recording today. You’re going to listen to us be loud and comical all day.”

I lean back down, closing my eyes again. “Time?” I croak.

“4:27,” I hear Taemin, immediately making me wince.

“We called Rain,” Key says, and I know Lucy freezes like I have.

“And?” She says, her voice clearer. I think she’s sitting up now.

“And he sent me to deal with you idiots,” a familiar voice says. “Joon, take her home please. But you, Ella Loraine, are about to get the piss beat out of you! You escape a pregnancy after spending like a month here--and completely forget your friends might I add-- and decide to get -faced? Real damned mature.”

Despite my uncomfortable situation, I shoot up, eyes wide. And sure enough, “Nadine?!”