"This is the last place where I expected to see you," Troy said when we withdrew. He was still smiling and then it hit me like a ton of bricks - I left him. At Joshua's party, I left him when he went to go get us drinks. The easiness flipped over and an uncomfortable silence flitted between us. My lips pursed and I resisted the urge to face palm myself in front of him. "Oh, God. Troy, I'm so sorry about Friday night. I... I was waiting and then..." Then a boy who's name rhymes with a beer brand snagged my attention. His happy demeanor didn't falter by my words. If anything, he looked like he brightened even more, although I felt awkward with where this conversation was headed. A hand scrapped over his stubble peppered jaw at the same time that a jet black lock fell over his forehead. "Don't sweat it. I saw what happened. Don't blame you for not wanting to stay." I bit my lip and peered at him through my lashes. "I really did want to stay and talk to you." He smirked smugly and shrugged a shoulder. "I know. So let's resume now. Let me buy you a drink." He gestured with his chin towards the bartender who was now cleaning the counter with a rag. "That is... if you aren't already drunk." He was teasing me and the tension evaporated. I wasn't drunk... maybe veering towards tipsy. My tolerance sucked lady balls after not drinking for so long. I raised my glass and flirted right back. "Can't do that." And then I embarrassingly swayed on my feet as a particular rowdy patron elbowed me. Troy steadied me. "I already fulfilled my quota for the night - three glasses of this heavenly beverage." Heavenly beverage? Had I really just said that? Oh, God. Abort mission. Abort fucking mission, Anna. Troy didn't seem to mind my lameness - or my slight tipsiness for that matter. If anything, it further amused him. I was beginning to think that nothing could upset this guy. "Three drinks only?" He feigned shock, then clicked his tongue in a mocking manner. "You disappoint me, Columbus. And here I'd thought you'd be the kind of girl to have shots lined up." I licked my lips. "Do I sense a challenge here?" Troy's eyes fell to my lips and they lingered there as he whispered, "Maybe." "Bring it on," I said. Troy grinned mischievously and I looked into his eyes, realizing that they were a nice dark shade of brown, not like my light brown. Kind of like chocolate. I loved chocolate. I loved the color of his eyes. "So, what will it be, Columbus?" Troy leaned in, and I noticed that he wasn't that tall. Probably only had two or three inches on me, but I didn't mind. In fact, I kind of liked that we were at the same height. Like equals. "My guess is you're drinking Jack and Coke?" "Captain and Coke." I had the strong urge to fiddle with the button of his open polo collar, so I did. Troy's chest expanded a little at the touch and then his eyes were staring hard at my hand, then my eyes. I did have an effect on him. "But you were pretty close." Troy laughed and motioned the bartender with his fingers. He slapped down a twenty on the wooden surface and said, "Two shots. Spiced Rum." It was easy talking to him. For someone I'd surprisingly met a few days ago, Troy quickly put me at ease. There was no guilt in flirting with him. Not like how I'd felt with Samuel. Troy easily played everything down. He didn't give me crap for leaving him the first time and acted as if it was nothing. With any other guy, he'd be furious or would have even given up by now. But not Troy. And I realized that it was because he was nice. I needed nice in my life. Not blond daredevils with killer green eyes and an even killer smile. Two shots were placed in front of us and Troy gently clinked our glasses together. I tried remembering when was the last time I took shots. I couldn't remember. Before downing it, I stole a fast glance at Layla and Gabriela to make sure they weren't spying on me. They were fully immersed in a conversation, and Gabby was currently eye-fucking a guy by the billiard tables. On the count of three, Troy and I tipped our heads back. A bit of the liquor escaped my mouth. He laughed. I laughed, too. He smiled and I smiled, too. "See that wasn't so bad," he teased, whispering close to my ear. His hand was now on my waist but in a friendly fashion. In a way that didn't make my skin crawl. There were so many people tonight that there was barely enough room to move. Our bodies were almost plastered together. I shifted and our clothes rubbed against one another. Troy stiffened. His voice held a raspy quality when he spoke in my ear again. "How about a game of pool?" I nodded and polished what remained of my drink. "Get us a table and I'll let my friends know?" "You got it." He winked. "I'll wait for you." Troy disappeared somewhere in the crowd and I went back to my booth. Except something caught my attention halfway there. My heart stalled at the same time that my feet did. That familiar husky voice rang in my ears. Those familiar soulless eyes pierced through my chest. And that familiar, deceiving smirk burned in the deepest part of my memory. It didn't matter. Even in my half inebriated state I would always, always recognize Joey Donald. It just didn't matter. Too much had occurred for me to not be able to spot his lying, cheating-ass from miles away. Crushed. That was the state of my windpipes. I couldn't breathe. There was no oxygen residing in my lungs. My knees felt like they would buckle and my heart... it had slipped through my rib cage and fallen to the pit of my stomach. I was going to heave. My stomach churned. My heart beats accelerated. My emotions were in a turmoil and I couldn't properly think, let alone concentrate. All I knew was that I didn't want him to see me. I didn't want to continue seeing him. I could feel the anxiety attack on its way. Before my friends - or worse, the boy who broke me to pieces - could spot me, I ran away. The warm breeze heated my damp face and neck as I stepped outside into the night air and rounded the corner of the edifice. The shakiness remained inside of me until I was standing under a half-working lamppost in an all too familiar dark alley by the pub house. The beats of my heart descended to a normal, and much healthier pattern. Funny I'd escaped the presence of Joey, only to land myself in one of the places that reminded me the most of him. I cradled my head in my hand and focused on breathing in-and-out. I feared I'd vomit. Pathetic. At the sight of him I was all ready to throw up the alcohol I'd barely even digested.