The inside of Alors on Danse was decorated with a moonlight ceiling –the ceiling was pitch black but had ambient lights providing enough light for the guests to see.

I walked through the music and crowd with Eden’s arm entwined in mine. “I desperately need a drink,” I told her whilst scanning the crowd for Ruth.

“I recently had three when I went to get you the emergency dress but sobered up when I saw Gabriel,” said Eden, suddenly stopping and turning me to face her. “I’m so sorry I pushed him into you, I don’t know what came over me.”

“I’m only sorry you didn’t push him harder, he might have avoided me and landed in a black hole to hell,” I said, reassuring her with my witty response. “How did you even get involved with a halfwit like him.”

“It was a blind date,” explained Eden, as we returned to walking through the chic dressed crowd. “When I saw him, I thought he was perfect, those green eyes had my heart palpitating and I was certain he would be my potential eight suitor – replacing Professor Patterson.”

“Don’t bother with Professor Patterson,” I said quickly, my throat itching for a vodka lemonade. “He’s the reason I’m here.”

“I thought he was the reason why you weren’t supposed to be here,” said Eden, quirking a brow as Ruth met us.

“Where have you guys been?” complained Ruth, “I’ve been ruthlessly judging people alone –and that makes me an undignified loser.”

“Didn’t you bring your notebook?” I asked, wondering how far or close the bar was.

“It didn’t match my dress – and why are you wearing those grey boots with that furbelow dress?” asked Ruth, about to scratch her eyes or mine out. “They don’t match –you look like Michelangelo’s The Creation of Adam painting gone wrong.”

“I’ve just decided that you are indeed an undignified loser,” I said, impatiently thirsty. “And Michelangelo might have been wrong about that painting –I’ve read the philosophical reviews about that painting

Ruth ignored my philosophy comment while Eden laughed. “You could have warned us you are coming – I could have prepared emergency heels,” said Ruth.

“I’m sorry, Ruth,” I said, I knew she was antsy about fashion –it was the one thing I allowed her to control of mine but with the day I was having, I knew if I explained she would forgive me. “I would have given you fair warning but I genuinely didn’t think I’d make it. I was so focused in the library , eager to shove that future A + in the face of Professor Patterson but then I actually saw –“

“Sorry, ladies,” interrupted Sebastian, “I need to borrow her. It’s somewhat a death and death situation – no life will live if I don’t speak to her privately.” He held onto my shoulders and dragged me away as Eden and Ruth gazed at us puzzled.

“What a minute,” said Eden, stopping Sebastian. “If you are friends with Gabriel, Mackenzie is not going anywhere with you.”

“We aren’t friends,” replied Sebastian, saying anything to get a chance to speak to me alone.

“They are childhood friends,” I said, finally finding ten free alcoholic red jelly shots on a waiter’s tray. I took two of them and gulped them down, then took another two.

“Like I said, she isn’t going anywhere with you,” said Eden with a warning gaze.

“You don’t understand,” said Sebastian, behind me, still gripping my shoulders. “We have something important to discuss, I’ll bring her back to you once I quickly confirm the something that we have to discuss.”

“I don’t want to discuss the important something you want to discuss,” I said, downing the two jelly shots and quickly finding another two, and ordering a double vodka lemonade before the waiter left. “I don’t think that that something is important at all –in fact, instead of important, I believe society calls it immoral.”

“You heard her,” said Eden, shoving Sebastian’s hands off my shoulders. “Get lost with your important immoral something discussions.”

“Mackenzie,” pleaded Sebastian, guzzling down the two jelly shots that were in my hands and then handing the empty shot glasses to Eden. He took my hands in his and had a hurt puppy expression. “You’ve got to listen to me, I know you think I’m the worst sort of person but –“

“Seb? I’ve been looking for you. I’ve got something to tell you,” said Gabriel, suddenly appearing from the crowd. He frowned as he adjusted his red tie. “What are you doing? Don’t tell me you’re confessing your love to her in public! Dammit, Seb!” He tore Sebastian’s hands from mine. “You obviously can do so much better than her.”

Eden tossed the shot glasses on the fancy floor of Alors on Danse and furiously slapped Gabriel for insulting me. His head swung to the side and his cheek was red as his tie.

“That was a long time coming, although we just met tonight,” said Eden, her hands fisted at her sides.

“Another expected trait of the infamous parasite Eden Johnson,” said Gabriel, touching the warmth on his cheek. “You should know, I just pretended to be your blind date to warn you to keep your filthy-whoring hands off of my cousin, Robert.”

“The only one with filthy hands is you. How dare you falsely accuse Eden! You can’t control Robert like a puppet on your filthy strings. If Robert wants to be with Eden –he will just like Romeo wanted to be with Juliet,” said Ruth, defending Eden.

“Romeo died,” stated Gabriel, flatly, uncertain of Ruth’s comment.

“Exactly my point,” smirked Ruth, her head held high as she walked to Eden’s side. “Eden will date who she chooses and so will Robert and whatever their fate, least they freely chose –a pair of star-cross’d lovers take their life,” Ruth quoted Shakespeare.

“This isn’t a Shakespeare play,” said Gabriel, darkly, “but if it was – it will end like Hamlet with only Ophelia dying. I’m warning you –when sorrow comes, they come not single spies. But in battalions,” continued Gabriel, quoting Shakespeare to make his wary point.

“Gabe, what’s the deal with Shakespeare’s death and gloom. We both know you prefer fun adventure like the Odyssey,” said Sebastian, trying to lighten the mood, “and this is a fun party. Let’s go get some drinks.” He grabbed Gabriel by the shoulders and left Eden, Ruth and me.

The three of us stared at each other for a long moment while the music in Alors on Danse filled the air.

“Are we at war with Gabriel Harris?” I finally said, grinning from too many red jelly shots.

“Harris? You mean he’s the Dean’s son?” said Ruth rather pale. “There go our futures.”

“Didn’t you just make a valid and passionate argument on freedom of choice by using Shakespeare?” smirked Eden, folding her arms. “Gabriel Harris has no control over our futures. We are not puppets on his filthy strings.”

“But his mother might be –it’s likely she is,” reasoned Ruth. “She could make our lives difficult like not give us recommendation letters after we graduate –if we graduate.”

“We’ll graduate and get as many immoral recommendation letters as we want,” I said, deviously as the waiter brought my double vodka lemonade. “We shouldn’t be receiving death threats like we are criminals – we are a part of a democratic generation! Our forefathers and mothers fought for our freedom and the appropriate decent age to drink. Cheers to our appropriate decent drinking age!” I lifted my double vodka lemonade and smiled drunkenly at Eden and Ruth as they looked at me like I had far too many red jelly shots.