It was Friday night. The bar was loud and crowded, disco lights flickering while people danced like the world was ending tomorrow.
This was exactly where I needed to be after the pure stress I'd been under — and after landing my dream internship at the company I'd always dreamt of working for.
I worked hard for this.
Sleepless nights for a year, pushing myself to qualify because they didn't just hire anyone. I wanted to land my dream job before I turned twenty-four, and at twenty-three, everything was going according to plan. I was over the moon.
The bar had a VIP section for important people, right above us, separated only by a glass window. I'd never experienced VIP treatment in my life — I was still a broke college student — but that didn't stop me from having fun.
I was dancing, lost in the music with my best friend Nina.
"This is our jam, Ruby!" Nina yelled over the pounding beat.
"I know! I missed nights like these!" I shouted back. "This has been a tough year for both of us. We deserve to get wasted!"
Nina and I didn't believe in true love. We always joked about wanting one-night stands — no strings attached — and sending the guy out of our apartment the next morning. Whether love didn't exist or we'd just convinced ourselves of that, I wasn't sure anymore.
A tall guy joined Nina on the dance floor, and from the way she smiled at him, I knew she'd be leaving with him tonight. That had always been our thing. I didn't want to feel like the awkward third wheel, so I leaned in and said, "I'm running low on my drink. I'm heading to the bar for a refill, okay?"
"Alright. But if you don't find me here later, you know where I'll be," Nina teased, winking. "Are you taking someone home tonight?"
I smirked. "I don't know. We'll see."
"Remember, we're here to celebrate and relieve ourselves of all that stress. Have some fun."
"I know. Now let me grab that drink. If I don't find you here, I'll just go straight home since you're obviously leaving with him."
We nodded in agreement, and I pushed my way through the crowd toward the bar counter. It was packed, and I had to keep saying, "Sorry, excuse me, passing through."
Finally, I reached the counter and ordered a martini. I'd already had enough to feel tipsy, but I planned on getting properly wasted tonight.
I had my drink in hand and was just about to turn around when it happened.
A tall, mysterious man bumped into me, spilling half my martini all over my new dress.
"Watch where you're going!" I snapped.
He didn't even apologize. Instead, he stared at me like I wasn't worth his time and muttered something under his breath. I could swear it was an insult.
Without thinking, I slapped him. Hard. The sound echoed, louder than the music. The dance floor froze, and suddenly everyone was staring at me — like they knew something I didn't.
His head tilted slightly, lips curling into a smirk.
"Bold. I'll remember that face," he said.
I stormed off, convinced I'd never see that jerk's face again.