no big deal when their toenails fall off?” She pulled on the fluffy dress and happily spun around.
“It happens to all dancers eventually,” I said with a shrug.
“I would have a fit,” Abby said before she went back to thumbing through the clothes and then let out a gasp. “Hand me your drink for a minute and try this one.”
I downed half my drink before handing it over and looked toward where she had gestured towards a full-length gown. “Why not?” I murmured almost to myself. This might be the only time in my life that I ever wore something like that.
I slipped into the dress and preened in front of the mirror, the alcohol making me feel giddy. The dress itself was gorgeous and made me look elegant and sophisticated. I spun around in it, but it tangled around my ankles, and I giggled as I grabbed onto the wall.
“Why don’t you ever post pics of yourself in these fabulous clothes on Instagram?” Abby asked as she continued to admire my selection of clothing.
“My Instagram is just for ballet,” I explained. “I want it to look professional.”
“You have some seriously inspirational pics on there,” Abby told me. “But nothing personal. We need to spice it up a little.”
I rolled my eyes. “Nope. Ballet only.”
Abby swirled my glass around in her hand and looked at it carefully before handing it back to me. “Drink up, and I’ll go back downstairs for round two.”
“Already?” I asked in surprise.
Abby cocked her head at me. “We need to build up your tolerance.”
“That drink had two shots in it!” I argued.
She rolled her eyes at me. “Exactly. Bottoms up!”
I looked down at the glass. Why not? It had been hours since the shots with Kingston, and I had been sipping on the same drink since then. It was just me and Abby here, and I’d never been drunk before today. Why not have my first time getting wasted be in a safe space with a friend that I trusted?
Once midnight came, my day of being normal would be over, and it would be back to all work and no play for me. I felt a flash of sadness, but I quickly pushed it away. That was why it was so dangerous to indulge – even for a day. It could be a slippery slide that led you all the way down a mountain, if you let it.
I tossed back the rest of my drink and handed her the empty glass. “You didn’t finish yours,” I pointed out.
“I want to make sure I’m not too out of it to take care of you,” she said with a warm smile.
I blinked in surprise. “That’s really nice of you. You’re such a good friend.” I tried to walk towards her but stumbled on my long gown.
Abby laughed. “Whoa, I think we need something safer for drunk Kat to wear. I’ll be right back with another drink.”
I knew the alcohol was taking a toll because it took way too long to get out of that dress and get it back on the hanger. Abby still hadn’t come back, so I ran my hands over the dresses as I walked through the closet. I hated the fact that someone else thought they could control me by dictating my wardrobe, but these clothes were a lot nicer than anything I’d ever had before. Why should I let the clothes suffer by keeping them locked up in my closet? I nodded to myself as I pulled out a short dress made of the softest material I’d ever felt.
By the time Abby returned, I was dressed and dancing around my room to Flyleaf’s Fully Alive.
Abby giggled when she caught sight of me. “Come sit down before you get hurt.” She plopped down on the bed and fluffed the giant pink skirt around her. I sat cross-legged across from her and tried not to sway as the room moved around me.
“We forgot our drinks,” I pointed out once things were stationary again.
“Oh, yeah,” she laughed. Abby retrieved her glass and handed me the fresh drink that she made for me. “You’re going to want to sip on that,” she cautioned me. “Don’t gulp it down like the last one.”
Abby pulled out her phone and messed around with it before setting it between us. “Are you waiting for a call?” I asked curiously as I pointed to the phone. The screen was locked, so I couldn’t see what she’d been doing.
Surprise crossed her face,