“I’m not. It will be fine.”

            “How come you never get as drunk as I do?” she changes the subject.

            “Isn’t that answer obvious?” I ask but the look on her face tells me that it’s not. “It’s because you get that drunk. I want to stay a little sharper to make sure you’re safe.”

            “You don’t have to do that, Ash,” she assures me. “I can take care of myself.”

            “I know,” I reply shyly as I look down a little bit. “But I like taking care of you.”

            “Aw that’s sweet babe,” she says as she leans in to plant a soft kiss on my lips. “I just used to hear stories of how you were freshman year. Everyone always said you were ‘that girl at the party,’” she explains, putting her words in air quotes. “And then there was that party we met at freshman year…” she starts to continue but I cut her off.

            “Wait, what?” I ask completely confused. “I never met you until this year, in the café.”

            “Well,” she starts nervously as she looks down. “That’s not entirely true.”

            “Care to explain?” I ask seriously and a little angry that she had never mentioned this before.

            “It was last fall, at that football party when they made it to the playoffs,” she started and I immediately knew what she was talking about and why I didn’t remember meeting her. I was so far gone that by the end of the night I was almost transported to the emergency room in fear of alcohol poisoning. Instead, Aiden carried me back to his place and stayed up all night watching me to make sure I kept breathing. “You were dancing with someone and then you abruptly stopped and walked over to me. You said I should take a picture because it lasts longer, accusing me of staring at you, which I was. I was so embarrassed but then you just stared at me for a second before you sat down on the couch next to me and held my hand.” 

            “Neither of us said anything for a while. I didn’t know why you still sat there. Then Angela called me and I had to go. I got up to leave and you pulled my hand for a second and looked in my eyes. I knew you were drunk, but you seemed so sure of yourself. You told me, ‘I could fall in love with you.’ I didn’t say anything; I didn’t even know your name. Then I never saw you again until that day in the café. I knew it was you as soon as I saw you, which is why you could probably tell how nervous I was.”