As soon as I was satisfied it had sent despite the low signal at Gray, I took the longest route over to the bar, watching out for Madison’s gang the whole way.  I worked my way between the heaving, sweating, dancing bodies on the floor, and finally ended up at the bar without having bumped into anyone dodgy.  Just as I was about to reach the bar itself, however, the girl in front of me suddenly turned round and crashed straight into me, sending her drinks careering to the floor between us.

“What the hell!?” I shouted, jumping out of the way before my feet were covered in sticky drinks.

“I am so sorry,” she spluttered, moving her hair from her face and looking at me properly.

“Spence?” I asked.

“Ashley!  Oh God,” she cried, “I’m so sorry!  I didn’t see you there!”

Just looking at her I felt my heartbeat double and my mouth go completely dry.  I stared at her for a moment in silence, amazed at how she managed to look impossibly stunning when dressed for a night out.  I didn’t think she could look much better than she did when I saw her during a normal school day, but she’d proved me totally wrong with the short skirt/vest top combo she had going on.

“That’s okay,” I smiled, once I’d managed to stop my eyes from bulging out of their sockets.  “It was my fault really, for standing right behind you.”

“Well, I shouldn’t have spun round without looking!!” she said sheepishly.

“Look, let me buy you a drink to replace the ones I ruined,” I suggested, stepping over the huge puddle of alcohol, and what was probably my drool, on the floor and leaning up against the bar.  “What can I get you?”

“Well, it was sort of my round and I’ve gotta get Mads one,” she frowned.

The bile in my stomach rose to my mouth for a second as I realised she was there with Madison.

“Tell you what, I’ll buy you two drinks and you can get the one for her, deal?” I asked as politely as I could manage.

“Why, Ashley, are you trying to get me drunk?” she winked.

“Maybe,” I laughed, averting my eyes quickly to search for someone who’d serve me.