Chapter 186
**Sara**
Jake raised the shot glass, swaying slightly. "And furthermore, when I become CEO of-"
"Drink!" Jessica shoved the shot into his face, effectively ending what promised to be an epic monologue about his imaginary business empire.
Mia checked her phone and groaned. "Oh god, is it that late already? I have brunch with my parents tomorrow."
"Brunch?" Jake's face scrunched up. "Who does brunch anymore? That's so... brunchy."
"People with lives outside of bars," Mia grabbed her purse. "Come on, Jake. I'll split an Uber with you since we're heading in the same direction."
"But I wasn't finished with my speech about revolutionizing the..." Jake's voice trailed off as he struggled to find the right word.
"The whatever industry?" I offered helpfully.
"Exactly! The whatever industry needs me!"
Mia rolled her eyes and practically dragged Jake out of his seat. "Say goodbye to the nice people, Jake."
"Goodbye to the nice people, Jake," he repeated dutifully, then giggled at his joke.
After they left, Jessica slumped against me. "I need food. And water. Lots of water."
"Maybe you shouldn't have matched Jake shot for shot?" I helped her up, steadying her as she wobbled in her heels.
"Someone had to defend our honor! He was getting cocky with those tequila shots."
We stepped out into the cool night air. The street was surprisingly quiet, with only a few other people stumbling between bars.
"Where are all the cabs?" I squinted down the empty street. "There's usually a line of them here."
Jessica fumbled with her phone. "I'll call an Uber. Just gotta... why are there three Uber apps on my screen?"
"Give me that." I snatched her phone away. "Great. Your battery's dead."
"Oopsie." Jessica grinned sheepishly. "Your turn!"
I pulled out my own phone, cursing under my breath. "No signal. What is this, the dark ages?"
"We could walk?" Jessica suggested, then immediately tripped over nothing. "Never mind. Walking bad. Walking very bad."
"There has to be a cab somewhere." I looked around desperately. "Maybe we should try the next street over?"
"Or we could just sleep here." Jessica eyed a nearby bench with disturbing interest. "That looks comfy."
"That's a trash can."
"Even better! Built-in breakfast!"
I grabbed her arm before she could investigate the trash can's comfort level. "Okay, no more alcohol for you. Ever."
"You're not my real mom!" Jessica declared, then burst into laughter at her own joke.
"I'm starting to understand why Jake's dancing seemed like a good idea earlier." I steered her away from the trash can. "Come on, let's try finding a cab on Main Street."
"But Main Street is so... main-y." Jessica's face scrunched up in concentration. "Is that a word? Main-y? It should be a word."
"Everything should be a word, according to drunk Jessica."
"Exactly! Like... flustrated! That's frustrated and flustered combined. I invented that."
"Pretty sure that already exists."
"Nuh-uh. I called dibs on inventing it just now. You heard me. There were witnesses." She gestured wildly at the empty street.
"Yes, the trash can will definitely back you up in court."
"It's my star witness!" Jessica declared, still eyeing the metal bin like it held life's secrets.
I glanced at my phone again, frowning. "How did Mia and Jake get an Uber? I've got zero bars here."
"Maybe they used their MBA superpowers." Jessica attempted to snap her fingers but missed them. "Or magic. Definitely magic."
I wandered a few steps down the sidewalk, holding my phone up like a digital divining rod. "Come on, come on... yes!" A single bar flickered to life. "Finally!"
My triumph was short-lived. After three failed booking attempts and watching the surge pricing climb higher than my student loans, I gave up on the ride-share apps.
"Any luck?" Jessica had moved on from the trash can and was now having an intense staring contest with a parking meter.
"About as much luck as Jake has staying awake in lectures." I bit my lip, weighing my options. There was really only one left. "I'm going to call Tom."
"Ooooooh!" Jessica's head snapped up so fast she nearly fell over. "Professor Thick Dick to the rescue!"
"Could you not call him that?" I scrolled through my contacts, trying not to smile.
"Would you prefer Professor McSexy? Doctor Dreamboat? The Dean of-"
"If you finish that sentence, I'm leaving you here with your new trash can friend."
The phone rang twice before Tom picked up. "Sara?"
"Hey..." I tried to sound casual and not like I was desperately stranded. "So, funny story..."
"Are you okay?" The concern in his voice made my stomach flip.
"Oh yeah, totally fine! Just, um, celebrating graduation with friends, and now we're kind of stuck without a ride, and the apps aren't working, and Jessica's made friends with urban infrastructure and-"
"Where are you?"
Jessica was attempting to waltz with the parking meter when I hung up. "Good news - our ride's coming."
"Jessica, please stop dancing with the meter. It's not interested." I tried to pry her away from her metallic dance partner.
"But we have chemistry!" She hugged the pole. "Look how well we move together!"
"That's because you're using it for balance." I glanced down the street, hoping Tom would arrive soon before Jessica proposed marriage to other inanimate objects.
"Ooooh, Professor Thick Dick to the rescue!" Jessica sang, finally releasing the meter.
"Would you stop calling him that?" I hissed, feeling my cheeks burn. "Someone might hear you!"
"Who? The trash can? The meter? They're very discrete." She stumbled slightly. "Besides, now that we're done with our MBAs, you can date him properly! No more sneaking around like teenagers."
"We can discuss that later."
"But Sara!" Jessica's voice carried down the empty street. "Think about all the thick-"
"If you finish that sentence, I swear-"
"THICK STACKS OF HOMEWORK he gave us!" Jessica dissolved into a fit of giggles. "What did you think I was gonna say?"
"You're impossible when you're drunk."
"I'm delightful when I'm drunk. Ask the parking meter. We had a moment."
"You had several moments. With several inanimate objects."
"Don't slut-shame me and my urban furniture friends!" Jessica attempted to look offended but couldn't stop giggling.
The headlights swept around the corner, and I recognized Tom's car pulling up to the curb. Thank God.
"My hero!" Jessica practically skipped to the car, then almost face-planted into the door, trying to open it.
Log in with Google Account
Chapters
Favorite
Settings
