They were drunk. Not tipsy, not mildly buzzed—drunk-drunk. The kind of drunk that made your cheeks ache from laughing and your voice rise with every sentence. The kind where time blurred, and inhibitions dissolved into haze and giggles.
Valeria clinked her glass against Eliana's and giggled. "You need to find yourself a man."
Eliana shook her head, cheeks flushed. "I don't need a man. I just need someone who'll love me."
Renee burst into giggles and Valeria threw her head back laughing. "This is exactly why we never talk about sex around you. You're too sweet."
Eliana rolled her eyes and let out a laugh, but there was a flicker of something else behind it—a tired ache hidden beneath the smile. She reached for her glass, took one last sip, and stood with a stretch. "Alright, alright. I need a breather—bathroom break."
She stumbled her way to the bathroom, locked herself inside a stall, and plopped down on the toilet seat with the lid closed.
