The drinking party finally broke up after the second round. I wanted to suggest a third, maybe a fourth—anything to keep from going back to that quiet, expensive prison. But I couldn't force the others to stay. They had real jobs to get to in the morning.
Christina, the only one who still seemed mostly sober, started putting staff members into cabs and sent them home. Caroline had already disappeared an hour ago after admitting she was too drunk to stand. When Christina tried to push me toward a cab too, I shook my head. I wasn't ready to go back yet.
"I'll walk a bit, get some air," I told her. She looked worried, but I gave her a small smile until she finally got into her own car and drove away.
I wandered into a small park nearby. The alcohol was buzzing in my brain, making the world tilt and spin. As soon as I saw a wooden bench, my legs gave out. I collapsed onto it sideways, my head resting on the cold slats.
