Toward the Walk of Shame

1 {Suzy}

Before I even opened my eyes, I knew something was wrong. I wasn't in my bed like I should be, surrounded by the pale blue comforter I bought with Eomma a few months ago. The fabric under my fingertips was cool and kind of scratchy.

Evidence number two:  It smelled different. Not in a bad way. Just not like the cherry blossom air freshener that Eomma loved and sprayed all over the house. I usually countered it by walking around the house with vanilla candles. Eomma had gotten tired of smelling the same scent for four years, so she decided to switch to cherry blossom.

I sucked in another breath just to be sure. Nope, there were cherry blossom or vanilla of any kind here. Instead, it smelled like cotton with a faint scent of ocean.

But the most evidence shown was the muscular bare back of a half-naked - at least I hoped it was just half, since I couldn't see beneath the navy blue blanket wrapped around his hips - guy lying next to me. Who definitely should not be in my bed.

"Omo. Omo. Omo! My voice came out in a hoarse squeak. I squeezed my eyes shut before opening them again. Once. Twice. Over and over until fuzzy stars appeared on the white ceiling - a ceiling that was also not mine - but he wouldn't disappear.

And the stars didn't help my throbbing head. Why hadn't anyone warned me that drinking would make me feel like crap the next day?

With shaky hands, I looked under the covers, and - whoosh - a sigh of relief escaped. Thank goodness I was fully clothed. If you call the lacy black tank and black shorts that Soyeon had made me wore the night before fully clothed. But besides that everything else looked normal. Except for the strange room and the half-naked man I was in bed with.

I was in a lot of trouble. Why had I let Soyeon drag me to that party last night? (Note to self: Nothing good ever comes from listening to that girl.) But she'd caught me in a weak moment. Granted. I had a bunch of weak moments after I got my wait-list letter from Korea University Law School.

But seriously, me, Suzy Bae. Wait-listed! I still couldn't believe it. Didn't they know who I was? Did they even look at my application, for goodness's sake? It was immaculate, and I turned it in extra early. I even had to add an extra page for my list of accomplishments. I should have been a shoo-in.

But the months passed, and no acceptance letter. And they didn't respond to my e-mails and phone calls to check if their computers were down. Or if the acceptance committee was all sick and hospital-bound. Nothing. Until finally, a paltry wait-list letter last month.

Anyway, that wasn't the point. Not really. The point was that I'd been dragged to the party . . . and then I'd left. Obviously. But where was I now? And how did I get here? Where was Soyeon, and why hadn't she stopped me or -

"Hmph." The guy flopped onto his stomach, away from me.

Heart racing. I could barely move. My chest tightened, but I didn't breathe, didn't blink, until the soft snoring from his side of the bed resumed. And even then, I could only let out short half breaths.

That was close. Too close. I needed to get out of here. Now.

I carefully eased off the bed, inch by inch, wincing as the slight movement made my head pound harder. My toes touched the soft carpet, and I push myself upright, freezing for a full minute every time the bed creaked. Only a bit farther.

After what felt like hours - although it was probably only a few minutes - I slipped off the edge  of the bed and took a step toward the door. Big mistake. The floor's creak was like a shot gun basting across the room. The guy stirred, and I dove toward the ground, landing on the dark red carpet with a soft thump. My head smacked against my forearm. Ouch.