Free Beyond Control by Karice Bolton

didn’t see him anywhere. The place had filled up. All the booths were taken, and all the small seating areas in the lounge area were full, too, so anything was possible.
    “Why? He’s not here, is he?” I shifted closer to hear her answer over the crowded bar.
    Her lips broke into a smile and she shook her head. Grabbing my hand, she hauled me onto the dance floor as a remixed Justin Timberlake song came on.
    “Which one is this?” I yelled as the music drifted through the air.
    “ Mirrors ! Remember?” She spun me around and I started laughing. How could I forget? It was a week before finals, and we were at a party at her ex-boyfriend’s house because she was too nice to say no. Once this song had come on, he lifted her off the couch and started dancing with her slowly. She was mortified and he was wasted. Brandy felt sorry for him so she finished out the song before we hightailed it out of there.
    “And to say I have guy problems?” I teased, letting go of her hand as Daft Punk’s Get Lucky came on. The floor was completely crowded as we kept dancing. The heat of everyone’s bodies was making the dance floor almost unbearable, but I was having too much fun bouncing around. It felt good to let myself remember that it was okay to act my age. I was taking this job and myself far too seriously.
    As the music boomed out of the speakers, I saw one of the guys from earlier cozy up next to Brandy, which only made her grin as she wriggled around in front of him. The guy seemed harmless. He was one of the cute ones. Light brown hair and a clean shave almost made him look preppy, except for the tattoos that were dipping out of both sleeves. Brandy would be happy about that.
    I saw the server weaving through the crowd to drop off our drinks at our table, and I made my way off the floor. That was one of our rules. Never leave the drinks unattended. As I sat down and told the server thank you, I saw the back of someone, who looked vaguely familiar, disappear into the crowd. I wanted to place her, but I couldn’t. Not sure why it really mattered, I took a swallow of beer and felt the worries drift away.
    Brandy must have spotted the refills because she darted right over, leaving the guy on the floor. Her cheeks were rosy from dancing and her breathing hard.
    “Yummie,” she squealed, sipping on her blueberry cocktail. She sat down and started fanning herself off. “It’s more fun in the winter when it’s not hot outside.”
    “You’re sounding like me.” I leaned back and watched everyone dancing and having a good time. I had no idea what time it was and didn’t really care.
    “Isn’t that the chick who Jason was with that night?” Brandy asked, pointing through the crowd. I couldn’t see anyone who looked like the tall blonde I remembered from that night, so I scooted onto my knees on the seat cushion and tried to make like a giraffe.
    “That’s her,” I muttered. That’s who I’d seen but couldn’t place, probably on purpose.
    My brows pulled together in confusion as I watched her. She wasn’t acting like someone who had a boyfriend. In fact, I kind of felt weird for looking at her as she began writhing up against a guy. Her back was to him and he was pressing into her, running his hands up along her sides. I didn’t see Jason anywhere around.
    I plopped back down into the booth and frowned.
    “She’s all over some guy out there,” I said.
    “Really?” she asked, popping back up from the booth to take a look.
    Brandy’s mouth dropped open as she looked out to the dance floor.
    “What?” I demanded. “What am I missing?”
    “She’s making out with the guy who was just dancing with me.” She crossed her arms and pouted, sliding back into the booth. “Whore.”
    “Her or him?” I questioned.
    “Him of course. This blows.”
    I started laughing and had to agree with her as we continued to watch the dance floor become standing room only.
    “I have to admit something to you,” I yelled