The Worst Day of Zoe's Life

Zoe was not in the mood for a party. In fact, she didn’t really want to be farther than three feet from her bed at all. So when Dominic showed up at her doorstep to take her to Cara’s birthday party, she was hiding under the duvet of her cramped cot in her pjs. Somehow, Dominic jimmied his way in through the front door, probably because the water stains had made it soft and pliable, and was now in the process of dragging her by the feet across her bedroom floor.

“STOP IT!” She screeched at him, swatting at his hands with a leftover pizza crust.

“You have to get out sometime, Zoe, and besides,” He said in an annoyingly self-righteous tone, “Cara will kill you if you don’t come to her party. It’s her big twentieth bash and if you don’t put on something nice and be semi-decent to her guests, she’s gonna cut up your duvet into little strips and scatter it all over the city. She told me so herself.” Zoe groaned loudly but stumbled into the bathroom to change, sticking out her tongue at him on the way.

“You’re such a stuck-up ass.” She pouted.

Dominic wrinkled his nose. “Brush your teeth while you’re at it.”

Unfortunately, it didn’t take long to get ready and pile into Dominic’s truck. The traffic wasn’t even bad. Zoe felt wholly unprepared for the throngs of people that were milling around outside Cara’s house, drinking and laughing and having way too much fun. Zoe was convinced she would never have fun again.

“Okay, stop moping and put on smile so Cara doesn’t beat me up.” Dom said seriously. Zoe bared her teeth in a grimace. “Very nice.” He didn’t look amused.

Zoe dragged her feet along the sidewalk sullenly, glaring at anyone who tried to say hello. Dom pulled her in through the front door by the arm, greeting everyone with a bright smile and cheery generic compliment about their outfit.

“Dom, you’re such a two-faced jerk. Do any of these people know you’re lying through your teeth?” She hissed at him, but he handed her a drink instead of replying and sprang off in search of more pleasant company.

Cara found her sitting in a corner, downing her fourth vodka tonic without the tonic.

“Zoe, are you serious? This is my birthday party! Now get up off the floor, I wanna introduce you to someone you might like.” Her eyes shown with bright warning. Zoe stumbled up and promptly spilled her drink all over the carpet. Cara cursed and steered Zoe away from other unsuspecting liquids. Zoe muttered under her breath that Cara owed her a drink.

“Zoe,” Cara said with false optimism. “Meet Rebecca!”

Oh, shit.

Standing in front of me was a caramel haired beauty with big brown eyes lined with kohl and a slim fitting dress that evoked the feeling of nausea in the back of my throat. She was staring at me with a mortified expression.

“Oh, shit.” I said aloud. Cara turned to me as through she was seriously thinking about her earlier threat but stopped when she saw my face. I turned to her instead. “Tell me you did not just introduce me to MY EX-GIRLFRIEND.”