she threw her torso over the edge of the bed and hung upside down. her hair swished back and forth, grazing the floor. her shirt rode up her stomach, revealing her belly ring and her hip piercingings.

“in retrospect,” she sighed, “nothing matters. if something seems shitty, look at it upsidedown.”

i laughed. “you’re so wise when you’re drunk.”

she put her hands on the floor and then puhed off with her legs, kicking herself over her head and landing on her feet, facing me.

“i’m not drunk, i’m serious,” she insisted. “you take astronomy! how insignificant is earth in comparison to the universe?”

“earth is really small.”

“yes! earth is like the point of a needle! and yet, we as people…we’re even smaller than that…and we get so upset!” she exclaimed, pacing back and fourth. “like you and that girl!”

“my ex?”

“yeah! she treated you like crap and you miss her?! no! fuck her! although earth is like the tip of a needle, there’s a fucking lot of people here that would treat you a million times better without even dating you! don’t miss her, fuck her!”on that note, she jumped onto the bed beside me and sprawled out on her back.

“wow, you really are drunk,” i noted, causing her to erupt in a fit of giggles.

“yeah…i’m feeling kinda dizzy now,” she laughed. “but i do mean what i said. move on, you deserve better.”

“i have moved on!” i argued.

she shook her head sadly and then close her eyes. “what happened to that other girl?”

i looked at her quizzically. “what other girl?”

“the one that you thought wasy babylicious! you basically drooled all over her!”

“hold up,” i interrupted, “i haven’t drooled over anyone, i’ve barely talked to anyone.”

“you’re full of crap! everytime we go out you wave to someone!” she countered.

“fine, but i don’t particularly like anyone…”

“i’m going to find you someone,” she said fervently as she took another swig of tequila from the bottle. “are you sure you don’t want any?”

“yeah, i’m okay,” i replied.

her face scrunched up as the liquid burned down her throat.

“i haven’t drank since…i realized i needed to break up with her. and that was a really low moment for me so i haven’t wanted to drink lately,” i confessed.

“victoria, that was over two months ago already,” she stated factually. “like i said before, move on”

“i have though!”

she shook her head. “when you don’t want to drink because you just don’t want to, then you’ve moved on. but you’re associating drinking with your ex like…we’re finding you someone new in the spring. we are not leaving in the summer without finding you someone that gives you butterflies and makes you blush and makes you feel happy and beautiful and deserving.”

“okay,” i said, giving in to her positivity and determination. feeling that way again would be nice. i smiled at her, grateful to have her part of my life. she returned my smile with glossy eyes and then handed me the bottle.

“here, you’re ready. you’re readier than you realize.”

tentatively, i took the bottle from her grasp and held it to my lips. the aroma was overpowering but i bravely downed a gulp. and then she screamed and hugged me.

“2015 is going to be our year,” she whispered and then kissed my cheek.

© 2014 Vic Romero