I look up. Ava is standing in front of me clutching a gold purse. She looks pretty in a turquoise Dina Bar-El gown that is fitted to her tiny frame. Her long blond hair is super curly and she's got on so much bling my eyes hurt staring at it. Lauren is with her, and she looks incredible in a short gold mini dress with her hair piled high on her head.

"What happened?" Lauren asks and puts an arm around me. "We've been looking for you everywhere."

"I have a headache and I just want to go home," I say tearfully.

"Hey," Ava says sternly. "Be real. You said yourself you've been dying to get an invite to this party. You're not going home. What gives?"

"You can talk to us," Lauren says gently. "We're your friends."

Friends. I like the sound of that. I really need friends right now. "Do you really want to know what's going on?" I ask doubtfully. This is usually the point where everyone else I know cuts me off.

"We wouldn't ask if we didn't," Ava says simply.

Click. Click. Click.

I look up. Gary and Larry the Liar are taking pictures of us.

"Get away from here!" Ava shrieks.

Gary looks alarmed. "But you said you wanted us to take your picture."

"Can't you see our friend is upset?" Lauren complains. "Go away. We'll see you on the dance floor."

I smile gratefully at Lauren as she hands me a crumpled tissue. "I'm really glad you two are here." I can feel my cellphone buzzing in my purse, but I don't stop to look. If it's Matty, we'll find each other eventually.

"Let's find a quiet table so we can talk," Ava suggests. She and Lauren both put an arm around me and we make our way to a small, candlelit booth in the back. People try to stop us along the way, but Ava and Lauren actually ignore them. "Tell us what's going on," Ava says once we're settled.

Once I start talking, I can't stop. Ava and Lauren really listen. They don't interrupt me at all except for an occasional "shut up!" or "they're crazy!" I vent about my parents, Seth, Nadine's nagging, my fight with Liz, how much I miss my boyfriend, and my equal fear and procrastination about finding another project. I don't hold anything back. It feels good to get it all out on the table. When I'm finished, Ava is the first to speak.

"You have to get rid of these people!" she declares. "They're dragging you down. Well, except for that hottie boyfriend of yours. He sounds okay."

I smirk. "He's a keeper, for sure, but, well, I can't disown my parents. But it's good to know whose side you're on."