“No, no!” Jane shook her head shook ferociously and rolled her heavily lined eyes dramatically when she looked at me. “I have a good feeling about this place.”

“It’s after midnight, Jane,” I persisted. The pair of heels I had borrowed from her were causing permanent damage to my feet, and I shifted my weight in hopes of easing the pain.

“I just want to dance and be stupid!” The night had begun wearing on her, so she had started whining. It made her seem much younger than seventeen and made us even less likely to get into the club. “Come on, Alice! This is what being young is all about!”

“I really hope not,” I grumbled. Waiting in line for hours and being turned away from clubs did not sound like the way I had planned to spend my youth.

“We can try again next weekend. I promise. It’ll give us more time to find better ID’s.”

“I don’t even have any alcohol.” Her expression had gone all pouty, but I knew that she was starting to cave. Her boots could not be comfortable, and the cold mist had to be getting to her.

“I’m sure we can find some somewhere,” I reassured her. In truth, Jane could find alcohol the way I found water. She had an endless stream of guys that were eager to buy her drinks and let her get stupid and dance. I wasn’t actually sure what she was complaining about. Wherever Jane went, a party was sure to follow.

“Fine.” Sighing deeply, Jane stepped out of line and grudgingly started walking in the direction towards my apartment, away from the bright lights of the clubs and crowds of drunk people smoking cigarettes. “But you owe me.”

“Why do I owe you?” I demanded. We’d barely made it a few feet from the line when I couldn’t take it any longer. I stopped and ripped off the borrowed shoes, preferring to walk barefoot on the cold, dirty cement than risk any more blisters or injuries to my body. Most likely, I’d get spit or gum or something in a fresh wound and end up with typhoid or rabies, but it still seemed like a better option.