𝙇𝙤𝙤𝙠 𝘼𝙩 𝙔𝙤𝙪𝙧𝙨𝙚𝙡𝙛, 𝘽𝙤𝙬𝙞𝙚!

FOURTEEN - Happy Birthday

Mari left the event decently early, but she wasn't ready to go home just yet. God knew where she'd go, it was the middle of the night and people would probably recognize her on sight with what she was wearing. Her signature short blonde shag and dark eye-makeup, she wasn't exactly subtle.

She took a taxi back home, and changed clothes. A white maxi-skirt and a floral print bell-sleeve shirt. She slipped on a shawl and made her way out of her apartment complex. It was cold at first, though she warmed up quickly. She didn't get cold easily.

On her way to the bar, all the could think of was how the upcoming week may plan out. It was a big week. Her birthday in about two hours, she planned to release the song she and Mick has do finish, studio sessions with David about every other night.

She had an interview to do that week as well, something she was dreading. She hated interviews, they were so nerve-wracking.

She finally made it to the bar, spending around thirty minutes there alone.

"Hey."

Someone tapped her shoulder, she turned around to see one of the men she'd just left. David.

He was still in his suit, wearing the hat he'd worn to the ceremony. He was lucky the bar was next to empty, no one really recognized him.

She smiled, "What are you doing here? I thought you and Ava were going to the afterparty."

He sighed, sitting down at the stool next to her.

"I figured this was where you'd be." he started, "and she did, but...that sort of....didn't end well."

She nodded, trying to ignore how he came looking for her.

"Why'd you leave?" he asked, "I turned around to tell you something and you'd left."

"Well what did you have to tell me?"

He paused for a moment, trying to recall whatever it was.

"I can't remember."

They both chuckled, David ordered a drink. He didn't need one, that was for sure. He was already tipsy, he was lingering on the edge of embarrassing himself.

But he couldn't help it.

Mari was almost the same way. She'd been drinking more lately to get her mind off of things.

"When I'm done I think I'll go for a walk."

He tilted his head, "A walk?"

She nodded, "A walk."

"...I'll come with you, then."

She looked back down at her drink and smiled as the bartender handed him his, her face a light shade of red. She knew she shouldn't drink in front of David, when she was drunk she was an absolute mess. But she couldn't help it, once she had one, it was on to the next.

*
It was 11:30 at night, David and Mari were both out of it. Mari was on the edge of drunk, David was only tipsy. He was already high, for once he made the ultimate decision that he didn't need much else.

It was mostly the fact that Mari was already drunk. Who was gonna take her home if they were both drunk? He didn't wanna think about it.

David asked the bartender for a bottle of water and handed it to Mari as they exit the bar together, their plan for a walk hadn't changed.

"Are you doing anything tomorrow?" She asked, taking a sip of water as they walked on the sidewalk. The street was still thriving, New York never slept.

"Yes, actually." He said, watching as she continued to drink out of the water bottle he'd given her. She must've been thirsty, he'd never seen someone drink water so fast.