Slow It Down

Part 2 •REWRITTEN•

Natalie laughs at me before unstrapping her own shoes and tossing them to the side. They land against the wall out of everyone's way. "Much better," she says, raising her cup in the air before impersonating a guy dancing close to me.

I let out a breathless laugh, my body feeling lighter than before. I'm not sure if it's the alcohol or the fact that I'm finally starting to let go, but something shifts.

The music doesn't feel so overwhelming anymore. The crowd doesn't make me feel trapped. The beat pulses through me, and instead of resisting it, I move with it.

The next song begins to play, my cup is half-empty, and my head is fully floating.

I should probably slow down, but I don't want to.

The alcohol makes everything easier—my movements looser, lighter. I'm no longer thinking about how I look, if people are watching, if I'm making a fool of myself.

Natalie laughs, spinning me in a circle, and I giggle too hard, nearly losing my balance.

"Damn," she teases, steadying me with a hand on my arm. "That drink hit, huh?"

I nod, my cheeks aching from smiling. My vision is slightly spinning now. "I think so."

We raise our cups, clinking them together before taking another sip. The warmth in my stomach spreads further, my legs no longer aching as much, my thoughts fuzzier but in a nice way.

For once, I'm not overthinking. I'm just existing.

Three songs later, my cup is almost empty, and the room feels hazy, but not in a bad way. My limbs are tingly, my face flushed, and every sound is slightly muffled like I'm experiencing everything from inside a dream.

That's when a warm hand touches my shoulder.

I turn, my reaction delayed, and come face to face with a guy—tall, messy dirty blonde hair, bright golden hazel eyes.

His smile is friendly, not overbearing, and when he lifts his hands slightly in the air—like he's proving he's not trying anything—I feel my shoulders relax.

"Hi there," he shouts over the music.

I blink at him, my mind taking a second to catch up. He's... cute. Like, really cute. I hesitate before mirroring his smile.

"Hi there," I respond, my voice lighter than usual, amused for no reason.

Something about him makes me at ease, despite having never seen him before in my life.

He leans in slightly, the scent of cologne and liquor clinging to him. His voice barely cuts through the music. "My name's Nathan, but everyone calls me Nate. What about you?"

I glance over my shoulder at Natalie, feeling lost in this moment, but she's too caught up in the music, lost in her own world with her eyes closed and arms in the air.

I turn back to him. "Lilah," I tell him.

His smile widens. "Lilah," he repeats. "Pretty name."

I take another sip of my drink, my head feeling warm and my lips curving without meaning to. The alcohol has softened my usual anxiety which makes me bolder, makes everything feel easier, and I don't even question why I'm still standing here talking to a stranger.

Nate leans in again. "I saw you when you first walked in," he continues. "Thought you were really pretty. Didn't want to come up right away, but—"

Before he can finish, someone bumps into him hard, and suddenly, his drink sloshes over the rim, splashing down my arm and onto my chest.