Contrite ✓

Chapter 1.

He lifted my hand and gave it a light kiss, hastily making eye contact. "I love you, Ella."

My smile got even wider with his words. "And I love you."

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We made it to this night's restaurant of choice just in time for our table to be ready. Since we had visited the place more times than I could count already, I knew the menu like the back of my hand. For some reason I ordered the same thing every time we came here without even bothering to pretend I had a hard time deciding what to pick.

Adam always thoroughly read the menu, scanning it for any newly added dishes and whatnot. He was adventurous like that, wanted try new things. Me on the other hand didn't understand why you wouldn't pick something you already knew you liked.

He shrugged now, putting the laminated paper down with a hefty sigh. "Maybe we should come up with something new. I'm beginning to get tired of doing the same thing every Friday."

"But I love going out for dinner," I said and took a sip from the glass bottle with beer. Which I also always ordered. "I thought you did too."

"I do, but it gets a little dull after a while. I mean, we've been to this place like what, ten times the past six months? I can name every single dish on the menu in my sleep. Honestly, the smell of tacos is makes me nauseous."

I closed the menu in my hands with a huff. "It's comfortable and easy. Why make it harder than it has to be? I just want to be with you, I don't care about where."

Adam shook his head slightly. "Well sometimes change is good. And I don't know why you insist on continuing doing the same damn thing every single Friday."

"Um, okay? I don't know if I should feel insulted." I knew I could be a bit square regarding some areas, like for example doing things that were familiar, but I still felt hurt by his comment. "I was under the impression you were in on this. Makes me feel kind of stupid when you make it sound like I'm forcing you."

He reached over the table and placed his cool hand over mine. "You're not forcing me, baby. I'm just saying it wouldn't hurt to break the habits once in a while."

I stressed at my bottom lip with my teeth and thought about his words for a second, not fond of the way he had managed to make me feel anxious. "Sure, whatever. Do you have anything in mind? I mean for next week—"

"Why don't we go out tonight? Like out, out to a bar or a club? Have a couple of drinks, maybe a bit of dancing. It's been forever since I did something like that."

The exhilaration in his eyes was clear once his words had stumbled out and I squirmed slightly in my seat. I wasn't overly excited at the thought of getting drunk, alcohol just didn't appeal to me like it seemed to do to others. But if Adam really wanted to go clubbing, I would come with him for his sake.

"Fine, let's do it."

"You serious?" He frowned like he hadn't expected me to be so quick to agree.

"Very serious. But can we please eat first? I'm about to starve to death."

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A couple of hours later we had just left one bar and were heading to another, my head buzzing from the consumption of alcohol. I wasn't used to drink like this, a glass of wine or two was fine, but anything more than that made me all soft and warm inside. But to my surprise I quite liked it and found myself wondering why I didn't go out more often.

Maybe Adam was right. Maybe change was good.

We walked across the street hand in hand, trying to locate any place that was open and in the possession of anything alcoholic. I might be drunk but it was obvious my boyfriend had succeeded to get even drunker.