"Alaina stop being fucking boring and let us take you out for your 21st!" Sophie yells, clearly drunk.
"Yeah A, only because we love you, not because Sophie's alcoholic ass wants another night out." Ava laughs, a lot calmer then Soph.
I hate nights out. It costs so much money I can't afford to waste and I don't remember the last time I genuinely enjoyed it.
"Hey! I see your little cogs turning about money. Its your birthday, we got you covered A." she adds, placing a hand on my shoulder and grinning.
Staying silent, I give a slight, hesitant nod.
Seeing as I'm the only one who can manage the night without alcohol, I drive the 4 of them home.
After getting back to my apartment, I carelessly throw my keys into the bowl beside the door and kick off my heels.
I swing the fridge door open.
No alcohol.
Great.
I miss it. Coming home to the smell of Mom's fresh pie. Hearing my brothers laughing from down the hall. Most of the time at the dumbest shit.
Home.
Home is a place where you feel constantly safe, surrounded by people you love. Never wanting to leave it because its the place you feel the most comfort.
Instead my home is a tiny apartment in the creepiest neighbourhood in town, barely scraping enough money together for food and rent, with just 4 friends who come, drink, then leave.
Don't get me wrong. I couldn't be more grateful to have somewhere to live, I know lots of people don't have that.
Its just getting hard to believe this simple life will ever get better when I've been at the constant downhill since I was 18.
I slump onto my lumpy, uncomfortable mattress and stare up into the blank ceiling.
The annoying ringtone of my phone blares through the room and I look at the screen.
Av <3
Hey girl! Thanks for the ride home. Can't wait for your 21st. We love you!
Ignoring the message, I stuff my phone under the pillow.
My eyes start getting heavy and I drift off.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
-2 weeks later-
Alaina's Birthday
My eyes shoot open at the sound of a loud, rapid thumping at my door.
What the fuck?
Carefully, I place my feet on the freezing, wooden floor and pick up my phone.
9am.
Wearing my plaid pj shorts and a huge band tee, I mosey over to the door just as the thumping starts again.
I open the door and there stands my friends with a massive balloon and gift bags.
"Happy birthday!"
Holy shit.
"Its 9am guys, its basically still night, what are you doing?" I laugh.
They all push me out of the doorway and place down the bags.
"We are getting you ready for your party A, you know where we are going?" Ava exclaims, way too excited.
"That club downtown!" Sophie blurts, covering her mouth.
"With the cute bartender." Alex wiggles their brows at me
Well this is going to be a long day.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
After hours of them judging my style, they decide on a basic black dress.
Not my choice.
Dresses make me feel uncomfortable, just a lot is showing and I'm not a fan. Other girls look amazing though.
We are sat in the back of an uber and my legs is bouncing up and down rapidly.
The bright neon sign comes into view.
Apex Fusion.
Dumb name in my opinion but that's irrelevant.
Stepping out the car, I take in the last breath of fresh air before the night of sweat and alcohol.
I walk in and immediately, there's people staring.
And this is why I hate going out.
Although, one particular set of ogling eyes catches my attention.
He sits in a booth in the corner, legs spread apart, glass of whatever hes drinking in one hand, resting his head on the other. Staring directly at me.
Wow.
I soon realise I'm staring when I see a small smirk stretch across his face.
Shaking myself out of it, I grasp Ava's hand and make my way over to the bar, through the sea of people.
I sit on one of the, probably dirty, barstools and wave my hand at the cute guy mixing a cocktail of some sorts.
Ava suddenly walks away and I'm left all by myself. In a crowded bar. Filled with all sorts of people, most likely some perverts.
I feel a strong sense of anxiety creeping up on me but I put it aside and order a basic drink.
Until I feel a presence beside me.
Tilting my head slightly, I see him.
His arm, scattered with tattoos, leans against the bar, a long, prominent vein running down it.
Damn.
"Not your scene?" he asks, slightly mockingly.
"Not at all." I reply, dropping my head down to face my crossed legs.
"Whats your name, gorgeous?"
"Hm, giving a man you met 20 seconds ago at a bar your name. Seems like a great idea." I laugh.
"Fair point. Dominic." He raises his hand in front of my and I see silver rings splayed across almost every finger.
Okay. Hot.
Raising my hand, I place it in his, and quite honestly, the size of my hand compared to his is embarrassing.
The corner of his lips tilt up as he drops his hand from mine. He takes a single step closer to me, his eyes not fraying away from me.
"You seem smart enough to know you shouldn't be here by yourself, so where are your friends?" he questions.
Turning back to face forward, I quickly down the rest of my drink on the bar.
"Probably out there dancing with some hot guy or girl they found."
He tilts his head to the side while looking out onto the dance floor.
"Seems pretty fucked up to me."
I let a small smile on my face. Pulling a chair up, he places himself a few inches away from me.
Woah.
"If I was to put my hand on your leg, would that be okay, or would you slap me and run out of here?" he asks with a tiny smile on his face. " I'd hate to fuck up not even 10 minutes into this conversation."
Turning my head towards him, I give a curt nod and his warm hand rests on my lower thigh.
My cheeks start to heat up so I quickly look away.
I jump when I feel him grasp my chin and twist my head back to face him, I refrain from getting down on one knee then and there.
Kidding.
I watch the smirk on his face grow as my mouth drops open barely. God, this man.
The cool metal rings dig into my face as he studies my face, his eyes flitting between my eyes and my lips.
Don't do it Alaina, you've known him for 5 minutes.
All that goes out the window as I notice him leaning forward.
"God, you are something else, beautiful." he mutters under his breath.
Butterflies.
"How about this. I give you my number, and then its completely your decision on whether to call or not."
Uh yes please.
Trying not to be too enthusiastic, I look up into his eyes as he gazes down at me.
"Sure. Sounds good"
He pulls a pen out and scribbles on a napkin in front of me. Gently, he places it in my palm an encloses my fingers around it
"I hope to see you soon."
And with that, he removes his hands and walks away.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Thank you all for reading this chapter! <3
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