2:13 AM
Audrey never gave up the microphone for a second to anyone else.
One hand wrapped around the mic and the other around a bottle neck, she was having the time of her life.
Mason was having the time of his life as well. Watching out for Audrey, getting more drinks, recording Audrey, feeding Audrey, and laughing with Audrey were his tasks of the night.
Tessa and Liam sat together on a sofa against the wall and both had their legs and arms crossed as they watched the other two with a glare.
Vanessa was the observant sitting on a table alone at the back.
She ate the roasted peanuts silently and thought over what she should do.
To her, it was clear that Liam wasn't liking what was going on as he had a similar expression as Tessa, who was dating Mason. So unless he liked Audrey, he wouldn't have just sat there ideally with a scowl.
"What is that, your ten thousandth song? Stop already!" Vanessa raised her hand to call for attention.
The only response she got was a brief glance from Tessa. She sighed and brought her hand back down and rested her elbow against the table edge.
After a while, she felt a touch on her forearm and looked up. It was Liam, looking down at her with half opened eyes.
He pulled out a chair and sat down while Vanessa saw Audrey still on the stage.
"I wanna ask something." Liam said, there was a clear smell of alcohol.
"Uh, sure."
He leaned in. "How does Audrey know that bastard, again?"
Vanessa glanced at Mason before responding. "His father discovered Audrey at the bar that you two worked at."
"Red's." Liam snapped his fingers. "That's right."
"Yeah."
"But isn't he dating her?" He pointed at Tessa. "Her name is Mason's girlfriend, for God's sake. She has to be dating him!" He banged the table.
Vanessa muffled a laugh. "Her name is Tessa."
"Hm.." He pondered. "Maybe that's why they're not dating, and that means Audrey and him are?"
Vanessa placed a hand on his shoulder and leaned forward. "You're high." She said as a matter of fact.
"Are they?" He pressed.
"I don't know-"
"You do! Please tell me. I have decide my actions based on what you say. Tell me truthfully."
She exhaled. "What actions?"
"Look," he said, gesturing with his hands and speaking slowly as if talking to a child and she amusingly nodded, "I have get back home soon. I'm not privileged like Mason who is acquainted with so many people in the industry and I also have to earn money unlike him."
Vanessa realised he was talking his heart out, without any filter.
"So when I'm gone, I need to know. To be completely honest with you, I've liker Audrey since freshman year in college. I was her only friend," suddenly he stopped.
"What's wrong?"
"I guess things never change." He laughed. "I'm still her only friend. It's other guys who get to the 'more than friends' stage." He used his fingers to air quote.
She looked down, not knowing what the appropriate thing to say would be.
"Anyway, I can take the risk now. I will ask her out, bold and clear. You just tell me if they're dating. When I asked Mason's girlfriend, she got angry and left me alone."
"You asked Tessa that?" She asked, her eyebrows raised.
He sincerely nodded.
Vanessa shuffled in her seat, trying to buy herself some time to think. "The thing is, Liam, that Audrey isn't the first girl I'd think of for dating. All she can offer you is friendshi-"
"I'm aware, and that's why I was okay with things. But now I think her friendship has levels. And Mason over there is getting the top spot. What she calls top level friendship, people call dating. Maybe she just doesn't like the titles and I'm okay with it."
"The second you'll ask her out in all seriousness, she'll start looking at you differently and I don't mean that in a good way."
He sighed. "Look at me. Being so pathetic."
"It's not pathetic. I wouldn't talk to you about her like this if I thought you were pathetic."
He feebly smiled. "Well, if I'm not a complete loser yet, I just go and tell her to at least be successful at being a loser."
"In this stage? Yeah, no. None of you are in the condition to have a talk like that."
He frowned. "I'm sick of waiting. And I also need to be drunk enough to finally spit the truth out without joking about it."
"You've already waited long, what's one more day when the odds aren't as much against you?" She persuaded.
He thought for a second and blinked. "Wow. I really just told you everything, didn't I?" He laughed. "To you, her sister, of all people."
"You can trust me with a little secret. I won't utter a word to her."
"That's not it. You have a confide-in-me vibe, I trust you. I just never thought it'd be so easy."
"Not gonna be with her." She averted her gaze on the grinning brunette being spun around by Mason; Liam's eyes followed. "You'll have to approach carefully."
Just then, there was a glass shattering sound and they jerked up to look behind them.
Tessa was looking down in shock on the glass pieces around her, her hand held out in the air as if she was holding the glass that fell.
"Are you okay?" Vanessa got up and approached her.
"Y-Yeah," Tessa sniffed, "it, uh, it slipped."
Vanessa sighed internally, immediately noticing that Tessa had been crying.
She looked at her sister and then at the two heartbroken people.
"I'll clean this up." Tessa bend down but Vanessa stopped her.
"No, you'll cut yourself. Let's do it later."
Tessa looked up and nodded. Getting back on her feet, she looked at the front where Mason and Audrey were dancing together, unaware of the commotion happening at the back.
"Uh.." Vanessa tried to think of a cover up, "you're not from here, are you?"
Tessa shook her head.
"How would you feel about a drive around the city? New York is prettiest at night."
"Yes." Liam immediately agreed. "We should move somewhere else. This place is suffocating me."
Vanessa changed her phone time settings to three hours ahead as she went right up on the stage and in between the other two.
"Let's leave."
"But it's so early!" Mason protested.
"Then let's go some place open."
"What's wrong here?" Audrey placed her hands on her hips.
Vanessa gave her the look that Audrey always recognised as a signal to just do as she's saying and ask questions later. But she didn't recognise it this time.
"Huh?" She pressed for an answer.
"Audrey," Vanessa rolled her eyes, "we've been here since three hours. Look, it's four in the morning."
Audrey's eyes widened as she saw the time on Vanessa's phone. "We sang for three hours straight?"
"Whoa." Mason hiccupped.
"And you let us?"
Vanessa grabbed their arms and pulled them down. "Not anymore."
She pulled them out despite their constant - and weak - attempts to break free and Tessa and Liam followed out.
A van was already waiting by the road side and the uncoordinated folks were pushed inside.
"But where are you even taking us!" Audrey shouted.
"Ah, seriously!" Vanessa groaned and shouted back. "Don't drink so much."
"Audrey, are you thirty?" Mason spoke over the sisters and held out a water bottle.
"You mean thirsty." Vanessa deadpanned.
"I do." He grinned.
"I am." Liam snatched the bottle.
"Miss, where do we go?" The driver asked.
"Vanessa, can we switch places?" Tessa asked from beside Mason.
Audrey tried to get the bottle from Liam which resulted in water spilling all over them and then shrieking loudly.
Vanessa sighed from the passenger seat. "Home."
....
2:37 AM
"I was promised to be taken somewhere open!" Audrey voiced. "I refuse to go home."
"We can go home and sleep." Liam said.
"Or.." Mason gave a knowing smirk and gazed out of the window. Everybody at the back followed his vision and they saw The Statue of Liberty in the distance, looking glorious under the lights.
"Or?" Vanessa pressed and when no reply came, she turned to look back and saw their eyes focused on the world's wonder.
"No, no." She laughed. "Oh, no, no, no."
....
3:03 AM
Audrey and Mason got off the van first. They didn't catch the expressions on Tessa and Liam's faces, but Vanessa did.
So she immediately ran behind them to get them to separate at least for a while.
"Dreya, hey!"
"I always wanted to see the Lady of Liberty up close but we never could take some time out." Audrey said to Mason.
"It's alright, see there?" He pointed. "It's right there. We'll go there and take it home."
"We can do that?" Audrey gasped, hearts basically poured out of her eyes.
"Of course." Mason laughed. "I'll make sure the lady is delivered at your doorstep."
Vanessa scoffed as she followed them and then stopped them by stepping in their way. "You two." She said sternly. "Wouldn't you stop? We can't go there, we have no security with us. What if a mob-"
"Then call the security."
Vanessa glanced at Audrey. "It's three in the morning. We can't go there."
"Wasn't it four like an hour back?" Audrey looked up at the dark black sky. "I was thinking why it wasn't getting any lighter?"
"Even so," Vanessa explained, "the place is closed. There might be people around though, and it's not safe so let's quickly get back before anyone spots us."
"We can stay a bit, Vanessa." Mason smiled and placed an arm around Audrey's shoulders. "You can trust me, I'll protect you two."
"If I give you a second grade math equation right now, you wouldn't be able to solve."
"Mental math has nothing to do with my physical abilities."
Suddenly, he was pushed away and he stumbled down hard on the ground.
"Physical abilities, right." Vanessa looked down at him.
"Liam, why'd you-" Audrey started but he placed a finger on her lips.
"We need to talk. If we don't right now, I'll be sober and then my facade won't let me say it."
Vanessa's eyes widened. "No, actually, it's-"
"Okay, you look serious." Audrey frowned. "Is everything okay?" She narrowed her eyes and gently cupped his face.
Vanessa sighed. She's not making it easier for him, she thought.
"Somewhere alone." Liam said and took Audrey away.
By the time Mason was off the ground, they were gone behind the van.
"What's up with that idiotic idiot? I'll pay him back for pushing me." He advanced towards them but Vanessa held him back.
"Go to Tessa."
He stopped dead in his tracks. "Tessa?"
"She's your girlfriend, isn't she? You've barely spent time with her. Audrey's with Liam, so don't worry about her. I'll be with her, too."
"Tessa said something to you?"
"She doesn't have to. Look, I know you two are going through a rough patch; it's normal for every relationship. Ignoring and avoiding it ain't how you'll get past it."
"But I'm not doing anything, she can come and talk-"
"Then, do something. Go and talk."
He remained silent for a few moments and then looked around. "Alright. Where is she?"
Vanessa faintly smiled. "In the van."
As Mason turned away and strided towards the vehicle, Vanessa breathed with relief. She helped save a relationship.
Things finally seemed under control.. but were they?
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*fangirls because the attached GIF is too cute*
Hi, guys! Thanks for all the birthday wishes, they mean so much. I was reduced by tears by the overwhelming support and love by all of you.
Restores my faith in humanity, hope, love and friendship. So THANK YOU.
Have a nice day! ❤