Is this the final stop? (Toni Shalifoe)

Chapter 13

Toni sits in a circle in Fatin's living room with most of the girls from lunch, but living room isn't the right word for the mansion that is Fatin's villa. They are surrounded by drunk dancing strangers, loud music, and so much alcohol. It smells like nail polish in the house. No one pays much attention to them. Just how Toni likes it.

Fatin, layered in jewelry and glitter makeup, is slung over an ottoman, looking very relaxed. And buzzed. She sways her head to the music.

Dot and Leah sit on either side of Fatin. Leah hugs a knee, leaning ever so slightly towards Fatin, a red solo cup of wine in her hand. Dot's chugging a beer. It's probably warm.

Nora's looking down at her cup, watching the liquid swirl as she moves it. Rachel watches her, almost a bit concerned that she's drinking in the first place. But she shrugs and leans back on her hands.

Toni sips from her third cup. Even with the crowd, she feels alone. She keeps drinking, knowing it will make her feel better. She coughs slightly, she never could take hard alcohol without a wince. And she needed hard alcohol. Especially today.

Feeling some of its effects, Toni's body finally relaxes. After a terrible week. Terrible? Was that the right word? She drinks again. Yes.

At least she's not drinking her money. She's drinking Fatin's. And shit, she's got a lot of it because that tequila is smooth.

"Never have I ever..." Fatin says, looking at the girls, enjoying that they are hanging on her every word. "...Been hit by a car."

Toni raises her eyebrows, she looks around to see who this was for, and Leah drops her head, and raises her drink.

"That'd be me, and screw you very much, Fatin," Leah grunts.

"You know I wish you would... but drink up, Ms. Insurance Liability," Fatin says with a smile.

"What the hell happened to you?" Rachel asks, genuinely surprised.

"A bad combination of heartbreak and earbuds on a dark, and seemingly empty street."

"Poetic as fuck, now drink," Fatin says.

Toni's lips curl into a smile, enjoying learning more about these girls. But she's finishing her cup and she needs more.

"Shit, I'm impressed, Leah," says Rachel. "Okay, so, never have I ever..."

Rachel thinks, squinting at the girls, thinking of something to hit them with, "...Been in love."

The whole vibe of the group nosedives. Like a plane.

Everyone drinks. And each girl has their own reaction. Leah bites hard on her lip, thinking of Jeff. Dot's knee bounces, thinking of her dad. Fatin rolls her eyes. Toni drinks, thinking of Regan, and Martha, because love can be platonic. Nora sniffs, thinking of Quinn, then glares at Rachel, angry.

Rachel looks away from her, having forgotten what that question would have elicited from her sister, so she drinks, too, but as a way to apologize. Not because she's been in love.

The other girls see Toni drink because she's still drinking, they are a bit surprised.

Dot raises her eyebrows and wants to investigate more. She starts, "Never have I ever..." and she looks at Toni, "kissed a boy."

The whole group groans, Toni decides to just down her whole cup, remembering any experience she ever had with a boy was as unhealthy as this tequila.

But even Nora takes a drink.

Fatin is astonished, "My God. Nora? Could it be true? With who?"

Rachel stiffens a bit. And so does Nora, who takes another sip to numb a flicker of pain.