Inevitable (Book One)

Chapter 45

Lyla

I send a text to Shawn letting him know that we are heading out to the bar as I pile into one of the three cars with a few of my cousins. When we arrive at the bar, it is surprisingly more packed then last year, the crowd filling up the dance floor already. We all weave our way up to the bar and one of my older cousins, Justin, orders a round of tequila shots for everyone. I take mine and wince as it burns down my throat and settles in my stomach. I quickly order a beer to wash the taste down. I chug the first half of the bottle until I no longer can taste any trace of tequila. The crew of my family that I arrived with of about fifteen people start to break off into smaller little groups. Two of my female cousins who are the same age as me drag me out to the dance floor before I have a chance to decide if I even want to join them.

I finish the rest of my beer and can feel the alcohol starting to take effect as I dance for a few songs before we all need another drink and push our way back up to the bar. This bar was the go to spot for me last year at college. Most Friday and Saturday nights we would end up here. It's an Irish pub, but they play a good mix of dance music throughout the night to keep the dance floor packed. I order another beer and my cousin, Cassie, orders the three of us an after eight shot, her explanation being that it tastes like a candy cane so it's festive. I take the shot and admit it's better than the tequila. I feel my phone vibrating in my back pocket and I pull it out to see an unknown caller calling. I hit ignore and this time I'm the one dragging the girls back to the dance floor.

We run into a group of guys that my two cousins start to dance with. I watch on amused as they start pulling out some crazy dance moves. Power to them, they're single. One of the guys tries to get me to dance with him but I decline and he doesn't push it and moves onto some other girl on the dance floor. I decide to leave my cousins with their new dance partners for now and head back to the bar. I pull my phone out and see a text from Rachel letting me know that her and Paige are here. The message is from about ten minutes ago. I reply and let them know I'm at the bar as I try to scan the crowd for them. I hear someone shouting my name over the music and turn around to see them both making their way to me. We hug when they reach me and all wish each other a Merry Christmas.

Paige orders us a round of tequila shots. Here we go again. This one goes down easier, probably a sign I should slow down but the hell with it, I'm having fun. We all get a round of beers and head to the dance floor. I am sweating and loving every second of this night. Being with my two best friends again feels like no time has passed. I even praise myself for not thinking about Shawn in the last hour. Well, until now. My friends and I twirl and spin each other around, laughing as we dance away. We take a break a few songs later and I make the decision it's my turn to order a round and I go with tequila, thinking it wasn't so bad the last round. We all throw back our shots, giggling away with one another as we leave the bar again.

I feel my phone vibrating again, unknown caller appears on the screen when I pull it out and I ignore it feeling annoyed that these stupid calls have started again and are putting a damper on the fun night I'm having. Rachel and Paige beg me to introduce them to some of my guy cousins sitting at a table off the dance floor that they find hot. I roll my eyes playfully but feeling in a giving mood I lead them over and introduce everyone. The guys don't seem to mind either as they start chatting up my friends.

Rachel eventually convinces the guys to join us on the dance floor and we head back out. After a few songs I need to use the washroom. I look over at my friends and they are both completely wrapped up in their dance partners, each paired up with one of my cousins. I smile and feel a pang of jealousy that Shawn isn't here for me to dance with, but I don't want to interrupt them and decide to head to the washroom by myself.