Adrenaline

49 | the show goes on pt. i

"Besties!" I scream before running over to Maverick and Everleigh.

Whoever's idea it was to have a movie-themed cocktail party is either a genius or the worst person alive. I had planned to make two drinks; that is no longer the case because the second is gone. My friends will have to hold themselves over with my "Swamp Water" Midori sours that have tiny Shrek ears attached to either side of the glass.

Maverick and Everleigh add their drinks—"You Mean As Friends?" virgin mimosas with a yellow hair tie around the stem that looks like Paulie Bleeker's headband and"Billy Loomis" bloody mary with a knife food pick for the olives. Between Brendon's "Ka-chow!" cherry-infused moonshine with cut-outs of McQueen's eyes, Seira's "Dinosaurs Eat Man" blue cocktail with mini dinosaur toys floating below a splash grenadine, Jun's "The Rum Isn't Gone" cocktail with one of the nine pieces of eight and steering wheel straw, and Lauren's "RIP Grandpa" pina colada that has an orange peel cut into the shape of the sun, we're stacked.

Maverick is surprised when I embrace him instead of Everleigh.

"You're supposed to hug me back, you artichoke," I scold.

He doesn't move. "I'm trying to figure out if you're drunk enough you just missed Everleigh—"

"I'm....not not drunk but I'm saying hi to my best friend. Obviously."

He slowly returns the hug with some caution. "Hi, Stevie."

As soon as that's done, I push him away. "But I will be spending the rest of the night with your girlfriend. Hi, Everleigh! Drinks!"

"Hiya!" she replies. "I love you! I have drinks too!"

"I love you, oh my god." I tug her hand. "Please, come try some swamp water and check out my super cool record collection."

She follows my lead while Maverick shakes his head. A weird coincidence that his apartment in Windsor was stripped bare of all his records while mine grew exponentially after I returned from my trip to Canada.

Brendon walks over. "Need help with anything, Mav?"

"What's your favorite airline? Thinking about booking an Edinburgh ticket for tonight."

"Actually, it's—"

Everleigh pokes one of the Shrek ears and giggles.

"If you two go anywhere, I will hunt you down."

"That's if you can stand up after our next couple of trips to the cocktails."

"I have Jenny on speed dial." I lean toward her. "Everleigh, I have every single record from The Smiths. Isn't that so cool?"

She smiles. "That is amazing. Please show me everything."

"I'm going back to the car," Maverick says.

Everleigh tries to whisper, but it comes out like she's holding a megaphone. "It's because he left the dog there to surprise you but wants you to think he's leaving."

His eyes go wide. "Oh my god?"

I snicker. "What a sucker. I don't know why we let him get such a big ego about his acting. It's not that good."

"No dog for you," he says. "I'm taking a nap in the car."

"No gatekeeping her stepson," Everleigh tells him. Women supporting women. "She has a legal right."