"Helloo!" Nina calls out and waves at the boys and we spot them at a table in the ambient bar. "Sorry we're late!" She goes in to hug George.
"Hey, Tati! It's been a while!" Adam smiles, bringing me into his body. "I'm glad you wanted to catch up."
"Yeah, it seemed like the right time to do so."
I look to Ross and he pulls me to him. "You've grown." He laughs, looking at me. "It's nice to see you." I smile and reply, "You too."
I look behind Ross to see Matty leaving Lionne, Adam and Ross having a conversation. "Hey, Matty." He brings me into a hug, and it's nice.
"Come sit with me." He takes my hand and we take a seat in the booth. The barrier at the end of the table was glowing blue, which seemed to be a theme in the dim bar. The others take their seat, George sits on the other side of me.
"What's up, Tati?"
"Nothing, yet." I laugh. He calls the bartender over for drinks. He ordered a round of shots for the table. I ordered a raspberry Vodka to go with it, of course. We throw back the shots all at once, it burns as it makes it way down my throat. Why do I do this to myself?
"Still can't get enough of the Vod, I see." Matty says beside me, I roll my eyes at him, tuning back in to George's fascinating story.
"I had to go pee so bad, so I get out the car and go up to this tree, right? And I've got my hand against this little weakling tree, and I'm out in all my glory. Next thing I know the tree has broken in half and I'm being taken with with! So I'm on the ground, on top of this tree, my pants around my ankles!" We all burst out in laughter.
"You do this to yourself, George, you dickhead!" Nina exclaims. George shrugs before loudly saying, "I think this calls for another round of shots. Everyone agree?"
"No." I say softly, of course no one hears me, and next minute in gulping down another tiny glass of vodka.
I need to watch my drinking, because about twenty minutes later I'm telling everyone an embarrassing story about Nina. She's laughing with everyone, but I know if she were sober, she would not be happy.
"She grabbed and was telling him how much she loved his work, then I look back and she's throwing up all over his shoes." Everyone laughed. "And then she used the silk scarf he gave her to wipe it off."
"That was the worst part!" Nina commented mid-laugh.
The noise from our table died down, we were just sitting, sipping on our drinks. I was feeling so light.
"Do you remember, like in 2010. When we used to just hang out all the time, and just have fun." Adam says.
"Not me, that's for sure." Lionne states as we laugh with her.
"Yeah, our lives were a lot more carefree back then" Ross sighs.
I look down, remembering back to those years. The boys used to come by and pick me and Nina up all the time. We used to just sit around, talking, laughing. Just having fun. Nowadays, life just seems to be going so fast. I'm working every day. I just constantly have so much on my mind, it's the same for all of us.
I feel warmth on my thigh, and I look down in my dazed state, realising it's Matty's hand. I look at him and smile slightly. I look at him and see him as this changed guy. He's not the same guy I knew for all those years. But, I think it's for the better.
I wave of slight queasiness washes over me and I excuse myself to go to the bathroom. When I'm there, I run my hand under cold water and press it against the back of my neck and chest. It always works. I use the toilet and open the door to walk out, startled as I spot Matty leaning against the wall in the small hallway leading to the bathrooms.
"Are you okay?" He walks over to me, holding on to my arms, looking slightly concerned. I feel very tipsy.
"I'm fine." I look at his arms as he lowers them to hold my hands. "Last time we were in this position, I was holding you, after you'd done a line in the bathroom." I laugh at myself, I feel ridiculous. "You were really fucked up, Matty. Why couldn't you tell me that when I met you?"
He sighs, "I guess that would have saved a lot of heartache."
"You've always been an asshole."
He smiles at his feet, "I know, and you'll never stop telling me that, will you?"
I shake my head and move closer towards him so our bodies are touching, my head on his shoulder. He let's go of my hands, putting his hand on my back.
"I'm sorry, Tati. But I'll never be sorry for bringing you into my life." He rubs my back, I feel a tear running down my face and onto his jacket. The jacket I made.
"Yeah." I said simply, pulling away from him, wiping away any evidence of tears. "Drunken emotions." I laugh uneasily, forcing myself to forget everything that happened just seconds ago. "Let's go back." I walk off hurriedly back to our booth.
I'm always walking away from everything. I should stop walking away from him.
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Just setting some ground before the story picks up xx hope you like!
