Pocket Full of Posies

Chapter Thirty-Seven

   The bass thumped against my ribcage. The music—some hip hop song I didn't recognize—was so loud I was pretty sure my ears were bleeding. But apparently I was the only one who noticed or cared. Bodies swayed around me, somehow able to press against their dancing partners and hold onto their drinks.

It was a pre-spring break celebration. Why college kids couldn't just wait one more week to party, I would never know. But it was just the thing to do, apparently, and Alice insisted on going to this party. Evidently, this bar was susceptible to bribes and accepting fake IDs. Gotta love Nashville.

I hated to admit it, but I was actually enjoying myself. Alice and I hadn't been able to hang out much since school started. Like with Landon, ours was becoming a phone only friendship. We needed this girl's day out...plus Evan.

But I had a huge test Monday and even though it was Friday night, I worked most of tomorrow and had to study. So I was the unofficial designated driver. Alice, however, was not holding back. After a while, Evan joined in and before long they were almost unbearably drunk.

"Marley, dance with meeeee!" Alice begged, flailing her limbs around.

I laughed at her, hopping off the bar stool and ready to join her. In my pocket, my phone started going crazy. I held up my finger to Alice, "In a minute!" I yelled as I answered it while walking somewhere quieter.

"Okay, that's no fair, I need pre-spring break party," Landon pouted in my ear.

I grinned broadly. "But then you'd fail your test. Besides, I'm the DD."

"I'm so disappointed in you."

"Your friends are sloppy drunks."

"A, they're your friends now, too, and b why do you think I go to school in Massachusetts?"

I laughed at that, watching Alice somehow coerce Evan into dancing with her. "They are my friends." My smile grew watching them. I liked having friends again. And I'd really missed them in the business that our school lives brought.

"Okay, stop," Landon demanded. "You're making this week last even longer. Plus I can't really hear you. Go have fun, I was just making sure you were alive."

"Hit those books, mister," I ordered.

"Yes ma'am," he chided. "Go!"

"Fine! Bye!"

It was almost ridiculous how much more we'd been speaking on the fun. Most nights texting wasn't even enough. I'd lied so many times telling him I was staying up studying or closing at work just to talk to him. Especially after the whole Marlena incident last month, we'd been in constant contact—never not texting and calling about a dozen times a day when we could.

He was right—this week was going by so slow.

Alice had been a little sore when she realized Landon left without even seeing her, but after I'd filled her in on the drama she was completely understanding.

"God, he's such a knight," she'd sighed, shaking her head.

I was about to walk back their way but something stopped me. The music had changed—it wasn't so much fun music as it was...sexy. Alice and Evan were dancing like other couples in the room—dangerously close. For a minute, I just kind of watched them in amazement. They were so into it. I was like a crazed fangirl watching my ship unfold.

"Hey!" someone called.

If there was a chance they were talking to me—there so wasn't, I never came to Nashville except for a few concerts—I ignored them. My ship!