The Quest for Fireworks

A Little Party Never Killed Nobody

"You look freaking hot," Riley says as we stand in front of my bathroom mirror. She just finished my makeup and I have to admit, I do look freaking hot.
"I guess so," I say out loud because I'm still insecure AF. I give myself one more once over, still loving the outfit I picked out yesterday.
Riley looks like a model. I'll be surprised if she gets less than three numbers tonight and doesn't go home with someone. That thought provoked a vision of me also going home with someone but I can't make out who. Even my own imagination can't guess what could happen tonight.
"Ready?" I ask Riley as she lathers on another layer of lip gloss.
She rubs her lips together then puckers. "Let's party."
Our car is already waiting out front of my building when we come out. We climb in and the driver is playing Maluma, the best way to get any party started.
As we drive back toward the city, my nerves shoot through the roof. I'm excited and scared, happy and anxious. It's been a long time since I've been around this many people that are here solely for me. Some people that haven't seen me in months, maybe years.
I hear Riley talking next to me as she taps on her phone but I don't know what she's saying. I can't hear anything past the pulsing in my ears. Why am I doing this? What am I supposed to get out of this? I can't see it ending well unless I just refuse to drink but I know how much time and effort and money Riley has put into organizing specialty cocktails and a curated wine list I couldn't possibly get her to agree to me staying sober tonight. I'll just take it slow and eat often.
We pull up out front of the first bar, the Stratus, way faster than I expect. I don't even have time to take a deep breath before a car beeps its horn behind us and I have to scramble out and onto the sidewalk.
Riley comes around to stand next to me, still staring at her phone. "Ok, I need to find someone named Tiff, she's the one who set up our space on the rooftop."
Without looking up, she makes her way to the front door and up to the hostess desk.
I follow behind her and as soon as I step through the doorway I hear, "happy birthday, Avery!"
My best friends from high school, Sierra, Aria and Megan are here with balloons and gift bags and huge smiles. I haven't seen them in so long and my mood shifts at the sight of their familiar faces.
I rush over and hug them all at the same time and tell them how much I missed them.
"We miss you too," Sierra says. "It hasn't been the same without you holding us down."
"I'm really sorry I haven't been around it's just been-,"
Aria cuts me off. "Do not apologize. We understand and we're just happy you're back."
Their smiles are so sincere and I struggle hard to hold back tears. I don't deserve their kindness after completely cutting them off to give all of my energy to something so toxic.
"And happy you're happy," Megan says. "I mean, you are right?"
"Happier than I've been in a long time," I say.
They all make noises that express their excitement. "You have to fill us in on everything post breakup," Sierra says.
"Well, things have only started getting interesting the last couple months."
Riley calls my name and waves to the girls before gesturing for all of us to follow her.
"Interesting how?" Aria asks as we make our way toward a staircase.
"Like I may have a friend with benefits and I hooked up with two different people in the same week," I say quickly, hoping they didn't hear me over the music playing.
They all gasp and I know they've heard me. "Who?" They ask in unison. I missed the odd way we always say the same things at the same time. I'm glad time apart didn't change that.
"They'll be here tonight," I say and we emerge onto the rooftop where there's couches and tables and fire pits blazing.
"Both of them?" Megan asks.
I nod. "And a new guy I might be crushing on."
"Damn, Ave. Good for you," Aria says.
"It's like an episode of the bachelorette up in here," Sierra says as we approach an area with a long table that has a reserved card on it.
"And there's going to be fireworks at the end," Riley says though no one understands except me.
"Ok," Riley continues. "This is our area tonight, the menus were specifically chosen and our wait staff has been educated so when you order The Avery they'll know what you're talking about. We have this table and the couch over there, bathrooms are downstairs."
"That's dangerous," Sierra mutters. Everyone laughs and we all find seats.
The menu is completely personalized, everything has a name. A drink named after me and a drink named after my dog. Regular food items have been given the names of my favorite things, Harry Styles and Brie Larson for example.
Without me having to ask, a waiter comes to the table and places a glass in front of me. "It's the Avery," Riley tells me. "Basically a tequila sunrise with a slight twist."
"What's the twist?" I ask.
"Extra tequila," Riley says with a smile.
I shake my head and take a sip. There's definitely an extra kick to it but it's delicious.
"So, spill," Sierra says. "Before the mystery lovers get here."
Aria and Megan lean closer to me after ordering their drinks. Riley's off somewhere doing who knows what. I look around to make sure no one else is coming.
"Ok well there's Corinne from high school, remember her?"
"Corinne Prescott? Uh of course we remember her, smoking hot track star," Aria says.
"Yeah, we've been hooking up for a little while. Things got kind of weird for a second but judging from a few days ago I'd say we're better now."
"Corinne is your fuck buddy? Wow, I'm jealous," Megan says. She's always had a crush on Corinne.
"I mean, that's all it is though. And technically we only had sex once and it was this last time. She's, like, super respectful but also confusing? I don't know what we are, really."
"If you've got Corinne, who else do you need?" Sierra asks.
"Well, there's this girl Dakota I met in college. We started talking back then but then I got into a relationship and I couldn't talk to her anymore. We stayed friends mainly just online, liking each other's posts and what not but she's always been intriguing to me. Once I got over the breakup a few months ago, she was the first person I went on a date with. She's not a good person and I could never be in a relationship with her but we did have sex last week."
"I don't know who you are," Aria says, "but I like it. I'm proud of you for putting yourself out there and letting yourself just live."
"Me too," I say quickly, not allowing myself to cry and ruin my makeup.
"What about the boy?" Megan asks.
Something catches my eye and I turn my head toward the staircase where I see Jordan coming up the stairs.
I don't feel myself respond but somehow I must because Sierra says, "oh, he's here."
I stand up to meet him halfway when I realize Dakota is walking next to him. Of course she is, they came together. I fix my smile and take a deep breath.
"Hi," I say once I'm close enough. "You made it." I try to look at both of them but I don't think I look away from Jordan. He somehow looks cuter even though his outfit is almost identical to the last one, tight jeans and a button up short sleeve shirt. His eyes shine behind his glasses with the reflection of a flame in the distance.
"Of course we did," Dakota says, breaking my gaze and pulling me in for a hug. I hug her back quickly but she holds me for a few seconds too long.
I step back as Jordan steps up to take Dakota's place. "Thanks for coming," I say, breathing in his scent, letting him hold me for as long as he wants.
"Wouldn't miss it," he replies, his voice filling a space left empty since the last time I heard it.
I let go and lead them to our table. I give them the mini version of Riley's speech since she's still nowhere to be found and they sit at the table across from the girls. Dakota sits closer to me and though for some reason the sight of her does make my cheeks feel hot, I wish Jordan were closer.