Page 110 of All Your Firsts

I walk to the counter and beckon a bartender over, eager to place an order to make me forget.

Shot after shot goes down like a harsh prayer, beseeching my mind to have amnesia until further notice.

I ask for my fourth, but the bartender declines my request at my brother’s orders. I roll my eyes before telling him sorry and thank you. It’s not his fault my brother is a killjoy.

One of my favorite songs comes on, and my legs take me to the dance floor without a second thought. I close my eyes and moveto the music. The alcohol hits my bloodstream, making me feel warm and relaxed.

At that moment, I make a promise to release all the negativity burdening and suffocating me.

My broken heart.

Shattered dreams.

Unknown future.

One song fades into another as my body glides around the dance floor with ease. My mind feels lighter than it has all week.

A guy comes up to dance with me. He has a friendly smile from what I can see besides the fangs. He’s two steps away from touching me when the babysitter I totally forgot existed intercepts him.

“Sorry, Dracula...” I giggle, and my babysitter turns around and looks down at me with caramel-colored eyes.

Twenty-Six

Vic

Here we are again, a full circle moment. She’s dressed in a costume that has me unable to look away while I’m hiding behind a mask. But there’s nowhere I’d rather be.

It’s been pure fucking torture to be on the sidelines while watching guys eye-fuck the shit out of her all night. After the last fucker came up to her, I decided the game was over.

She goes still as she takes me in. I’ve missed this look on her face. The one that tells me she doesn’t know whether she wants to kiss me or kill me.

She turns around to storm away, but I grab her. My front molds to her back. My arms wrap around her.

“I’ve missed you, baby,” I say as I inhale. Her sweet scent fills the air, and I close my eyes, savoring the memory of her smell.

“What are you doing here?”

“Watching you.”

She huffs, “I should’ve known it was you. You’re good atdeceiving me.”

She attempts to pull away, and the thought drives me mad.

“Please don’t pull away.”

“Why, Vic?”

“Because I’ve been dreaming about holding you since you ran.”

“Then why haven’t you said anything?”

“Because I was giving you time.”

“Time to what?”

To come back to me.

“I-I don’t know,” I say with a sigh.

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