Citrus [completed]

Chapter 6

There is a long line outside the Bar. The music is blasting out of the bar loudly, people are stumbling in and out of the bar with a not too picky bouncer doing his job. Some people cling to the walls of the club, trying their hardest not to fall over, and I intentionally avoid looking at them for too long. I grab my phone again and make another quick call to Eden that we're here. It doesn't take long for him to squeeze past the bouncer, leaning in to whisper a few words to him. Eden almost skips to us happily.

"Oh, great. You didn't drive her away." He tells me in greeting.

I flash him the finger, "A thanks would be appreciated," I leaned into Eden and whispered, "She would have been wandering in circles without me." During our walk, Vanessa had claimed she knew where we were headed. I had let her lead for two minutes before she tried turning down the wrong street.

Vanessa scoffs loudly, unbothered, "One wrong turn doesn't mean I don't know where I'm going," Eden and I share a glance but stay quiet. I could point out that it would be in the definition of not knowing where I'm going, but I was diplomatic.

Eden "Well you're here now and the party can start!" I make a sound of disbelief because I know Eden and Blair have already started pregame on their own time.

"I'm not much of a party person, but I'll give it my best shot," Vanessa shares as we begin towards the bouncer.

"You chose the wrong people to make friends with Nessa," I laugh at the thought. She stops dead, causing me to jerk behind her to avoid running into her. Eden doesn't and he clips my shoulder. Vanessa jerks toward me.

She's at a loss for words, "What did you call me?" I squint at her for a few seconds before realizing I had called her something other than Vanessa. It had come on the spur of the moment. Pondering over the new name, I discovered I liked it. It differed from Vanessa. Something new and informal, something that I would have originally thought wouldn't have applied to Vanessa. I was quickly learning Vanessa wasn't a strictly formal person. With a decisive nod, I decided that it would fit her.

"Nessa. I've given you a nickname." I say as I pull on a loose strand of hair near her shoulder.

"I think it's cute." Eden chips in.

When Vanessa continues to stare off to the side, I brushed my shoulder into hers like we had done on our walk over. Her eyes focused on me. "If you don't like the nickname idea, I won't do it," I told her. The last thing I wanted was to make her uncomfortable, "I can call you whatever you like."

"No," Vanessa blurted. The force in her denial had me jerk back slightly. "You can call me whatever..." She trailed off as she looked towards the bar again and then at Eden who was watching the interaction. His hawk eyes quickly passed over me and Vanessa in turns. Whatever he saw caused him to smile wide and throw his arms around both of our shoulders.

"Will you be drinking with us, Vanessa?" Eden asks, already planning what to order for her.

Vanessa snorts again, her nose wrinkling, "Nothing too hard." If she got a hangover easily, it would be a good idea to never go drinking with Blair and Eden, who acted like every drink was the last one on earth.

Eden groans up towards the sky like he's being spitted by God, "Oh no. Not another lightweight. Lord send me one friend who can drink their weight in liquor,"

We squeeze our way back inside the bar. If the Viper was slow, it was because everyone was here. It was hard to move farther into the bar. The air was hot and sticky as the dim lights flashed. "It smells like something died in here." I simmered.

Eden looked almost too proud when he looked back at me. "The death of self-respect."

🍋

"Do not party with this woman," I exclaimed while pointing at Blair, "I saw Blair with a water bottle and it was only after four sips I realize it's not water, it was vodka." I share. Instead of showing sympathy, they all burst into laughter.