Pinky Promise [on hold]

thirteen

In my 15 minute break, I call CC to check up on them. We talked a bit and Nola was thrilled by the fact that she could stay up later than usual.

I place my phone back in the back pocket of my jeans. Time for bartending. I love bartending. Mixing drinks, hearing crazy stories.

Alex told me that she scheduled herself to bartend at the same time as me so she can see how I work and help me with some things. She said she'll handle one side of the bar and I the other side.

After serving some drinks I spot someone familiar in the big crowd. Isn't that Vincent's girlfriend? Dancing on, who's that? Oh, nevermind. That's Vincent. They're cute together. I wish I could have something like that someday. It's not very likely though.

RIVER

A girl with strawberry blond hair and skimpy clothes walks up to me. "Hey handsome." She strokes my bicep. 

"Sorry, 'm not interested." I don't even look at her when I say it, instead I look for Veronica in the crowd. Where did she run off to? She gets drunk very easily and does all kinds of stupid stuff she regrets the morning after. One time- 

"So, what do you say?" Huh?

The strawberry blond is still here and looking at me through her ridiculously long lashes. 

"Why are you still here?" I shift my eyes back to the crowd again. Where is she? The girl is about to say something else but I walk away. I care for Veronica and if something happens to her.. I clench my fists.

There are Vincent and Amelia. Maybe they know where she is. I tap Amelia on her shoulder. "Do you know where Veronica is?" 

"What?" I bring my mouth closer to her ear. "Do you know where Veronica is?" 

"I think I saw her at the bar." I nod at her as a thank you and walk over to the bar.

The guy bartender from earlier is replaced by two women. One has a dark complexion and twists in her hair and the other has brown hair and back to me. She kinda looks like-

I shake of the thought. Why is that girl in my mind all of a sudden?

A girl throws herself into my arms. I smell roses and a lot of booze. Veronica.

"River! I met this really cute guy and then he bought me a drink but I never had it before and it had a weird taste and he had really nice arms and pretty rings and-" 

"Hey, Ver. Calm down. What did you say about that drink." I'm fuming inside but try to stay calm for Veronica's sake.

"Omg. I could kill for some orange juice right now. Some people think apple juice is better but orange juice is far more superior." 

My anger calms down a bit and I inwardly smile. "Let's get you home." 

"What? But I have to see the pretty rings one more time. River!" She sticks her bottom lip out to me.

"No, we're going home." 

Her eyes widen. "No, no, nope, nah ah. Can't do that sir." 

I sigh. "We're not going to your house. My mom isn't home so we're going to mine."

"That is so nice of you." She tears up. "That means so much to me."

"Hey, hey. Don't cry. Please don't cry." 

She shakes her head. "You're right. I shouldn't cry. You know why?" 

I shake my head. 

"BECAUSE BAD BITCHES DON'T CRY! PURR!" She yells. Very close to my ear. Holy shit, ow.

"PERIOD!" Some girl yells back. Veronica lets out a loud laugh. 

"Let's go Ver." 

"YES!" 

I cringe. "I'd very much appreciate it if you didn't scream in my ear all the time."

"Sorry Riv." 

"It's okay. Now, let's go."

We walk to Vincent and Amelia. "Vince, I am gonna take her home." I jerk my head towards Veronica. "Can I take your car?" 

"Yeah, of course. We'll just take a cab." He gives me his keys and Ver and I make our way out of the club and into the car.

Veronica plops down in her seat and I fasten her seatbelt. I close the door and walk to the other side before getting in myself.

"Why are oranges called oranges when they're not even orange but tangerine? And what about tangerines? They are orange and not tangerine. Why is that Riv?" Ver asks me while I fasten my seatbelt. 

"I don't know Ver."

I place my hand on the back of her seat and look behind us as I reverse the car out of the parking space. 

"You know that I haven't been driving ever since-" 

"I know. Let's not talk about it right now." I clench my teeth.

"You're right." She jawns. "But you know that I'm very sorry right I never meant to-" 

"I know Ver. It wasn't your fault. And-" I look at her. She fell asleep. I sigh. I never wanna think about that day ever again.

~

I park the car in  my driveway and step out. I close my door and walk over to Veronica's side. I open her door and take her seatbelt off. She's still asleep when I lift her and lock the car. I walk to my front door and open it with my keys. I close the door behind me and take Veronica to my room. I lay her in my bed and walk to my ensuite. I grab some makeup wipes and wipe her makeup off.

I remove her shoes and place my blanket on her. I was halfway to the door when she stirs. "Will you lay with me?" She asks in a groggy voice. 

"I have to do something first but I'll be back."

I close my bedroom door and walk to the kitchen. I normally don't drink. I really don't. I grab a bottle of scotch. I take a glass out of the cabinet and fill it with the scotch. I shake my head, bring the glass to my lips and swallow all of the content at once. Except for times like these.

When the memories are too much to deal with while being sober.