PHONE SWAP | drew starkey

20: IN TOWN

Me | 2:43pm
you in town on saturday?

Drew | 2:47pm
should be
Drew | 2:47pm
What's up?

Me | 2:48pm
Soooooooo
Me | 2:48pm
our lil ginger french brit is having a bday party 👀
Me | 2:49pm
It's not a BIG big thing more like a kinda lowkey party
Me | 2:49pm
but she and I were wondering if you wanna come!!!
Me | 2:49pm
It's just a few of our friends and us, you know how small our apartment is hahahaha

Drew | 2:50pm
Yeah actually that sounds pretty good!!
Drew | 2:50pm
but I'm gonna need your help with a gift 😂

Me | 2:51pm
Got you covered buddy
Me | 2:51pm
Time to whip out the Marianne list!!

◇

Addie has her head deep in the fridge, looking for a can of Ale-8-One she'd put somewhere for Iona, when the faint doorbell rings through the music. Her initial reaction is to look around, but most people are in the living room so it's harder to figure out who hasn't arrived yet. Marianne is faster, though, already springing to her feet with a dismissive wave.

  'I think she's got it,' says Iona.

  'Of course. Ah! there it is!' Addie sticks her hand into the fridge, maneuvering around the groceries until her fingers wrap around a cold can, and she pulls it out. 'Here. I'll go check if Marianne needs a hand.'

  Iona gives her one of those don't-you-think-that's-a-bit-unnecessary kind of looks, with a gentle sigh, and Addie glances at the entrance into the kitchen. It's packed with people – granted, that only constitutes about three or more people being in the kitchen with them. Their apartment feels like a sold-out concert hall when there's more than a dozen people in it. Addie sees the back of Holden's shirt as he chats to Marrianne's boyfriend, Tom, and yet another Brit the couple managed to pluck out of the middle of Atlanta – Gregor. They seem preoccupied with the conversation – Addie runs over the guest list in her head. Everyone's already here except for one person.

  'I'll be right back,' she tells Iona.

  Addie makes her way through the kitchen squeezing through the boys with quiet apologies, drowned out by the loud guitar riffs of the Strokes coming from the speaker. Holden's fingers brush against the small of her back as she passes him. There's a smile on his face that makes his eyes shimmer, and she returns it all the same. The ghost of his touch lingers on her skin as she leaves the kitchen.

  The living room is where the action is, with most of her and Marianne's friends sprawled over the couch and cushions thrown around the linoleum floor, but Addie makes her way into the hallway. There is the birthday girl herself, talking in a very animated fashion with one of her arms still slung over a slightly-startled Drew's shoulder. Addie feels her fingers unclenching and lips stretching into a smile as she approaches them, locking eyes with the boy.

  'I'm glad you finally found the time to join us.'

  Drew grins. 'I'm not that late, am I?'

  'A little.' Addie's arms wrap around him for a few moments; he smells like the forest in Quebec where Addie went on a holiday with her friends once. 'We weren't expecting any less.'

  'Ouch.'

  Marianne steps between the two of them. Her hands are crossed on her chest and the slightly accusatory and mildly dubious tilt to her chin isn't making the protruding gaze she is serving both of them any kinder. 'Addie told you what to get me.'