EUPHORIA | B. SAKA

• 18 •

Lianne is sitting alone in the corner of the bar, stirring a drink her sister handed her. She really regrets caving in. Instead of just sitting here while people, she doesn't know that well, dance the night away, she could've been at home with her parents.

Her sister has already tried to get her to dance twice, but to no avail. This really isn't her scene and she just wants to go home.

From the corner of her eye she sees Emile, Lily and Bukayo talking and sporadicly watch the lonely girl in the corner. Emile gives the other boy a little push and Bukayo starts walking in Lianne's direction.

"Hey Lianne," he greets her shyly. "Is this seat taken?" he gestures towards the seat next to her.

Lianne smiles back and signs that it's okay for him to sit down. Bukayo sits down next to her and an awkward silence settles, except for the music playing. Both are searching for the right words to say.

"You enjoying yourself?" Bukayo is the first to open his mouth.

"It's not really my scene," Lianne replies.

"I get it, I'm not always feeling it," the boy says. "Definetly with all those loved up people around."

The curly haired lets her gaze wander to the people Bukayo's talking about and she can see what he means. Lily's hanging around Emile's neck sitting at the bar. Kieran is dancing with the girl, Lianne once saw in the shop, and a lot of other couple have found their way on the dance floor, even her sister and her fiancé.

"Like you don't have a girl on every finger, you're footballer for god's sake," Lianne laughs, feeling her nerves disappear thanks to the drink her sister gave.

Bukayo chuckles softly. "Yeah no, one girl at all would be fine," he looks Lianne straight in the eyes and the girl can feel her cheeks heating up. "What about you? No boys lining up for you?"

"Do I look like the type boys line up for?"

"Well you're pretty and have great personality, so why not?"

Lianne's eyes widen at the comment and she doesn't know what to answer. Bukayo just called her pretty.

A relieved sigh slips past her lips when an arm gets thrown around her shoulder. "Come on sis, let's dance," Jasmine yells in her ear. The younger girl flinches a bit at the loudness of it.

She smiles apologetically at Bukayo and gets up from her chair. The boy watches her walk away. Once she's out of his sight, he looks down at his drink and starts sulking. Did he say something wrong? He was only telling the truth though. She's gorgeous.

"What did you say to her?" a voice asks and Bukayo looks up to see that Emile has taken a seat opposite him.

"Nothing, just called her pretty," the younger boy mumbles.

"Really?" Emile says surprised. "You go bro."