Everly.

Rounds.

We had now been spending almost every available moment together, showing her schools, and different parts of the city to hang around. We ventured to museums, and libraries, ate at almost every restaurant we could get into. Everyone seemed quite surprised when I started bringing her to the bars with my friends and myself. People coming up introducing themselves, trying to get as much information from her as possible. They probably couldn't understand what she was doing with a guy like myself, and I don't blame them. "Hey! Can we get another round over here man!" Trenton shouted across the bar in his ridiculous accent, that had always seem to have attracted all the girls. "Tonight, we celebrate. Welcome to the city, new friend, may your nights be less shit filled than ours! Now drink!" We all swallowed down the horrible acetone tasting liquor. "I am still so overwhelmed, I can't believe I up and left my home, my friends, my family, to be here. It's so liberating!" The alcohol seemed to have more of an effect on her this evening, and I was actually enjoying it. Watching her let loose, talking to my friends, who had now become her friends too. "It can only get better from here pretty lady." Nolan winked her way, quickly switching the conversation when noticing my glare across the table. I knew she was a beauty, everywhere we had gone men had tried to hit on her. She doesn't even realize it either, she's so carefree, and naive to the idea. She doesn't know just how much I admire every inch of her, the way the body forms together to create such a marvelously beautiful human being. I was lucky to even be near her I felt. 

"Jameson, what happened to Kyla?" She said curiously across the table. Kyla was one of the gals she had been hanging with when she first came to visit. Long black hair, tall and lanky. She wasn't bad to look at, but she was lacking any personality in my opinion. " She had to pick up an extra shift tonight, but if we stay out late enough she said she would meet up with us." They continued the useless conversation while I made my way to the bar to get another round for the group. "I like your new lady friend, Hayden." The smooth voice says from behind the bar, I knew there was a reason I wanted to avoid this area tonight. "Hey Cara, yeah...thanks." I show no emotion toward her. "She really is a doll, sweetie, I'm glad ya found someone to put up with your antics." I grab the drinks and throw her the money without taking a second look. She laughs from behind the bar, "Thanks love!"  

"Who was that Hayden?" Everly says before I can even get the drinks to the table. "No one, just some usual bartender here. She just knows us from coming here a lot." She doesn't seem convinced. "Hmm..okay well, I want another shot then. I'll go get it this time." She says putting her hand out like I owe her something. I laugh, "You're cute... I'll go get them." "Not unless I can come with you." She sure is stubborn. "Hey! this rounds on me guys!" Nolan yells and runs to the bar before I can even argue back at her. Well that was easy enough. "I am not convinced, and I find out everything, just so you know." She says before downing about half of her drink. Tonight is going to be a long one, I already know it. 

Six shots in, and I think Everly is about one shot shy of alcohol poisoning, so I call it an evening for us. "You know, you can be honest with me, I'm not a baby or anything.." She slurs her words at me. I am trying here, okay? But in all honesty, there are just some things I would rather stay hidden. The fact that I have probably been with majority of the girls our age in this side of town is one of them.  "There is nothing to talk about, I promise, now lets get you home and in bed." "Fine." She attempts to stomp, but mostly stumbles away. Once I finally get her to agree to lay in bed with me, she dozes off within minutes and I am left here to sulk in my own guilt. I try to enjoy every chance I get to lay next to her, even when she is completely out of it, but I can't help but let my thoughts overcome me. I decide to take a walk in the cool night air, in hopes that it'll drain some of the darkness from my mind. 

I seem to make it all the way back to my apartment just in time to catch up with Jameson, Nolan and Trenton stumbling in for the night. I follow behind up into the apartment, and crack open a new bottle of Whiskey. We sit and  bullshit for about an hour before they too decide they are about one shot away from alcohol poisoning and call it quits. I, on the other hand, am no where near drunk enough to drown out the memories flooding my head, so I continue to drink into the early hours of the morning. SLAP! "Fucking what the fuck!" I yell barely able to lift my head or open my eyes. "What in the hell is your problem! Skipping our date, and here I find you passed out wreaking of whiskey and sleeping until mid afternoon!" FUCK. "I am so sorry Everly, I swear it was an accident. I just couldn't sleep, and I thought maybe a little more to drink would help, I don't even remember passing out." I am being very honest here, I really don't. "Well, now the day is ruined and you are the only one to blame. When you decide to get up and clean yourself up, then you can come find me and I may consider listening to what you have to say." She stomps out of the room, slamming the door behind her. That did nothing for my already aching head. Nolan slips in, "Hey man here is some aspirin, and damn whatever you did to her, you sure have a lot of making up to do, so you better get up and get started." Yeah thanks man, like having her humiliate me wasn't enough. I finally get enough energy to crawl out of bed, and make my way toward the shower. Damn, I really do wreak of whiskey, and it is awful.  I can't even blame her for how upset she is, and I hope she will forgive me for this. I am not really good at apologies, so I know I have to come up with something good.