𝐜𝐫𝐲𝐢𝐧' 𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐥𝐨𝐮𝐝 ─────⋆⋅★𝘥𝘳𝘦𝘸 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘬𝘦𝘺

𝟏𝟖. 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐠𝐚𝐦𝐞 𝐛𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐬

As the sprinter van rumbled along the dimly lit streets, Madelyn leaned back in her seat, extending the 'o' in her sentence with a playful drawl. "Sooo..." she began, her tone laced with mischief. "What do you wanna do tonight? We could stay in, do face masks..."

Suki turned her head slowly, eyes narrowing as she shot her friend a look that screamed, Girl, be for real. "Mads," she said, voice dripping with sass, "I wanna get drunk and dance on a table." A sly grin spread across her face as she stuffed her lip gloss back into her bag. "I haven't seen you in five months. Party first, debrief later."

Madelyn burst out laughing, eyes crinkling at the edges as Suki grabbed her arm and pulled her into a hug, both of them giggling like teenagers on a sleepover. The kind of laugh that makes you feel like the world outside doesn't exist, just the two of you, sharing the moment.

"Okay, good!" Madelyn squealed, her voice rising with excitement. "Because I kinda promised the rest of the cast that they'd get to party with you tonight."

Suki raised an eyebrow, the smile still on her lips, but there was curiosity dancing behind her eyes. "The rest of the cast?"

"Not Drew," Madelyn was quick to clarify, her hand shooting out to squeeze Suki's reassuringly. She bit her lip, her voice softening like she was skirting a minefield. "But Rudy, JD, and Madison have been dying to see you again."

Suki's grin widened, but this time, there was a glimmer of relief. "Sounds fun. As long as they know how to party." She leaned back, sliding her sunglasses down onto her nose, a knowing smirk playing on her lips.

Madelyn's eyes sparkled as she winked. "Oh, they do."

Suki raised her brow, a slow, teasing gesture as she licked her lips. "Yeah, but do they know how to party our way?" she asked, her voice low and almost conspiratorial. The kind of tone that held promises of a wild, unforgettable night.

Madelyn grinned, slinging her arm around Suki's shoulders as they stepped out of the van, trying to make a quick dash through the hotel lobby without catching too much attention. "Tonight," she whispered, squeezing Suki's arm, "we're finally gonna get you that iconic mugshot that's been missing from your Wikipedia page."

Suki threw her head back in laughter, her whole body vibrating with the sound. "About time!" she shouted as they both dashed into the elevator, high on the thrill of a night they hadn't even lived yet. 

The doors slid shut, and they shared a glance, the kind of look between best friends that didn't need words. The kind of look that said, Whatever happens tonight, we're in it together.

When they reached Suki's suite, she kicked off her heels and collapsed onto the plush couch, Madelyn flopping down beside her, already rummaging through the mini-bar like she owned the place. "Okay, first," Mads said, tossing a bottle of champagne into Suki's lap, "we pop this."

Suki caught it easily, her eyes gleaming as she untwisted the cork. "And then," she said, a wicked grin spreading across her face, "we show South Carolina how we get down."

The neon sign of The Salty Dog flickered lazily in the humid, sticky night air as the sprinter van pulled to a slow stop outside. It was a place that had seen better days—weathered brick, faded paint—an unassuming dive bar that could have easily gone unnoticed. But not tonight. Not with her here.

Inside, regulars nursed their drinks in old leather booths, scattered around the bar like they did every other Thursday night. But something had shifted. The air itself felt charged, like static before a storm. It wasn't just the heat. It was her. 

The moment Suki's heels hit the pavement, it was like the universe took a collective breath and held it.

From behind the tinted windows of the van, Suki could feel it, that familiar hum.