𝐍𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐂𝐚𝐥𝐥 - 𝐛.𝐞

6 -

(POV DINA)

The next day, I finally have a day off. Kate's out working at that little café about ten minutes from the apartment, while I'm having the most productive day possible, which basically means lying on the couch like a total mess, watching Prison Break in my pajamas with a cup of cold tea abandoned on the coffee table. Just as I'm totally engrossed in an episode, my phone buzzes, lighting up with a message from Kate.

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Kate
"Yo, wanna go out tonight?"

Dina
"Ughh, girl, I open the shop tomorrow at 9:30."

Kate
"Big deal, I start at 7:30."

Dina
"Are you trying to get fired again ?? Dumbass."

Kate
"Relax, I got this. So, you in?"

Dina
"You're so annoying."

Kate
"Just drink light, and we won't stay out late. Promise."

Dina
"I'm weak..."

Kate
"YES! 8 p.m. at Alex's. We'll get ready when I get home."

----

I let my phone drop next to me and go back to my show. A few hours and way too many episodes later, Kate finally comes back, her uniform wrinkled and cheeks pink from the cold. She raises her eyebrows at me and bursts out laughing.

"Seriously, you haven't moved all day?"

"I've done absolutely nothing," I say, stifling a yawn, "except watch Scofield for five hours."

"I'll let it slide, you perv," she says, shaking her head as she heads into the bathroom.

Behind the closed door, her voice echoes, "Hope Clement's there tonight."

I roll my eyes, knowing exactly what that means. Clement... the ex with a capital E, the one she's gotten back together with and broken up with at least twenty times. Not to mention they've both cheated on each other, a complete mess.

"So you want him to break your heart again?"

Her answer comes back without hesitation: "No, I want him to break something else tonight."

I shake my head. I know her too well, and all I can do is hope she comes out of it without too much damage.

----

Half an hour later, we're ready, dressed, and made up for the night. A taxi drops us off in front of Alex's place, and we can already hear the music blasting through the walls, promising a good time.

As soon as we step in, Alex slips through the crowd toward us. Alex is... like an angel who fell out of a book, as if he was dreamed up by a woman writer. We met him in college, and since then, he's been like a brother to Kate and me. He's always there, always listening, never judging. He hugs us both, one at a time.

"There they are, the stars of the night!" he says with a smile.

A little further away, Scott notices us and waves. Scott is the ladies' man of the group, the guy who hits on anything that moves, including Kate and me at first. But one "no" from us, and he turned into something else, a real friend.

He comes over and gives us our usual fist bump.

"Hey, how's it hanging?"

"Always good, man," I reply with a grin. "Ready to dominate at beer pong?"

"Always, babe!" he laughs.

We join the rest of the group in the living room, where Sophie, Alex's girlfriend, greets us shyly. She's sweet, though her shyness can sometimes hold back the vibe a bit between us all. There are a few other familiar faces too, "party friends" we only see at nights like this.

The party picks up quickly. There are more than twenty of us, and I try to drink moderately to avoid too much pain tomorrow morning. But I know myself... So, Scott and I team up for the night's beer pong tournament.

I elbow him for motivation.

"You ready? We're gonna wreck them!"

"Fired up! Start us off, champ."

Game after game, everyone else gets annihilated. The room fills with our victory screams, and when we finally win the finals, I jump into his arms, shouting, "We're freaking legends!"

The night goes on, and we gather around a table for a simple but ruthless card game, every lost round means downing your drink. Barely a few cards in, I'm stuck with the worst hand possible. Scott gives me a smirk.

"Bottoms up, Dina! Starting strong."

I roll my eyes and empty my glass. "I hate you all!"

After losing a few more rounds, my luck finally turns. I glance triumphantly at my hand and look over at Kate.

"So, babe, this one's for you!" I say, holding out a glass with a smirk.

She groans, taking the glass with a fake scowl. "If I get fired tomorrow, it'll be your fault, you witch."

I laugh, then decide to keep the streak going and turn to a guy Alex had briefly introduced us to earlier. Skeet, tall with a grin that's clearly been a hit tonight.

"And Skeet," I say with a wink, "your turn, handsome."

He laughs and grabs the glass, everyone cheering him on, and I savor the small moment of victory. Skeet sets down his empty glass with a smile and leans a bit closer to me.

"Don't worry, I'll get my revenge," he says, amused.

I raise my glass to toast, grinning in challenge.

We stay around the table, drinking and laughing, until my eyes start drooping in spite of the loud laughter around me.

----

The next morning, a blinding light slices through the shutters, and a throbbing headache greets me the moment I move. Something warm and... heavy is lying next to me in bed. My heart skips, and I slowly turn over to see a body sprawled there, half-buried under the covers. I lift the sheet and realize I'm completely naked underneath...

"Shit" I mumble, my mouth dry.

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I have so many ideas for this story, I hope you guys enjoy it ;)