Ecstasy

Chapter 59

Calla:

I looked into the mirror and appraised my appearance. The outfit wasn't normally to my style but I didn't feel like myself at the moment, and that was fine. Mitchie's black dress was probably a little too small for me and definitely too short as the fabric clung tight to my thighs. I had attempted to curl my hair into sexy waves, like Mitchie did so well, but it was starting to go frizzy so I gave up. I navigated through the cardboard boxes that seemed to be multiplying in the hallway this past week, as more of Mum's, Sylvie's and my things were being packed up. I made my way to the stairs and attempted to walk down them without falling in my black high heels.

Mum looked up from the TV and rose her eyebrows at me. "You're going out dressed like that?"

"Don't start." I warned, "I have a coat." I shook the black pea–coat in front of her face.

She smiled. "Okay! Just be careful in those heels alright?" She shook her head again.

"Okay!" I was agitated. I didn't want to be judged. I shrugged on my coat and began to button it up. The headlights of a car swung into the driveway and flashed through the living room curtains.

"So, you will call me tomorrow from Mitchie's?" Mum asked.

"Yep." I picked up my bag and went to the front door. "Bye!"

"Have fun!" Mum called from her spot on the couch, but I was already slamming the front door behind me and skittering across the driveway to Mitchie's parents' car.

"Hey." Mitchie said from the seat beside me as I clicked my seat belt on.

"Hey." I smiled at her.

"So it's just Phoebe now?" Mitchie's mum asked from the driver's seat.

"Uh–huh," Mitchie answered, her face lit up in the darkness by the glow of her phone.

"You'll so love this place Calla. It's so you; indie and retro."

I laughed at her eager face. I was excited too, although this party was the last thing I wanted. Even so, I leant forward in my seat and addressed her mum. "I want to say thank you for organising all this. It's really thoughtful."

"No worries, it was all Mitchie's idea in the first place. My cousin's the owner of the bar so it was just a quick call and it was done." She shrugged.

***

The bar was dim and casual. A small narrow room, a long wooden bar dominated the space. The music was surprisingly good. The DJ spinning old records, music that I recognised for once. It was better than I expected. I could enjoy this.

"I like this!" I yelled over the loud music to Mitchie.

She smiled in response and gave me a double thumbs up. Phoebe and Sam were trailing behind us as we walked further into the small bar. Mitchie seemed to have invited our entire grade. There seemed to be so many people here.

"Who are all these people?"

"The doors have been open since five," Mitchie explained. "Mum said the deal was at nine they're going to close the doors and not let anymore locals in. Something about having to reach the nightly quota."

I looked around the room. "So most of them are randoms?"

She laughed. "Yep." We made our way up to the bar and the barman handed over three yellow paper armbands and one pink one. I shot Mitchie a confused look. "We have a small tab. The yellow ones are ours," she wrapped her yellow slip of paper around her arm and stuck the sticky ends together. She turned to Sam standing beside us and wrapped the pink one around his wrist. "The pink ones are for over eighteens."

"Right." I twisted the yellow bracelet around my wrist and looked back at Sam's pink one.

"Drinks?" The young man behind the counter asked. My eyes met his and I straightened. He was attractive, but maybe not so much as Tyson. I froze in my thoughts. I shouldn't think about Tyson tonight, I scolded myself. Tonight was about me, and I was going to enjoy it. I looked back at the young bartender. Hell, he could be more attractive than Tyson, if I wanted him to be. I just had to get used to the blonde hair and stockier build. Regardless, by the end of this night, I vowed to myself; I was going to have a pink armband and my memories of Tyson would be gone.

A/N We're getting close now guys. Not long now until a climax and the end :(  :O xx

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