SWEETENER (Camila x Ariana)

Chapter 1

~Ariana's POV~

Stupid, stupid, stupid. I internally scolded myself. You should've said no.

"No." I said out loud. "No. No. No." Great, now people think you're crazy because you're talking to yourself. I sighed, looking down into my empty glass.

"Fuck them." I mumbled to myself, not caring what the people around me thought. It was the alcohol that had me like this. I wasn't actually crazy. "More." I said to the bartender. He gave me a sad smile and refilled my glass. I don't know how many of these I had tonight, but my head was cloudy, and as I emptied out each glass my anger faded. My shoes didn't hurt my feet. They were numb. My scratchy dress was no longer scratchy, my heart no longer ached. I was numb and I liked it. I liked not being able to feel anything. I was getting really attached to this bar and it was only my first night in the hotel. I considered it a very good, very comforting friend. I patted the smooth wooden counter of my new friend. Then I began to doodle on his shiny, polished surface with my pointer finger.

"Welcome to Lonelyville where none of your dreams come true." I slurred. I heard someone slide onto the stool next to me, but didn't bother to look at who it was. As long as it wasn't mom, Joan, Frankie or my other so called family I was good. "Just a beer." The woman said in a deep voice. A sexy voice. But I was stuck in Loner Ville USA and didn't care enough to take a look. My vision was blurry and my words were slow, but my hearing was amazing. I heard everything a little too loudly. I heard the bottle get placed on the top of my new friend, I heard the cap pop off, then silence. A second or two later the bottle was placed back down. I heard a deep sigh from the woman who I still hadn't looked at.

"You like soccer?" The same voice asked. I knew she was asking because there was a game on, but I wasn't sure whether she was talking to me or not. "Me?" I asked a little too loudly. My head throbbed.

"Yes you." She had a playful grin on her face.

"I'm not much of a sports person. My daddy did like baseball though." Daddy? Where the hell did that come from?

I received a chuckle from my neighbor. "Daddy as in boyfriend?"

"No." I said before taking another sip of my drink.

"Girlfriend?"

I shrugged lightly, brushing off the thoughts of my questioning sexuality.

"How many of those have you had?" She asked me. I shrugged my shoulders. "I really wish I knew the answer to that." Enough silence passed where I was able to finish my glass and ask for another one. I was seriously going to be screwed tomorrow.

"Let me get that for you." She said, paying the bartender. "Thank you." I looked down at the golden liquor that burned a hole through my throat. At least that's what it felt like.

"What's your name?" She asked.

"Sugar." I said randomly. Obviously that wasn't my name but it flew out of my mouth, not giving me any time to stop it. She probably thought I was some kind of stripper.

I could hear the smile in her voice as she spoke. "Well then Sugar, mind telling me why you're here, alone in that black, fancy dress." I did mind, but it was only because I couldn't remember why.

"Why are you here?" I asked instead. "Him." She said, pointing to a guy on the dance floor. "Your boyfriend?" I asked. I was a stupid drunk.

"Nah I'm into girls." She clarified. Something about that newfound information made my stomach tingle with I feeling I couldn't place my finger on.