Outer space | klance au |

12: bar baby

Lance sighed as he fixed his shirt again for the sixth time that night. "You look fine. Charming as always!" Romelle promised but that wasn't what he was worried about. In fact he hadn't even been out socially in such a long time. It felt new and foreign to him. She seemed to take notice of it and sighed. "It's just other doctors. You'll be fine." She promised like before because she knew this reasoning would calm him. It worked.

"Yeah you're right!" Lance sighed out and grinned at her. "We just finished another week of rotations! That itself calls for celebration." The more he thought about the more excited he got. They deserved to go out!

"More like survived another week of Kaltenecker." She teased and pulled into the parking lot of the bar. He looked at the welcoming doors and took a deep breath. "Unbutton one or two of those. Show off your body a bit more." Romelle nodded to his shirt as she fixed her own blouse. Lance did what he was told and followed her lead. It made him look more open and friendly, more alluring and serious. Just by showing a bit more of his chest Lance felt older and confident. He was confident in his skin. He looked good.

Lance looked back at the doors as his anxiety swelled. "Isn't weird that when we're not in the hospital we still hang out with the doctors we see every day?" He glanced at her as she used the mirror to reapply some of her lipgloss. It made her lips sticky and Lance stifled a laugh when he saw her small struggle. They were now tinted pink and sparkled in the low lighting. Romelle was absolutely gorgeous. Somehow he knew that she probably wouldn't have to touch her wallet all night. People would buy her drinks just for the smallest chance to talk with her. Lance was really glad she was his friend.

"Shut up." Romelle laughed with him and used the pad of her her finger to wipe the remainder of the extra lipgloss away. "I wouldn't think too much about it. It makes sense that we spend our time with our friends." She emphasized the last word and smiled at him. The glow from the sign coated her in a redish hue.

"You're my friend. I barely know anyone in that room." Lance huffed out as he unbuckled his seat belt. Romelle had picked him up earlier that night from his dorm. He was happy to be away from his mopey roommate. Lance knew if he stuck around any longer he was putting himself at risk for a Nyma and Rolo reunion. He remembered walking in on them before and it had scarred him for life. Yet in that moment he missed his bed and his desk. Some part of him wished he was spending his night studying. He loved hanging out with Romelle but just the thought of going to that bar made him nervous. It was a doctor bar, so close to the hospital that it was almost too familiar. "I just don't know anyone there." He repeated sadly.

"Maybe get to know someone then." She teased back effortlessly and stepped out of her car and Lance followed her. She wasn't scared at all to go in so he put on a brave face and opened the door for her. As soon as they stepped inside a few of their classmates called them over to a table. Apparently they all had the same idea as Romelle and wanted to get out after another tiring week of rotations. There was glasses and different types of alcohol all over the worn wood. Romelle grabbed his wrist and together they walked over to the table. Two different shots were thrusted into his hand and Romelle laughed before downing them. Lance shook his head but followed her lead. His throat stung as the alcohol slid down it. He squeezed his eyes shut and the classmates laughed and wrapped their arms around him.

"Let's try to do this every once in a while!" One of his classmates exclaimed but Lance couldn't hear who exactly had said it. There was a roar of agreement and a demand for more drinks. Romelle who had considerably grown from her metaphorical shell was talking to one of the interns. Lance pushed the arm draped around his shoulder off and fixed his shirt. He set the shot glasses down on the table before stepping away from the ordered chaos that he found himself in. It was a lot to take it and it was just the beginning of the night.