The Imperishable Flame⎪✓

❨19❩

♀︎

Readjusting the tight black dress, I allow myself to indulge in how it makes me feel. The small straps and my shoulders on show, the fabric hugs my curves and ends right above my knees, along with the black heels on my feet I feel empowered. A good outfit really works wonders for my confidence and that is something I desperately need tonight. 

The nightly air urges me to take a deep breath, Lucy once again convinced me to come with her to the bar. Although I managed to stand my ground on some aspect and therefore stayed home from Elijah's fight tonight, Wyatt and Travis wanted us to come. To make up for me not joining them, the four of us will go out. Something that rarely happens in my life, I like my peace and quiet. 

Travis' car pulls up and I sit down in the backseat immediately, trying to catch my breath from the coldness of outside. With my clutch in hand I smile at Wyatt sitting next to me, "Hey."

He seems surprised that I started the conversation, "Hi, Dakota."

"So, guys," I say. "What happened in the fight?"

Travis scoffs in pride from the driver's seat, "Of course Bullet won, he is a fucking legend."

I find myself happy for Elijah, he needs these wins I'm certain of it. Some part of me wanted to be there with him tonight, in fact a big part of me wanted to, but I can't be dependent on him. He is nostalgic for me and I find myself wanting to be near him and thinking about him, even at times where I shouldn't. It doesn't help my case that he was such a support to me the last time we saw each other, it was his therapy session, but it felt like we were hanging out for the fun of it. 

Lucy turns around in her seat with a big smile on her lips, "Are you ready to get drunk?"

"Sure," Smiling at her. "But only if these guys are willing to, as well."

"I'm in!" Wyatt states immediately. 

"Me too, dude," Travis says. "My brother will pick up this car and all of us can catch a cab home, is that cool?"

I nod at him as the others chime their agreement, he should be able to party with all of us. I would much rather drive home in an Uber, especially if he had been drinking even the tiniest bit and drove us home. I hate drunk drivers and won't ever support anyone who does it, let alone get in a car with one. 

Pulling up to the biggest bar in town, I step out of the car immediately and approach the entrance with an eager Lucy. Wyatt and Travis greet a man who resembles Travis a lot, his brother, but I don't want to wait for that. I'm finally here and I want to get some drinks to make this more tolerable. 

"You look amazing tonight, Dakota," She suddenly compliments as we enter the loud bar. 

Smiling at her and her red skirt with a black leather jacket, "As do you, my friend. Now, are you ready to get a little tipsy with me?"

She squeals and pulls me to the bar where a bartender greets us, ordering our preferred drinks I scan the dimly lit room. There is a lot of smoke in here from the DJ and it makes it harder to spot people I may know. Shrugging, I accept the drink and walk ahead with Lucy trailing behind me. A shoulder roughly slams into mine and I spill the entire drink onto the floor in front of me. Looking up at the man, his black hair is hard to spot and he stares at me in shock with widened brown eyes. 

"Quite unfortunate, if you ask me," I laugh and look down onto the drink that could've given me my first buzz of the night. 

He smiles at my reaction, "I'm so sorry, that was my fault. Will you join me and my friends by our table, I will bring the drink to you and it's on me."

Looking at Lucy she smiles and nods, I turn to him again, "Okay, I'll come with you when we get the drink though. No offense, but a girl needs to take her precautions." 

He waves me off and gives Lucy the directions to the table, she leaves immediately and I follow the stranger to the bar. "So what's your name?" I ask him. 

"Jack, what's yours?"

Nodding, "I'm Dakota."

He orders the drink and it comes within seconds, he hands it to me with a dramatic gesture and I laugh at his antics. Thanking him, we walk together to the table in the back. Lucy is already sitting there with two other guys, one of the guys has brown hair and the lights in here illuminates his blue eyes, he is very handsome. My eyes find the other guy and I stop walking, he is too damn familiar and now I fear having to sit down with them for tonight. 

Jack turns around when he sees me hesitating, "Are you coming, Dakota?"

Not wanting to seem like a complete and utter fool, I straighten my back and start walking again. The three of them look up when we approach and I can't remove my eyes from Elijah, his burning gaze is incredibly unnerving and my desperate ass tries to play it off. "Guys, this is Dakota," Jack introduces before he looks at me. "Dakota, this is Levi and this is Elijah."

"I know," I spit out. 

"You know?" Levi asks with a confused frown. "I'm sorry, I can't pinpoint how or why I would know you."

Elijah scans my body up and down, the stare leaving an intense fire burning through my body. "That's because she knows me, she and I know each other."

"You do?" Lucy pipes in and I had forgotten all about her. 

"We do," I confirm. 

An arm is lazily slung over my shoulders and Wyatt is the owner, he looks at the scene in front of us with a raised eyebrow. The action of him touching me is honestly a little unwelcome, he has never done it before and shouldn't do it again. "I see you two ladies have already found the company for the night."

"Chill, Wyatt," Lucy says and stands up to give her boyfriend a kiss. "There's room for all of us, the more the merrier, right?"

"Right," I say and scoot into the rounded booth, doing everything in my power to rid myself of the sudden and very unnecessary tension. By scooting in as the first person, I'm forced to sit down next to Elijah and what makes it even worse is Wyatt sitting down on the other side of me. Taking a huge gulp of my drink, I try to prepare myself for the worst. This won't end well if any of these guys start playing rough. 

When the others sit down, they do a round of introductions and I try to crack a joke. My right leg is on fire by having Elijah so close, and it doesn't help with Wyatt trying to wiggle his way closer to me. He has never been this desperate and I briefly wonder if Elijah and I are that fucking obvious. Hopefully not though.