Canyon Moon | H.S.

Playing by the Rules (27)

"We're going out tonight."

"Bekah, for the last time, we are not going out tonight!"

"For the last time, Natalie, we are!"

We're both sitting on my bed, exactly two years on from when my world fell apart. Not to be dramatic or anything. Bekah is desperately trying to convince me to go out with her tonight, and has been for a few weeks.

"I do not feel like going and partying in some dark and smelly club. I already feel shit and that's going to make me feel worse."

"Well then, we won't go to a club." She says, pleading at me with her eyes. "We'll go somewhere else."

"Like where?"

She thinks for a moment and I want to scoff. This whole idea is completely ridiculous. I just want to stay at home, in bed, alone. Much like I did two years ago, funnily enough. Well, not funny. Nothing about it was funny.

Bekah gasps dramatically as if she's had a good idea.

"Karaoke."

My stomach drops.

"No."

"Come on! Babe, we've never been to karaoke! We have to go."

"I'm not going to karaoke with you." 

I shut my eyes and all I can see are glimpses of the last time I did karaoke. I felt like I was on top of the world that night. I feel very much not at the top of the world right now.

"Why not? Give me three good reasons." Bekah says, and I roll my eyes at her before replying sarcastically.

"One, I don't want to. Two, I don't want to and three... huh, I don't want to."

She flips her middle finger at me.

"None of those were good reasons. We're going to karaoke tonight if I have to drag you there myself, pump the drinks directly into your bloodstream and carry you to the mic."

Fucks sake. She's adamant about this one.

"Fine. I'll go on one condition." She bounces up and down on the bed in excitement.

"Yeah? What?"

"I have to be drunk enough by the end of the evening that I don't remember it."

"Not a problem!" She says loudly, and I can't help but smile. "Okay," She says, pulling her phone from her pocket, "let me look up karaoke bars."

"I know a place." I say before I can think about it.

"You do?"

Do I want to go back to the same place? My stomach clenches and I have a suspicious feeling that going back is going to make me feel worse, not better like Bekah's hoping it will. Memories will be all over that place. Then again, I'm planning on not even remembering I've set foot inside come tomorrow.

"Yeah. Let me find the address for you."

I find the address while she rummages through my wardrobe, looking for something for me to wear. Probably something for herself as well, considering the number of times she's borrowed my clothes. Though to be fair, she seems to keep a bunch of hers at my house, and I've worn them on occasion.

"How about this one?" She asks, holding up a short blue dress that I'm not entirely sure where it came from. I just shake my head.

"This one?" Another short dress, even less fabric, which I didn't think was possible, in red this time. I shake my head again, not really in the mood to get my bum out tonight.