"Is that—?" Olivia asks me but I am too frozen in my place to even answer her question.

I see Sam joining us back from the corner of my eyes and immediately hold my breath when I see her smiling and tugging her hair behind her right ear with the left hand, something she always does when she wants the other person to kiss her. It's disturbing how well I know her.

But then she looks around a little, her feet bouncing up and down on the beat of the music and in a few seconds, her eyes land on me. Her leg stops bouncing and she looks like she has seen a ghost as she stares at me, her lips parted in shock.

I am surprised I can see this much from where I am standing since she's a little away at the table having a drink with Blake. Honestly, I feel like smacking that guy upside down for even being around her after he apologised to me and I agreed to help him out. He seems to notice Genesis's lack of attention and follows her gaze to find me glaring at them.

A breath leaves through me when a panicked look takes over his features but I grit my teeth together before turning my back to them and facing the bar.

"What's she doing there? And why is she not with you?" Olivia asks me and I gulp, holding up two fingers at that attractive bartender with pink hair.

Olivia and Sam may listen to me whine, but I never told them about my relationship dynamic with my boss to them. I'm waiting for the right moment. They both started working on different floors a few months back, so they only know what I tell them.

Except they would never know about the inclusive relationship deal unless I spell it out because I made Genesis give me her word that she would never mess with someone from the office, that's where I draw the line.

God, I hate that I didn't draw the line the moment she told me she doesn't do exclusive. I am sick of feeling this way.

"Myra." The bartender grins at me, pushing the shots towards me and I manage to smile at her through my annoyance.

"Emily." I pick up the drink and down another shot while Sam takes my other one, earning a look from me.

"I am not letting you get drunk just because you're having relationship problems," He says and I flip my middle finger at him.

"Why are you guys fighting?" Olivia asks and I shrug.

Myra eyes me for a minute before looking behind me and turning to Sam, "The boy or the girl?" She asks and he turns his head a little, smirking.

"The girl," He tells her.

She laughs, shaking her head before jump-sitting on the bar and sliding to the other side so that she's standing on my side.

Holy shit. She's even more attractive upfront.

"Wow, right?" She grins and I can't help but laugh, nodding. She winks at me, "Well, I'll show you better than wow."

She puts her hands around my bar stool and leans in, but I am too still to respond to her as she leans in and kisses me. Wow. Her tongue parts through my lips into my mouth and I taste alcohol on her breath too. I would've assumed that her kisses would seem soft, but as her lips press against mine and our tongues mingle, it's anything but soft.

The only problem is that I feel nothing.

I mean, she's a brilliant kisser and I am pretty sure if I were drunk enough, I would've taken her to the apartment but I am still sober and I don't feel like fucking a stranger.

But then I do feel something as a gasp erupts my mouth when I realise that something is brushing against my knee which makes me part away our lips. I look down at her skirt and realisation hits me before my eyes meet Myra's and she looks a little embarrassed.

"Myra?" I ask, my voice a little breathless but suddenly I seem to have forgotten everything around me as I focus on the face in front of mine.

"Myers." She says and I blink, "I probably should've mentioned that before I kissed you right?"

I nod but then shake my head, "I mean, I don't mind," I say, the reality of the situation dawning upon me.

"So, uh, this is awkward."

I mean, it is a little awkward because I have never ever kissed a transgender woman, ever. But she's so fucking attractive that I cannot stop the smile on my face.

"What pronouns do you use?" I feel the need to ask because I've been associating 'her' in my mind, "and should I call you Myra?"

"Myra it is." Myra smiles, "and third-person plural."

The smile on Myra's face tells me that people don't often ask them such questions and that they really appreciate I did, which makes me mentally pat myself on the back.

"Anyway, your girlfriend's coming this way." They tell me and I pale all over, my gaze turning to where Genesis was standing earlier but the only difference is that she's walking towards me now. "You want me to punch her? I can get away with it."

Myra's words make me smile a little but not enough for me to stop myself from looking back at Sam and Olivia who seem to be watching me with little wide eyes. Sam arches an eyebrow at me but I just shrug until I feel Genesis standing right by my side.

"Emily."

I plaster a smile on my face as I turn to her, "Ms. Gale, what a pleasant surprise."

She clearly seems taken aback by my strange tone, and to be honest, I am a little too, but it's probably the alcohol already taking a toll on me. I really don't hold my liquor well, which often makes my mother doubt if I am even her child.

"What are you doing here?" She asks, her eyes remaining fixed on me as if she has forgotten everyone else around us and I wonder how it would feel like if she looked at me that way out of love, but she just seems pissed.

"Drinking," I say and notice that Myra has already gone behind the bar and slides over a drink to me, winking and I laugh before downing another shot.

Three shots down in a few minutes. Tonight isn't going to end well for me.

"May I remind you you're a light-head?"

That voice makes a sense of irritation run down my body. I narrow my eyes at him, my smile wearing off as I look at him staring at me with an intent gaze. Who said it's his business if I am a light-head? No one asked for his reminder.

"Fuck off, Lakey." I pull out a sarcastic smile and see his jaw twitch with annoyance.

I notice Genesis turning towards Sam and she glares at him, "Why the fuck would you let her drink?"

Her words annoy me as I snap my attention completely towards her, "What the hell is your problem?" I hiss at her and she glares at me.

"Em." She lets a breath leave through her lips as she steps towards me, "C'mon, we need to talk."

I stand up from the barstool and take a step back from her, "Hell no! You've had chances to talk but instead, you're here with him, wanting him to kiss you. So you know what? Go fuck him for all I care."

The words leave a bitter taste in my mouth, but I don't take them back. Genesis looks taken aback by my words but Myra just tries to hide their laughter as they slide me another shot and without thinking, I down it.

"Will you fucking stop giving her that?" Blake glares at them, earning a frown in return.

"Are you even allowed in here, buddy? Show me your ID." Myra puts forward their hand.

I can't help the laugh that leaves me when Blake stares at Genesis because of course, he's not carrying his fake ID even though I am sure he has one. He looks between Myra, his date and me and when he looks at me with panic in his eyes, my laughter dies down. I groan and turns towards Myra.

"Let it be. I think I'm ready to leave," I tell Olivia and Sam.

They both immediately agree since it's a work night, and most of all, because I've started feeling suffocated in this small space. I can't bear to look at Genesis without feeling the sense of betrayal that comes along with it.

"Call me, sometime?" Myra slips me a piece of tissue with their number on it and I smile.

I wave them goodbye before the three of us make our way through the crowd to outside, with me silently hoping that neither Blake nor Genesis follows us outside. But as soon as we step in the fresh air, I feel a hand around my wrist, making me snatch it away from the oddly familiar touch.

"Leave her alone, man!" Sam steps in front of me to defend but I shake my head.

"Sam, no need to create a scene. He'll leave," I say, looking straight into Blake's eyes but he shakes his head.

"We need to talk."

"Didn't you hear how pissed she is at you? Seriously, take a hint." Olivia frowns at him.

Honestly, it hurts me that Genesis didn't bother to follow me but then, it's my mistake to expect anything in the first place. She's not the one who makes upto people, rather she waits for them to calm down and reach out to her. Not this time, though. I refuse to be that woman.

Blake's gaze on me brings me back from my thoughts and I arch an eyebrow at him, as if asking him what the hell does he want. He looks at my friends and I roll my eyes, gesturing for them to walk ahead.

"Thanks," Blake says when the two of them take a few steps.

"What the fuck do you want?" I ask him, annoyed because of how he cannot hold onto a silent promise or is just really good at false assurances.

"I just wanted to tell you that it was her idea, she's the one who asked me out." He sounds almost pleading as if to convince me that he's telling the truth. He doesn't know that no convincing is required, I already knew that.

"And you forgot how to say no?"

He sighs, running a hand through his hair, "No, it's just—"

"Oh wait, see, you can say no." I grin at him tauntingly.

"Fuck, at least listen to me. She told me that she talked to people in recruitment and when I asked her if you knew about this, she said yes and I thought it was your idea since you told me you'd help." He explains and I arch an eyebrow at him to test his made-up lie but he just stares back. "I'm not lying, Emma."

"You have to stop calling me that," I tell him, frustrated and he just shrugs. "Why are you explaining all this to me?"

He looks taken aback by my question but answers a moment later, "Because if I get the internship, I don't wanna screw it up just because you hate me. And, I know how well my parents and you get alone, so I don't wanna screw up whatever bond we have."

"We don't have any bond." I scoff and he gives me a look. "Listen, I don't care what you want to do with your life. If this is the way you want to get the internship, I just want to tell you that it's no different than how you were going to get it at Connor's firm."

I know I hit a nerve when I said that because his jaw twitches but he doesn't respond because he knows I am absolutely right. I sigh before walking away and just as I turn the corner, I see Olivia and Sam waiting for me. They give me questioning looks but I shake my head so we start walking towards my apartment.

"You guys want to get chinese? I'm hungry."  I unlock the door and hear Sam's stomach grumbling which makes Olivia laugh.

"I'll place the order," She says and I nod.

Both of them sprawl on the couch in the living room and I make my way to my bedroom to change into comfortable clothes. My phone rings and I roll my eyes when I see Genesis's name but don't answer it.

When I move out in the living room, Sam gives me a look, "You got a headache yet?" He asks and I groan, nodding.

"Yes, why the fuck would anyone go out on a date on a work night?" I ask and he shrugs.

"Who asked you to crash it?" I poke him and he laughs, "So, who's the guy?"

"Guy who?"

"The one with Genesis." Olivia chimes in.

"Oh, Blake? He's a family friend. They met on my birthday, she came to surprise me." I wave my hand in the air dramatically.

"Woah, she came to surprise you?" She asks, her interest peaked.

"Yeah, and then we got into a fight because she obviously showed a lot of interest in him." I shrug, not caring at this point what they think of my relationship with Genesis.

"You need to get out of this thing, I hope you know that. It's not healthy," Sam tells me and I give him a small smile.

"The heart wants what it wants." I quote and they both just give me sad smiles.