The DJ had her long, teal hair up in a slouchy top bun, with the ombre ends fanned out. She slid her headphones down to her neck as she saw a flushed and minimally wobbly Monica approach her on stage.

"Hey," Monica smiled.

"Hi," the DJ smiled back, eyeing the thin straps of her ruby red dress.

Monica was at the point in her inebriation level where there were no longer any rules. There were no longer any reasons to hold her back from what she wanted or desired.

She really wanted to hear Sir Mix a Lot's "Baby Got Back".

The DJ pulled a face at her request but shrugged her approval, nonetheless. "Having a good time, are ya?"

"Oooo yeah," Monica beamed. "Thank you so much." On second thought, she turned back around and asked, "Would you like a drink?"

The DJ's eyes glistened under the lights. "Sure."

"What would you like?"

"Surprise me."

Monica spun back around and wiggled her way through the swaying and gyrating bodies in the crowd. Pearl and Jane were playing a game of pool with two boys from the city. Monica wasn't interested in playing, but she also needed a break from dancing. She fanned her face with her hand and slumped down on a bench next to her friends.

"So what did she say? Is she gonna play it?" asked Jane.

"Yep."

Pearl was being her usual flirty and seductive self. She gathered and smoothed the hair from her ponytail to one side before she took a shot. The city guys swigged their beers and watched as she sent another ball rolling into a corner pocket with ease. They winced and shook their heads.

"Haha, boys. Looks like you're gonna lose."

As one of the guys stepped up to the table to have his turn, Pearl took a few steps over to Monica and cocked her hip to one side, leaning her pool stick on the wall next to her. "Monny, what were you two talking about?"

"Oh," Monica dazed. "I told her I was gonna buy her a drink. Be right back!"

Her friends giggled at her and continued to chat with one another while their opponents had their turn.

Something about the woman with teal hair made Monica think she'd like an imported beer, so she ordered two, though they were on the pricier side, and delivered them, getting bumped into and poked with elbows along the way.

The DJ thanked her and said, "Your song is coming up soon. Thank you so much." She tilted the neck of her beer bottle forward for Monica to clink with hers. "What's your name?"

"Monica."

"Nice to meet you, Monica," she offered her hand to shake. "My name is Scout."

"I've never met anyone with that name before."

Scout raised her eyebrows and gestured that she had to get back to her post. Monica winked, raised her beer bottle in the air, and headed back over to her friends.

Pearl wrapped her arms around Jane and Monica. "We won twenty bucks off those losers. Where to next?"

"Well, it has to be within walking distance because, well, I can't drive," Jane stated the obvious.

"Wait!" Monica grabbed her friends by their wrists. "We can't leave yet. Scout's gonna play my song."

As soon as she said so, the opening of the song blasted through the speakers behind them. "Let's dance," she begged. "C' mon. One more song. If I can keep going, you guys can, too."

Pearl acquiesced easily, but Jane took a little longer to convince.

"Fine," Jane raised her hands in the air. "Just no one grab my ass this time. Please."

Pearl hammered out laughter as the three of them joined the hoard of movers and shakers. "No guarantees, sister!"

By the time their butt-shaking was over, the ladies only had about half an hour before the pizza place above them would quit taking orders for the night. They stayed open later than other restaurants in the area because the population of college students was high and therefore most lucrative.

Monica felt bad for not thanking Scout again for the song before she left the bar, but Pearl already had her arm around her as she made her way to the exit with Jane by their side. Monica put her strap back in place that had fallen down and looked behind her shoulder at Scout one last time.

Her cheeks warmed and she swallowed because Scout was looking her way, too.