My back arches up from the bed, my breathing labored as I gasp for air. My eyes shoot open, and I take in my surroundings, the black ceiling first. Is this another nightmare? Am I back there again? They're the questions I ask myself as I start to spiral, but my throats constricts when an arm snakes around my waist.

"Shh, come here, you're alright." A voice murmurs, and I can only slightly recognize it, causing me to panic further. "It's Ethan, okay? You're in my bed, you're perfectly safe, I promise."

"I- I'm sorry, I just." I can't really fathom a coherent sentence.

"You don't have to tell me." He whispers, running his fingers through my hair. I open my eyes, only seeing the outline of his face opposite me, and I sink my left cheek further into the pillow as he softly massages my scalp. This is nice, and relaxing. Calming.

"Your ceiling is black, I thought I was somewhere else and it kind of freaked me out." I admit, and he sighs slightly. "I didn't have a nightmare yet, so I thought this was the start of one or maybe a panic attack, I really don't know. Or I just woke up and made myself panic."

"You're safe now, I'm not leaving you, I promise." He lightly presses his lips to my forehead.

Being vulnerable like this makes me feel petty and selfish for even complaining. There's so many bigger problems in the word, and I'm acting out over waking up, and I hate myself that.

Once I had ate the sandwich Ethan so kindly prepared me yesterday evening, I stripped out of my clothes, got into bed and quite literally crashed, letting the sleep consume me. No worrying, no loud thoughts, just peaceful sleep. Ethan attempted and failed to wake me up for dinner, but with no luck, he left me to it, boxing up the leftover pasta. I had woken up around eleven last night, which is when I ate the pasta and then we cuddled, watching Netflix until we both fell to sleep together.

"What time is it?" I whisper.

"Five AM, baby." He mumbles tiredly, and I whine slightly. "Go back to sleep, I've got you."

"I'm not tired." I'm not, I've slept around ten hours overall.

"Why am I not surprised?" He asks, amusement slightly dancing in the tone, and I drape my right leg over his waist, rubbing my leg against his.

"I don't want to keep you awake, I'm sorry." I say, and he frowns, reaching above us, turning on the overhead light, and I cringe at the brightness.

"I'm awake, don't worry." He assures me, running his hand down my leg, the one which is over his. "So, you didn't have a nightmare?"

"No, I had no dreams or anything." I say, the little bit of shock washing over me of that. Not since the accident have I had a dreamless or nightmareless sleep, even if they're just small or I don't remember them fully, they've always happened.

"That's good, right?" He asks.

"Yeah, I feel rested for once." I tell him, my breathing now back to normal.

I'm not getting my hopes up or anything, because knowing me, they'll come back worse than before.

"You deserve better than this, Francesca." He murmurs, and I sigh, thinking about it. Do I really deserve better? If I hadn't done what I did, nothing that night would have happened, so I guess this is a form of payback.

"Yeah, well, there's nothing no one can do about it. I'm okay." I shrug it off, hoping this conversation moves on now. "I've not got work today, is there anything you want to do?"

"Actually, I had something I wanted to ask you yesterday, but well, we got a little distracted, didn't we?" He muses, and I smile, looking up at him. "It was Felix' twenty-first the other day, so we're going to go out tonight to a club. If you want to come, I'd really like you there."

"Wait, it was his birthday?" I ask, why am I always missing birthdays around here?

"Yeah, and he's dragging me there tonight if I want to or not." He chuckles lightly.

"I want to come, but to refresh your memory, I'm not twenty-one, and my fake ID sucks so bad." I tell him, wanting to go, nonetheless.

"If you get a stupid cross on your hand, I'll get the drinks, okay?" He assures me.

"Can my people come?" I ask, hoping to not step over the line. I mean, it's for Felix, not Ethan. But I'd feel better with my girls and Matt with me as well.

"Yeah, of course, get Matt to invite Kieran too – it'll be a great night." He says and I smile, nodding.

"I might stay away from drinking all together; stay sober for the night. Every time I drink, bad things happen it seems." I mumble, looking up at him.

"I'm there with you, and I won't let you out of my sight. But, if you don't want to drink, you really don't have to." He says.

"I don't know. When I have alcohol, I usually turn to drugs and not just weed, like pills more than anything, occasionally cocaine, and I don't want that for tonight." I say.

"How about we both stay sober?" He asks, and I frown.

"No, no, it's fine. Celebrate with Felix, I'll be totally fine with lemonade." I say, not wanting him to miss out because of me.

"I'll be looking out for you though, and if you ever want to leave or anything like that, we're going." He says, and I smile at him.

"Thank you." I whisper.

"You know, I could get used to waking up, laid next to a naked girl as beautiful as you." He murmurs, and I raise my brows at him.

"Oh yeah?" I smirk.

"Mmm, yeah I could." He says, running his hands back up my leg like he had done before.

"I haven't brushed my teeth." I whine, knowing where this is going and he scowls at me quickly, before he crashes his lips on mine.

How the fuck is his breath all minty and fresh, I just woke him up?

"Stop thinking too much, I can literally hear the cogs turning in your brain." He murmurs against my lips, and I smile, running my fingers through his hair earning a low sigh from him.

~~

A whole twelve and half hours later, it's now six PM, and I've just finished getting ready with the girls in our living room. Matt and Kieran are in our room 'getting changed' or whatever, but the occasional giggle from one of them tells me otherwise.

"Okay guys, wrap things up, we're all ready out here and Ethan is on his way over!" Hanna yells, banging on the bedroom door. Well, that's one way to cock block someone.

I'm wearing my white Nike's as always, with a ruby red dress that finishes just above my knee, so not too short. The straps are skinny, the fabric hugs my body perfectly and I feel really confident – hot. I look hot.

I'm nervous about tonight, not about the night in general, but about one thing particular – I'm not the one driving us to the club, we're getting an Uber. There is a reason aside from the fact I have travel sickness, why I have to be the one driving, but I'm not ready to say why exactly because it's too hard to explain without explaining everything.

Maybe if I'm with Ethan, it'll be okay? I'll be able to focus on myself and make the short journey in the back of a taxi to the club. Yeah, I hope so.

"Girl, you're sending me your nerves just spacing out like that, what's wrong?" Lauren asks, breaking me out of the head space I was in.

"I'm fine, just thinking. Is everyone ready for tonight?" I ask, switching that conversation as soon as it has the time to begin. I'm a bitch for shutting everyone out, I know, but that's how I cope.

"I'm so excited, maybe, just maybe tonight is the night I get laid and forget about Ty." She says, seeming excited and I am for her. It's long overdue, she needs to get over him for her sake.

"Remember protection please." I beg of her, and she pulls out a line of ten or so condoms from her cleavage – well this girl really does come prepared. I think I need to learn from her. Ethan had got me the pill on the way over here this morning, and I've already taken it, but we've got to be more careful.

"Don't worry, I'm ready." She gestures to her body, and I smile at her outfit. She's wearing a black leather skirt which fits her perfectly, and she's borrowing the white lacy body suit I wore the other day.

"You look gorgeous. Both of you do." Hanna says, walking over to us in her very high, high heels. I don't know how she wears them, I really don't. Along with the strappy black heels, she's wearing a black bodycon dress, with jewelry - a chunky black choker around her neck, large hoop earrings and her nose rings in.

For the first time in a while I made the rash decision to put some piercings in before they all heal up, and I've honestly missed them. I have my left nostril pierced and then my septum, and I don't think Ethan has ever seen me with the piercings, so that reaction will be fun to see. I also have a few of my ear piercings in, and if we do get to bed tonight, he'll have a surprise when he notices my belly button ring is in too. Honestly, I don't think he'll expect it.

I somewhat look a little different because of the piercings, and I like the edge it brings me.

"Ethan is going to have a heart attack; you do know that?" Lauren tells me with a giggle.

"Eh, he'll get over it." I shrug.

"Who will get over what?" Matt's voice fills my ears, and I smile turning around, and his mouth falls agape. "Yeah, I'm guessing that was aimed at Ethan – Jesus, he's gonna die."

"I don't want him to die. Is it seriously too much?" I ask literally everyone because I don't want to look like I'm trying too hard. I wore this for myself mostly, to try and make myself more confident, but I won't lie and say I wasn't dressing for him too.

"No, nothing's too much; dress how you want to dress." Kieran says, buttoning up the last button, keeping a few at the top open on his navy-blue dress shirt. "And this is for all of you, if any guy tries anything, we're all on it – me, Matt, Felix and of course, Ethan will protect you girls. You hear me?"

"Yes sir." Lauren salutes him, making me laugh.

"Thank you, Kieran." I smile at him.

"You're like the dad of the group now, aren't you?" Hanna asks, a smug smile on her face.

"Aww, you're the dad." Matt muses and Kieran pushes him by the shoulder, making us all fall into laughter. "Anyway girls, grab your purses, we're leaving."

"Wait, they're here already?" I ask, nerves washing over yet again. Is there time for me to go puke before we go?

"Yep, Kieran got a call from Ethan, apparently you weren't answering." He tells me, and that explains that – remind me to actually give him my number soon. I'm hardly ever on social media or my phone for that matter, so I didn't even notice he were ringing me and I'm sure it's on silent.

Swallowing the knot in my throat, I grab my little purse that has everything I need in, and follow the girls out the door, the guys walking behind me. I'm so glad I'm wearing these sneakers because just watching Lauren and Hanna walk in heels physically pains me.

If the motion of this car doesn't make me throw up, I'm sure these nerves will – I'm honestly dreading this car ride.

With it being Sunday night and all, the dorms are already busy, getting louder with music and people are spilling into the hallway as we leave. I'm glad to be going out tonight because it's pretty much torture hearing these parties going on in this building.

"I've missed going out to clubs." Kieran sighs, and I look back at him and Matt.

"Have you been to Neon before?" I ask since I haven't, in fact the only club I've been to is a small one in New Haven. It really wasn't any good, and Abby, Phoebe, Chris and I, we were there an hour before trouble started, so since then I haven't really thought about going to another.

"Once last year, it's a really good vibe, I think you'll like it." He says with a smile, and then his phone rings. "If this is Ethan again, I swear to God."

"Pass me it." I say, and he doesn't think twice before shoving his phone in my hand, and I answer it, putting it to my ear.

"Dude, where the fuck are you?" Ethan asks, sounding pissed. I've never heard him like this except the time we first met, and I ran into him – it makes me wonder what he's really like with other people.

"Wow, dude, that's a new one." I say with a smile, and he chuckles under his breath when he realizes it's me. "Who crawled up your ass and died?"

"Oh he's like that all the time, he's just different around you." Kieran makes sure to say that loud and clear, and it doesn't at all surprise me.

"Tell him I'm going to kick his ass." Ethan says, and I bite back a laugh.

"He said he loves you." I say to Kieran, making him laugh but Ethan definitely doesn't.

"Darling, I'd watch that pretty mouth of yours if I were you." He warns me lowly making the familiar feeling stir in my belly.

"Oh yeah, what are you going to do about it?" I dare question him on it.

"You want to find out?" He asks, but it sounds more like a statement. The sex we have is quite vanilla with some occasional chocking, but I just have a feeling there's something else there with him, and the idea excites me. I think he sees me as a fragile girl, and I hope that doesn't stop him from making a move with his tendencies, because I want to know him and work with him on that. "Just you wait and see."

"These seem like empty threats." I blurt out before I can stop myself. Oh, I have a death wish, that's for sure.

"I think you'll have a change of heart when my hand is wrapped around your throat – you seemed to like that, didn't you?" He asks, and I audibly gulp. Does he expect me to answer him honestly right now... when I'm surrounded by my friends? "Or when I have your legs wrapped around my head later tonight? You sound awfully quiet right now darling; did I say something to shut you up?"

"Ethan, we're about to reach the door – yeah, bye." I end the call before I become too flustered that I can't speak a coherent sentence because he's very good at that, and I pass it back to Kieran.

"What did he say to make you blush that hard?" Matt tilts my head up to him, and I slap his hand away.

"Nothing, he said nothing." I say through pursed lips. I need to act cool.

"Ooh, he said something dirty, didn't he?" He muses.

"Shut up, you're never knowing." I say, and Matt laughs draping his arm over my shoulder.

Realization falls over me – he's in that taxi downstairs, right now. And knowing Felix heard the other side of the conversation makes me blush even further. Ethan really doesn't have no boundaries when it comes to talking in public, and I don't know why, but it turns me on further.

The ache between my legs is indescribable, and as I walk, I try to not make it look obvious. I'm so going to kill Ethan for getting this reaction out of me – he knew that his words alone would turn me on, and here I am, frustrated as fuck.

Hanna pushes the front door open and a giddy feeling fills me when I see Ethan waiting for us outside the mini-van type Uber. Knowing he was outside when he said those things to me somewhat makes me feel better because I really don't think I could look at Felix in the eyes ever again.

I mouth an 'I hate you' to him and a smile comes to his face whilst I make my way in his direction.

"Still got a smart mouth, huh?" He muses, and I fight the urge not to knock the smug grin off his face.

"You're a dick." I tell him, and he casually drapes his arms around my waist.

"Frustrated?" He asks, his brows raised in amusement.

Smug prick.

"You look beautiful though – these piercings have been kept hidden, haven't they?" He takes notice, and I silently pat myself on the back for going with them. "And this dress – you've got a death wish."

"Maybe so." I murmur, not meaning it quite literally, so thankfully he doesn't take it like that either, just sexually.

"Guys! I've been waiting in here for ten minutes – and on my birthday. Get the fuck in!" Felix yells through the window of the passenger front seat, and Kieran laughs, opening the sliding door. I feel sorry for the poor driver that has had to cope with him for the last ten minutes, I really do.

My friends haven't even met Felix before now, but I can already tell they like him by the way Hanna and Lauren look at me with a sense of approval. I have a feeling Lauren may like him even more with a few drinks in her, he's pretty much her type to a T.

"Are you going to be okay in the very back with me?" Ethan asks, only his tone is serious now and he's looking at me with a sense of caution.

"I don't know honestly." I say, and he takes my left hand, bringing it to his lips, kissing it delicately.

"You've got me, and I'm with you the whole time. I'm not sure why the reason is you can't ride as a passenger, so I'm not going to intrude on your business, but if I can do anything to help you, just tell now." He says, and I sigh, I really don't know.

"There's another reason, but I have travel sickness mostly, so like, maybe just keep me occupied and my mind off the road?" I ask unsure, because I haven't been a passenger in a car for a long while.

"You have travel sickness?" He frowns at me.

"Yeah, I may have travelled in the back of a van for the first four or so years of my life, but I get really bad motion sickness – my parents had to pretty much sedate me." I hope I don't scare him.

"Looks like I'll have to sedate you another way." He whispers, and my eyes fling open. He better not mean what I think he fucking means. "You just have to be quiet for me, yeah?"

"Come on love birds, get in, I want to party!" Felix yet again yells out of the window, and I realize we're the only people out here.

"Look, just try to breathe, and if you feel bad, I'll kiss you and distract you." He tells me, and the urge to jump on him at this moment becomes more and more prominent.

"Okay, okay, let's do this." It's more a chant to myself, that this may actually be okay.

Felix is in the front next to the driver, Lauren and Hanna are in the second row, Matt and Kieran in the third with a spare seat next to them which Ethan pulls back so we can get in the very back.

I'm very nervous right now, and I feel like that's going to make me throw up more than the actual motion of the car.

I get in near the window which is probably a bad idea, and Ethan slides the door shut before he takes the seat next to me, leaving the one at the far side.

My knees immediately start bouncing once the engine roars to life, and I can't do anything to stop them because of the anxiety I'm feeling. I actually feel ill. Conversation starts flowing, the music picks up, and everyone is overall buzzing whereas I am just trying to not throw up or panic. It's great, it really is.

"Hey, baby, look at me, you're fine." Ethan murmurs, running his hand over my thigh.

"I don't feel fine." I whisper, and he brings his other hand to my face, his fingers combing through my hair.

"What do you want me to do – I'll do it to take your mind off of things." He tells me, and I know he's being serious.

"What I want you to do, we can't here." I shake my head, my lungs feeling constricted like I can't breathe.

"We can if you're quiet." He says, looking somewhat helpless.

"We can't." I whisper, keeping my voice very low because I swear Matt has heightened senses.

"I don't know what else I can do to help you, please let me." He sounds like he's begging me here, and I'm not surprised, I probably look whiter than an animated ghost.

Having sex in a public bathroom with the door closed is one thing, having someone get you off with six other people in a taxi is a whole other ball game. It's like telling a baby to run track after walking his first step.

"Trust me and let me distract you." He says quietly, and I gesture my eyes at the guys in front of us. "If you're quiet, they won't know."

Have you met me Ethan, I don't know how to be quiet when it comes to you, your tongue, your hands or your dick.

That's why I don't think and kiss him, opening my mouth for him immediately and he darts his tongue into my mouth, rolling it against my own and a little moan comes out of me, and Matt's head swings around – see, I told you. My lips freeze against Ethan's, and Matt just chuckles, turning back around.

"Quiet darling, you're going to get yourself caught." Ethan's more playful tone comes out now, a smug grin on his face.

"I can't help it." I say, a little giggle escaping. Apparently, this distraction is actually working because I'm not nauseas anymore, and actually feeling kind of buzzed, happy.

"Try." He says before his lips are back on mine, and he moves his hand that's resting on my thigh further up, under the fabric of my dress and I slightly gasp in his mouth when he brushes my clit over the cotton thong I'm wearing. I know lace is all sexy and that, but I care about my vaginal health more than what looks pretty.

"If you want to stop, tell me now." He says, leaning his forehead against mine.

"I... I don't know, I'm just not that comfortable especially with Matt right there." I finally say after hesitating a while, and what shocks me is that he doesn't get angry, he just nods with a little smile.

"Then we won't, I'll just keep kissing this smart mouth of yours until we get to the club." He says, and I mean, I can't complain, that sounds a pretty good deal to me. "Now, kiss me before you realize we're still on the road."

My heart momentarily sinks at his stupid and cruel words before his lips are back on mine, distracting me again. He can be such a dick at times, but that's one of the reasons why I like him so much. He tests my patience, and I like that about him. He's still such a mystery, someone to figure out, and I'm apprehensive yet excited to do so.

Another little moan escapes me when I subconsciously squeeze my thighs together, a little bit of the tension easing and Ethan chuckles at my reaction. It's his fault I'm this turned on in the first place, this was all because of his measly words over the phone.

"Quiet." He murmurs, and I glare up at him through my lashes, parting my lips for a breath. "Do you know how beautiful you look right now? You don't know how hard you make me. I'm so hard for you."

With the music, I'm sure no one, not even the guys in front of us, can hear us, but still my cheeks heat up at his forwardness.

"You have no idea how much I want to pull you over here and fuck you darling, no idea." He mutters close to my ear, and I whine slightly when he nibbles down on the skin of my neck. I swear I may just cum from his words alone, they're effecting me more than he probably realizes.

"I have- I have some idea." I whisper, closing my eyes as his lips against my neck drive me wild.

"I wish we were alone right now, just us in the back of here." He says, lowering his hand to my thigh again, inching his way closer to my wetness. I'm soaked, I know I am. "Is this okay?"

I want to scream 'no' for my dignity, but honestly, I want him to. He makes me want to do these things, and that's all on me, he's not at all forcing me into this. I nod and he groans deeply against my skin, his hand flying to his crotch, adjusting his jeans and only now do I see the very visible effect I have on him.

"We're here bitches!" Felix voice yells, and my eyes fling to Ethan's. At least my sexual frustration isn't visible like his... and I'm probably a total bitch for secretly liking he's left in this state. I'm used to not having pleasure in my life, in fact I'm all too used to it that soon I have a drink in me, I will forget the tension between my legs.

Kieran opens the door, getting out before Matt follows him, and I chuckle at Ethan's state, I don't even feel a little bit bad.

"Hide your boner babe, we've got a club to get into." I say close to his ear, and he slaps my ass when I stand up. 

"You're a tease." He points out.

"Darling don't I know it." I muse, smiling as he adjusts his black jeans. Usually he wears t-shirts, but tonight he's wearing a white dress shirt and it's stirring things inside of me just looking at him again.

I shimmy past him, jumping out of the taxi after Hanna, and then he joins me, adjusting himself again, and he slips his right arm around my waist as we make our way over to the line for the club.

"Thank you for distracting me, I appreciate it more than you know." I whisper to him, meaning every word and he masks his frustration with a smile.

"Are you feeling okay now? That makeout session really work?" He asks with a smirk.

"Better than I expected." I smile brightly, liking how the tables have turned. He's really just put himself into this position by muttering all the dirty things into my ear.

"Frankie, Frank, how is my girl doing?" Felix asks, coming up to me and I smile as he embraces me in a quick hug.

"I'm great, how are you? Happy birthday by the way, I didn't know." I say, and he shrugs it off.

"You're forgiven if you have to have at least one shot with me." He practically begs of me, and something tells me he's had a few shots already.

"She's not drinking tonight." Ethan tells him.

"Wait, no! You're not drinking?" Lauren whines.

"I want to enjoy tonight." I excuse myself.

"Then get totally shit faced with us. It'll be enjoyable." Felix says, and I roll my eyes at his cheeky face.

"One shot, and then I'm sticking to lemonade." I say, pointing at him.

"I'll take it!" He says, moving up in the line, and Ethan shakes his head, snaking his arm back around my waist.

After waiting for a good ten or so minutes we get let in without any bother at all with the fake ID's which shocks me more because I expected the bouncers to be quite on top of it, but it's a college bar after all.

When we walk through the large double doors, the name of the club becomes more apparent to me now. Neon lights scatter the place. There's many signs with phrases on that would send your poor Grandmother to her death bed. My personal favorite is a green one with the phrase 'let's get weird' on it, and another, a red one that says, 'play dirty'. The club is lined with red LED lights, and apart from those, there's literally no other source of light in here. It sets a really nice vibe to the place.

The atmosphere is alive, people dancing together on the dance floor whilst many tables are filled with college kids just like us. I love it.

"I'll call the shots in, what does everyone want?" Felix asks everyone over the loud booming of music.

"Tequila!" Lauren exclaims, and he grabs her hand, pulling her with him.

"They're definitely hooking up tonight, aren't they?" Ethan asks me, close to my ear.

"Oh yeah, definitely, without a doubt." I say with a for sure nod.

"I'm like the seventh wheel, aren't I?" Hanna asks with a whiny voice; oh I really feel bad for her. "You know what, fuck you guys and your relationships, I'm happy being single and I'm going to have fun tonight."

"Yeah, you tell us. But if you come home, stumbling through the front door with someone tonight, I won't be surprised." Matt says, and she shoves him into Kieran. "Bitch, I will fight you."

I look up at Ethan, his arm still around my waist and he doesn't even look phased by their interactions – neither am I because I'm used to it. He realizes my stare and flashes me a smile, but it soon drops when he looks over my head.

"What?" I turn around, to see a bunch of guys at a table, ogling me. I press my hands to his chest, keeping him back. This is the only time I've ever seen him jealous, and I'm secretly loving it. "Hey, I'm with you – they can stare all they want, but you're going to be the one fucking me tonight, aren't you?"

"You don't know how much I want to knock all seven of them out, disrespectful cunts." He mutters, and I blink up at him. Okay, territorial. "You should be able to wear what the fuck you want to wear without some guy all over you."

"You're talking about yourself here, you do realize." I chuckle, cupping his face.

"You're mine darling, there's a difference." He whispers, capturing my lips and I drape my arms around his neck. I'm not going to fight him on it because as I literally said yesterday, I am his, and he is mine.

"This couple shit sucks so much." Hanna says, and I smile against Ethan's lips, pulling him down to me as his hands run over my ass. "Just get a room at this point."

"If there were any, we would be in there already." Ethan says, and I drop my head onto his shoulder, hiding the blush on my cheeks. The lights may be red, but I think anyone could notice how flushed I am.

"Aww, Frankie, you're getting shy on us." Matt teases, pinching my cheeks and I glare at him.

"Okay, shots are here ladies and gentlemen." Felix says with a tray in hand as he walks over here, and Lauren smiles to herself – yeah, she likes Felix already.

We all get a little salt on the back of our hands, licking it before downing the shot and getting the slice of lemon – the drink burning as it goes down my throat making me feel warm and toasty.

"Woo! Let's get our table, and I'll get the actual drinks in." He then says, and I'm actually glad we've got a table, so I can get used to this environment before I get up and dance the night away.

"What do you want?" Ethan murmurs close to my ear.

"Lemonade, I was serious, I'm staying sober tonight and making sober decisions." I say, still sticking with my original plan.

"Do you not mind if I have a bourbon?" He asks, and my eyes widen at his drink choice. I didn't expect bourbon out of everything to be his go-to.

"No, no, of course not, drink what you like. I meant it when I said I didn't care if you drank." I tell him.

"I'm not drinking too much 'cause I still want to remember tonight when we get back to my apartment." He leaves a gentle kiss on my forehead, before looking up at Felix. "I'll have a bourbon; Francesca will have a lemonade. Just add it to a tab and I'll pay it at the end of the night."

"Are you sure mate?" Felix asks him.

"Of course, it's your birthday. That counts for everyone else, just get your drinks on my tab and have fun tonight." Ethan says, and the thought of having so much careless money depresses me because in reality, I don't even have enough to treat myself with a Starbucks. It's his money though and he can spend it how he pleases, I would if I had it.

Matt helps Felix this time with the drinks whilst we go over to the table they reserved beforehand. It's up a total of four stairs, just next to the dance floor, and the wall at the end of the large booth has a neon sign that says 'Sinners' in red.

I officially love this club.

Ethan sits closest to the wall, and I slip in next to him, his arm wrapping around my waist securely like he's scared of letting go. Lauren's sat next to me whilst Kieran and Hanna are opposite us. I'm going to take a guess and say Felix will join us on this side next to Lauren, and Matt will get in next to Kieran.

"So, little one, what's happening with Felix?" Hanna leans over the table, and Lauren's eyes widen.

"Nothing." She doesn't even try to hide the tone in her voice that tells us otherwise. "Oh stop with all the eyes, we met like five minutes ago, I don't even know the guy."

"He's basically my brother – well, he's weirdly my uncle or something, but that's beside the point. He's a good guy, Lauren." Ethan says, and I smile at him.

"Well, I'm only looking for a hookup tonight, I don't want him to think otherwise." She says, and he gives her a nod.

"If you're honest, he won't think any more of it." He says and she gives him a thankful smile.

Ethan's fit into my friendship circle so amazingly as well as Kieran, and Felix is easing his way in also, and I'm honestly loving it. It feels like we were missing these people beforehand. Everyone has forgiven Ethan for breaking my little heart back in October and gotten over it which was long overdue – and it's really nice to see him getting along with everyone.

"I want to dance already, who wants to come?" Hanna asks, slapping her hands down on the table.

"I'm coming." Lauren gets up immediately, blinking rapidly at the rush. Ditsy girl.

"I'll go too." I say, standing up, pulling the bottom of my dress down since it had ridden up a little. I know I wanted to wait a little, but honestly this music is made to dance to and I can't deny the offer. I turn to Ethan, and he gladly takes my purse from me. "I'll be back, don't miss me too much."

"Are you gonna be okay?" He asks lowly.

"Don't worry about this girl, all she's going to do is own the dance floor – we'll all be back untouched and in one shape." Hanna assures him, but he doesn't look convinced.

"Bye!" Lauren yells, grabbing my hand and I laugh as she pulls me along with her.

I'm so ready for the night, and for once, I'm feeling really positive about it. Being in such a new environment is a little overwhelming but I know in a short few minutes, I'll feel comfortable. I'm surrounded by all the people I care about, and I couldn't think of a better way to spend a Saturday night.

~~~~~

A/N

The long chapters are coming out of nowhere, and I'm not really going to limit myself with them. If you don't like them, please say now and I will try to keep them at 3000 words, not 6000+, but honestly, I've loved writing the longer ones – I aren't going to write them all like that though.

Life update: I got a place in college!! I just have to see the college; accept their place they've given me and I'm in! I'm so happy, and I'm excited about this new journey for me. I started work too today, and I loved it – it was so nice to be with my colleagues again. It's like life is back to normal somewhat.

My sleep schedule is back on track. I never thought I'd see the day. And overall, I'm feeling really happy!

Question of the chapter:

What are your "life goals"?

I want to go to college, focus on myself, stay single, go out, have meaningless fun before hopefully settling down around the age of 21-23.

I hope this chapter was okay.

Thank you for reading! Please comment your thoughts, vote by pressing the little star, and if you want, you can follow me too. Xx

6232 words!

~B