c h a p t e r   t e n

"you search the world for something else

to make you feel like what we hadand in the end in wonderland,
we both went mad."

wonderland by taylor swift

ALICE WAS GETTING READY FOR A NIGHT OUT. She and her friends were meeting Arthur and some of the other guys for drinks, and she was still hung up on her last interaction with the man. She couldn't believe that she thought he was asking her on a date. She felt pathetic.

However, Lindsey was on a mission to make her feel less pathetic. She sat behind her in Paisley's room, where they were all getting ready. When Alice turned around to show them her makeup, the Harris girl said, "More eyeliner."

"You're not going to be able to see my eyes by the end of this," Alice sighed but turned back to the mirror.

Natalie chimed in, "Hey, you need to look so fucking hot tonight that Arthur doesn't know what hit him."

"I've given up on that," the blonde girl insisted, shaking her head, although her voice was not very convincing at all. She wished she could move on, but she could never move on until she found someone else to fixate on. And who would beat Arthur?

"We all know you haven't," Lindsey said, putting the finishing touches on her hair. "But if Arthur still doesn't lock in and make a move by the end of the night, you're going to find someone."

Alice shrugged, making a face. "I don't know."

"She's right," Paisley said. She rolled onto the bed. "Let's make a pact that we're all going home with someone tonight. If, for any reason, it doesn't happen, you need a number at least."

"Or we could all just hang out with each other," Emi suggested. The person that she would go home with was already invited out with them, so it wasn't much of a challenge for her. All she had to do was smile at Will, and he'd make up an excuse to leave early.

"Alice, darling, you can't keep pining after Arthur forever," Lindsey told her. She did love Arthur, and she thought that he was great for Alice, but she could not stand seeing her best friend all sad for a minute longer. Either he had to make a move or someone else did. "I know you think he's perfect, but if he can't make a move, either you have to, or you gotta move on."

Finally, the Murphy girl exhaled, "I can get someone's number."

"Hell yeah, you can," Paisley cheered, and Nat nodded in approval. She loved getting girls' numbers, so she would gladly join the pact.

WHEN THEY ARRIVED, THE BOYS WERE WAITING FOR THEM. Nat and Alice made a beeline to the bar, but they were intercepted on the way there by a very drunk ChrisMD. He practically crashed into them before looking up at them with a grin. "You ladies look lovely."

The two girls giggled, and Alice tried not to react as Arthur came trailing behind him, grabbing the small man by the shoulders so that he did not fall over. She laughed and asked the brunet man, "How many drinks has he had?"

"Too many," he responded with a sigh, letting them know that he had been babysitting for a while. He looked up at her, and something changed in his eyes. He offered a small smile. "He's right, though. You do look lovely."

"Thanks," she replied, hoping he didn't see how much her face flushed at that. Nat nudged her in the side knowingly before they continued their journey to the bar.

When they made it back, everyone had settled in for the most part. Lindsey was laughing at something with George, Bach, and Liv. Will's arm was wrapped around Emi, and Paisley was in a conversation with Arthur Hill and Elliott.

As Nat slid in next to Becky and smiled her beautiful, flirty smile, Alice had no choice but to scoot in the boot next to Chris and across from Arthur. She tried to ignore how their knees brushed against each other, and she joined the conversation of the table.

About an hour and a few drinks later, Alice felt eyes on her. She looked over at the bar, and she made eye contact with a very attractive man who was standing and sipping on a Guiness. She immediately looked away, getting shy and trying to ignore him by talking to people.

"Alice, you've got an admirer," Lindsey announced. She had noticed the man as well, and she was bringing it to the attention of the table. Almost immediately, every single person there, including Arthur, whipped around to see who she was talking about.

The blonde's head dropped into her hands in embarrassment while everyone began teasing her, poking her shoulders and smiling. Paisley leaned forward with a smirk. "Yeah, Alice, can you go get me another drink."

"Elliott can do it," Alice suggested, considering he was closest to the bar.

Paisley shook her head though, and everyone made noises of disapproval. Everyone was egging her on, all except for one. The Minter girl said, "No, I need you to do it. He'll trip and fall."

"Yeah, Alice," Elliott agreed with a nod, partly because he didn't want to get up and partly because he wanted her to go talk to the guy at the bar. "You're the best at getting drinks."

A lot of the other boys were quiet, glancing over at Arthur, who was looking down at his hands on the table. "I hate you guys," Alice groaned, but she finally got up.

She approached the bar, telling the bartender Paisley's drink order and waiting for the man about two feet away from her to say something. For a second, she thought that maybe he had been looking at someone else, but then, he greeted, "Hey."

"Hi," she replied, turning to face him with the flirtiest look she could (she had taken notes from Natalie).

The man reached his hand forward for her to shake, and he introduced himself. "Jamie."

"Alice."

Back at the table, Arthur had not taken his eyes off of them. They had been talking for too long, and he felt an ache in his chest every time she laughed and touched him arm or leaned toward him. What could possibly be so interesting about that guy?

And when he handed her his phone, and she accepted it and began typing, Arthur knew that it was over. He felt someone nudge him, and he finally looked away from the pair at the bar to see Bach, raising his eyebrows to ask if he was okay.

Arthur simply nodded and sighed, forcing his eyes back to his friends.