Avery and I were currently getting dressed to go out. It had been such a stressful last couple weeks with everything that had happened with Aaron and my mother that I just wanted one carefree evening. Avery texted Nathan and he said he'd meet us at the bar. It was a new bar but Aaron hated trying new places so I still checked it off as an Olivia friendly establishment.

I was contemplating texted Alexander. It had been a couple days of not much contact and I didn't want to bother him. I had never initiated a hang out with him and I was nervous about rejection. Not that there was anything to reject. We were just friends.

"Just text him," Avery encouraged.

I loved her blunt nature. I wished I could take the bull by the horns like she did. She liked Nathan and so she asked him out. She felt that she loved him and just told him. She didn't wait for anyone to take a step, she just lead with her heart.

"I'm sure he's busy," I murmured as I put some eyeshadow on attempting a subtle smoky eye. I leaned back and compared both eyes before going in with some eyeliner to make a cat eye.

"You won't know unless you ask him. He's asked you plenty of times. It's not like he doesn't enjoy your company, clearly." Avery was wearing a strapless black dress that hugged her curves and some strappy heels that accentuated her long, toned legs.

I walked over to the floor length mirror to take in my outfit. The long sleeved, pale coloured, velvet dress rested mid thighs and had a slightly plunging neckline. I glanced down at my nude pumps. It was more risqué than I would usually wear but I agreed to let Avery be my guidepost and this is what she chose - modest in her opinion.

I pulled my phone out and unlocked it before typing a message.

Olivia: hey, are you busy tonight?

I sat down on the edge of the bed as I placed my phone next to me. I wondered what he was up to. I'm sure he wouldn't answer right away. I'm sure he had plans tonight. My brain flooded with a million reasons he wouldn't show up tonight. My phone buzzed next to me.

Alexander: kind of have plans to see this girl who's ghosting me

Olivia: oh, I'm sorry!

My stomach knotted up as Alexander talked about his relationship status. I wondered who the girl he was doting after was. Did he talk to her about me? What would he say? That I was the odd, quiet girl who let people walk all over her and reminded him of his sister?

Alexander: I'm taking it pretty hard here. I'm trying to give her space, but then again, she's a relish on a hot dog type of girl so maybe I should reconsider

Olivia: I am not ghosting you

Alexander: ;)

Olivia: well, if you're not busy, Avery and I are going to McCormick's bar

Alexander: I know, Nathan already told me and I'm getting ready to head out

Olivia: don't text and ride

Alexander: you gotta live a little

I threw my phone on the bed next to me, grinning like an idiot.

"I take it he's coming?" Avery asked, her eyes glinting with humour.

I cleared my throat and got up, smoothing my dress down, "Yeah." Avery laughed.

We headed out the door and began to drive to the bar in Avery's car, but not before Tommy tried to convince us that he could pass as a twenty one year old.

"Are we settling on the last apartment we saw?" I asked Avery turning to the side and drawing my leg up on the seat.

"I think so? It seemed like the cleanest one to me." Avery replied looking ahead.

She has been very concerned about the state of cleanliness in every place we went into. I tried to tell her that we could clean the place when we got it, but she maintained that a once filthy apartment would be an always filthy apartment. When Avery dug her heels in, she was never giving in, so I knew better than to argue with her.

"We should go in to sign lease papers when you're ready," I told her.

"I'm ready whenever. It's going to be so weird to not live at home," she admitted.

"Being at your house for the last couple weeks, I completely understand why you'd feel that way. Your family's amazing."

"Seeing what your mom is like, I completely agree," she grinned at me.

We walked into a severely overcrowded bar. There were booths along the edges and chairs littered everywhere else. We pushed our way to the back where Nathan had texted Avery that he had snagged a booth. 

My eyes fell onto Alexander as he sat across from Nathan. He was wearing a worn leather jacket, his dark hair looking tousled in multiple directions, his green eyes twinkled with laughter as he spoke with Nathan. I felt butterflies invade my stomach as his eyes looked up and met my gaze. His smile widened as he looked me over, his eyes pausing as he took in my outfit. By the time his eyes had reached mine again, there was conflict in them.

We walked over to the booth and Avery sat on top of Nathan's lap as they began to make out and whisper sweet nothings into each other's ears. I sat tentatively next to Alexander. The butterflies in my stomach made my throat feel constricted.

"Hi, Olivia," Alexander spoke quietly with a smile tugging at his lips, his voice sending shivers down my spine.

"Hey," I squeaked in reply.

"I missed you," he admitted.

I smiled up at him, our height difference so stark when we were sitting down, "I did too. It's hard to go a few days without your doctor." I teased.

He chuckled, and the sound reverberated next to me as he placed his elbows on the table, his arm brushing my side, leaving a trail of heat as it did. The knots that I was accustomed to whenever I was next to him began to take over.

"Olivia?" I looked away from Alexander to see Stacey. What were the odds? This group hated vetting new places. They had a very predictable pattern of Jitters coffee in the morning and Pat's Pub in the evening, plus a number of food joints that they frequented. I knew their patterns very well.

"What the hell are you doing here, Stacey?" Avery snapped as she heard the voice, getting off of Nathan to glare at Stacey.

"Oh," Stacey jumped back in what I'd assume was fear, "Avery, hey."

I saw a raven haired girl approach and would know that head of hair anywhere. "Oh my God, Olivia! Where have you been?!" Heather exclaimed walking up behind Stacey. I froze in my seat. Was this girl intent on torturing me? You can't sleep with someone's boyfriend and then ask them how they've been.

Alexander's hand fell off the table and gave a gentle squeeze to my thigh. It was a small gesture that brought me a lot of comfort.

Heather turned to look at the other side of the booth and her eyes bulged when she saw Avery. I could have almost burst out laughing if I wasn't so tense with nerves.

"Avery, I, uh, didn't see you there."

"I'm sure you didn't." Avery replied. When she wanted to, she could come off terrifying. Her arms began to move quickly and when Avery's arms began to flail, you just knew she was upset.

Sensing the terse situation, Stacey interrupted, "You guys should come to our table!"

"We're good, thanks," I replied.

"Maybe you want to introduce us to your friend?" Stacey replied eying Alexander up and down.

My heart raced with anger before Alexander replied, "I'm good, thanks." He reached under the table and his fingers brushed mine before I grabbed on tightly hoping some of his bravery would transfer to me.

"I'm surprised you're trying something new. I thought smoking pot, getting wasted, and sleeping with other people's boyfriends was all you were good for," Avery snapped aggressively.

"No one slept with anyone in the group, Avery," Stacey rolled her eyes. I couldn't believe they still trusted Aaron's story over mine.

"Listen, I don't want to argue. I just came over to see if we could mend this. Olivia, let's just let bygones be bygones." Heather reasoned, flipping her perfectly silky hair behind her shoulder.

I clasped onto Alexander's fingers and he gave me an encouraging nudge. I could practically hear his deep voice reminding me gently to not let others make you feel like a victim. I took a deep breath, holding onto Alexander's fingers so tightly I thought I'd cut off circulation. His large fingers wrapped around my hand, making me feel protected and safe, before I replied, "I'm done with your group. That's what happens when you sleep with someone else's boyfriend, Heather. Stacey should know about that. You did sleep with Mark after all. And maybe you can ask your boyfriend to stop hassling me."

She gaped at me, "He has not been talking with you."

"You did what?!" Stacey screamed shoving Heather. "I asked you if anything was going on between you two!" She stomped away.

"Stacey, I swear, it was nothing! It was a drunken kiss!"

"Is drunken kiss code for slept with someone else's boyfriend multiple times?" Avery mocked, waving her hands wildly to enunciate her point.

Heather's eyes darted between Avery and I before she turned around and walked away calling for Stacey.

I looked at Alexander and saw the pride in his eyes. Is this what channeling an inner Avery felt like? He nudged my shoulder with his, "I always knew it," He stated gleefully.

And it was true. He did.