It’s finally Friday, which means I get to fly out to see Eve over the weekend. After my last class I make my way to our private jet as discreetly as possible, I’m feeling lucky that my dad hasn’t changed his mind, it would suck if I suddenly couldn’t go. It’s only a short flight so I land in no time. I first make my way to Eve’s family’s house, or rather mansion, they sent the driver to pick me up as usual. 

I’m stepping out of the car, leaving my luggage for the driver to carry. I only manage to take a few steps before I can already see Eve running towards me out the front door. Eve has a huge grin on her face and her arms are wide open as she comes towards me. If an outsider saw our reunion they would think we hadn’t seen each other for years, instead of mere months. I’m hugging her tight, telling her how much I missed her. Eve is the same. We are both a bit dramatic, I admit. 

After our over the top reunion in front of the door, we make our way inside, arms linked and both smiling as we chat cheerily. Eve’s parents, Mr. and Mrs. Montfort, meet us in the foyer. Mrs. Montfort smiles warmly at me and pulls me into an embrace as she greets me and Mr. Montfort pats me on the shoulder. 

“Welcome, dear”, Mrs. Montfort says.

“How was the flight, Audrey, sweetheart”, Mr. Montfort asks, as we walk towards the dining room. A late dinner is in the plans. 

“It went quickly and smoothly, Mr. Montfort”, I answer, still smiling. It’s odd, but I have always felt more at ease with Eve’s family than my own, they’re so warm and welcoming. Growing up I used to wish Eve and I were sisters. 

“My father asked me to send his regards”, I add. 

We small talk and exchange pleasantries as we sit around the huge dining room table as the staff serves our meals. The Montfort’s eat dinner together every night, it must be nice, when I still lived at home I would eat most of my meals alone because my parents were always too busy to make it to dinner on time. 

After dinner Eve and I hang out in her room. When I visit Eve we usually sleep in the same room, like a sleepover, even though the Montfort’s have multiple guest rooms. It’s become a habit, because we’ve always shared a room since we were kids. Eve’s complaining about how her girlfriend broke up with her. Again. Eve and her girlfriend, Irene, have been in a on-again, off-again relationship since high school. I don’t really take their breakups seriously anymore, because I know they’ll get back together eventually. They usually break up because Eve is being dramatic. 

“This is really it! We are not getting back together, I swear!”, Eve says with her usual dramatic flair. I have a hard time keeping a smile off my face. Yeah, right. 

“Totally”, I say.

“Audrey, I’m being serious! You don’t believe me?”, Eve pleads as she throws herself on the bed in an exaggerated effort to evoke pity in me.

“Okay, okay, I believe you, my poor baby Eve, how will you survive”, I can’t help but let out a laugh. Eve pretends to be pissed off at me, but we know each other well enough to know not to actually cross the line. If I actually thought she wasn’t ever getting back together with Irene I would comfort her, but deep down we both know this isn’t the end for them. 

“We’re both single, right? Now that you’re not with Henry and I’m not with Irene”, Eve says with a mischievous look on her face. 

“Yeah… “, I answer wearily, I know that face, she’s about to suggest something that I might not like. 

“Let’s go clubbing! Let’s go now! And tomorrow and on Sunday as well! Let’s find some hot guys and girls and forget our exes!”, Eve suggests excitedly. She sees my skeptical look and gives me a pleading look in return. 

“Audrey, please! Pretty please!”, she gives me her famous puppy eyes and pouts her lips, no one can say no to her. I roll my eyes and agree to go. 

We are getting ready, it’s good that we are about the same size, because I didn’t really pack a lot of clubbing outfits. Usually, I love clubbing so I don’t know why I’m feeling a bit reluctant to go. I do get a bit more excited to go as we get ready, we’re both dressed to kill; fatally seductive and ready to party all night. We pre-game as we get ready so we’re both a bit tipsy already as Eve’s driver takes us to the club. 

I’m dancing and drinking, then dancing some more. The music in the club is loud and there’s too many people on the dance floor. I’m feeling a bit dizzy and I’ve lost Eve in the crowd of bodies, she always does that, she begs to go clubbing together but then disappears as soon as we get there, then apologizes profusely in the morning as we are getting over our hangovers. 

I’ve danced with any and all guys who have been confident enough to come up to me on the dance floor. I usually have a ton of fun dancing with hot strangers, but tonight I’m not feeling it. I don’t know why, but they all make me feel uncomfortable, it’s like I don’t want them near me or touching me at all. I try to ignore it and just drink more, but it just makes me feel nauseous. 

I’m swaying to the rhythm of the music and I stumble a bit, which makes me giggle. Suddenly, I feel an arm sliding around my waist and someone presses up against me, I smile as I turn around. 

“Wyatt?”, I slur before I’m completely turned around. No, it’s not Wyatt, it’s just another stranger, of course. Why would it be Wyatt? I’m in a completely different city than him. I squint up at the stranger, he’s good looking, but as he smiles he doesn’t have any dimples and he’s too muscular, he’s just not Wyatt. I want to dance with Wyatt, the thought enters my intoxicated brain and it makes me want to get away from this stranger and the club altogether. 

I keep dancing, but my brain is racing. Why did I think of Wyatt? I wish it was Wyatt holding me on this stupid, too crowded dance floor. What? I’m too drunk. I can’t stop my thoughts from drifting to Wyatt over and over again as I switch dance partners. 

“Where you going, gorgeous? Stay with me”, my latest dance partner shouts in my ear to be heard over the loud music as I’m yet again going to find someone else to dance with. 

“No thanks, I’m good”, I try to clear my head, but the room is spinning. If he was Wyatt I would stay. What a ridiculous thought. I giggle a bit to myself and it seems like the stranger is about to make another attempt at making me stay, but luckily I don’t need to fight him on it because to my relief it seems it’s already morning. I hadn’t noticed how long I had already been here, but it seems the club is closing because they turn on the lights. 

I make my way towards the exit. Eve’s driver is waiting outside, ready to escort us home. I don’t need to wait long before I see Eve stumbling out of the club, she’s completely gone from the looks of it. It’s a miracle she’s even standing, because she’s clearly consumed much stronger things than just alcohol. Her eyes are a bit red and she has a dopey smile on her face. The driver sighs when he sees the shape we’re in, but silently helps me and Eve pile into the backseat and drives us back to Eve’s place. 

We stumble up the stairs to sleep off our hangovers, but I have a feeling we’re going to have a lot to talk about later, because I’m still thinking about Wyatt. I think it may be time to confess to Eve - and myself- that I think about him so much that it’s getting hard to ignore it, but for now, I need to sleep and maybe throw up. We fall asleep in Eve’s room and Wyatt is the last thing I think about before I drift off as the room spins.