First and Only by Allie Winters

Author:Allie Winters [Winters, Allie]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Allie Winters
Published: 2020-05-26T04:00:00+00:00

15

Eden

The bouncer studies my driver’s license, glancing back and forth between it and my face. The guy has to be at least half a foot taller than Jake, which is saying something, with shoulders straining the seams of his jacket. He could pick me up like a rag doll if he wanted. “Your birthday’s in a week. Shame I have to do this.”

He pulls an object out of his pocket, and I almost flinch before I realize it’s a Sharpie. He has me hold out the backs of my hands while he draws a large X on each, the particular smell of permanent marker stinging my nose.

“Your birthday’s next week?” Jake asks. “Why didn’t you say anything?”

“It’s not a big deal,” I mumble. Dad’s never permitted much in the way of birthdays. A day of vanity and self-centered nonsense, as he would say. I think his stance on it is only that way because reportedly my mother loved celebrating her own, hosting an extravagant party for herself annually.

“We should celebrate,” Jake continues. “I’ll take you out somewhere.”

The bouncer eyes the two of us, and I can only imagine what he’s thinking. He’s going to take her out? Yeah, okay.

“We’re friends,” I tell the guy as I retrieve my I.D. from him, not that he asked for an explanation.

“Whatever.” He waves us through the double doors of the club, his gaze already on the scantily dressed girls behind us in line.

As we walk forward, Jake presses his hand into my lower back, guiding me. His touch burns even through my sweater, steering me toward the bar area where a group of intimidatingly large guys is gathered at the end.

He’s not focused on them, though, appearing instead to search behind the long counter where bartenders are making all sorts of concoctions I don’t have the first clue about.

“Do you see your friends?”

“Yeah, that’s them.” He motions to the group I suspected, my stomach sinking a little. They’re big, rowdy, and raucous. How am I going to get through tonight? “But there was this bartender here last time. She said she knew you.”

I frown. “Me?” Who in the world would I know who works here? And why would I come up in conversation to begin with? “I’ve never been here.”

“I don’t remember her name, but she had on heavy makeup and this huge purple streak in her hair.”

Purple hair? I rack my brain until- “Oh, Audrey? She’s Samantha’s friend.”

“Yeah, that sounds right.”

Wait, didn’t Samantha say something about that a while ago? Why did I never ask her for details about it? “I’m surprised she remembered me. Most people don’t.” I glance again at the group of guys, this time noticing a number of girls there too, all of them beautiful and dressed for clubbing. Unlike me. I should have stopped home and changed... not that I have anything remotely appropriate for this kind of place.

“What?” Jake asks, laying a hand on my arm to stop me. “What do you mean most people don’t?”

I shrug.

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