Arrrgh, that woman!

She still has the power to drive me crazy. Well, at least after our cozy chat she won’t call me for another couple of months. Fine by me. I’m ready for a drink and to forget all about parental harassment.

Seventeen

Never Have I Ever

The atmosphere inside the bar has the peculiar cheerfulness only Friday nights can bring along. The guys are outside, seated at a large table in the prettiest back patio ever. Enclosed between brick buildings, covered in green ivy, and with string lights dangling side-to-side, it’s modern and quaint at the same time.

Indira waves me over and points at the chair next to her. When I sit down she says, “I’ve ordered you a margarita and some veggie tacos.” She pushes a glass and a plate my way.

“Thanks.” I smile and take my reserved spot. “Mmm, these are delicious.” I devour a full taco before touching any alcohol. “I’m ordering another round.”

As I turn to attract the attention of a server, I catch Richard’s eye instead. He’s standing on the threshold of the garden, looking at me. Actually, seems like he’s been standing there a while. Was he watching me the whole time? The hair on my nape immediately stands up. As he smiles and starts walking toward us, goose bumps rise all over my arms.

Richard sits at the head of the table, one seat away from me. “What did I miss?”

Indira replies, “Tacos and tequila.”

The server who I tried to call before arrives to take the table’s final orders. I ask for a salad and some other vegetarian tacos. Richard gets a beer and tacos as do most of the others.

The few nights out with my old colleagues from Évoque don’t compare. Not with their calorie-counting remarks, bitchy competitiveness, and overpriced cocktails. Here, everyone’s mood is relaxed and cheerful. Hugo is being a clown, telling Tinder dates horror stories. Indira is giving everyone sass. And whenever Nico tries to start a serious political debate, we all boo him. The quietest is Saffron, who spends most of the night glued to her phone, giving the group sporadic updates on the number of likes, shares, and views the interview is getting.

When it reaches two million views on YouTube, Richard bangs a fist on the table. “Who’s in for celebratory shots?” he shouts.

There’s a general cheer of approval, and the boss leaves to fetch a server who reappears minutes later with three bottles of tequila and shot glasses.

I’m trying not to get completely wasted, so I grab the least full glass and drink only for the main toast. Richard also goes back to beer after one shot. Zane and Hugo are not so shy and peruse the bottle multiple times.

As the night progresses, my colleagues start to leave one by one, until there’s only Saffron, Indira, and the boss left. We move to a smaller table. Richard carrying his beer and Saffron salvaging the only remaining half-full bottle of tequila along with the shot glasses.