"D, please stop bouncing around, it's not going to make her plane come any faster." Alexa brushes some imaginary fluff off the sleeve of her blouse and crosses one leg over the other.

"I'm not bouncing around." But my actions contradict my words as yet again, I stand up to check if Hailee's flight has landed. Excitement floods through me as I see the status of it change to 'disembarking'.

We still have to wait for another twenty minutes, while I assume Hailee is collecting her suitcase from the luggage carousel. Alexa pulls out her phone and starts scrolling through her emails. I spend the time anxiously watching for a familiar face through the glass doors to the Arrivals lounge.

"There she is!" I exclaim as soon as I see her. I jump up, running towards her as she comes through trailing a big suitcase, her hair in a messy top bun. Her green eyes are sparkling with mischief already.

"D!" she lets go of the suitcase and gives me a big hug. "Lexi!" she releases me and turns to her cousin. "It's so good to see you guys! I'm telling you, chef school is fucking hell."

"I don't think you brought enough clothes." Alexa eyes the large suitcase; it looks like she's packed enough for a month long stay. "How long are you here for again?"

"Oh shut the hell up," Hailee retorts cheerfully, bringing a smile to my face.

It is so, so good to have her back.

She chatters the whole way to the car about school and her classes. We all cringe as she tells us about some guy named Lyle, who somehow managed to drop scalding oil all over his feet. He had to take a couple of weeks off school due to the nasty blisters that popped up all over them, making it hard for him to walk.

It's only when I've driven out of the airport and we are back on the main road that she brings up my love life. "So D; how's Mason? Are you still dating him?"

To be honest, I'm quite surprised she has waited this long to broach the subject. I expected it to be one of the first questions to come out of her mouth. "Yeah I am."

She seems almost disappointed by my answer. It's as if she was hoping that since the last time I spoke to her, which was this morning, my relationship with Mason would have come to a tragic end.

"Are we seeing him this weekend?" she asks and I can tell she's hoping that my answer will be 'no'.

"I'm not sure." I remember how unimpressed he was that I wouldn't have time for him these next few days. Somehow I think the chances of him spending any time with us, are very slim.

"I hope not. Bloody dildo," she mutters, supposedly under her breath but she knows full well I can hear her. I am about to protest, but why bother? I know she's just looking out for me as my best friend. Alexa leans over from the backseat and gives Hailee a little nudge, as if she is warning her against saying anything else.

"So what are we doing tonight?" Alexa asks; probably to try and change the subject. I shoot her a grateful smile in the rear view mirror.

"Getting drunk, obviously," Hailee says, looking back at her cousin as if she has just asked a dumb question. "The only thing we need to figure out is where."

"I think I know the perfect place," I say, remembering running into Chase at the grocery store the other day. "Alexa, you'll like it because it's classy and understated. Hailee, you'll like it because it serves alcohol."

"Sounds perfect! Roll on the weekend!" Hailee grins and reaches out to pat my hand on the steering wheel. "I missed you guys too much!" she pulls the pony tail out of her hair and it cascades down her shoulders in soft waves. "Lexi, how's the underwear model?"

"He was rubbing his bare ass against the kitchen counter the other day," I tell her.

Hailee's eyes widen and she turns around in her seat to look at Alexa. "Why was his bare ass against the kitchen counter?"

I glance at Alexa again in the rear view mirror; she doesn't even look slightly embarrassed. "He was getting a glass of water."

"Naked?" Hailee and I question in unison.

"He was thirsty, he worked up a sweat." She shrugs as though that's completely normal.

Hailee roars with laughter but, I feel a blush creep up my cheeks. I've always been what Hailee and Alexa like to call 'the prude of our group'. "That's far too much information, Lex."

"You asked for it, D."

♡

The smell of singed hair and spilled wine filters through the apartment. The television is blaring catchy pop songs and my bed is hidden under a mountain of clothes. Just another night of girls getting ready together.

Alexa has put her hair up into a high ponytail. Her dark eyes are ringed with eye liner and she is wearing one of Hailee's dresses that's a metallic gold, very low cut at the front, showing off her cleavage.

I'm in a dark purple dress, the whole back is lace and it is very form fitting. I hadn't wanted to wear it, but once they saw me in it, Hailee and Alexa wouldn't let me take it off. I've left my hair down, flat and boring as ever.

We are currently waiting on Hailee to finally choose something to wear. I think she must have tried on at least twenty dresses by this point, raiding both me and Alexa's cupboard. She's determined to make the most of her weekend break and that includes looking her best, 'just in case she meets someone', she had told us with a wink.

"What about this one?" Alexa pulls a dress out of the rumpled mess of Hailee's bag. It is a stunning emerald green, with thin straps and a sweetheart neckline. It must be the only one she hasn't tried on yet.

"Oh, yeah, good idea." Hailee grabs it and pulls it on. It looks lovely on her. The colour of the dress brings out her green eyes, her brown curls fall almost to her ribcage. She pairs it with gold chunky jewellery and matching sandals and declares herself ready to go.

"Finally," Alexa and I mutter in unison, ignoring the dark look she throws at us.

We call a cab, all of us intending on getting fully drunk tonight and not wanting to have to be the designated driver. The ride there is filled with slightly tipsy chatter and loud laughter, which clearly annoys our driver. He pulls to a stop and grunts out the cost, not even thanking Hailee as she hands it over.

We climb out and he speeds away as soon as Alexa's door is closed, leaving us on the pavement outside Tall-Oaks. Hailee and Alexa survey the double glass doors and brickwork of the front of the building, clearly impressed by it.

"How did you find this place?" Alexa asks, looking around the interior as we walk in.

"Mason and I came here for drinks." I don't miss the eye roll from Hailee or the muttered 'dildo', as I say this, but I choose to ignore it.

"Princess!" someone calls from across the crowded room and the three of us look around, wondering who was being summoned. "Princess! Diana!"

I glance up and there's Chase, working behind the bar. He waves his hands enthusiastically as my eyes meet his, calling me over. We make our way to him, pushing through the mass of bodies and narrowly avoiding being spilled on as a man sways dangerously close with his beer.

"Princess?" I ask Chase as soon as we reach the heavy oak counter.

"Yeah, as in Princess Diana," he answers confidently, tucking a strand of hair behind his ear. "As in purple is the colour of royalty. As in, you look really beautiful tonight." I feel the blush crawl up my cheeks at his words, and barely manage to stutter out a 'thank you'.

Hailee nudges me, her elbow digging into my ribs. "Who's the hot piece of ass?" she whispers, not so quietly. She's always been known for her subtlety, or lack of.

"Uh, Chase, this is Hailee, my best friend and Alexa, my roommate," I introduce them. I can still feel the heat on my face from his comment and swallow hard to calm myself down.

"Hello lovely ladies," he greets. "What can I get you to drink? How about a Chase special?"

We all nod without bothering to ask what's in it and he walks off to go pour them, the bun in his hair bouncing as we moves around behind the bar. "How do you know him?" Alexa asks, staring at his retreating backside.

"He was working when I came here," I shrug. "Also I saw him at the grocery store the other day. He told me about tonight. Apparently they do it once a month; it's an Open Mic night or something."

"Girl he is fine as wine," Hailee says then laughs at her own joke with Alexa joining in. I'm starting to wonder if drinking before we came out was a good idea.

"Okay, guys that's enough." I glance nervously to where Chase is mixing something in a shaker. I'm scared that he will hear them talking about him.

"Aw, don't whine D!" This time, both of them laugh so hard they have tears in their eyes. Okay, drinking before we came out was definitely a bad idea.

Chase finally comes back with our drinks, halting their laughter in its tracks. The colour is a little suspicious; I've never really seen a beverage such a pale shade of blue before and the mint sprig and pineapple wedge on top don't do much to ease my concerns. "These are on me ladies, enjoy! Are you guys sticking around for the show?"

"Show?" Alexa takes a long sip of her drink and her face screws up slightly, which makes me even more nervous to try it. But then she takes another one and smacks her lips together, smiling as she places it back on the counter.

"You'll see soon," he winks at me before going to help another customer.

"Thanks for the drinks!" I call after him. "Again," I add, causing Alexa and Hailee look at me in confusion. "He paid for a couple of my drinks last Saturday." Okay all three of them actually, but I don't want to say that as the two of them already look far too happy.

"Girl, he is a snack, why are you not jumping on that piece of ass?" I think the wine before we came has officially gone to Hailee's head. I guess it doesn't help that she's already almost half way through her cocktail. "He's clearly into you."

I am about to answer when the lights are dimmed, and the sound of a guitar strumming fills the air. "Thank you all for coming out tonight!" I turn to see Chase has left the bar and is now sitting on a stool in the corner, a guitar resting on his lap and a microphone on a stand in front of his lips. "As you know, here at Tall-oaks, we like to do a little Open Mic night once a month. Sit back, relax and take advantage of the drinks listed in our happy hour specials!"

A huge cheer rises up from the crowd, and honestly this is the first time that I have noticed that the inside is more packed than the outside tonight. Last time I came, it had been the other way around. I take a deep sip of my drink which actually is delicious, despite its odd colour.

Chase strums his guitar and breaks into song. "I want your love and I want your revenge. You and me could write a bad romance."

"Is he seriously singing Lady Gaga?" Hailee says a little too loudly.

"Shhh, I like his version better!" Alexa quietens. She's right; he's turned the song into an acoustic ballad, and his voice is gruff and husky. It sounds pretty damn good actually, he really is very talented.

By the middle of his song, most people are either singing along or cheering; me included. Hailee's found a lighter from somewhere and is waving it in the air like we are at some rock concert, swaying slightly on her bar stool.

I'm almost finished my drink by the time that Chase starts strumming really fast on the guitar, clearly reaching a big finish. "Want your bad romance!" he ends off to applause and many loud demands of 'encore'.

Chase just smiles and places his guitar down. "Sorry guys, I don't want to hog the stage all night. Next we have one of my favourite waiters, Gavin. Come on up Gav." He claps along with the crowd as a shy looking guy takes the stage and picks up the guitar.

Gavin starts plucking along to a Nickleback song. His voice is good, but not quite on the same level that Chase is on. He's missing the confidence that Chase seems to exude.

"How are your drinks?" I hear Chase's voice behind me and jump, truly startled that he had managed to slip behind the bar so quickly.

"Finished." Hailee beams at him, pushing her empty glass towards him. "You know, that's not the most romantic song you could have chosen to sing to Diana." She ignores my gasp of indignation and the elbow I dig into her ribs.

I feel my cheeks heat up and I am pretty sure that they have gone a very unflattering shade of scarlet. "Hailee," I hiss in warning, embarrassed at her brashness.

Chase lets out a low chuckle at her words, seemingly unembarrassed by her implication. "Believe me, when I sing to Diana, she will know," he winks, causing my face to burn even more.

Alexa slaps her hand on the table, beaming from ear to ear. "Now that's what I'm talking about."

But I don't get to ask her what she means by that. Just then, I feel a hand on my arm and a voice in my ear.

"How many of those have you had?"