27. Eliana
TWENTY-SEVEN
It’sSaturday night and the Kooky Coconut is packed with tourists visiting from out of town. Kairi, Maliah and I are in a booth near the back of the bar, a shot of tequila in front of each of us. Kairi insists we need to take a shot before girls’ night officially begins.
“The last time I drank tequila I woke up feeling like I got hit in the head by a boulder,” I mutter, eyeing my glass.
Kairi waves me off. “That’s just because it was your first shot ever, trust me it won’t be as bad this time around.”
“That’s what everyone says the night before they wake up with the worst hangover of their life,” Maliah chips in.
Kairi rolls her eyes and holds her glass up, waiting for us to join her. “I just want to say that I always knew we’d be good friends, but I never expected our friendship to feel like a sisterhood. I love you, girls.”
Her words cut right through me. I haven’t told them I’m leaving tomorrow. I haven’t told anyone, scared they would convince me to stay or worse, tell me to leave after they read the article.
“Eliana?” A voice pulls me out of my head, and I find both girls staring at me, brows furrowed in concern as they hold their empty shot glasses.
“Sorry,” I say before I take my shot.
My throat and chest grow warm as it travels down to my stomach. I make a face as the bitterness of the aftertaste hits me, stuffing a lime in my mouth.
“You’ve been quiet today, is everything alright?” Maliah asks as she waves over a server.
We each order a strawberry daiquiri before both pairs of eyes fall on mine, waiting for my response. I force a smile as I wave my hand dismissively.
“I’m just nervous about my first campaign launch. I hope Gabriel liked it as much as everyone else does,” I lie easily.
“I’m sure he loves it. I’m surprised he hasn’t said anything to you about it yet,” Maliah reassures me, leaning against the back of the booth.
“Yeah, it had me tearing up. I know he’ll be impressed if he hasn’t watched it yet,” Kairi agrees.
“I hope so.”
Maliah taps her fingers on the table as she studies me.
“I think we’ve been patient enough,” she mutters before sitting upright, “what is going on between you and Griffin? Have you two slept together yet?”
“Mal!” Kairi chastises, but I don’t miss her eyes slide to mine curiously.
My cheeks heat up as I look away from them.
“We did,” I say quietly.
Kairi squeals and Mal slaps the tabletop before pulling out a twenty-dollar bill from her purse and handing it to Kairi. My jaw drops as I watch the exchange.
“Did you two place a bet on me?” I ask, feigning offence.
“We did,” Kairi confirms, nodding proudly, her brown curls bouncing around her shoulders.
“I was positive you two would kill each other first,” Mal pouts as she crosses her arms over her chest and sinks down in her seat.
The server comes by with our drinks, placing them in front of us before walking off.
I laugh. “I thought we would too, but something just…changed one day.” I lean over and take a sip from my straw.
Kairi swoons and claps excitedly. “I love that, it’s so romantic.”
“There’s nothing romantic about that,” Mal says grumpily, “so, how was he compared to your past experiences?”
I choke on my drink, my eyes widening as I look up at them both.
“Oh, come on, don’t be shy, we can talk about that kind of stuff.” Kairi places a supportive hand on my shoulder, “we’re sisters now.”
“Uhm,” I play with my straw, “well, I was a virgin before Griffin.”
They both freeze in their seats and stare at me, eyes wide and lips parted. I look away, embarrassed, returning my attention to my drink.
“You’re telling me, big dick Griffin took your virginity?” Mal asks, her brows still raised.
“Are you okay?” Kairi grabs ahold of my hand. “How did you survive that? Was he gentle?”
I giggle at the concern laced in their words. “Before I answer any of those questions, how do you two know he has a big dick?”
Maliah groans, sitting up straight. “It was years ago but we all got drunk one night and ran into the ocean, butt naked, and I unfortunately got an eyeful of his…package.”
“I mean, it’s not like he can hide that easily,” Kairi adds.
I press my lips together trying to hold back my laugh, but it bursts out of me, and they quickly join in. By the end, we’re wiping away the tears from our eyes before sipping on our drinks.
“It hurt when we first started, but he was really gentle,” I say, unable to hold back my smile, “he made it really romantic with candles scattered around the room.”
“Oh my god,” Kairi gasps, her eyes widening, “did this happen on the boat getaway you two went on?”
I nod and she squeals again. “I helped him bring those candles on board! If I had known that was what we were setting up for I would’ve had him bring some rose petals too.”
I laugh. “It’s okay. I think the candles were perfect. The whole night was perfect.”
“Awww,” Maliah coos, smiling at me as she props her head on her hand, “well, I’m happy you two finally settled your shit. The animosity was annoying.”
“You’re one to talk,” Kairi mumbles before quickly wrapping her lips around her straw and drinking.
Maliah slowly turns her eyes to Kairi, smiling an extremely exaggerated and scary smile. “I thought we agreed to never bring him up again.”
I snort, bringing her attention back to me. “Did you two sleep together the night of the bonfire?”
It’s a question that’s been taking up too much space in my mind since that night. Her jaw drops, almost like she’s offended, before she turns to look at Kairi whose cheeks have pinkened.
“I haven’t slept with anyone in the last year,” Mal says, “but I don’t think Kairi can say the same.”
I always wanted friends like them. I’m an only child and I can confirm it gets lonely but sitting here with them at a bar late at night, feels like I’ve found sisters instead.
“It was one time, and I was running on an adrenaline high,” Kairi says defensively.
“Wait, did I miss something? Who did you sleep with?”
Kairi sighs and shifts in her seat uncomfortably. “Well, at the bonfire before Zale got shitface wasted, we snuck off into the forest and may have done it against a tree.”
Who knew little Kairi was so freaky?
“And then?” Maliah presses.
There’s more!?
“And then back at the house, when I was taking care of Colton he kissed me.”
“And?” Maliah continues.
Kairi hangs her head to her chest. “And then we slept together,” she confesses, “multiple times throughout the night.”
My jaw drops open as I lower my glass back to the table. My head is reeling with this new information. It explains the long glances I noticed from Zale and Colton. “Do they know?”
She nods slowly. “Zale is pissed and isn’t really talking to me right now.”
“What about Colton?” I ask.
She shrugs. “I don’t really know what he wants, but at least he’s still acting normal.”
I sense her frustration and disappointment as she talks about them, so I scoot closer and wrap an arm around her shoulder and pull her in for a hug.
“Don’t beat yourself up about it, things will work out how they’re meant to.”
“How optimistic of you,” Mal says before downing the rest of her drink and placing the empty glass on the table. “Let’s go play darts. I bought a picture of what’s-his-face for target practice.”
She jumps out of her seat and starts walking toward the empty dart board, several pairs of eyes following her as she passes in her tight pink dress and white cowboy boots.
“Who is what’s-his-face?” I ask.
“Koa,” Kairi confirms before we slide out of the booth, finishing our drinks quickly, and following Mal.
The neon lightsof the bar bounce around my vision as we dance in the middle of the dance floor. It’s almost empty by now since the bar closes in a few minutes. I giggle and leave the girls on the dance floor as I walk towards a stool and pull my phone out of my purse. I dial Griffin’s number and hold the phone to my ear, waiting for him to answer.”
“Eliana?” His sleepy voice says from the other end. “I was waiting for you, but I must have fallen asleep on the couch.”
“Hey handsome,” I slur into the phone, my words feeling jumbled and heavy. “It’s meee, your girlfriend, HAHA, can you come pick us up.”
There’s silence on the other end for a minute before he clears his throat. “Sunshine,” he says, “are you drunk?”
I giggle, the sound sloshy and weird. Maliah and Kairi join me at the stool giggling too. We sound like a pack of hyenas as we hold on to each other, legs crossed.
“I’m going to pee myself,” Maliah shrieks before running in zig zags toward the ladies’ room.
“Nooo, we’re not drunk. We’re, like, just ready to go home now,” I pause, eyeing Kairi as I gently sway, “Kairi, do you have a twin sister? Because I see two of you right now.”
Griffin sighs and chuckles on the other end of the line. “Stay inside until I get there, I’ll be there in five minutes.”
I lean against the stool, the room spinning around me. I clutch my phone tight, like it might anchor me to my spot.
“Yeah, okay.” I say before hanging up.
A loud crash causes Kairi and I to jump into each other’s arms. We look over our shoulders and find Maliah sprawled on the ground in a starfish formation. When she groans, Kairi and I drop to the ground in a fit of giggles as tears stream down our faces.
Our laughing grows louder when Griffin and Koa walk through the front door of the empty bar five minutes later.
“Finally,” the bartender sighs from behind the counter, “please pay their tabs and get them out of here.”
Koa helps Maliah to her feet and in her drunkenness, she wraps her arms around him and presses her face to his chest as he walks them over to the bartender, pulling out his wallet to pay. Griffin walks over to me and Kairi, helping us to our feet.
“Let’s get you ladies home,” he says, wrapping an arm around my waist.
“I love you,” I mumble, smiling up at him.
He tenses as he looks down at me. “Tell me that when you’re sober, sunshine.” He kisses the top of my head and walks us out of the bar.