A/N: I posted a song to this chapter, that I think kind of fits into a section of the chapter. I would recommend playing Alors on danse near the *** . This has been really fun posting songs, hopefully it's been just as fun for you to listen to them! Thank you to everyone for the support I've been receiving <333

Alex

My head throbbed from all the homework and syllabuses thrown at me this week. I rubbed my forehead before I let it fall onto my textbook with a thud that echoed in the library. Only one good thing I got going is the fact that today is a very beautiful day. Despite it raining again early this morning, as it did throughout the entire week, it was a very gorgeous Friday afternoon. I hated Mondays, but Fridays were the most beautiful thing in the world.

I must be going delusional from all this studying if I'm calling a day of the week beautiful.

"Don't be so dramatic, you'll get used to the all-nighters." Paige snickered in my ear.

"I'm used to all-nighters," I protested, keeping my face glued to my book. "But I didn't expect the material to be so hard." I lifted my head off my textbook and focused on my notes once more. "I just need to finish this chapter then I can take a quick five minute bathroom break, and I'll do the next chapter for my other class,"

Rose, who sat across from us snorted out loud, eyes widening as she felt embarrassed about her outburst. Paige and I shoved our hands against our mouths in a failed attempt to control our laughter. She composed herself while still holding back a smile, "You have a set time to go to the bathroom? Girl, do you even eat or go outside?"

I pressed my lips into a thin line as I was still containing a smirk. "I'll be alright because I have a system, and when you have a system you know what works. So what if I miss a few days of sleep or eating, I've had a 4.0 GPA for as long as I can remember. Lay off."

I could feel both of them staring at me in my peripheral vision.

I huffed, "I'm not a psycho. I just don't mess with the system." My attention dove back into my notebook as I took some final notes from the chapter.

I guess Rose had warmed up to me a bit this week. Turns out she was a bit cold to everyone new she met – in fact, she told me it was a piece of advice her mother told her when she was little. Always be harsher than how you normally would be so people couldn't expect so much from you. It's a great piece of advice, but it is physically impossible for me to pretend to be someone I'm not. I tend to get all fidgety and tear up my nails.

Hopping off my seat at the table I quietly told them I was going to use the bathroom, to which Paige snickered, "Yeah, don't ever let anyone mess with your system, Alex."

Rolling my eyes as I speed walked away, Rose called out mischievously, "I want to mess with your system, Alex!" They cracked up laughing at her crude joke as a few heads popped up from their books to look at us. I heard Paige smack her arm and Rose yelp out as they exploded into fits of loud whispers. You're supposed to be quiet in a library, where the heck were those librarians that are supposed to shush you for breathing too loud?

Face flushed berry red, I passed that corner as I approached the bathroom. I made sure to avert my eyes as I huffed at them under my breath, "Get a freaking room, you people."

It's not like I was a prude or anything, just do what you're going to do behind closed doors. What kind of people are fine being in public like that? I shuddered at the thought if that was me and I got caught. I feel like I would die from a heart attack right then and there.

These bathrooms here have actually surprised me with how clean they are – I was a bit obsessed with the fact every bathroom stall had paper toilet seat covers. It felt like such an upgrade from the makeshift toilet paper ones I had to make at my old community college. Though the odor sprays smelled like citrus, it didn't completely mask that public bathroom smell.

Speed walking back to our table, I sat down next to Paige once more, feeling absolutely delirious. Where did I put my textbook? Where was my notebook? Oh my god, that was days' worth of studying and I lost it! I smacked the table with my palm and looked around.

"Hey!" I poked Paige in the ribs, "Did you or Rose take my stuff?" I asked her urgently, as if my life depended on it, and all she could do was crack a smile while staring at Rose across the table.

Rose answered instead, "I don't know, didn't I say I wanted to mess with your system?" She giggled playfully and held her backpack close to her chest, where my honest-to-god gold was probably hidden. "Girl, you need a freaking break. Have you seen how much you've done this week already? You like, are practically halfway through the book already, and classes are barely starting."

She pulled out my notebook and opened to the last page I had been working on, there were only about thirty pages left of blank paper. Rose pinched together the rest of my notebook with her fingertips. "You see? So, since it's Friday, we are going out. You are over the drinking age, right?" She asked.

I nodded, "Yeah, but I've never actually drank before. I turned 21 a couple weeks ago actually. I've always wanted to make sure I go in the right direction, regardless of what's legal or not."

Rose scoffed with a look of disdain in her eyes, "Not even in high school? Babe, we are taking you out for a proper 21st birthday, we are going to meet some cute guys, and we will have all day tomorrow to recover and get back into gear on Sunday. We are leaving now, sound good?"

Recover?! What the hell from? You recover from aliens bursting out of your abdomen, or going through a crippling realization that you know a kid who sees actual dead people, only to figure out that you're a ghost. Those are the types of things you recover from, although the latter might be tougher given the fact that you're dead already.

Rose jumped up out of her seat, "Wait, wait, wait guys. I know this great little bar a few blocks away. Oh my god," She squealed, "They always have Friday karaoke, and they make the best drinks. You can borrow one of my outfits. Oh," She sighed dreamily, "The bartender is so hot."

I felt paralyzed in fear. I can't have fun; I still have a lot to do to get a nice kick start to my classes. There's nothing any guy can offer that I can't provide myself, I'm independent and I don't need anyone. What's the point of dressing for the bar when it will come across as slutty and make one even more prone to the stupid objectification of women in a guy's mind? There's nothing to benefit from by going to a bar and drinking, there is a lot to benefit from by staying in the library and studying. It is ridiculous to have a 21st birthday party, where all you do is drink and wreak havoc on your brain cells and organs.

"No, I can't go. You have to understand, I don't fit into the bar scene, and there is so much more to be done with studying," I pleaded with them, "No offense, but I don't see the point in having a party for something that passed."

Rose shook her head, "I'm sorry, but you gotta come with us, girl. Live a little before your life gets too serious. The next chance you have to do this will probably be over spring break..." She looked to Paige and motioned her to help her talk.

"Summer if you aren't taking classes, or even winter break." Paige finished.

Rose continued talking, "Let loose a little, and who knows, maybe if we go, then you'll find someone and you might be glad that you came." She held up her bag between her manicured red fingertips, "We are going, or you don't get this back until I deem it an absolutely necessary situation. Do we have a deal, Alex?"

Paige piped up, "She doesn't have a choice, and so we might as well start getting ready now to save some time." She stood up and grabbed her books, "Come on, let's go back to our dorm and I'll start on the makeup. Rose, you get back to your flat and bring over a few dresses and we'll do Alex's hair. We should all be ready come dusk."

"Wait," I said panicked by how much time this would consume, "It's going to take that long? How long are we staying out?" I scratched my neck nervously, watching amusement rise in both of their eyes.

"Babe, you needn't worry about that. Just think it's only one day. You can do whatever the hell you want with your notes tomorrow and Sunday, you can study more, take a piss on it, but we are stealing you tonight."

"With your British accent, Paige, everything you say sounds a lot more convincing," I laughed, finally considering it. It is less than 24 hours, it should be fine. I'll drink one shot of alcohol or whatever they want, and then I'll drink water the rest of the night. There can be a reasonable compromise for both parties. It sounds like it could be fine. Am I convincing myself more and more as time goes on? Yes, I am.

Before I knew it, I was sitting in the bathroom, having these two people who I've known for less than a week, poke my face with brushes and wield hot appliances near my face. Rose had brought over only three dresses, all of which were way too revealing to my taste. One was a tight little black dress; the top was cut insanely low, and the bottom was a couple inches above the knee, flaring with some sequins sprinkled by the hemline. I might as well simply flash everyone my breasts with way the top was cut. The back was exposed, so it would be impossible to wear a bra, even though it had long velvety sleeves. The second one I tried on was a deep red dress; it was quite a bit longer and looser around the hips and the top didn't dive that far down – much to my liking. It had double spaghetti straps on both sides, a crisscrossed back, and the bottom didn't hug anything, unlike that unbreathable little black dress. The third one was quite a bit similar to the first one, except it went past the knees and had a slit to the top of my left outer thigh, along with slits across both hips, exposing more skin than what I was comfortable with. Out of all three, I figured that the red one was a lot more comfortable, but it still made me feel like an alien in my own skin.

Paige insisted that I take a shower and shave my legs while she and Rose were getting ready so that they could have a "fresh canvas" when they wanted to doll me up. I imagine I smelled pretty bad since I hadn't showered all week and I relied on dry shampoo to keep me appearing semi-presentable. So I obliged. Just as I obliged to the wavy curls Rose gave me, and the light smoky eye Paige gave me.

I had been feeling tremendously apprehensive about it all, going out to a bar and whatnot; until I was standing beside my bed, wrapped in a towel, staring at the red dress laid on my bed. It was the final piece before we left, everything and everyone was ready, and I just needed to slip this on to start our night. Gazing at it made my stomach come alive with butterflies and excitement, this simply was like nothing I have ever done in my life – this moment was the most unpredictable I have ever been. As I slipped this dress on, feeling the silky, delicate fabric around my skin, I couldn't help but look forward to tonight. Maybe... I could learn the art of having fun.

I walked into the hallway where they were waiting for me, and when I expected them to simply say that it was time to go, they instead gaped at me with their mouths open.

Paige spoke up first, "Holy shit babe, you look breathtaking. Any guy who lays their eyes on you tonight are gonna be lucky to even see you."

Rose shifted her gaze to the ground, almost looking... guilty? I was going to ask her what was wrong, but Paige grabbed ahold of my wrist and dragged me outside to Rose's car. I had wanted to double check my purse to make sure that I had everything I needed, but I found that Paige had shoved me into the car and sat next to me as Rose took the driver's seat before I could attempt to do anything – probably a way to make sure I didn't run away at the last second. I could've if I had tried to though, but I'd have to kick off the damn heels, and they were strappy, so it would take too long to get them off.

Rose had told me that it was a tradition to party before the term started and classes became too hard, so there was a chance that the bar would be pretty crowded. I hated crowded, it felt suffocating and there was never enough personal space. I preferred the library scene, or even a coffee shop, because it tends to be quiet and no one bothers you.

Paige nudged me, bringing me out of my thoughts and to the bar we now stood outside of. I had found that my nude stilettos were planted to the pavement; I simply couldn't fathom having my first drink, let alone spending the night in a bar after the term had already started. Rose was texting furiously on her phone and Paige had to shove her to bring her attention to us.

"Please don't tell me we're going to have to drag you in there, Alex," Rose complained, rolling her eyes at Paige. "Come on now, let's go. The bartender is hot." She did a chef's kiss in the air, "You'll see how much power we can command when he gives us free drinks."

"Wait, but I'm only going to have one drink toni –." I started before Paige cut me off.

"You are going to have as many drinks as anyone gives you. Bloody hell, have some fun. Now let's freaking go 'cause it's not busy right now, and I need to get my mind off stuff." She grabbed my hand and we all walked into the bar, titled "Z's."

***

Immediately as we stepped inside and walked over to the bar, my senses were overloaded with the thick, heavy air, smelling of tobacco, smoke, and alcohol. The barstools seemed clean enough so we all took seats next to each other and I took the opportunity to look around. This bar was like nothing I'd ever thought I'd see, it seemed a lot more refined than what I'd seen in movies. There were a couple pool tables, a few lounge couches, a small stage, a wall of alcohol whose foreign names I couldn't even begin to try to pronounce, and nearly everything was either made out of wood, brick, or wrought iron. The bar that we were sitting at was wooden with a shiny finish, and the barstools were made out of the same material. I couldn't help but notice the caliber of people who were already in here, over half of the women were dressed in jeans, and the other wore clothes similar to Paige's, Rose's, and mine.

I was a little pissed off, so I elbowed both of them in the ribs as I sat between them, "Hey! I could've worn jeans here, so why the hell did you make me dress like this?"

Paige only laughed and shook her head while trying to look for the bartender, but Rose looked down again to her lap, almost as if she was guilty of something. Well, damn straight she should feel guilty about entrapping me in this dress, I would've been happy in jeans and she knew that. My entire wardrobe mostly consisted of blouses, jeans, sweats, and button down shirts. I didn't own a single skirt, dress, or pair of shorts.

The bartender suddenly appeared in front of us, apologizing for the wait. Now I could tell why Rose thought he was hot, his chocolate brown eyes gave the vibes that he was incredibly sweet, his jet black shaggy hair barely fell in his face, and unlike anyone my age who was trying to grow out facial hair, he had well-trimmed stubble. He spoke with a slight accent, and it reminded me of Paige's, but I couldn't quite tell if it was British or something else.

Rose spoke up with a hint of desperation in her voice, "Hello, we are here celebrating this girl's 21st birthday." She slung her arm around my shoulders and I shrunk back into her arm, hating the feel of eyes on me. Diverting my eyes to stare at the wooden counter, I cleared my throat uncomfortably.

"It's r-really not a big deal," I said, trying to laugh it off. I was fumbling for words when I looked up at him, finding that he had a subtle smirk and was gazing at me through his long lashes intently. But the way his eyes were, soft and caring, it didn't feel like anything intimidating – or threatening.

He looked over to Paige, who seemed to be ignorant of his presence. "And what is the birthday girl's name?"

There wasn't any reason to be nervous, he was just another person, like Rose or Paige. No need to think I can't act normal just because he's a little attractive, right? "I'm Alex, what's your name?" I held out my hand to shake his.

"Zayn," He replied, taking my hand. Instead of shaking it however, he bent down a little and turned my hand, kissing it like a gentleman before releasing it and leaning against the counter.

I could feel my face flush beet red, so I turned my gaze to Rose, desperate for someone else to talk. "Rose, what do you want to order?"

She chuckled, setting her hand on the bar. Her jaw kept flexing as she looked from his face to my speechless one. I felt so guilty. I know how much Rose likes Zayn, and yet I was the one getting attention from him, not her. The butterflies in my stomach settled, as it was soon replaced with a sinking pit of shame. Rose spoke up, "We are going to get three rounds of shots, surprise us with whatever."

Zayn nodded, disappearing temporarily before returning with nine shots of a honey colored liquid. He set them on the bar, smiling as he did so, and said "These are on the house, ladies. Enjoy your night, and I'll be here if you need anything. Happy birthday, Alex." He gave me one last glance before attending to other people flocking to the bar for drinks.

I smiled and mouthed a "thank you" before looking between Rose and Paige, who were grabbing three shots each. "These are huge! How are you supposed to drink these?" I asked in a falsetto voice, holding up a shot to my nose and sniffing, wrinkling my nose in disgust as my eyes watered from the burn running through my sinuses. I jerked my hand away from my nose, making them crack up laughing.

"Hold it as we do," Paige instructed, bringing the shot up to her lips. "Then down it in one gulp, and it'll burn a little bit. Oh my god, we should go do karaoke!" She spoke to Rose as they both downed their shots, waiting for me to do the same.

I did exactly as she instructed, and it tasted horrible, like how I thought smoked gasoline mixed with stagnant water would taste. I keeled over gagging as the burning fluids left traces in my throat, making me unable to breathe. I downed the second one quicker than I had the first one, and I choked on the third one, but it still left me feeling the same way, coughing a lung up as Rose and Paige cheered me on, patting my back quickly before racing to the stage for karaoke, leaving me sitting there with a bitter taste in my mouth.

Zayn reappeared, asking me if I needed anything else, to which I asked for a glass of water. He laughed as he looked up at me through his long lashes while I sighed contentedly at the sight of the water he set in front of me.

"Haven't had a shot before?" He asked, intensely watching me finish drinking my water, waiting until I was ready for a refill.

"To be quite honest, I've never drank before," I told him, burying my face in my hands from embarrassment. "It's strange, I know, but I didn't plan on starting out my first year at the college like this." I laughed, gesturing to my attire.

"No, it's not strange; it just goes to show that you know your shit. Well, before those two screwed it up," He motioned to Rose and Paige singing Wannabe by Spice Girls. "It's my first year here too. What's your major?"

I shifted in my seat, leaning forward a little bit to hear him better. "Thank you, that the best compliment I've gotten in years." I stared into his eyes sincerely, "I'm shooting for a political science degree. How about you, Zayn?"

He cleared his throat, as he leaned forward against the bar, inching a little closer. "I'm majoring in English, and if all goes well, I'd like to get a minor in business so I can manage this place better. I love this bar, but it's, uh, also been a dream of mine to be an editor." He smiled sheepishly while diverting his attention to the bar briefly, as if he was embarrassed by his choices. If anyone should be embarrassed, it should be me, it's not like he reeked of a distillery.

"That's pretty amazing; do you ever want to be a writer? Wait..." I gasped, "So you own this place? Oh, that makes sense, "Z's" and you're Zayn. You know, Rose has a crush on you, you should ask her out sometime." I covered my mouth with my hand as I finally started feeling the effects of the alcohol take hold of my words. "I'm so sorry, I'm starting to feel the shots I think," I snickered, as I smacked my hand over my mouth again.

He laughed his eyes almost squinting shut as he looked me over. "No worries, Alex. I do own this place, but I uh, think I wouldn't have the time to be a writer. No offense, but you are a severe lightweight and drunk, so I think it's best that you go home before they wrestle you into drinking more. I can call a cab for you if you like?" He offered, scratching his neck as I debated for a minute.

"Rose stole my study notes, so I can't leave until she thinks I've "celebrated enough" then..." I trailed off, briefly staring into space, "she'll give my gold back tomorrow." I finished exasperated, slurring my words as my brain started feeling disconnected from anything that I was doing.

Zayn nodded at something else I asked him, and then quickly scurried away to someone on the other side of the bar who was calling his name.

Wobbly, I stood up from the chair and navigated my way through the thin crowds over to a couch near where Rose and Paige were singing off-tune to Ed Sheeran's Shape of You. Feeling fuzzy, I plopped down on the couch, only to have another woman sit beside me. She wore a pair of high-waisted flowy black pants under a white blouse, appearing much too high class, even for the nicer dressed people in here.

The woman with the auburn curls turned to face me, speaking quietly before shaking my hand that I hadn't realized I'd extended. In a haze, words rolled off my tongue that my brain was too slow to comprehend, and in my drunken state, I was confused when she suddenly stood up and walked out of the bar, with a few other women following after her. My brain felt like it was shut off from all my senses, and my senses simply existed. I called out to her, shouting "Hayley" but she never turned around. What the hell was a "Hayley?" I looked up to the stage where Paige had stopped singing, she was now arguing with some guy from the stage. Eyelids droopy, feeling like heavy black curtains, I cuddled back into the corner of the couch, watching them shake their hands at one another until Paige ran out, following after the one who I yelled "Hayley" at. Rose followed after her. Suddenly, the guy who was waving his arms at Paige turned to face me, meeting my eyes with his emerald green ones for a split second as my eyelids fluttered shut, leaving me to succumb to the effects of the shots...

A/N: Hope you liked this chapter! So everyone is finally starting to meet each other... I haven't introduced the other boys yet, but it will come SOON. Why do you think Rose looks guilty, it can't just be about the dress, can it? How about the fact that Alex had somewhat of an interaction with Hayley?  I'm almost off of winter break, so I won't post chapters as often, but I'll still post as much as I can. I thoroughly appreciate the votes, comments, and shares, so thank you luvs!! <33 What do you think of the story so far, I'd love to hear your opinions??

All the love,

Faye xx