xo

B: Breakfast At Tiffany’s | Deep Blue Something

R: Remembering Sunday | All Time Low

I: I Want You (She’s So Heavy) | The Beatles

D: Dream On | Aerosmith

G: Genie in a Bottle | Christina Aguilera

E: Everywhere | Michelle Branch

T: The Joker | Steve Miller Band

L: Love Your Friends, Die Laughing | Man Overboard

O: Ocean Avenue | Yellowcard

G: Ghost | Halsey

A: Anklebiters | Paramore

N: New York State Of Mind | Billy Joel

H: Hard Times Are Over | Yoko Ono

A: Anyway You Want It | Journey

R: Ramblin’ Man | Allman Brothers Band

R: Runnin’ with the Devil | Van Halen

Y: You Shook Me All Night Long | AC/DC

D: Day Old Hate | City and Colour

A: Arsonist’s Lullabye | Hozier

N: No Light, No Light | Florence + The Machine

I: I Will Wait | Mumford & Sons

E: Elouise | The Lumineers

L: Like a Rolling Stone | Bob Dylan

A: Ain’t No Mountain High Enough | Marvin Gaye

L: Love Train | The O’Jays

Y: You Know I’m No Good | Amy Winehouse

C: Come Together | The Beatles

I: I Say a Little Prayer | Aretha Franklin

A: Ain’t No Sunshine | Bill Withers

N: Not While I’m Around | Sweeney Todd (2007); Ed Sanders

I: I Believe | Spring Awakening Original Broadway Recording (2007); Brian Johnson, Jonathon B. Wright, Gideon Glick, & Skylar Astin

N: A Thousand Miles (Vanessa Carlton) | Glee Cast (2015); Lea Michele & Chord Overstreet

A: And I Am Telling You I’m Not Going | Dream Girls (2006); Jennifer Hudson

C: Cosmic Love | Florence + The Machine

H: Hard to Handle | The Black Crowes

A: A Drop In The Ocean | Ron Pope

C: Close | Nick Jonas ft. Tove Lo

B: Breathe | Michelle Branch

R: Romeo & Juliet | Hobo Johnson

A: A Little Less Sixteen Candles, a Little More “Touch Me” | Fall Out Boy

D: Dreams | Fleetwood Mac

L: Lovely | Billie Eilish with Khalid

E: Ever So Sweet | The Early November

“Oh so you’ll get the full experience of how crazy everyone goes during these parties.”

“Oh, how crazy are we talkin’ now?” Lauren laughed, looking around at everybody laughing, dancing, and talking. This time of the year was her favorite because of how happy (most) people were. “It’s amazing how beautiful this place is. I feel lucky to be here.” 

“I’m Chace it’s nice to meet you, Lauren.” Chace smiled. “I have been here since day one so yeah you could say I’ve been here a while.” He chuckled.

“It’s nice to meet you, too, Chace,” Lauren smiled, taking another sip of her drink. “Tonight is the first night I’ve been out really, besides stopping by at the wedding for a bit. I’m excited.”

Surprise was evident in Brad’s face when he greeted her. He really wasn’t expecting to see her at all, the last time they actually saw each other was when they broke up, so the whole exchange felt really strange not to mention awkward. “I uhm… didn’t know you were here,” he said as he took the beer the bartender put in front of him and had left before he even had the chance to thank him. “How’ve you been?” he asked “You look as lovely as ever by the way” he said.

The awkward tension caused Lauren to finish her drink quickly. “I haven’t really left my room much,” she admitted quietly, motioning with her empty glass to the bartender for another drink. After she said it, she regretted it. Lauren didn’t want to go into much detail about how awful she felt the last few weeks with anyone really, at least not tonight but there it was - the question, ‘how are you?’ “I’m okay. Can’t really complain.” she answered, not returning the question back in hope of changing the conversation. She normally would skip over reading about him or anything like that so she really had no clue how he was or what he had been up to. Lauren felt her cheeks get warm after the compliment and rolled her eyes a little bit. “Oh, shut up.” The bartender came back with another drink and she took a large sip, bringing her attention to Brad with a small, flirty smile on her face. He looked good, too, but she wouldn’t admit it. Lauren didn’t know if it was the buzz from the strong drinks she was slamming down, her loneliness, or if she had just buried her feelings so far down that seeing Brad unleashed them but something was still there for her. She was curious where the night would take them or what this meant, if it meant anything at all. Her mind was rushing in with a bunch of thoughts, assumptions, and scenarios like it did 99% of the time when she was put in a situation she didn’t have control over. She tried her best to hide what she was thinking and feeling from him. He had a tendency to look right through her bullshit. “Let’s take a shot.” Lauren suggested, figuring alcohol would help ease things. She ordered two shots of fireball and handed one to Brad. She held her shot glass up to cheers. “To a good night?”

Taylor had gone up to the bar to get a drink. He had spent some time hanging out and catching up with some friends and had wanted to grab a beer before he made another round around the room. Leaning against the bar as he waited, he looked at Lauren and smiled. “Hey, you having fun tonight?”

“Hi!” Lauren smiled at the handsome man standing beside her. “So far I can’t really say, I just got here.” she laughed, taking a small sip of her martini. “I’m planning on having some fun though. How about you?” she asked, a flirty look in her eyes.

“Holy shit.” Calum said when he approached the bar and saw Lauren. “When did you get here?” He asked with a chuckle. “You getting a good drink or a fruity cocktail?”

Lauren lifted her head when she heard a familiar voice and her face lit up when she saw Calum. “Hiiihihi! I’m so happy to see you!” She grabbed him, giving him a huge hug. She felt relieved to finally talk to somebody she actually knew for the first time since arriving in Ireland. “I’ve been here for a little bit now but honestly haven’t left my room much.” she admitted, sighing. “Um, a fruity cocktail is a good drink, dude. Get with it and have one with me, please.”

“I have been here since June of last year, actually.” Alfie smiled. “It’s nice to meet you Lauren, are you enjoying your time here so far?”

“I can’t complain. I honestly haven’t really done much yet. I’m excited for tonight though. How about you? Been doing anything fun or anything worth me checking out?” Lauren asked, taking another sip of her drink.

Tom smiled at the younger woman. He thought it was cute when woman were direct with him and he had a feeling Lauren was going to be direct with him. “I’m Tom, it’s lovely to meet you.” He said and followed her to the bar. “So Lauren, what do you usually drink at parties? Wine? Cocktails? Beer?”

Lauren’s confidence boosted as Tom followed her to the bar and she smiled a little to herself. “Martini’s are usually my go-to party drink... At least when I’m trying to have a good time. But, I say we start the night off with a shot.” Before he could answer, Lauren was already ordering two fireball shots with the bartender. When they came, Lauren handed Tom one and held hers up to cheers. “To a fun night.”