❛   R O R Y​ ——
          ezra knew a guy, he’d said as an early promise of the night; a precursor to something extraordinary bound to happen. he knew a guy who was twenty-two and would buy them booze ( not that there wouldn’t be enough floating around for them to mooch off of, & stevie already had a proven ability to get her and ezra free beers by kissing the guy who held them ) ( it’d happened ONCE, however, right before ezra decided he’d rather be sober than watch his girlfriend do that ). seeing as her own boyfriend had yet to turn twenty-one, and his chances of being carded were often at the flip of a coin, it was a good idea for someone else to do it, on nights they simply didn’t feel like trying. tonight was one of those nights.
          …unfortunately for her. because other men just COULD NOT be trusted. not when it came to stephanie rose’s needs & wants. for there she was, having asked for a bottle of red, not specifying where to get it or the amount of body she’d like – and they hadn’t delivered. she felt pathetic, standing there with JUG WINE ( a fucking jug of wine? why the fuck was that even a thing? ), a crazy straw sticking out of it. she’d hoped, at the very least, for something cheap that tasted strained through a coffee filter & left open overnight. what she got tasted – admittedly – sweet and significantly better than she expected, yet stephanie couldn’t hide her own distaste as she sipped slowly, watching the thin crimson liquid travel up through the loops and swirls of the straw. a little something fun for you, they’d said, before the two men ran off to say hi to some people and hopefully talk to the band before they went on.
          it was almost dangerous, drinking something that tasted so sweet. subconsciously, she supposed, it was why she almost preferred harsher flavors – amber spirits that made you cough, that were to be tossed back quickly before they settled in your mouth. they were QUICK and to the point. they got the job done with the least amount of fuss – EFFICIENT. drinks like margaritas or martinis ( or sweet wines ) were too fun. they brought you back in for more, and when you can’t taste the alcohol, you forget you’re consuming it. & so she sipped absently.
          it was then that her eyes began to wander. there was only so much for stevie to do as she waited in line for the bathroom – something people seemed to linger in, seeing as it was unisex, and she was sure she’d wind up having to piss in a sink. it wouldn’t surprise her, certainly. & considering she’d never been great with small talk, she hadn’t bothered to try with any strangers. whether or not she needed more friends. that was a subjective opinion, anyway. so when someone stood behind her, the line condensed and forcing bodies close to each other as the small venue filled, she paid no mind. the overhead lighting, transitioning from a purple glow in certain areas to green or red bulbs in others, dim enough to bathe the area with a darkness just bright enough to see in, yet low enough to induce a certain aura of intimacy between individuals, held her attention. there wasn’t live music yet; just something playing over the speakers that she vaguely recognized. some 90′s american band, she assumed, judging by the insistent guitar and drum riffs.
          just as she craned her neck to count how many people were ahead of her ( if it was over eight, she’d just go do her business outside ), the girl behind her spoke. it took a moment for stevie to realize she was addressing her. she had to turn to shake her head and lean in.
         ❛   PARDON?— i didn’t quite catch that, sorry.
