Cursive - By Phoebe Lane Page 0,14

on her lips.

"No, no, no," Aislynn said with finality.

"Yes, yes, yes. Evan has a meeting until late tonight, and it's our chance to have a girls’ night out before I fulfill the cliché of the girl that goes all crazy in love and abandons her best friend to spend all her time with her gorgeous new boyfriend," she said, all in one breath.

"Ugh. Dancing? I don't know."

"Come on! Why not?" Ellie challenged.

"Because I haven't been nineteen years old for the last ten years." And I haven't been out dancing in almost as long.

"Bullshit. You're not nineteen anymore, but you're not ninety either. Live a little, old woman."

"That's your attempt at convincing me to go out? You really should work on your persuasion skills," Aislynn said sarcastically. "Wait, are you just doing this so you can play dress up with me?"

"Absolutely. I brought some amazing stuff from Chicago and I'm taking away your veto privileges."

"Didn't your mom buy you enough dolls when you were a kid?"

"Stop analyzing me. We're going."

Aislynn had to give it to Ellie—at least she managed to pick a club with an older crowd. Aislynn felt more at ease not having to rub elbows with eighteen-year-olds trying to use their fake IDs to get drunk for the first time. Thankfully, after a couple of martinis, Aislynn loosened up enough to get to the dance floor and "allow the fun in," as Ellie had called it.

"The guys are meeting us here in a few minutes," Ellie announced unexpectedly after they returned to their table.

"What? How did that happen? What about girl's night?" Aislynn shrieked.

"Umm…It's more fun with cute guys in it?" Ellie asked, holding the martini glass to her lips.

"Traitor!"

"Evan got out of his meeting sooner than expected, and Jace just got back into town. They texted me earlier asking to meet us."

Aislynn felt the blood rush up to her face and neck, a sudden fluttering in her stomach making her feel woozy. She thanked the heavens she was sitting down because her head felt light as a feather.

"Aislynn, what is it?" Ellie asked, somewhat alarmed.

"Are we twelve years old again?"

"What?"

"I feel like you just told me the boy I have a crush on wants to come over to talk to me. I'm so pathetic," Aislynn said, slamming her forehead against the table.

"Oh fun! You have a crush!"

"No, not fun. The phrase you're looking for is 'in trouble,'" Aislynn explained, but it only served to confuse her friend even more. "Ellie, we're in a club. And I'm kind of drunk. And Jace is probably going to come in here looking all sex-god with the mouth, and the body, and that perfect face…Do I really need to keep adding items to my explanation?"

"Well, sweetie, I'm kind of drunk, too. So yes, I do need a few more things on that list."

"Fine, let me proceed then. And I get horny when I'm drunk. And I haven't had sex in longer than I care to admit—"

"Yay, this is even better than I thought!" Ellie said with an overexcited giggle. "I get to see horny Aislynn tonight. She hasn't been around in a long time. Now that I think about it, how can you stand it?" Aislynn rolled her eyes. "Sorry, I digress. Not to worry. I have everything under control. Now here, have another drink."

Great. That's her solution— more alcohol.

Aislynn watched as the guys walked into the club and approached their booth. Of course, Jace was looking stunning in all black, making her heart skip a few dozen beats.

"I think red is my new favorite color," Evan said with a huge smile, and then leaned in to kiss Ellie. The kiss lingered for a while.

"I hope she's okay with PDAs," Jace said, leaning in to give Aislynn a soft peck on her cheek.

"I don't hear her complaining," Aislynn added, trying to control her breathing and hoping he hadn’t heard the involuntary gasp that escaped her when his lips touched her now scarlet skin.

I wonder if it's actually possible to feel your neurons firing away, the electricity jumping from one nerve ending to another…

"Aislynn, you look gorgeous," Evan said, grabbing her hand and kissing it. It didn't escape her notice how the reaction to his touch fell flat compared to the reaction she'd just had to Jace's.

I'm in so much trouble.

"Ellie, you're really doing justice to that outfit," Evan said, motioning to her short strapless champagne-colored dress, which was beautifully decorated with peacock feather print on the bodice.

"I had a feeling I was