From: Riley Matthews
To: Farkle Sparkle
10:21 P.M.
hows the bar?

Riley finished her text to Farkle and went back to curling her hair and watching Maya through the mirror doing her own makeup. Her best friend had put on a bold, red lip and was bound to break every guy's heart tonight. "Damn, who are you trying to impress?"

"Your uncle, of course," she said, winking at her best friend. Riley groaned and turned the curling iron off, carefully placing it on the table. Maya reasoned with her: "Tonight's the first time in forever that he actually agreed to go drinking with the guys…."

"Ugh, you cannot be my aunt." Maya smiled lovingly at her and swiped a bit more blush onto her porcelain skin. As she swiped some lip gloss, she suggested, "What if I stayed home tonight? Then I don't have to watch you throw yourself at Josh."

"I am not throwing myself at him. I haven't since we were in high school, honey," the blonde reminded her, "He's 24, I'm 22, and Lucas will be there."

Lucas. It felt like she was a lovesick college freshman again. "Nothing is ever going to happen between the two of us. There's nothing between the two of us. We're just best friends." That had been her mantra for the last three years.

"Yeah right. The sexual tension with you guys has been suffocating our friend group for three years!" Maya giggled and lifted her hands into the air. "For the love of God, get it on already."

Her phone chimed before she could argue back. She threw her phone at her best friend. "Farkle's having a good time, clearly."

From: Farkle Sparkle
To: Riley Matthews
10:28 P.M.
ists fjcssing insceredle

From: Riley Matthews
To: Farkle Sparkle
10:29 P.M.
be there in 10

"Yes! Let's go, let's go, let's go!" Maya shouted. Riley smoothed out her leather mini, the most rebellious thing she owned, and spot checked her white peasant top. Maybe something good will happen tonight. "Let's go, honey! We gotta go get Smack!"

From: Riley(:
To: Lucas!
10:45 P.M.
omg just walked into the bar and someone yelled "dibs!"

From: Lucas!
To: Riley(:
10:46 P.M.
…

From: Lucas!
To: Riley(:
10:46 P.M.
Which bar are you at?

"This one!" A voice shouted right into his ear. Lucas knew the music was loud and the drunken crowd was obnoxiously loud, and maybe he'd already had too much to drink in the last hour, but he jumped straight off his barstool, nearly knocking it over, in shock, only to be greeted by one beautiful, smiling brunette.

"Riley!" His voice cracked.

"Hey there, cowboy," she purred, slipping around him and snagging his stool to sit herself on. She kept her back to the bar, her bare legs outstretched and dangerously taunting him.

"How'd you know we were here?"

"Farkle accidentally told us where guys' night was." Riley looked over his shoulder and asked, "Speaking of, where are the rest of the guys?"

"Currently trying to convince the girls over there they were part of the original One Direction. The ones the media didn't want anyone to know about," he said, laughing.

"But why?"

"To help Zay." Lucas scratched the back of his neck and beamed at Riley. God, she's gorgeous.

"Hey, Huckleberry!"

"Maya." He tipped his invisible cowboy hat at her. "Smackle. Fancy seeing you here."

The blonde waved him off. "Okay enough of you. Where's Uncle Boing?" Lucas pointed the boys out for her and explained their scheme. "Alright, Smack. You ready for this?"

Riley leaned back, laughing, making his heart soar. As much shit as the guys gave him for his feelings, she was worth it. She was always worth it.

From: Honey
To: Peaches
11:26 P.M.
what happened to you?

From: Peaches
To: Honey
11:28 P.M.
Some guy shouted fuck america during the national anthem, i decked him.
They threw him out. USA USA USA!

From: Honey
To: Peaches
11:29 P.M.
of course you fucking did.

From: Peaches
To: Honey
11:30 P.M.
Don't pretend you're not proud.
Get your ass over here for a free drink!

She was currently perched on the countertop at the bar, legs swinging wildly as she grooved to the music. Josh Matthews was currently standing next to her with a giant shit-eating grin on his face, and she couldn't have been more pleased with herself. Throwing her hands up into the air again, she shouted, "I love America!"

The crowd cheered with her and they all took another vodka shot together. Josh put his hands on her hips and slowly guided her back down to the floor. "I didn't know you were this patriotic, babe."

"Neither did I!" She squealed, completely missing his pet name for her. "If I'd known I could get free drinks for an entire night, I'd have shown a shit ton more of love for America earlier!"

"You wild, wild girl," he murmured. "Let me see your knuckles." His hands immediately found hers, a jolt of electricity shooting up her arm. Damn. Thanks to his mere touch, she sobered up quick. His thumb grazed over her knuckles, and she melted. "There's gonna be some light bruising, but I'm sure the other guy looks worse. You throw an incredible right hook."

Without a second thought, she rested her arms on his shoulders and leaned in, whispering against his neck, "Did you just call me incredible?" Maya felt his body shiver against hers, and eventually his hands moved to her waist.

"Maya," he groaned. "You're still in college."

"But it's currently one day in the six weeks where we're only two years a part," she pointed out, pulling away from his neck. "And I graduate in two months."

"You're right, that's not too long…."

"Then why wait?"

From: Farkly
To: Isaiah
12:22 A.M.
We are horrible

From: Isaiah
To: Farkly
12:25 A.M.
Yeah but we're also awesome

From: Farkly
To: Isaiah
12:27 A.M.
If she figures out I lied…

From: Farkly
To: Isaiah
12:28 A.M.
She won't.

From: Farkly
To: Isaiah
12:28 A.M
How can you be so sure about that?

From: Farkly
To: Isaiah
12:30 A.M.
I hate you

"I suppose I'm simply confused how Zay's scheme worked," Smackle was saying, resting against Farkle in their private booth. "He doesn't even have a British accent."

"Sometimes, intelligent people are unable to comprehend reality when they're inebriated. I think." He wrapped his arm around her tighter, nuzzling his face into her hair. Man, he fucking loved her.

"I think we've both had too much to drink," she noted, tilting her face towards his. Isadora Smackle was licking her lips and he couldn't think of anything better to do.

So he dove in and devoured her.

From: Riley
To: Joshiee
12:43 A.M.
please tell me you have my best friand

From: Joshiee
To: Riley
12:44 A.M.
I do! Sorry. We had to leave because I knocked a guy out for saying "yolo".

From: Riley
To: Joshiee
12:46 A.M.
…I don't want to know.
return her safely

From: Joshiee
To: Riley
12:44 A.M.
I will, just not tonight

From: Honey
To: Peaches
12:45 A.M.
you cannot be my aunt!

From: Honey
To: Peaches
12:51 A.M.
ugh don't have too much fun

Typical, she thought. Of course her best friend and her uncle would both punch someone at a bar tonight. Fucking ridiculous. Riley was shaking her head and groaning, but even she knew her lips were curved into a happy smile. All she ever wanted was for Maya to get everything she ever wanted. And if Maya could get Josh….

"You okay there?" Lucas asked, tucking a strand of her hair behind her ear. He let his hand linger against her cheeks and she leaned into it.

"Just peachy," she chirped. The alcohol had warmed her inside and out and she felt much more comfortable reaching for Lucas's hand to hold. "You?"

His eyes shot from her to their hands back to her. Oh man. "G-great, Riley."

"Wanna feel better?"

"What did you have in mind?" Confidence was surging through her veins as she pulled herself up off the stool and rested her hands on his hips. "I could definitely get behind this."