Soundtrack: "Touch" by Mitis


PART TWO

You know, it felt a bit like high school all over again.

Carefully combed strands of mahogany and balmy tan were slowly pulled taut as the hot plates of the straightener glided over Sienna's hair. Going with a natural look for make-up, all she had to do was finish straightening her hair, pull her bangs back into a twist on the side of her head with her feather clip, and grab her overnight bag. It had been years since she last had a sleepover with some girl friends, and it brought back a bunch of great memories from high school that made her feel excited.

Unplugging and turning off the straightener, a vibration in her pocket alerted her to a new text which she checked after fastening her hair clip. The message read: Heading over to Tim's Bar & Grill in 10, c u there!. Smiling at her phone, she replied 'Great, see you soon!' and flicked off the light switch in the bathroom before exiting with into the living room a quick stride.

Flinching at her startled yelp, Sheldon stumbled back a step as his blue eyes stared wide at her, the brunette clapping her hands over her mouth. "Sheldon!" Sienna lowered her hands, resting one on her chest, "Oh my God you gave me a heart attack... When did you get in?" She heaved a sigh in relief, resting her hands on her hips as Sheldon blinked a few times. "I gave you a heart attack? You're the one who came out of the bathroom like a booby-trap scene from Indiana Jones! Why are you in such an unnecessary hurry in my apartment?" He quirked his eyebrows at her, and the female laughed and shook her head, walking by him to get her purse off the couch and grab her keys from the coffee table. "I don't want to be late for our girl's get together tonight. Penny and Bernadette invited me." Her eyes lighted with her smile, and Sheldon found himself glancing away with a mumbled 'I see.'.

"Have a good night Sheldon, I'll be across the hall tonight and pop in in the morning." With a wave and a jingle of keys, the thin female was out the door. Sheldon eyed the doorknob as the lock click, the faded sound of footsteps falling reaching his ears. "Bye..."

"Sienna, over here!" Penny called, waving with a smile as Bernadette joined in the greeting. The girls all hugged their 'hello's and the brunette joined the blonds in their corner booth. "Okay so, you have got to try the guacamole here. We always order it on the side with the chips and salsa, it is so good!" Penny urged, patting Sienna's hand that was resting on the table, earning a laugh and a grin from her. "Sounds great! Did you guys already decide on entrees?" She asked, looking to Bernadette who shook her head. "Nah, they have a great happy hour here that applies to almost all the appetizers, so we usually just do family-style there and get some house margaritas!" The glasses-donning woman smiled, Sienna nodding. "Sounds like a plan!"

Penny proceeded to give Sienna a tour of the happy hour menu, showing her the different flavors they could do in the blended drinks, when a tall dark haired server came table side to greet them. "Evening, ladies!" He gave a pearly white grin that immediately grabbed Penny's attention, who nudged the girls' feet with her own under the table. "How we all doin' tonight?" The server named Adam, according to his name tag, asked politely as his hazel eyes caught the lowlight of the restaurant.

"Oh." Bernadette said in a hush, adjusting her glasses and realizing exactly what Penny meant. "We're good, how about yourself?" Sienna greeted casually, Penny smiling and resting her chin on her palm, elbow on the edge of the table. "Great, thanks! Can I get you ladies started with some drinks?" Adam clicked his pen and pulled out his notepad, Penny giving an enthusiastic yes before placing her order, followed by Bernadette and Sienna. All three went with the restaurant's famous house margarita, but opted for different flavors to be blended in. Next they placed a few happy hour appetizers for order, receiving a nod and a smooth quick jotting down from Adam's pen. "Sounds perfect! So we got any fun plans tonight?" He winked at Penny, who visibly looked happier from such behavior. "Why, yes! We are having a much needed girl's night, hosted by yours truly." Penny gestured to herself, resting her hand on her collar bone as Bernadette and Sienna nodded.

"Ah, no rowdy pillow fights, now! You don't want to make the neighbors jealous." He winked before leaving their table to put in their orders, Bernadette and Penny giggling girlishly while Sienna laughed in amusement at them. "Oh my God he was so hot!" Penny grabbed the happy hour menu and fanned herself with it, while Bernadette nervously removed her glasses to clean them. "Oh Penny, you should leave your number! My friend Andrea works here, and she's told me he's a very nice guy... but this was the first time I've seen him when I've come in." She mused in thought, replacing her glasses on her face.

Remaining quiet, Sienna just listened in amusement with a smile on her face, unrolling her silverware and draping her napkin across her lap. Oh yeah the guy was hot, she would give him that. But he wasn't really her type, as far as first impressions could tell. Sienna liked a pretty face per say, but she was more interested in the brain behind the charming smile and bedroom eyes. She had dealt with her fair share of pretty boys on campus, and learned pretty quickly that most of them were trouble makers, or had very little in common with her, or just wanted something casual. Since Sienna wasn't really into that, she just sort of avoided the dating scene; which wasn't too hard to do with her course load.

"Alright girls, so here's the plan for tonight. We got catch phrase, a huge collection of romcoms to browse, popcorn, and all the ingredients we need for some bomb pina coladas. So after this, do we want to just head to my place and get comfortable and kick it?" Penny asked as she looked between the girls, both nodding in approval. "That sounds great." Bernadette agreed, and Sienna opened her mouth to reply before being interrupted by their server who sneaked his sly quip in. "I'll bring the chocolate." He grinned, and Penny gasped and jokingly remarked "Oh my God I love you.", all four of the young adults busting up with a laugh.

"Just kidding." Adam smiled innocently, before gesturing to the happy hour menu. "Buuut we do have chocolate I can bring you after food, in the form of lava cake." He wiggled his eyebrows, and Penny turned the menu around to see the picture he was referring to, giving a coo in delight at the melty dark chocolatey goodness depicted on the menu. "We will definitely think about that!" She replied, and Adam nodded with a grin before he began setting down their drinks. "Awesome! Here's those margaritas ladies, and I've got the chips and salsa and guacamole here." He narrated as he placed the order on the table for them. "If there's anything else I can get for you, just let me know." The waiter smiled before tucking his now empty tray under his arm and departing from their table.

"I am so leaving him my number!" Penny said in a hushed tone as Bernadette rolled her eyes with a laugh, the girls all smiling in amusement. Taking a crunchy bite of the chips and guacamole, Sienna hummed an 'mmm' in delight as she nodded to Penny and Bernadette. They definitely were delicious! "Good choice guys!" She said, Bernadette taking a sip of her drink and Penny nodding as she swallowed her mouthful. "Oh yeah, that hits the spot."

They got a few good mouthfuls of the chips and guacamole down, before Penny decided to strike up a conversation. "Okay so, obviously Bernadette and Howard," here Penny stuck her tongue out in a 'blah' gesture, which earned a laugh from Bernadette, "are engaged, and we all know I'm single." Penny rolled her eyes, and Bernadette sweetly said 'oh, hush' to encourage her friend it wasn't a bad thing. "But what about you?" The blond smiled at Sienna, Bernadette leaning in with interest, the two sipping on their drink as they waited for her to answer.

Smiling with a light chuckle, Sienna gave her drink a stir, watching the streak of purple running through in a twist slowly blend in with the lime green tone of the margarita. Blackberry lime, it tasted bomb! She took a drink before answering. "Oh I'm single too, not really interested. I mean, I guess if I met someone interesting, but nah not as of yet." She mused, and Bernadette and Penny glanced at each other instantly with a mischievous gleam in their eyes. "Oh reeeally?" Penny mused, stabbing the pile of guacamole with another chip, happily chewing and swallowing the deliciousness down. "We just may have to do something about that!" She said with a chuckle.

Bernadette carefully decorated her chip with the dip and salsa, before putting in her two cents. "I can understand where you're at, though. The dating scene can get really tiring, and it seems like more and more guys just want to mess around." All of the women nodded in agreement, before Bernadette went on. "There's good guys out there of course! Some willing to commit, when the time is right... like my Howey. But it's important to be careful." "Mhm, preach it honey." Penny nodded, waving her chip in a pointing gesture to Bernadette to express her agreement. "I have been burned sooo many times, you'd think I had learned by now." They all chuckled. "Oh that reminds me!" Penny began rummaging through her purse for a pen, which only made the girls laugh harder.

"Now now, he's not a trouble maker!" Bernadette assured, and in perfect timing too, because if she had said it two seconds later their server would have heard as he approached with the rest of their food. Setting down an order of buffalo wings, mozzarella sticks, and shrimp tempura salad, he gave them each an extra plate for sharing and Penny thanked him before beginning to dish out the food to everyone. "You ladies enjoy!" Adam said politely, before his coworker called him over to help find something in the computer.

"Anyway, there's nothing wrong with that." Bernadette assured Sienna, who nodded and smiled in thanks. "Yeah, I'm pretty content. It'd be nice to have the company and begin going in that direction with someone, just because I like to take things slow you know? Start as friends or whatever, but I'm not ready for anything too serious..." Her gaze looked almost distant as she thought back to some past memories, memories that held a faded sting thanks to the washing of time. "...and I don't want to get close to someone before I'm ready to be serious." She concluded her sentence with a bite of the wings that just made her feel like she had gone to heaven. "I cannot believe how good this food is when it's so cheap!" "Seriously, they have the best happy hour around!" Penny agreed with a grin.

It seemed like this was the beginning of a wonderful evening of friendship.


[A/N]

I'm baaaaack~! :D I hope you're all happy to see me (and have put away the torches and pitchforks of rioting against my horrible abandonment of this story D: PLEASE forgive me!

I have wonderful news for you all, too! As thanks for your encouragement, patience, and loyalty to this fanfic, I will be uploading TWO chapters within one month! This chapter is a continuation of the previous one as far as the timeline goes, and the next one will be a bit of a timeskip. :) I've already started on the next chapter, so keep an eye out over the next few weeks for it! Enjoy my lovelies, and let me know what you think! I'm a bit rusty, so please pardon me if it shows. I need to get back into the swing of things. ;)