The next morning came and Rayla woke with a splitting headache. Clutching her head with her right hand she opened her eyes and observed her surroundings. She was at Callum's house on one of the couches. Harrow was sleeping across from her in the recliner and Callum was sleeping on the couch against the wall to her right.

What was she doing in Callum's living room? What weretheydoing sleeping in the living room?

She struggled to remember what happened the night before. It was spotty and blurry. Why couldn't she remember last night? She looked at her lap and realized she was in a dress. She stood and went to the bathroom.

In the bathroom, she washed her face with cold water to wake herself fully. Seeing clearly, she looked in the mirror and saw her full dress, and her hair. Suddenly memories flooded through her mind. The Club, the dance, the drinks, the kiss, even everything that happened when she was drunk. She must've really been out of it, to do all that.

How could she let that happen? How could she be so reckless? And Callum? Lord knew, what was going through his head. Were Soren and Nyx right about him being an "honest drunk"?

No! She knew Callum. He wouldn't be interested in her like that? Not Callum.

She happened to look at the counter and found a folded change of clothes with a note laying on top of it.

It read,

'Rayla, I'm sorry for the instance last night. Soren and I didn't know Claudia promised you the Club would be alcohol free. I figured I'd tell you that so that you don't think he and I were a part of that little white lie. I brought you a change of clothes. I doubted you would want to go anywhere in a dress you spent all night in, let alone in a dress at all. I couldn't get in your house so I brought a pair of my mother's old clothes. It should fit you. I made sure it was your size. I know you'll remember what happened last night to the very small details. Alcohol does that to us elves, there's no avoiding it. Good Luck at work tomorrow, I hope you won't have a hard time moving from this. Sorry.

Your friend, Nyx.'

She lightly smiled, at least She and Callum could trust Nyx and Soren. She changed into the pair of clothes, took her hair down, braided it, and tried to sneak out of the house without waking anyone. She'd almost made it to the door when the young voice of someone she'd almost forgotten was there, spoke from behind her. "Rayla? What are you doing?"

Rayla turned around and knelt to be at close level with Ezran, "Hey, Ez. I'm just leavin'." She whispered.

"Are you not drunk anymore?" Ezran responded in the same volume.

Red flushed over Rayla's features as she thought back to last night, "No, I'm not. I'm sober, entirely... now, at least."

"Good, 'cause Dad wanted to kill you and Callum for getting drunk." Ezran informed seriously.

Of course! Of course, he did. "Ezran, can you tell him we didn't purposely drink anythin'? They sneaked it into the drinks." Rayla explained clearly.

"Who's'they'?"

"The members of the club. Soren explained it to Callum and Callum told me."

"Shouldn't they have warned you guys?"

"You'd think, but they didn't. In fact, Claudia promised it would be alcohol free. Now we suffer the consequences." Rayla answered grumbling in frustration. She turned around to leave, before Ezran spoke again.

"Where are you going?"

"Work. I have to be there in about 15 minutes. Do you think you can tell your dad for me and Callum?" Rayla gave a small smile in reply and she attempted to leave again.

"Wait! Dad said you would need to take aspirin and drink alot of water." Ezran told her and Rayla knelt down and hugged him.

"I will, Ezran, thanks. Just tell your dad, okay?"

"Okay." Ezran nodded.

Rayla walked out the door and Ezran closed it. Just then Callum woke.

"Rayla? Is that you?" He rubbed his eyes and looked around only to find Ezran standing near the front door.

Not figuring a better response, Ezran blurted, "She left!"

Oh! Right. She had work to get to. Ezran briefly told him what had happened the night before from what he knew. When Harrow woke, He explained everything as he was instructed.

Of course, now Callum wasn't going to be allowed to go to any more clubs for the next 12 years or so give or take an exaggeration. It didn't bother Callum much, he barely remembered a thing about the entire previous night. He didn't remember leaving or even coming back to Soren's house. He knew that they had been waiting on the girls to come to Soren's house, but he didn't remember when they actually came.

The thought of the night before seemed to frustrate Harrow whenever it was brought up, and Ezran barely knew what happened at the Club. He'd only known bits and pieces from Soren, and even he left out most of the major details when explaining anything to him.

How was he to figure out what happened if no one would or could tell him?

Rayla came into work thinking about how to get these lavender highlights out of her hair... besides cutting them out. The stylist had clearly explained that it couldn't be washed out. She really wanted to get the highlights out of her hair. She didn't need a constant reminder of her stupidity the night before. Maybe she could have a stylist take them out. It might cost a bit, but it just might be worth it.

As it turned out, multiple residents of the hotel, when given their room service would compliment her hair claiming it was cute and went well with her eyes. She'd even get recommendations for other colors that would look good in her hair, red, blue, black, turquoise, and even indigo. There was no guarantee she would actually take the advice. She just nodded in response and changed the subject to a topic of importance. Some of her coworkers even complimented her saying they liked the "new" look.

On her lunch break, she called Soren knowing he knew everything that happened. He couldn't say a word about it to Callum. Maybe "Drunk Callum" liked her, but the Callum she knew didn't... at least, not like that. He thought highly of her outside that line. It was because of him that she'd gained self confidence.

When she first arrived, she was.. to say the least,.. a mess. But time and time again, Callum stood beside her helping her through the worst times uplifting her whenever she was down. In those times she'd found she didn't care about others' opinions of her. What mattered was thathebelieved in her, andheand hisfamilycared for her. She couldn't ask for a better best friend or family. What more should she ask of him? Why should she ask for more?

Hewantedfriendship. He washappyas friends. And becausehewanted that, becausehewas happy with that, she would be his best friend and nothing more for the rest of their lives.

After work, Rayla headed home. On her way home, Claudia called with exciting news. She had a real date with Kasef. She couldn't wait. The night before was, of course, a blur but Kasef filled her in about the important and not-so-important details of it. Rayla was happy for her, but she wanted to slap her so bad. She lied to her and Callum just so they would go to a Club. Rayla made sure she told her about it, too. She was not getting off easy for her stunt last night.

Claudia apologized realizing Rayla wouldn't be the only one with a bone to pick with her.

The call lasted til' Rayla reached her house, which said something given her house was a ways from her job. She hung up the phone, ate something, and took a shower. Dressed in something that wasn't her work clothes, Rayla left out the door again. The morning before she'd promised Ezran and Ellis a jelly tart and ice cream visit. She owed it to them. She arrived back at the house, that used to be the only roof over her head.

Ezran and Ellis raced to get the door, and Callum followed to say, "See Ya!" He wasn't too busy to come, he just wasn't going to handle Ezran when he had double the sugar.

That was when he noticed it. Rayla dyed her hair? When did that happen? "Rayla,... Wow! When did you dye your hair?" He couldn't help, but smile wide.

Rayla scoffed rolling her eyes at the remembrance. "The highlights? Yesterday. Be-before the club-- but don't worry these things are goin' away as soon as I can figure out how." She looked at a loose, lavender strand of her hair.

"Why? It looks great! It matches your eyes. I mean, you plain white hair looked great, too-- not that I'm saying it was plain, because it was really great.. really unique.. It's that the purple looks, cu- Cool!!"

"You really like it?"

"Well, yeah, It goes great with your eyes, your... vibrant, violet eyes." Callum replied slowing his words as he gazed into her eyes. With eyes like hers, it was always hard to look away.

A moment of silence flowed though the air.

Ezran and Ellis gave each other sly smiles. Ellis broke the silence, "Soooo, yeah, he's right, it looks pretty. Should we...?" She wiggled her little eyebrows.

Rayla and Callum began chuckling awkwardly as Callum rubbed the back of his neck.

"Uh.. Right! Well,... thanks for the... um.. We should probably- we should go, before eveythin' closes for the night." Rayla cleared her throat gesturing to duo.

"Oh, Yeah! See- See you guys later." Callum said as they left out the door and waved goodbye.