Thanks to everyone and Pamela for prereading!
-32-
Rose
July 11, 2022
Lighthouse Cove, Maine
A sharp whistle breaks through the air and I'm forced to turn in its direction to see what all the hubbub is about.
"Look at you, being all sexy," Emmett yells from the ferry. The boys are all waiting for us, and turn in our direction as we strut toward them.
I'm giggling like a maniac and he's pummeling towards me, sculpted arms flexing as he reaches over the side of the boat to help me board. He literally sweeps me off my feet, both of my arms wrapping around his neck for grip as his presence swallows me whole. Just like that, and we're the only two people in the world. Our lips meet and everyone around us cheers like we're in a fucking movie, and it's so cheesy but I'm so fucking happy.
I've been wearing dresses the entire trip, so tonight I opted for a pair of tiny shorts that make my ass look good and a simple tank top so I can dance without worrying about a titty-slip.
"Where have you been hiding all that ass over the years, huh?" Emmett asks, placing me back on my feet but letting his hands drift down to roughly grab my cheeks in a way that makes me want to ride him right here, right now. I'm a little tipsy from the pregaming the girls and I did, enough that he sends shockwaves through my whole body when he does that. Still, I'll need more alcohol before I'm ready to get on that stage.
"Believe me, she's always been there. Growing by the day," I joke, rolling my eyes.
"Uh uh, none of that," Emmett chastises.
"What?"
"None of that thinly veiled self deprecation. I won't have it," he dives in, kissing me again. "You're the literal definition of gorgeous, every last beautiful inch of you," his head dips to kiss my neck, and it's so weird to be loved on like this.
"Awww, you tell her, Em! Now stop feasting on my best friend so we can get going!" Alice yells excitedly.
When Alice tells you to get somewhere, that's where you go. No questions asked because she will always lead us to the very best places.
"I have to admit, I'm a little salty I don't get to see you sing tonight," Emmett muses once we're seated and ready to take off.
"Maybe you will," I shrug, leaning into the spot he opens up for me. He props his arm up behind my head. "I just need time with my girls."
"Damn right, you do. Honestly, I'm looking forward to hanging out with the guys more. I like them."
"You like everyone," I tease, nudging him in the ribs. "But yeah, I know Edward is good, of course, but Jasper seems to be just…an absolute gem. Jesus, this is all so surreal."
"Having boys around on your girls trip?"
"Yeah, but not like…in a bad way. It's just different."
Emmett nods. "It helps me out. I was worried you'd be pissed I crashed your time with them, but now that I see they're just as occupied as you are…it just makes me happy I got the timing right."
Our eyes meet and his face is lit up with pride, one of those moments where it doesn't matter that his arms are covered with ink, he still looks like a little boy again. Full of innocence and excitement for life.
I need to figure out how to find that part of me. The part that can just…cut loose and have fun without any thought to the ramifications.
Life's too fucking short.
Alice's toast confirms it.
I'm so excited to have time with the girls, I barely let the boat dock before I'm planting a kiss on Emmett and skipping off. He's laughing too, genuinely just fucking happy to see me happy, and it sets me up with the right kind of energy to fuel my whole night.
…
"Cheers to our boys, may their dicks always be harder than our lives!" I chant, clinking my shot glass against the girls' shots in time with their cheers.
The alcohol stings my throat as I toss it back, the three of us wearing screwed up faces that make us giggle when we set the shots back on the table.
It's time to fucking party.
We've happily made it past the point of tipsy, the three of us full-on drunk and ready to set the night on fire.
The bar is already lit up, busy but not packed enough that it's unpleasant, becoming the perfect backdrop for our night out.
"Songs!" Alice squeals, shooting up from the table with her arms in the air. "We have to pick our songs and get signed up! I'll go grab the book!"
We watch as Alice, small but mighty, makes her way through the fray to the DJ booth. She returns and plops the book on the table with a smack and we take on the task as if it's a personal mission delivered from the President himself. It's a serious endeavor, honestly. Once the songs are chosen and registered with the DJ, we settle in to watch the string of terrible performers, eager to join the roster.
You don't go to karaoke with the expectation of anyone involved being any good. Occasionally there's a pleasant surprise, usually provided by Alice who surprisingly has hella pipes on her. No judgment can usually be found amongst the crowd, save for the occasional asshole, but for the most part we're all just drunken idiots out here having a good time.
That's what makes it so great.
We sit and watch as person after person takes the stage and fucking crushes it, if only by enthusiasm alone, and we're not shy about our support. Every act gets a standing ovation and hollers from the three rowdiest girls in the bar, who very clearly aren't showing signs of slowing down any time soon. By the time Alice's name is called, it feels very much like we've made friends with everyone in the room.
"Up next we have Alice singing Friends in Low Places," the DJ announces, my girl rocketing to the stage like it has been calling to her all night.
I'm sure it has. She loves it up there, and you can tell by the way she dramatically takes her place, facing away from the crowd as the lights come down.
The familiar opening chords play and then Alice spins around right on cue.
"Blame it all on my roots, I showed up in boots, and ruined your black tie affair," she sings seriously, making eye contact with the crowd who instantly start screaming for her.
Out of the corner of my eye I see Bella has her phone up and it makes me so fucking happy for three very different reasons.
One, because memories, of course. We could fill a massive hard drive with the embarrassing pictures and videos we've amassed over the years, so any chance to add to the collection is always a welcome one.
Two, because how cute is Jasper going to be when he gets to see her be her cute little self?
And three…birthday blackmail. I'm not above putting our shenanigans on Facebook when one of us turns a year older, and neither are they.
Only a few lyrics in and Alice already has them eating out of the palm of her hand, and by the time the chorus comes around, we all join in with her.
"'Cause I've got friends in low places, where the whisky drowns and the beer chases my blues away, and I'll be okay."
The place has turned into a regular fucking honky tonk.
Even Bella, who doesn't have a country bone in her body, is singing along with the chorus with her drink raised in the air while her other hand grips her phone.
"Well I guess I was wrong, I just don't belong," Alice croons, the crowd going quiet. Part of me wishes a damn talent scout was in the crowd, even though I know Alice would never be happy living the life of a celebrity. But damn, bitch is crushing it!
She kicks us into one last run through of the chorus, Bella's phone tucked back into her pocket so she can truly enjoy the moment. This time Alice points our way when she says "friends in low places" and I blow her a kiss while Bella throws her a peace sign.
The crowd breaks out in the loudest cheers we've heard all night and Alice takes a bow, and then a curtsy, mouthing and signing thank you with her hands and continuing to ramp them up like America's fucking sweetheart.
"You're up next," Bella says, nudging me with her elbow. "Go get 'em, killer."
Tequila is making my blood sing and all my inhibitions are cut loose, especially seeing how well received Alice was.
"Ahhh!" Alice screams into the mic, knowing well enough to stay a few inches away to avoid feedback. "Thank you guys so much! Help me welcome one of my best friends, Rosalie, to the stage!"
Confidence keeps my head high as I strut towards her, hugging Ali and telling her what an absolutely stellar job she did on the way.
The sound of records scratching come over the speakers as soon as I step onto the stage and I launch into the nastiest performance of Work it by Missy Elliot that's allowed in public.
I stumble my way through the backwards parts and pull out my best worst dance moves, crouching down and shaking my ass. Next thing I know, napkins are falling down on me and I'll be damned if Bella isn't at the edge of the stage throwing them like she's making it rain.
We of course clean the mess up, although I fall on my ass not once but twice while doing so.
And then Bella takes the spotlight and keeps the vibe rolling, artfully and maybe a little terribly covering Kelly Clarkson's Miss Independent.
Alice and I are back at the table, arms thrown around each other with my phone in the air this time as we scream along to one of the songs that single-handedly got us through college.
I hope Bella takes the advice of the song. She's always been so fiercely on her own, and there's absolutely nothing wrong with that. Life has made all three of us so fucking scared to love, but sometimes love doesn't give us a choice.
Clearly.
The night wears on like that, the rotation continuing. Occasionally between drinks and chatter, one of us will remember a song we wanted to do and will jump back into the roster. The other two will dance our faces off while they perform. Then it's back to the table for more drinks and gossip.
Eventually, I realize that a whole lot of liquids have gone into me and none have yet come out, and once I'm aware of the situation it becomes an urgent matter.
"I have to pee," I announce too loudly, slamming my fist on the table.
"Pee! Yes, we should pee," Bella slurs, grabbing my hand and pulling us up. "Ali, it's pee time."
We link arms and stumble, strut, and saunter to the bathroom, laughing for no reason and flying high on life. I rush to get to the stall and pull my shorts down in time, gasping when my phone hits the floor.
"Don't be breaking shit, it's esssspensive," Bella yells from the stall next to me, forcing more giggles from my lips as I try to grasp my phone.
Eventually my fingers decide to work and I'm able to get it, the screen lighting up when it's flipped. My vision is blurry as fuck, but I see a notification and I swipe to open it.
Our boys, all leaning together with big, stupid, drunk grins.
They're so fucking cute.
"Are you guys seeing this shit?" I ask the entire restroom.
"Oh my god, yes," Alice gushes.
"What?" Bella questions.
"Check your phone," I say.
There's a rustling and then, "Fuck me running!"
"I know, right?" I swoon, closing my phone and setting it on top of the toilet roll dispenser. This place isn't quite as revolting as a lot of other bathrooms I've been in, but I still want to bathe in hand sanitizer.
"I miss them," I pout while I wrap up my business.
"Them?" Ali chuckles. "You mean Emmett?"
"Well at least mostly," I sigh, coming out of the stall and heading over to thoroughly scrub my hands.
"Damn it if I don't miss them too," Bella states, accentuated by a flush. "I'm hungry for more lobster."
We crack up all over again and stagger out of the bathroom, but not before I shoot a quick text to Emmett.
Come see us xo
"They've been rocking the house all night, and now they're honoring us with a trio performance…give it up for Bella, Alice, and Rosaliiiiie!"
This isn't the kind of place that has fancy ass spotlights that find us in the crowd, but it feels like it when all eyes in the place find us fresh from the ladies room. It's like we're fucking rockstars.
Cheers and woots of appreciation engulf us as we're ushered to the stage, a flow that we naturally follow to the front of the house.
The three of us huddle together, arms around our shoulders to make a circle as if we're prepping for a game.
"Okay guys," Bella whispers in mock seriousness.
"We've been training our whole lives for this moment. I need you to leave it all on the field, you hear me?"
"Yeah!" Ali and I scream in unison.
"You know the moves, you know the crowd, you know you're mostly capable of staying on both of your feet and not letting your ass hit the ground, so don't let me down!"
"Woo!" We cheer, throwing our hands in the center of the circle.
"Give me a 'lobster time' on three. One, two, three!"
"LOBSTER TIME!" We all cheer in unison. The audience seems to be giggling at us, but we don't care. We're reliving our youth tonight. Young, wild, and free, and we're about to let everyone know about it.
Alice takes center stage as the lights go down and the first few notes of our song plays, ready to fucking crush it.
"A scrub is a guy that thinks he's fly, and is also known as a busta."
"Always talkin' bout what he wants and just sits on his broke ass, so," I take over, pointing out at the audience.
"No," we all say in unison.
"I don't want your number, no, I don't wanna give you mine, no," Bella sings on, Ali and I joining her for each 'no.'
We trade lines flawlessly, spinning around to let the one singing in the front until we all come together for the chorus. Everyone is rocking out with us and singing along, and we're having the time of our fucking lives.
But I'll be damned if we don't get three new bodies to watch us perform halfway through the first chorus.
I hardly see them past the lights, but they're not hard to miss. It's not often you see three men over six-foot, ripped and tan and sexy as hell looking like models strutting around. Not anywhere outside of LA, anyways.
Normally they would turn heads, but all eyes are on us. Including theirs.
Emmett, Jasper, and Edward file into the front door already laughing their absolute asses off and you can tell just by looking at their faces that they're about as wasted as we are—well, at least Jasper and Emmett are. As our designated driver, Edward is the only sober one in the joint. The other two sport ruddy cheeks and silly grins that turn filthy when they find us on stage. Three sets of brows knit together and then they're howling again, presumably at our song choice.
The mass of people easily separates for them as they make their way to the stage like some opposing boy band, all cocky and arrogant when they look up at us with their arms crossed over their chest.
It's my turn to deliver the next line, so I do so with all the sass in the world. "Got a scrub check in' me, but his game is kinda weak and I know that he cannot approach me."
Emmett shakes his head, wagging his finger at me in a way that tells me I'll be answering for this later in the very best of ways.
The boys bring out our inner whores, so by the time we finish the song we're all both exhausted and ready to jump on the three juicy lobsters before us.
Emmett holds a gentlemanly hand out to help me down from the few steps that lead off the stage, but of course I can barely walk right sober and I stumble a bit, falling hard into a solid brick of chest muscle.
Fuck he's so…the opposite of squishy. Not hard though. Well, he does get hard but…
Anyways.
"I think we need to get you girls home," he purrs in my ear, his hand hot on my lower back where my shirt has ridden up.
"Let's find somewhere to go first," I slur, my face smushed against him in a way that makes it even harder to speak. But my hand drifts, unashamedly cupping him and giving that beautiful cock a squeeze.
"As hard as it is to tell you no, Edward's gonna leave us here if we don't get on that ferry."
Looking around, I find Edward a few feet away and he seems far too busy beating off a ravaging Bella to worry about where we're at.
I look up at Emmett pointedly, then over to the restrooms, largely abandoned since we've effectively shut the place down.
"We can make it quick," I argue, leaning up to kiss his neck. I feel his groan against his lips more than I hear it, and I want to taste more of him, so I open my mouth and suck.
Hands grip my arms tightly and he pushes me back slightly, pleading with his eyes.
"Look, he's already moving her towards the door, we gotta go."
"Fine," I huff, throwing on a full, childish pout. "But if I can still walk tomorrow morning, I'm kicking you out."
So, we have officially hit 1k reviews thanks to all of you! We think that calls for a celebration! Because you gifted us 1k reviews, keep an eye on your inbox for a gift of your own from all of us here at Nerdy Lil Darlins!
See you soon!