Hayley

Even without the shrill bells drilling a rusty screw into her head, Hayley knew the morning wasn't starting quite right.

"No no no no no no no." She chanted as she scrambled over the body she shared the bed with to slap at her alarm. Somehow she managed to keep her eyes shut and remaining in her head.

"God's be good." Came a muffled cry from under the covers.

"I'm not going in." Nor did she move back to her half of the bed. Still flopped over Anna, Hayley feared the effort would have her brain sliding around too much.

"So you said half a dozen times last night. It's a Friday, everyone needs to call out of work on Friday once." Anna peaked half her face out. "Gracious, I remember last night."

"Good. Go back to sleep."

"Can't do it. Never had the talent, hungover or not." Anna ran a hand up and down Hayley's back. "Are you throwing up hungover or just head explosion hungover?"

"The ladder thank Jesus. Course, we haven't moved yet." Hayley turned her head slowly and squinted around her tiny room. "Wait, where are they?"

"Who knows? They definitely made it back with us. Maybe Ethan took up with your roommate. He's been in a romantic upheaval."

"Gabby. He mentioned that. Doubtful he's in with Alexia, but that would be a trip." Hayley inched her way back to her side of the bed, pleased the movement didn't jar any nausea.

For a while they lay there, staring at the ceiling. Hayley waited for a wary or awkwardness to build but there was none. She'd never been this comfortable with anyone within twenty four hours of meeting them. And there was Anna in her bed and Ethan somewhere in her apartment with the man she'd known under a year and kissed brainless in a bar. She couldn't help but snicker.

"What's funny?"

"Everything." Hayley risked all, and pushed herself up and out. Too cheered to feel the hangover for the moment she felt around for her slippers. "I'm going to get a batch of fix made up."

"Fix?"

"Bartender, remember."

"Ohhh. Ethan has one of those." Anna sunk down a bit but pointed. "A tournament!" She waved her finger and looked up at the ceiling. "I'm going to come out and help you in just a month."

Hayley eased out into the hall, pleased that she felt steady on her feet, though aware once more of the clogging on her forehead. Alexia's door was half open and leaning over Hayley saw she was the only occupant of her bed. Glancing into the living room she felt certain the lump on the floor and the other on the armchair were the boys, but didn't go in. No need for all of them to be up at 6:30 when her fix wasn't even made yet. Once she reached the kitchen she switched on the stove light rather than main and got to work.

The amount of fun she'd had was more than worth paying for the trouble. They'd stayed for the trivia games that hadn't started until 9, and didn't leave until closing. The late hour made the choice for everyone to stay at her place an obvious one. Thinking of the text she'd sent Alexia asking if it was alright made Hayley smile. Its reply had read "you? a gang of pals? by all means."

It had been a night of firsts. She'd never laughed so much in public. Had never felt safe enough to let herself get drunk with friends. And certainly never been the first to kiss someone. That memory of the night alone had her brushing fingertips over her lips and giving a little booty shake. Boy oh boy. The night may have been one for the books but the kiss had knocked all of them off the shelves.

Another surprise had been witnessing that none of what Cole had told her so far had been embellished at all. She'd never known a closer group of friends, and they had been so easy with each other. The terms of endearment were thrown around with less inhibition than she'd ever had. Nor had she ever heard to men say baby to one another before last night. And while she considered herself pretty open affection wise once she was familiar with someone, the three of them took it to a whole other level. There'd been hugs in lieu of handshakes. She'd watched Ethan lift Anna when excited during trivia, and rest his arm around Cole during the brief subway ride. In some respects she knew that's why it was understandable that people were confused about them. But mostly she found it added to the magic. To be that uninhibited.

Yet, she felt a part of it all. Hadn't she leaned against Anna, with her legs over Cole during that subway ride? Taken the offered piggy back from Ethan up to her building? There had been no question any time Cole took her hand or any time she'd felt something for any of them. For once Hayley didn't thing, she just went with it.

And hadn't it been nice to talk to another woman about such things? Playing it over again Hayley smiled as she recalled leaning closer to Anna while the guys took some air outside.

"I think he almost kissed me."

"Oh….you think he…merde…tell me."

"He leaned like he was going to and I nearly did but…I don't know. We're trying to get somewhere. That would be way out of order."

"Out of order?" Anna nodded. "Free lesson jeune ami, as someone who once wanted to do things by my own internal book. It doesn't matter." Anna waved a hand as if to wave the thought away. "The feelings you have is what matters, that's what will carry you wherever you decide to take this. That's what you'll need to fight the fight if things get tough. Not rules and order, whether you're thinking them because of what society says or what you say."

Hayley considered a moment. "I don't give much thought to social ideals. It's more about how I've always done things."

"And I'm sure they've suited you well. I wouldn't like you so much otherwise. But that boy. He doesn't live by social ideals either, but he's got a code. In his thick skull, he won't make a move until he's certain. Not of his feelings for you, he knows his mind and heart. But he's still not quite certain of yours." Anna put an arm around Hayley as they leaned back in their stools against the bar. Her other hand reached out to clap against the wood. "Sean is it? Can we get two lemon drops please?" She turned back to Hayley. "I usually go with more kick if you're doing a shot, but we'll ease into that corruption."

"And now we won't have to hear the guys grumble about girl drinks?"

Anna slapped a hand on Hayley's leg. "Exactly that." She swiveled around in her stool when the shots came. "That was speedy quick handsome, good show." And handed one to Hayley.

"It's the eyes that do it." Hayley said before Anna could clink her glass against Hayley's.

"That draw you in?" Anna wiggled her brows. "They range from velvet to hell smoke is what I've heard."

"They're what give you away." Hayley said sadly. "I thought that just from a picture, but that was nothing compared to the live version."

"You writers see more than us mere mortals." Anna traced a finger over the rim of the glass. "You seeing a past life?"

"You're not oblivious. I'm sure you've been told before that you give off this effortless charisma. That it doesn't matter what you're doing, you live."

"I insist on it, yes."

"But your eyes are older than you. They show it all. The charm might be effortless but the living isn't. Far from it."

Anna seemed to consider her a moment before she nodded. "No one has it easy. Everyone has their pain. Those boys out there like to forget that. I don't want you to. Don't see me differently, just because you can see me a little more clearly."

Hayley smiled back. "So long as you remember I'm a writer, but I'm also a woman you can talk to if you get sick of only talking to men about it. Not everything ends up on piece of paper. Not for me."

"Oh I know." Anna winked.

"And so long as you remember those boys out there forget that you aren't the only person on Earth with pain because they love you more than everyone else." She raised her glass towards her.

Anna smirked as she touched hers to Hayley's before they knocked them back.

Hayley happily hummed as she hunted up a wooden spoon for the pitcher she'd added her secret fix to. If the kiss with Cole had been the highlight of her night, feeling that free with Anna was a close second.

Getting out glasses, there may have been a little flourish to her spin back to the sink, which came to a halt when she saw a figure in the doorway. Her curse was muffled as she buried her mouth into the crook of her elbow to keep from dropping the glasses.

"Easy killer." Cole leaned his head against the door frame. "No sudden noises please."

"Shhh yourself." She whispered.

"Really no point, Ann is going to jump Ethan once she realizes he's the only one asleep."

"Alexia doesn't work until later in the day."

"Oh, right." Cole dropped his voice. "We'll have to head off her off."

"How did you know she was awake?" Hayley turned to look at him and shook her head at his crooked smile. "Nevermind. How poorly are you feeling?"

He moved into the square kitchen, keeping quiet. "Been worse. I think being a shot behind of the rest of you helped."

"Looking out were you?" She smiled when she felt his forehead rest on her shoulder.

"Speaking of, we aren't working today right?"

"No. I wish drunk me remembered that life choice and turned off the alarm, but present me is just fine with a little time alone."

"Tomorrow night."

"Is Saturday?"

"For our first date."

Hayley turned and gestured to the living room and back at her bedroom door.

"That would be why I refrained from saying tonight, plus hangovers. Ethan said he was going to take Anna to the train station and then sleep for a year tomorrow. You work the bar tonight right?"

Pleased he remembered she nodded as she poured four glasses. "I don't want to blow that off but yes for the first time in quite a bit Saturday is open."

"Then it's a date?"

"A date." Hayley leaned in to brush her lips over his cheek to seal it.

"If you want to rest or have plans for your snow day here, just let me know. I'll get the troops out."

Handing him a glass of the fix Hayley shook her head. "No plans, and no need for anyone to leave."

Anna stalked out and evaded Cole's attempt at a grab as she made her way to the lump on the floor. He whispered something rapidly at her, but Hayley couldn't catch it. Sighing she turned over the corner to watch the show.

She started as Ethan came awake before Anna could kneel, and lightening quick wrapped an arm around her legs, and with a push she fell in a heap between him and the couch.

"Mr. Masen, make haste. I have the witch." He shifted so his arms were around her legs and a leg sprawled across her back. Languages flew from beneath him.

"Will you knock it off, Alexia is still in her room."

"The spoils of war. Ah, shit." He squinted his eyes against the light coming in from the kitchen.

"I have a fix for that." Hayley waved her glass, which was snatched out of her hand. "Oh, hey." She smiled sheepishly at Alexia.

Alexia surveyed the room while she pushed at her dark hair. Then held up one finger and gave her bleary eyed attention to the glass, downing half before speaking. "I came in an hour after you people, and it took me six tries to get out of my room. What are you?"

"Sorry for the noise. I forgot to shut off my alarm and then." Hayley turned to the living room "Well."

"Mhm. Thanks for this." She lifted the glass and wandered back to her room.

"Oof, she's got a worse one than us. Hah, I still got it." Ethan wiggled his shoulders, and then winced. "But also, PSA, twenty eight and a half is too old for floor sleeping." In trying to stretch he lost grip of Anna. "God damn." He managed before she grabbed a remote and held it to his throat.

"Done for." Cole told him.

"Alright alright." He glared up at Anna. "Parlay."

Anna snickered and got up to do a quick shimmy. "Hayles, if I could have a cup of that fix please. Maybe half for my fellow combatant."

"Bless you." Ethan took both glasses in one palm, and grabbed Hayley's hand to kiss with the other.

Hayley bit the inside of her lip while Ethan and Anna argued over who got first dibs of the bathroom. She felt Cole's hand cup the back of her neck and smiled up at him.

"Sure you don't want to kick them out?" He whispered with her favorite crooked smile.

"Not on your life." And for the moment she let herself simply lean.