My Girl

SAVANNAH

Okay, so maybe I was wrong.

Clubs aren’t that bad.

I can’t remember the last time I felt so carefree.

Maybe it’s the loud music. Maybe it’s the alcohol. Maybe it’s just dancing with Erin and knowing Rosie is having a great time with Mallory and Harry.

She practically kicked me out the door when she heard she got to have a sleepover without me. Part of me was relieved she took it so well, the other part of me was offended.

“Hotties, six o’clock!” Erin yells into my ear. I spin on my heel to look and end up stumbling. I grab hold of Erin’s arms to steady myself, but she stumbles too.

We look at each other with wide eyes for a moment before bursting into laughter.

“Let’s do shots!” I call out, pointing to the bar, suddenly feeling like another tequila shot.

“I love drunk Savannah!” Erin hollers as we dance our way across the room, through the many sweaty bodies, and straight up to the bar.

“What are you ladies drinking?” a drunk light-haired guy next to Erin slurs.

He looks strangely familiar, but I can’t quite place him.

I lean forward and squint my eyes trying to figure it out.

“Tequila!” Erin smiles and holds up two fingers.

“What’s your name?” I ask, leaning on the bar and peering around my friend to try to get a good look at the guy.

“Michael!” he answers with a flirtatious smirk on his face.

“I don’t know you,” I reply, making the stranger and Erin both laugh.

We end up doing two shots with Michael before he offers to buy us another drink and invites us back to his table with his “buddies.”

“He’s so hot!” Erin gushes to me as we hold hands, following him back through the sweaty bodies. I simply give her a toothy grin and waggle my eyebrows at her, making her laugh again.

When we reach the table, there’s another two good-looking guys who also look familiar. Tequila really must mess with my eyes.

“Meet my new friends,” Michael half introduces Erin and then me before sliding into the booth. “Where’s the main man?” he asks the guy closest to him.

“Taking a piss.” The guy chuckles. “Our best buddy just moved back, and we’re celebrating.” Michael explains, leaning over, glancing at Erin’s boobs.

“He’s looking at your boobs,” I say into her ear loud enough for only her to hear. This somehow encouraged her to stick her chest out more.

“Back in high school, he got his black heart broken, then ran away,” he adds, making me and Erin both snort.

Neither of us are strangers to guys running away.

“Now his black heart is turned to stone.” The black-haired guy farther away sighs, shaking his head sadly.

“Serves him right for running away. Men are pussies,” Erin sasses, clearly referencing Tanner. “I swear to god if I ever see him, Sav, I’m ripping his balls off,” she says, facing me.

Drunk, angry Erin is not someone I want to mess with, so I just agree with her and take a sip of the fruity drink in front of me.

“You got your heart broken too?” Michael asks, leaning back casually and not so subtly putting his arm around Erin’s shoulders.

“Oh no, let’s not talk about him or else she’ll turn into She-Hulk,” I answer, shaking my head, making the others laugh.

“I’m Juddson, and this is Tyler,” the blond guy in middle introduces with a kind smile. Those names sound so familiar, but I’m far too drunk to remember where I’ve heard them.

“I’m Daphne, and this is Daisy,” Erin announces, making me raise my eyebrows at her. Since when do we use fake names? Or did we change our names?

“Beautiful names for beautiful ladies.” Tyler smirks, raising his glass making me laugh, hard, which makes Erin laugh just as hard.

“Ooh ouch, my game must be rusty.” Tyler laughs. “I just broke up with my girlfriend a week ago,” he explains, shaking his head.

“Hey, so did she! Not girlfriend. Boy,” Erin exclaims excitedly, pointing to me.

“I did?” I ask, scrunching my nose up. I remember texting Pete before leaving for the club, but I don’t remember breaking up with him.

“In my dreams.” She huffs. “Anyway, let’s not talk about that douche.” She waves her hand in a dismissive manner.

We spend no more than two minutes making small talk before Erin and Michael are playing tonsil hockey, leaving me awkwardly perched next to them.

Juddson sends me a sympathetic smile and shrugs slightly as if to say, “What are you going to do?”

“Oi, Mikey, stop sticking your tongue down that girl’s throat and move over.” A deep, very familiar voice chuckles from my right. I lazily look to where the voice came from and instantly feel sober.

It’s him.

Tanner.

He looks better than I could have imagined him. He looks like he grew a few more inches and stands over six feet.

His usual dark, shaggy hair has been cut shorter, and he has a slight beard growing on his chin. And those arms. I thought they looked amazing in high school, but holy shit, he’s filled out.

He’s definitely a man now.

“Hmm?” Michael hums before I hear his and Erin’s lips pull apart.

“Whoa you look so much like Ro—” Erin begins before she cuts herself off.

“Ro?” Tanner asks, quirking an eyebrow up, amused.

“Wait. Mikey. As in Mikey Clarke?” She coughs, sliding her body away from his and into mine.

The movement makes Tanner’s eyes flick to me. His green eyes lock onto me, the smile disappearing from his face. A slight line appears between his eyebrows.

“Hey, don’t I know you?” he slurs, narrowing his eyes at me.

“Nope. Never seen you before in my life.” I shake my head, dropping my head down so my hair covers my face, wishing he would move so I could get up and run away from this stupid club.

“Get away, asshole,” Erin seethes through her teeth, leaning over me.

“Reow. You always liked the feisty ones, Mikey.” Tanner laughs but does as he’s told.

The second he’s moved enough, I jump to my feet, ready to run straight to the door.

“You know Mikey, though?” Tanner says, stepping in front of my path. I feel Erin’s body push up against the back of me.

“Get the fuck out of the way, Tanner,” she yells.

“You do know me.” He gasps before giggling. It sounds so similar to Rosie’s that it makes me close my eyes and take a deep breath, fighting back tears.

I knew coming to a club was a bad idea. But never in a million years did I think I’d run into Rosie’s sperm donor.

“Please. Move,” I manage to squeak out, a single tear escaping.

“Oh god. I’ve had too much to drink.” Tanner groans, throwing his body into the booth next to Tyler. “This didn’t happen in New York,” he mutters, shaking his head before putting his head in his hands.

I take my chance and bolt away from the booth as fast as I can.

I push past all the people and straight out the door we came in hours ago. The fresh air burns my lungs as I take deep breaths, trying to regain my composure.

“Savannah,” Erin soothes from behind me. I take one look at my best friend before bursting into tears. Instantly, her arms wrap around me, and she pulls my head into her chest.

“Shh. Everything’s going to be okay,” she whispers, stroking my hair.

“H-he’s here,” I stutter out.

“I know. I know.”