Status: Writing asoften as I can :)
Keep Driving
Open Your Eyes
“All this feels strange and untrue
And I won't waste a minute without you
My bones ache, my skin feels cold
And I'm getting so tired and so old”
(Snow Patrol)
The blasted through Eleanor’s dance playlist as they prepared dinner. “Would you fancy some white wine with dinner?”
“Yes, sounds wonderful.” Ivy agreed.
“So tell me about yourself, your age, where you’re from all that good stuff.” Ivy had just placed the brownies in the oven. And El had started the pasta.
“Well, I’m quite boring. My Name is Ivy Summer McGinty, I am 23 years old. I’m from Beau, Maine. I have four siblings KoKo is twenty, Chris is eighteen and just graduated high school, Isabel is fifteen and Nina is twelve. We’re pretty close. I have my Bachelor’s Degree in English, and I graduated in May. I used to be editor of my university’s literary publication. I am a huge music freak, and I love basketball and I played rugby. I used to dance, but once I started college I wanted to focus on my grades, I love hiking and I run 5K’s back home. I love traveling, that’s why I’m backpacking Europe. And that’s it.” Ivy laughed. “See, boring.”
“Why backpacking?” El asked her stirring by the stove.
“I’ve always loved Europe, my family, my cousins used to live in Germany in the Army so I visited them when I was young with my grandparents. And I got the traveling bug. In seventh grade my best friend and her parents took me with them to Paris, and I’ve been to Canada and the Virgin Islands. And with my family’s Irish roots, I just wanted something, an adventure. It took a lot for me to get here.”
“Like how?”
“I worked three jobs for two years, I worked a morning job 7-2, and afternoon/ night job from 3-10 and a third shift job 11-6:30. Sometimes I’d work all three through the weekend, and in the summers I barely slept between all three. During school I’d only work third shift on weekends and when I didn’t have morning classes. But here I am and it’s all worth it.”
“And you took on a full class load?”
“Yup, 15-16 credits a semester, plus an online class or two in the winter and summer.”
“You’re mental, you are.” They laughed “But I owe you. Where are you planning on going in Europe?”
“Everywhere if I can I have no specific route. But I’ll map it out after I leave here, England. I plan on being here maybe about six or seven more days.”
“I think you are mental, but ambitious.”
“You’re quite crazy yourself.” They shared a laugh before finishing dinner. El’s phone went off ringing some song Nina was obsessed with.
“Hello Lou. Yeah, all finished. She’d bloody Brilliant. We’re going out tonight. No just us. Girls only love. Okay, I love you too. Yes we’ll be careful. I’m not that bad. That was once, okay twice. Yeah. Bye Hun.”
“You guys seem so cute.”
“We try, he’s practically the male version of me.” Ivy laughed. “So I was thinking you can borrow some of my clothes, sleep over and tomorrow we can make the trip to find your hostel?”
“Yeah, that’s fine. Are you sure?”
“Yes. I’m so excited to take you out! Anyway, let’s eat, and get ready.” The girls munched on pasta, white sipping wine. Clearing dishes, and pouring Vodka and Pepsi, while the brownies cooled. Once the brownies were dipped into, and a second round of Vodka and Pepsi’s were poured, El brought down two shot glasses. “We’ll take these once we’re ready.” They headed into El’s room and Ivy allowed the younger girl to dress her and make her beautiful. They finished their second round of vodka Pepsi’s and El returned to her room with a bottle of something Ivy didn’t recognize.
“What’s that?”
“The best and worst decision of your night. It’s Sambuca. Have you ever had it?”
“Nope, can’t say that I have, at least not that I remember.”
“Well two shots of this and we’re out.” She filled each of the glasses and handed one to Ivy. “To new friends!” They downed the shots, and Eleanor filled another round. “To a new adventure, and what tonight may bring!” Another round, down. “Okay love, let’s go.”
-----------------------------
22:00/10:00
The two girls arrived at the bar, already buzzed Ivy suggested a tequila race. Tequila was her drink of choice, “We’ll only do five so it won’t hit us as hard.” Ivy reasoned. El nodded excitedly. The bartender lined up the shots and they girls counted to three before beginning. Thanks to four years of rugby parties Ivy won, finishing the third shot as El finished her second.
“Damn you’re good Ivy.”
“Thanks El, years of practice.” They fell into drunken laughter. The bartender made his return to the pair, he was older, probably in his late twenties or early thirties, he had a black t-shirt on and khaki’s. He was very nice to the girls, well patient at least.
“Can I get you ladies into anything else?”
“We’re all set for now.” Ivy interjected before El could order anything. Those tequila shots were going to hit her soon, and Ivy knew her limit, but wasn’t sure about El, they were about the same size, Ivy was taller and a bit more athletic shaped, but she knew girls from dance that could drink their weight and be fine. However, she wasn’t taking risks with Eleanor.
“Let’s Dance!!” El shouted, grabbing Ivy’s hand and leading her to the mass of sweaty dancing bodies. Ivy had been dancing her entire life, at least until college, and the rhythm and vibrating from the music made her relax as it entered her joints and muscles.
They danced drunkenly through a few popular songs. Top forty wasn’t Ivy’s cup of tea, but she could handle it for a night of fun. El announced she wanted more to drink, and Ivy agreed the tequila hadn’t hit her like she thought it would.
23:00/11:00
“What did you order?” Ivy asked as she pushed through to El at the bar, returning from the bathroom.
“I got us each a lemon drop shooter, a Washington apple and a Berry Whipped.”
“Okay, I can’t say that I’ve ever had any of those, but first time for everything, right?” El nodded, “what do you normally do for shooters then?”
“I usually go for the hard stuff, straight shots, but I like Jaeger bombs, Irish Car bombs, Silver bullets you know those kind.”
“Sounds rough. You’re like one of those super sweet girls that’s like secretly mental and like has a wicked past history full of stories that are one of a kind. I can tell. You learn about people by what they drink.” Ivy laughed and pointed her finger at El.
“You’re good. You are like a mind reader.” The girls did their shots, laughing their way through them. “These are like candy. I could drink these all day!”
“Better than those nasty shooters you take, yeah?”
“Way better!” El ordered another drink, something pink. While Ivy ordered a double Jack and coke, as well as another shot of tequila, as her sister would say, “YOLO.”
“Wow, you really like the intense drinks yeah?” Ivy nodded.
“I kind of had to prove myself to the Rugby team in college. It was kind of a party hard or go home mentality.” El lead them to a few chairs to sit, and Ivy grabbed a water from the bartender, handing to El who was looking a little worse for wear and swaying on her feet. The two chatted, El drink the water while Ivy finished her Jack and Coke. She returned for another and also fetched water for El.
23:45/11:45
“I can’t finish my drink Ivy, can you do it for me?” Ivy knew she shouldn’t she had reached and pushed her limit, but she didn’t want El to feel like she had to finish it, she was worse off than her by far.
“Yeah, of course.”
“Thank you Ivy, you’re such a fit sweetheart, and I really can’t be looking messy if the paps see me. They’ll be all over Louis again.” Ivy just nodded drinking the candy-like drink. “Let’s dance again!” El hopped up as Ivy chugged the rest for the drink. When she stood the entire world spun around her.
Once on the dance floor again, the girls danced drunkenly arms flailing, ankles wobbling. El was very gone, and Ivy decided that she couldn’t let her out of her sight.
Ivy knew she was quite drunk, maybe even more than El, but grasped the lone string of semi-sober in her brain and clung on for dear life.
“Please don’t touch me.” El asked the guy who had come up behind her. He looked like a typical bar slime ball.
“You like it.” He wrapped an arm around her waist and grinded against her.
“Stop,” she tried with her drunken lack of strength to push him away. It did nothing but make him pull her closer.
“Hey asshole, get your hands off her.” Ivy forcefully ripped his hands off Eleanor’s waist.
He grabbed Ivy’s wrist, and had she not been drunk it probably would have hurt, as his grip tightened.
She then brought her other hand up and punched him in the face, he quickly returned the favor. She punched him again in the stomach as something hard and heavy knocked her over the head. In a spinning mess of drunken dizziness and blinding pain she kicked him in the groin.
She knew she had to get El out of there and as people began to swarm where the incident occurred she pulled El away.
And I won't waste a minute without you
My bones ache, my skin feels cold
And I'm getting so tired and so old”
(Snow Patrol)
The blasted through Eleanor’s dance playlist as they prepared dinner. “Would you fancy some white wine with dinner?”
“Yes, sounds wonderful.” Ivy agreed.
“So tell me about yourself, your age, where you’re from all that good stuff.” Ivy had just placed the brownies in the oven. And El had started the pasta.
“Well, I’m quite boring. My Name is Ivy Summer McGinty, I am 23 years old. I’m from Beau, Maine. I have four siblings KoKo is twenty, Chris is eighteen and just graduated high school, Isabel is fifteen and Nina is twelve. We’re pretty close. I have my Bachelor’s Degree in English, and I graduated in May. I used to be editor of my university’s literary publication. I am a huge music freak, and I love basketball and I played rugby. I used to dance, but once I started college I wanted to focus on my grades, I love hiking and I run 5K’s back home. I love traveling, that’s why I’m backpacking Europe. And that’s it.” Ivy laughed. “See, boring.”
“Why backpacking?” El asked her stirring by the stove.
“I’ve always loved Europe, my family, my cousins used to live in Germany in the Army so I visited them when I was young with my grandparents. And I got the traveling bug. In seventh grade my best friend and her parents took me with them to Paris, and I’ve been to Canada and the Virgin Islands. And with my family’s Irish roots, I just wanted something, an adventure. It took a lot for me to get here.”
“Like how?”
“I worked three jobs for two years, I worked a morning job 7-2, and afternoon/ night job from 3-10 and a third shift job 11-6:30. Sometimes I’d work all three through the weekend, and in the summers I barely slept between all three. During school I’d only work third shift on weekends and when I didn’t have morning classes. But here I am and it’s all worth it.”
“And you took on a full class load?”
“Yup, 15-16 credits a semester, plus an online class or two in the winter and summer.”
“You’re mental, you are.” They laughed “But I owe you. Where are you planning on going in Europe?”
“Everywhere if I can I have no specific route. But I’ll map it out after I leave here, England. I plan on being here maybe about six or seven more days.”
“I think you are mental, but ambitious.”
“You’re quite crazy yourself.” They shared a laugh before finishing dinner. El’s phone went off ringing some song Nina was obsessed with.
“Hello Lou. Yeah, all finished. She’d bloody Brilliant. We’re going out tonight. No just us. Girls only love. Okay, I love you too. Yes we’ll be careful. I’m not that bad. That was once, okay twice. Yeah. Bye Hun.”
“You guys seem so cute.”
“We try, he’s practically the male version of me.” Ivy laughed. “So I was thinking you can borrow some of my clothes, sleep over and tomorrow we can make the trip to find your hostel?”
“Yeah, that’s fine. Are you sure?”
“Yes. I’m so excited to take you out! Anyway, let’s eat, and get ready.” The girls munched on pasta, white sipping wine. Clearing dishes, and pouring Vodka and Pepsi, while the brownies cooled. Once the brownies were dipped into, and a second round of Vodka and Pepsi’s were poured, El brought down two shot glasses. “We’ll take these once we’re ready.” They headed into El’s room and Ivy allowed the younger girl to dress her and make her beautiful. They finished their second round of vodka Pepsi’s and El returned to her room with a bottle of something Ivy didn’t recognize.
“What’s that?”
“The best and worst decision of your night. It’s Sambuca. Have you ever had it?”
“Nope, can’t say that I have, at least not that I remember.”
“Well two shots of this and we’re out.” She filled each of the glasses and handed one to Ivy. “To new friends!” They downed the shots, and Eleanor filled another round. “To a new adventure, and what tonight may bring!” Another round, down. “Okay love, let’s go.”
-----------------------------
22:00/10:00
The two girls arrived at the bar, already buzzed Ivy suggested a tequila race. Tequila was her drink of choice, “We’ll only do five so it won’t hit us as hard.” Ivy reasoned. El nodded excitedly. The bartender lined up the shots and they girls counted to three before beginning. Thanks to four years of rugby parties Ivy won, finishing the third shot as El finished her second.
“Damn you’re good Ivy.”
“Thanks El, years of practice.” They fell into drunken laughter. The bartender made his return to the pair, he was older, probably in his late twenties or early thirties, he had a black t-shirt on and khaki’s. He was very nice to the girls, well patient at least.
“Can I get you ladies into anything else?”
“We’re all set for now.” Ivy interjected before El could order anything. Those tequila shots were going to hit her soon, and Ivy knew her limit, but wasn’t sure about El, they were about the same size, Ivy was taller and a bit more athletic shaped, but she knew girls from dance that could drink their weight and be fine. However, she wasn’t taking risks with Eleanor.
“Let’s Dance!!” El shouted, grabbing Ivy’s hand and leading her to the mass of sweaty dancing bodies. Ivy had been dancing her entire life, at least until college, and the rhythm and vibrating from the music made her relax as it entered her joints and muscles.
They danced drunkenly through a few popular songs. Top forty wasn’t Ivy’s cup of tea, but she could handle it for a night of fun. El announced she wanted more to drink, and Ivy agreed the tequila hadn’t hit her like she thought it would.
23:00/11:00
“What did you order?” Ivy asked as she pushed through to El at the bar, returning from the bathroom.
“I got us each a lemon drop shooter, a Washington apple and a Berry Whipped.”
“Okay, I can’t say that I’ve ever had any of those, but first time for everything, right?” El nodded, “what do you normally do for shooters then?”
“I usually go for the hard stuff, straight shots, but I like Jaeger bombs, Irish Car bombs, Silver bullets you know those kind.”
“Sounds rough. You’re like one of those super sweet girls that’s like secretly mental and like has a wicked past history full of stories that are one of a kind. I can tell. You learn about people by what they drink.” Ivy laughed and pointed her finger at El.
“You’re good. You are like a mind reader.” The girls did their shots, laughing their way through them. “These are like candy. I could drink these all day!”
“Better than those nasty shooters you take, yeah?”
“Way better!” El ordered another drink, something pink. While Ivy ordered a double Jack and coke, as well as another shot of tequila, as her sister would say, “YOLO.”
“Wow, you really like the intense drinks yeah?” Ivy nodded.
“I kind of had to prove myself to the Rugby team in college. It was kind of a party hard or go home mentality.” El lead them to a few chairs to sit, and Ivy grabbed a water from the bartender, handing to El who was looking a little worse for wear and swaying on her feet. The two chatted, El drink the water while Ivy finished her Jack and Coke. She returned for another and also fetched water for El.
23:45/11:45
“I can’t finish my drink Ivy, can you do it for me?” Ivy knew she shouldn’t she had reached and pushed her limit, but she didn’t want El to feel like she had to finish it, she was worse off than her by far.
“Yeah, of course.”
“Thank you Ivy, you’re such a fit sweetheart, and I really can’t be looking messy if the paps see me. They’ll be all over Louis again.” Ivy just nodded drinking the candy-like drink. “Let’s dance again!” El hopped up as Ivy chugged the rest for the drink. When she stood the entire world spun around her.
Once on the dance floor again, the girls danced drunkenly arms flailing, ankles wobbling. El was very gone, and Ivy decided that she couldn’t let her out of her sight.
Ivy knew she was quite drunk, maybe even more than El, but grasped the lone string of semi-sober in her brain and clung on for dear life.
“Please don’t touch me.” El asked the guy who had come up behind her. He looked like a typical bar slime ball.
“You like it.” He wrapped an arm around her waist and grinded against her.
“Stop,” she tried with her drunken lack of strength to push him away. It did nothing but make him pull her closer.
“Hey asshole, get your hands off her.” Ivy forcefully ripped his hands off Eleanor’s waist.
He grabbed Ivy’s wrist, and had she not been drunk it probably would have hurt, as his grip tightened.
She then brought her other hand up and punched him in the face, he quickly returned the favor. She punched him again in the stomach as something hard and heavy knocked her over the head. In a spinning mess of drunken dizziness and blinding pain she kicked him in the groin.
She knew she had to get El out of there and as people began to swarm where the incident occurred she pulled El away.
♠ ♠ ♠
A few of the boys are in the next chapter.For all those that were hit my the massive blizzard Nemo on the East Coast this past weekend, hope you're all okay. Here in Maine we got hit pretty hard, but all is okay. I'll update soon.
Comment if you please, it's much appreciated. :)