Liana's POV:
As soon as we stepped into the club, the neon lights and loud, thumping music hit my ears all at once. I sucked in a deep breath and adjusted my mask, blinking a few times as my eyes tried to get used to the flashing colors.
Laura grabbed my hand and tugged me toward the counter. "Let's have some drinks first?"
With a soft smile, I let her lead the way. The place felt like a small break from all the chaos... like for once, I could just breathe.
She ordered for us, and I frowned when I realized she was getting something strong.
Taking off my mask, I looked at her and muttered, "Girl… we both are lightweights."
She just smirked, removing her mask too as the bartender served our drinks. She lifted her glass and took a sip. "We can handle it. Chill."
I sighed, but gave in and took a sip. The drink burned down my throat, sharp and bitter at first, but then… everything started feeling lighter. The music didn't feel too loud anymore. My chest didn't feel too tight either.
"It feels good," I murmured, swirling the drink in my hand. "Like… where I belong."
Laura paused mid-sip and raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean you belong in a club?" Her confusion and concern were clear, but I honestly didn't mean what she thought I meant.
I laughed and put the glass down to cup her face with both hands... Her skin was warm against my palms, or maybe it was the alcohol working. "Not like that, dummy. I mean the loud music, people all around… it's just..." I shrugged. "Alive."
Laura giggled and bumped her forehead against mine. I whined and rubbed the spot with a pout, which only made her laugh harder.
I picked up my glass again and took another sip as I glanced around. "It smells so good here. And… clean."
Laura choked on her drink, bursting into laughter. I don't know why she was laughing. What was funny there? So, I poked her shoulder, "Hey... what's so funny?"
She tried to catch her breath and held my hand. "It smells good because everyone's wearing their favorite perfume. And it's clean because..." she pointed toward a glowing sign across the room, "whoever litters has to pay a fine."
"Ohh…" I nodded slowly, finishing my drink. "Still don't get why that was funny though."
Laura exhaled dramatically and started walking toward the dance floor. I stared at her for a second, clueless as always when it came to her or Char's weird sense of humor, then followed.
She turned back suddenly, grabbed my waist, and pulled me closer as the bass dropped.
My breath hitched as her hand was directly on my skin, her fingers warm and firm. My heart skipped, but I pushed the feeling down and forced a grin.
"Let's dance, you fool. Stop staring at me," she teased, letting go as she started moving with the beat.
I laughed and joined her, both of us swaying and spinning under the flashing lights. It was obvious we were a bit drunk... Her steps were a little too confident, and mine… probably too loose.
At some point, her hand landed on my shoulder while mine rested on her hip, our laughter mixing with the music.
Then suddenly, she froze and, in one quick motion, she slipped her mask back on.
I was confused at the sudden change, but before I could say something, she grabbed my arm. "Put on your mask," she whispered sharply. "We gotta run."
I blinked, tilting my head, not really understanding what she meant until a sudden scream cut through the music.
"Oh God! It's actually them!" a girl shouted, and within seconds, more voices joined in.
Before I could even react, people started crowding around us with their phones out. Flashes started lighting up the space like strobe lights.
The club workers quickly stepped in, forming a circle to keep the fans from getting too close. Even then, I could still hear the shouting. "I always knew LiAura was real! See? SEE?"
I stood there in a daze. My mind was processing everything, but my body just… wouldn't move. Then Laura grabbed my wrist and pulled me toward the restricted area behind the counter.
"Move," she hissed under her breath, her fingers tight around mine. I stumbled after her, trying to find my balance as the alcohol buzzed in my head.
Once we got to a quieter corner, she turned me around, cupped my chin, and before I could even blink.... She squeezed a lemon wedge straight into my mouth.
I jerked back while coughing. "The hell was that for?"
She lightly smacked my head. "To sober you up, genius. We just gave our shippers a great live moment. Now let's get out of here before they break through."
I blinked at her, still dazed, until her words finally made sense. A gasp slipped out of me, and I quickly put my mask back on. Laura laughed, but the sound muffled through her own mask.
I took a shaky breath, still tasting lemon and vodka, then followed her as the staff guided us toward the backdoor. The cold air outside hit my face, and I finally let out the breath I didn't realize I'd been holding.
We thanked the staff and even clicked a few photos with them before running toward the parking lot, laughing about our little adventure.
"It was fun, right?" I asked Laura as I unlocked the car.
She nodded and opened the passenger-side door for herself. "Yeah… but our company's probably going to face the rumors after tonight."
I giggled and opened my door, but then I caught a glimpse of someone familiar. I blinked a few times, then closed the door and started walking toward where the person had gone.
"Liana…" Laura called, stepping out of the car to follow me. "Where are you going?"
I didn't answer, just held her hand and kept moving toward the edge of the parking lot. Ahead, the figure was disappearing into a dark alley, and without thinking, I followed.
We stopped and crouched behind a parked car as the person paused and glanced back. My breath hitched as I saw his face.
Laura gasped quietly beside me and looked at me with wide eyes. "That's… Alex?" she whispered. I just nodded, trying to keep my voice down.
"We can't follow him, Liana. Don't be silly," she warned, and maybe she was right. But somehow, I felt more confident than I ever had.
I straightened my back and whispered, "We will follow him… and if you're scared, I'll go alone."
I started moving forward, but I heard Laura muttering under her breath, "This drunkass is going to get both of us killed." I wasn't sure if she was angry, worried, or just annoyed… but honestly, I didn't care at that moment.