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I thought I was going to be able to escape finally when I made one tiny tactical error Gavin was about to turn and climb up the rest of the stairs, when he stopped and asked if I was heading out for the evening or spending the night with the girls I shared toome out to the bar, some club with some hot new DJ I think it’s called 22?" The words rolled out of e, I instantly regretted sharing it I turned to leave hioodbye, for now

"That sounds awesome Maybe I’ll see you there," he said, and thankfully, my face turned away fro hi h her door I think to cheer ht s, which Sarah quickly put through my ears and built a look and outfit around They were colorful earth-toned beads and feathers, beautiful and norift I would treasure But they seemed too happy next to my face as I stared at theht her reflection, so I reached for her hand and squeezed it a bit to reassure her that I liked the ht, because I did

Shopping was tolerable, or at least as tolerable as it ever was for ave complete control to Sarah It was easier that way, and afforded me the opportunity to slip away to the empty place in ht black pants for h boots The look was actually one I liked, a little sexy, sure, but sturdy andlunch I listened to Sarah talk about the guy she , or rather sexting one another She was excited to see hiht, which I had discovered was the real reason ere going to the club I wanted to bail, in the worst way, but Sienna was going, and Micah was out of town at his grandparents, so I couldn’t leave her to wingot to the club a little early, which was good, because I was going to have to take in quite a few shots if Sarah wanted to getthe crowd, praying I wouldn’t find Gavin I hadn’t been drunk since the night of the incident, and was a little wary about getting, too I was tired of feeling sick--sick about losing a baby, sick about losing Reed and sick about losinght the faster I could wipe my memories clean, the better

Sarah ordered shots for each of us as soon as we got to the bar Sienna was ht than I was, so she actually nursed hers a bit while Sarah and I tossed two of the our heads from the sharp bitterness that burned down our throats I was feeling the effects al to head out to the dance floor with the girls

Apparently, sos a little more crowded than noriving me We were packed in, body to body, and there was no rooers to notice et co there was no way Gavin would show up and hit on me, when I spotted his head several bodies away fro in the crowd He had a few friends with hiirls, and appeared to be distracted, so I moved to the opposite side of the floor and surrounded ers

I felt safe here There was no way I would be teuard with sos, backs and torsos--all to the rhythm of the music I didn’t even need to kno to dance well, just push my arms in the air and move Sienna seemed to like the lack of pressure, too, because she actually finished both of her shots and was now ju to the ed to squeeze in with us, and gave me another shot, which I consumed quickly Sienna refused hers, so I took that one, too, and let hts all around us

We had been on the floor for more than an hour, and I had taken every shot Sarah pushed ht, I let her play doctor My body ith perspiration,tofrom the tall arch ofand staring at the lights Sarah had found the guy she’d hooked up with last week and was in her oorld, and Sienna had s down But I powered on