The Forever of Ella and Micha

sloped trimming of the roof. His eyes are bloodshot and he’s pronouncing his words slowly, which usually means he’s either tired or drunk. “It looks good to me.”
    “Because the food’s really gross,” Lila chimes in, unlocking her seatbelt. “There’s a place in the middle of town that has really good ribs. It’ll only take us, like, fifteen minutes to get there.”
    Micha shakes his head dramatically and I swear he’s being a pain in the butt on purpose. “Nah, I really think this place looks good.”
    Lila and I trade a worried look as Micha and Ethan hop out of the car and slam the doors, leaving us alone in the dark cab.
    “This is not good,” I mumble, eyeing Micha as he walks around to the back of the truck. He tips his head back and takes a swig from a bottle. “Especially since he’s in such a bad mood.”
    “I think he’s drunk,” Lila whispers as I crack the door open. “I thought I smelled booze on his breath.”
    I exhale loudly. “Yeah, I’m pretty sure he is, which means we’re probably walking into a drama pit.”
    “Are you sure Blake’s working still?” Lila slides over in the seat so she can climb out on my side.
    I nod. “We have to pick him up, remember?”
    The four of us walk across the parking lot toward the entryway. It’s dark enough that the stars are speckling the sky, and in the distance, the strip’s lights glimmer in florescent colors. There’s a sway to Micha’s walk and he trips over his own feet when he jumps up to touch the top of the doorway, rolling his ankle when he lands.
    “Yep, we’re definitely walking into a drama pit,” I utter under my breath as Ethan swings the door open.
    Inside the restaurant the lights are dim and the air is musty. It’s crowded and noisy, but there are a few vacant booths. Little lanterns hang above each table and soft country music flows from the speakers.
    Blake is serving shots from behind the bar to a group of rowdy-looking guys. I clear my throat and make eye contact with Lila, nodding my head discretely in Blake’s direction. She tracks my gaze and her expression drops.
    “Hold on, I got an idea.” She waltzes up to the hostess, a brunette in a white shirt and black slacks. Lila sneaks her a tip from over the counter and then she comes back with a cheery smile on her face.
    “It’s all taken care of,” she says in a quiet voice. “And yes, I know I’m the bestest friend ever.”
    “What did you do?” I ask, but she just keeps smiling.
    When the hostess leads us to our table, I realize Lila bribed her to take us to a corner booth that is secluded away and out of sight of the bar. I want to hug her, but it would be weird, so I sit down and Lila slides in beside me.
    Ethan pauses at the end of the other side of the booth. “No way, I’m not buddying it up with Micha. Lila can sit on my side.”
    Lila glances at me. “Is that okay with you?”
    My nerves jumble and it shows in the unsteadiness of my voice. “I think I—”
    “I don’t give a shit where I sit.” Micha’s eyes stray to the end of the aisle. “In fact, I think I’m going to go hang out at the bar.”
    Lila jumps up and scurries to the other side to sit with Ethan, inserting strands of her hair underneath the headband. Micha falls into the booth beside me and drapes an arm behind me. He has a short-sleeved gray shirt on and his warm skin grazes the back of my neck. His face looks flushed and his breath reeks of vodka.
    Shielding my face with the menu, I lean toward him and whisper, “You’re drunk.”
    He blinks his eyes at me innocently. “Why would you ever think that?”
    I state the obvious. “Because you smell like vodka.”
    “I threw back a few shot before we headed out and a few in the parking lot.” He places the palm of his hand on top of my thigh. “Relax, I just want to have some fun.”
    “That’s not why you did it.” I lower the menu back onto the table. “You only drink randomly when you’re upset.”
    He rolls his eyes and withdraws his hand from my leg. “How do you know? Maybe I changed while I was on the road.”
    “Oh, so douche bag Micha’s going to come out,” I hiss through my teeth. “There’s another reason I know you’re upset. He makes his grand appearance only when you’re angry.”
    With his eyes on me, he flips open his menu. “I’m upset because my dick hasn’t gotten any attention for a couple of weeks.”
    Ethan snorts a laugh and Lila’s blue eyes widen. I drop my head