#Chapter 31: New Beginnings

That night had turned into an unexpected celebration at the local bar. It was the nicest one in town, at least in terms of cleanliness. We figured we’d invite Lucas out as well, and he swiftly accepted the offer. We had ordered a few rounds of every drink on the specials menu and downed them with reckless abandon. By the third, I’d already grown dizzy and had to drop out of the challenge. Lucas and Aria persisted, chugging down their margaritas before slamming down their glasses. “You’ve gone soft, Evie!” Lucas drawled, and he threw his head back with laughter. “Aria, you can actually keep up.” “As if I’m going to be outdone by you. This was my town first, newbie!” Aria spouted defiantly. A waitress passed and Aria called to her, motioning for her to approach before ordering their next set of drinks. “Leave me out. I’m quitting,” I mumbled. It was difficult to keep my head up as it rolled back and forth. Too much weight in one direction meant losing my balance completely. The t