#Chapter 44: First Time for Everything

Ella The following morning, I pulled out the napkin with Molly’s number and typed it into my phone. But as I began to write a message to her, my fingers hesitated over the keyboard. Was I really going to do this? Just text her out of the blue and ask to hang out? It felt so… normal. So much unlike the sheltered life I’d been living all these years. Fuck it, I thought. I was dying anyway, wasn’t I? Might as well live a little first. “Hey Molly, it’s Ella. Had so much fun catching up last night. When are you free to hang out?” I hit send before I could talk myself out of it. My phone pinged within two minutes. “Tonight! I’m off work at 8. Ever been to The Howling Moon downtown? It’s karaoke night!” I bit my lip. A bar. Karaoke. Two things I’d never experienced before. I thought back to the party at my parents’ house, when my cousin Tara had invited me out. I’d declined then, choosing to stay with Alexander instead. Fat lot of good that di