The phone rang only twice before the line clicked.
"Evie?"
Alexander's voice came through the speaker—low, calm, and unmistakably serious. Even through the loud music pounding around us, I could recognize that voice anywhere.
My stomach dropped.
Angela clapped a hand over her mouth, trying not to laugh.
"Say something!" she whispered excitedly.
I snatched the phone from her hand, pressing it clumsily against my ear.
"Alex!" I blurted.
My voice came out much louder than I expected.
Angela nearly choked trying to hold back her laughter.
On the other end of the line there was a pause.
"Evie…?" Alexander repeated slowly.
Something in his tone immediately changed. It was sharper now. Alert.
"Where are you?"
I blinked, leaning heavily against the bar counter.
"Me?"
"Yes," he said flatly. "You."
I waved my hand vaguely at the room around me.
"I'm… out."
Angela snorted beside me.
"Very descriptive," Alexander replied dryly.
I could almost imagine the expression on his face.
His voice came again, more focused now.
"Evie, what are you talking about?"
I frowned at the phone like it had personally offended me.
"What do you mean what am I talking about?" I said.
"You disappeared all day!"
Angela whispered dramatically beside me, "Ooooh."
I elbowed her weakly.
"I did not disappear," Alexander replied calmly. "You went out."
"Well—same thing!"
Angela started giggling again.
Alexander must have heard it.
"Are you with Angela?"
"Yes," Angela yelled happily into the phone.
Alexander sighed.
That single sigh somehow carried exhaustion, annoyance, and concern all at once.
"What are you two doing?"
"Living our best lives!" Angela shouted.
I grabbed the phone again.
"Alex…"
"Yes?"
"I miss you."
Angela slapped the counter silently in excitement.
I didn't even notice.
"Evie," Alexander said slowly.
"You're drunk."
I gasped.
"I am not!"
Angela leaned over and sniffed my drink.
"She definitely is."
"Angela," Alexander said calmly, "please stop encouraging her."
"I would never," she said sweetly.
I rolled my eyes dramatically.
"You're both very mean."
"Evie," Alexander said again.
"Where are you?"
I squinted around the room.
There were lights.
Music.
People dancing.
Someone dropped a glass somewhere behind me.
"Somewhere fun," I answered proudly.
Angela leaned over my shoulder.
"It's the Orion Club!"
I glared at her.
"Traitor."
Alexander was silent for a moment.
Then he spoke again.
"Evie."
"Yes?"
"What exactly are you drinking?"
I looked down at my glass.
"…something purple."
Angela burst out laughing again.
"I'm coming to get you," Alexander said flatly.
My eyes widened.
"What? No!"
"Yes."
"No!"
"Evie."
"Alexander!"
"Stay where you are."
"I am staying where I am!"
Angela whispered, "Technically true."
I ignored her.
"Alex…" I said again, lowering my voice dramatically.
"Yes?"
"You're really hot."
Angela almost fell off her stool.
On the other end of the line, there was complete silence.
Then Alexander spoke again very slowly.
"…what?"
"You heard me."
Angela was now clutching the counter trying not to scream with laughter.
"I just wanted to tell you," I continued proudly, "that you're very very hot."
"Evie."
"And tall."
"Yes."
"And mysterious."
"Evie."
"And I think about you all the time."
Angela wheezed.
"I can't breathe."
Alexander's voice dropped lower.
"Angela."
"Yes?"
"Please take the phone away from her."
"No way."
"Angela."
"This is the most entertainment I've had all week."
I grabbed the phone tighter.
"No one is taking anything away!"
"Evie," Alexander said.
"Yes?"
"Listen carefully."
His voice had shifted again.
That calm, commanding tone I knew too well.
"Tell me where you are."
"I told you."
"Which part of the club?"
I leaned against the bar again.
"The… bar part."
Angela applauded quietly.
"Great answer."
Alexander spoke again.
"Evie."
"Yes?"
"Don't move."
"Why?"
"Because I'm coming."
Angela leaned close again.
"Ask him if he misses you too."
I blinked.
"Alex?"
"Yes?"
"Do you miss me?"
There was a pause.
A long one.
Then he answered quietly.
"Yes."
For some reason that made my chest feel warm.
I smiled lazily at the phone.
"See?"
Angela groaned.
"Why is that weirdly cute?"
Alexander spoke again.
"Evie."
"Yes?"
"I'll be there soon."
"Okay."
"Stay at the bar."
"Okay."
"And please stop drinking."
I looked at my glass.
"…no promises."
Angela erupted into laughter again.
Alexander sighed one more time.
"I'm hanging up now."
"Okay."
"Evie?"
"Yes?"
"Don't disappear."
"I won't."
The call ended.
Angela immediately grabbed my shoulders.
"That was AMAZING."
I dropped my head on the counter.
"I think I embarrassed myself."
"You absolutely did."
"Great."
"But honestly?" Angela added.
"That might have been the most romantic drunk confession I've ever heard."
I groaned.
"Oh no."
Then the room tilted slightly.
Angela looked at me.
"You okay?"
"Yeah."
"Evie?"
"Yeah."
"You look… very calm."
I blinked slowly.
"I feel calm."
Too calm.
My body suddenly felt heavy.
The music blurred into the background.
Angela poked my arm.
"Evie?"
I slid onto the bar stool and leaned against the counter.
"Evie??"
"I'm fine."
My voice sounded far away.
Angela squinted at me.
"Oh wow."
"What?"
"You're not just drunk."
"What?"
"You're extremely drunk."
I rested my cheek against the counter.
"That's… fine."
Angela sighed dramatically.
"Well."
"Good thing your mysterious hot boyfriend is on his way."
I mumbled something unintelligible.
And then everything went very, very quiet.