”You’re here!” Alice cried, seemingly out of nowhere. She enveloped both Bette and Nicole in a hug, Bette praying that Alice’s drink wouldn’t spill down the back of her own dress.

”Of course we are. Happy birthday, sweetheart,” Bette said, kissing Alice on the cheek.

Shane stood behind Alice with her hands in her pockets, smiling in greeting to Bette and her date. Alice had just introduced Nat to Nicole when the server arrived with a tray of cocktails, waiting for the women to remove them from the tray. Bette raised an inquisitive eyebrow towards Alice.
 

”Margaritas,” Alice confirmed. ”Or similar. Pretty sure these have jalapenos and nutmeg in them, so watch your step,”.

”How many of these have you had?” Nicole laughed, graciously accepting the drink. Alice shook her head.

”Inconclusive,” she replied. At least four then, Bette chuckled to herself. Alice turned to Bette.
”So sorry that Angie couldn’t come, but it’s only over-age allowed, obviously,”.

”She understands,” Bette said, sipping her cocktail and almost choking when the spice hit the back of her throat. Christ. ”She’s at drama club tonight anyway, and she is thrilled to have a private birthday slumber party with you both on Saturday. What more could she ask for?”

Shane smiled and shrugged her shoulders. ”We haven’t landed on what we’re going to binge-watch yet. Alice is pushing for the Twilight trilogy, but I think you can either have trashy food or trashy TV but not both,” she continued, looking at her cocktail apprehensively.

”It’s a classic!” Alice retorted, putting her hand on Shane’s shoulder. ”Your only job is the snacks. Leave the educational entertainment to me,”

While Alice and Nicole began chatting about the bar, with Alice reeling off the bizarre concoctions that were available, Bette observed Nat watching Alice with admiration. Alice really deserves this, she thought to herself. Plus it keeps her out of everyone else’s business for a minute.

The sun had started its descent below the horizon as the crowd grew thicker with a myriad of people Bette assumed to be Alice’s entire contact list. As the evening wore on the sky was transforming into a canvas of mesmerising colours, golden rays of fading light piercing through gaps between the buildings below. The servers arrived again with trays of appetisers for the guests, and Bette took the opportunity to remove her phone from her clutch. Nothing wrong with that, she thought. Everyone is used to my relationship with my phone. She stood slightly back, feeling like she was about to get caught out doing something deceptive. Although it’s usually for work.