On the Record (Record #2)(38)
Author: K.A. Linde

“And the point is that she shouldn’t be coherent on her twenty-first,” Victoria corrected her.

“You know he would freak if he found you like this.”

“He’ll get over it. I’m barely even drunk,” Liz said.

Massey snorted and laughed. “Yeah. Okayyy.”

Liz moved forward and put her drink on the bar. “I’m going to the bathroom. Watch that.”

“One, don’t put your drink down. Someone could roofie it. Two, you shouldn’t go anywhere alone. Hello, have you heard of rape?” Massey asked, rolling her eyes. “I’ll come with.”

“Oh my God, you baby her,” Victoria said, rolling her eyes.

“I’m fine, Massey. Just stay here and keep someone from f**king Victoria!”

Victoria burst out laughing. “Why are we keeping someone from doing that?”

“Because you’re drunk,” Liz said as she started laughing for no reason at all.

“What the f**k have I gotten myself into?” Victoria groaned.

“Come on. Bathroom,” Massey said, directing Liz in the opposite direction. “Watch her drink!”

“Fine!” Victoria said.

Liz stumbled to the back of the bar with Massey assisting her. The more she walked the sicker she felt. She really needed to sit down. Maybe she was a little drunk.

“Please do not throw up,” Massey grumbled when they walked into the bathroom.

“I’m not going to!” Liz replied defensively.

Well . . . she wasn’t going to now.

She fumbled with the door and walked into the bathroom stall. Once she locked the door, she pulled out her cell phone. She had three texts from Hayden.

Liz shrugged and scrolled through them. Be safe. Blah, blah, blah. Same stuff. She would answer him later. Maybe.

That made her giggle.

She clicked over to Facebook and scrolled through her newsfeed, commenting randomly on different statuses. Not anyone she really wanted to talk to. No. The person she wanted to talk to probably didn’t even have a Facebook. Or at least, he probably only had an official page.

That made Liz laugh again. She had never checked whether Brady had an official page. She had always gone to his website instead. But he had to have one. Only made sense.

She typed his name incorrectly three times into the box before getting it right. There it was. Yep. Nothing interesting. Same as his website. It’s not like he was going to be posting pictures of him and his girlfriend. She rolled her eyes.

Whatever. Girlfriend.

Stupid word.

She could probably still get ahold of him if she wanted. Girlfriend be damned.

Liz searched her phone for the various numbers programmed into it. She didn’t know if the line he had used on campaign for his office was still active, and he changed his work number frequently enough because of people tapping into his line that there was no way that one still worked. Plus, he didn’t take work calls this late.

That left his personal number. The one he reserved strictly for family.

It was amazing that even through her addled mind the details of his personal schedule from the summer came back to her clear as day. She didn’t think she would ever forget that time of her life. Even if it only hit her in moments now.

Liz bit her lip and clicked the number. She started typing out a message before she even had a chance to think about it.

It’s my birthday and I want to cash in my congressional favor.

She giggled and placed her phone back into her purse. After relieving herself she hurried out of the stall.

“Jesus, what took you so long?” Massey asked, typing away on her own phone.

“I think I’m drunk,” Liz said while washing her hands.

“Um . . . yeah.”

The girls walked out of the restroom and back to Victoria, who was standing and talking to Savannah.

“Savannah!” Liz cried, giving her a big hug.

Savannah raised her eyebrows at her. “Um . . . hey. Happy birthday.”

“Thank you.”

“Let’s do shots and then head to a bar we can dance in,” Victoria announced.

Kyle poured five shots full of something that smelled like lemons. He passed them across the bar and kept one for himself.

“Just close me out.”

“Anything for you, V.”

Victoria pushed one over to Savannah, who shook her head. “Oh no, sorry. I’m not drinking.”

“Um . . . I just bought you a shot. So you’re drinking.”

“Come on!” Liz called. “It’s my birthday.”

“Um . . . maybe just one. But nothing after this.”

“Don’t be so uptight, Maxwell,” Massey said, nudging her in the ribs. “It’s okay to have a good time in college. You’ll still get into Congress even if you drank underage once.”

Savannah’s cheeks heated as she took the glass in her hand.

Liz reached out and shoved Massey. “Don’t be a bitch. She doesn’t even want to go into politics. Don’t you know your newspaper staff?” Liz asked through her drunken haze. She didn’t like anyone messing with her friends, especially after Savannah trusted her. All the alcohol kept her inhibitions down. “Don’t be rude!”

Massey’s eyes practically popped out of her head. “Feisty much, Liz?”

“Well, I wouldn’t have to be if you weren’t being an ass**le.”

“Whoa!” Victoria said, raising her glass up to silence them. “Drunk Liz wants to get into a fight.”

Massey shrugged. “I was only joking,” she said to Savannah.

“It’s fine,” she said tightly. “Let’s just do the shot.”

“Agreed,” Victoria said.

Liz felt her phone vibrate in her purse and butterflies flew around her stomach. Had Brady actually responded? What had she even said to him? It hadn’t been that long ago, had it? God, she didn’t even remember.

“Happy Birthday, Liz,” Victoria called.

Everyone raised their shot glasses and cheered her. Liz realized what was happening and held her shot glass up too. She tipped the glass back and let the liquid slide down her throat.

Whoa! That was strong.

They set the glasses back down on the bar and as they waited for Victoria to close her tab, Liz pulled her phone back out to check her messages.

One new message.

Carmichael Personal read on the screen.

Brady. Her stomach flipped. He had responded. She couldn’t believe it.

And what favor could a congressman offer to a girl on her birthday?