A Fire Burns Bright by Hart Lauren

Author:Hart, Lauren
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2022-09-09T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Ten

The two of them piled into the Lyft and Arya plugged her phone into their driver’s sound system, playing her party playlist to get the two of them into the mood for joy and dancing. Samantha leaned back, head against the window as she stared at the city flashing by her.

Arya bounced around in her seat, dancing to the music, but always keeping an eye on her friend. She didn’t pry or ask if Samantha was okay– she wasn’t, and Arya knew that. She also knew Samantha needed to work herself up to being social, and that this time was crucial for that. It was all part of the process of priming Samantha for the club. Arya was well aware that Samantha would rather be at home, book in hand.

She had often joked when they were in college that Samantha needed time to build herself up to partying, like someone that sets their palette before a luxurious meal. Except that it wasn’t a joke.

Samantha closed her eyes and let herself listen to the music more intently, focusing on the rhythm, the chords, and the way it moved. She took in a deep breath and let it out slowly.

“Is Party Samantha here?” Arya asked, checking her hair and makeup on her phone camera.

Samantha looked over and gave her a nod. “Yes, yes she is. We’re going to have a fun night tonight. It’s girl’s night. No boys, no other ladies. Just us.”

Arya grinned and gave her leg an affectionate slap. “That’s my girl. We’ll have fun!”

Samantha nodded and looked back out the window. Her anxiety was there, as always, but there was something tangibly exciting about the idea that she would soon be dancing and surrounded by music so loud that her entire body would vibrate. She didn’t have to live in her body, with her thoughts and her anxiety. Instead, she could live with the music and let the energy flow through her. It was almost like working out –it sucked leading up to it, and sometimes during, but afterward, she always felt better for having done it.

It was much easier to not have any inhibitions at a club and on the dance floor than at a gala event like the one they’d been to months prior.

The Lyft pulled up and the two women got out of the car, thanking the kind man who had driven them there as they left. Samantha and Arya walked up to the very short line leading to the door, where a burly bouncer was checking each person’s ID before giving them a stamp and letting them in.

Arya had purposefully picked the most exciting and highest-rated gay bar she could find. She’d normally be happy to “take men off Samantha’s hands,” and take them home with her, any other night. But tonight, was about Samantha.

Arya had noticed how preoccupied Samantha had been since The Incident, which was somehow not as dramatic as she had assumed it to be, but she chose to not question the extremity of her friends’ emotions.

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