Page 11 of When Sinners Rise
“Come on, Miri. I’ll book us a table, something low-key, just dinner out.” Her pigtails swing and bounce as she jumps up and down like an excited child. But when you’re lost and lonely, that kind of positivity and inclusion is infectious. She draws a smile from me, and I know there’s no saying no.
Tally stayed with me in the gym until it was time to get to work, and by then, I felt lighter. The dread that had woken me had slipped away, and I’m in no hurry to get it back.
Her positivity even went as far as me offering an invite to Ash to join us tonight. He had plans, which I was a little relieved about. Spending time with the handful of people I call friends is a big step and expanding that doesn’t come naturally. He is Willow’s brother, so if anything, he should be at the top of the friend option list, but we don’t click.
~
The night rolls around, and Peter calls and hangs up, leaving me a missed call to signal that he’s waiting downstairs.
I grab my bag and head down.
“You weren’t at work today?” I start.
“I had an audition.” He sounds pleased with himself, so I press for more.
“Oh?” I ask as we start a quick pace down the road toward the tube station.
“Yeah. You know me, always up for a side hustle.” He pops his lapels on his jacket, trying to be cool.
“And exactly how many of those do you have?”
“A few.”
He's always been cryptic about what else he does to earn a living, but he doesn’t know that Tally had learned he modelled as one of his side jobs. He’s good-looking, over six foot, and has a cute smile, but I can’t see him as anything romantic.
Sometimes, I worry I’ll never be able to look at someone that way again.
~
The meal was fun. Everyone was up for a good time and in good spirits, which helped to raise mine. It’s an odd combination of people and personalities, but these people have all taken me under their wing in a sense, and it’s a good feeling to have them all here together.
I’ve not heard anything back from Willow since my message last night, which just made me feel trapped and unable to control what I really wanted.
“Miri, you in?”
“Sorry, what?” I shake my head and put my phone down.
“Dancing. A bar… music. It will be fun.” Mandy is already up and out of her seat.
“Oh, I’m not sure, guys.” I’m being polite. Dark, loud clubs with music and drinking are the last place I want to be. Although a part of me really fucking hates that I feel like that. I’ve taken positive steps to get control back in my life – to protect myself. Yet my immediate reaction is still no.
“No. We’re not having that.” Peter pulls me to standing. “We’re all going. It’s a cool place, very exclusive, just around the corner. Nobody is being left behind. And, if you don’t love it, you don’t have to stay long. I’ll take you home.” He gives me a wink.
“Come on, Miri.” Tally joins in the rallying cry.
“Fine. Okay, you win.”
Cheers and claps surround me, and despite feeling uncomfortable, I smile.
We leave, and Tally and Adriana strut off, leading the way.
Mandy snakes her arm through mine and pulls me toward her. “You’re good. We’ll all be there.”
A few minutes later, Peter walks right up to the guy at the head of a line of people standing behind a red-roped queue barrier. We all follow and wait, feeling everybody’s eyes on us as they judge us for jumping the line. They exchange words, a handshake, and a weird guy hug, and then, we’re ushered inside, walking right in.
“Okay, tell me that wasn’t cool,” he whispers.
“It was pretty cool.”
