They made the most of happy hour, downing their $10 pizza and pints. As the minute hand rolled around towards the twelve they descended on the bar and stockpiled drinks. The roster of patrons swelled until all the chairs were taken and extras huddled around the bar and in the darkened corners of the room. The central tables were mashed into bizarre shapes consisting of squares, rectangles, circles and triangles of assorted heights. Some leant forward intent on hearing and being heard above the din, while others seemed content to lean back and soak up the noise and laughter filling the room.
A dark-clad figure squeezed between two men leaning against the doorjambs and into the room. Stale beer, leather and wet carpet laced with the sweet smells from the kitchen hit her nostrils causing her face to curl. She scanned around the room, squinting against the dull light emanating from the fluorescent lighting before pushing her way down the line of the bar, all the while keeping her eyes peeled for her friends. A hand reached out and grabbed her bicep. She turned towards her accoster and, recognising the face of an acquaintance, stoped to exchange pleasantries. After a minute of back and forth she excused herself and continued her hunt.
A voice called out her name over the hubbub and she turned in the direction it came from. Zach was sprawled out in his chair resting a glass on his belly as he waved in her direction. She lifted her head in recognition and raised her arm in reply before apologising her way through conversations to emerge at the tables opposite Zach.
“Congratulations! It’s so exciting!” she said and leaned over the table.
Zach stood to receive her hug. “Thanks. This is going to be fucking awesome.”
“I know. Do you know when you’re going and how long?”
“In March. Dunno for how long yet. See how much money we get from Merge and grants and shit.” The effects of the alcohol were noticeable to Hazel, but seemingly not to anyone else.
“It’d be great if you got to do some shows in New York or L.A. or something.”
“Shit-yeah!” He raised his glass. A tiny bit of beer sloshed over the side. “Whoops,” he said as he brushed it off his jeans.
Marshall turned from his conversation with Piers and Mattias on the couch, grinned widely and motioned for Hazel to come around and sit on his knee. She smiled, waved and blew a kiss, but laid claim to the seat just vacated next to Pilar instead. Marshall put on his hangdog face. Hazel laughed, but remained where she was. Pilar poked her tongue out at him. “Nerds smell,” she said and held her nose.
"Well, so do Darkies, so there."
She poked her tongue out at him again.
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