“Dude,” Kara said, looking at Annabelle, “what happened to your back?” She lightly stroked her finger over the little scabs and scrapes. Annabelle flinched away, glancing at Alex, and trying to hold down a bubble of giggles.
“Uhh, dunno? Weird, huh?”
Alex held back a laugh and pulled her into his shoulder. They were walking back from a day at Disney World, Orlando. Annabelle was incredibly tired, the colours, the screaming, the artificialness of the place left her with a throbbing headache.
“Well, that was the best day off in ages!” Alex yawned. They were walking quickly, matching each other’s steps. The night was humid.
“How many times have you actually been to Disney World, Alex?” Annabelle asked. He looked thoughtful for a moment, as if trying to count. He gave up.
“Every time I’ve been to Orlando?”
“And that is...how many times?”
“More than he can count on one hand.” Jack laughed. “Disney World is fun!”
Zack rolled his eyes. “It’s so crowded and...Children-y”
“Here, here!” Annabelle agreed.
“Don’t you guys like children?” Kara asked incredulously.
“Nah,” Zack shrugged, “they’re okay. Just...when they’re so... concentrated it's a lot to handle.”
Annabelle nodded, agreeing once again with the bassist.
“Man, I can’t wait to have kids.” Kara said, rubbing her flat belly. Rian looked at her, and exchanged a panicked glance with the Alex. Kara didn’t notice, but Annabelle snickered.
“Kara,” Jack held her hand fondly, “you’re having too much fun to ruin it with a screaming, pooping, titty-sucking, sticky baby.”
Kara glared at him and the other three laughed.
“What do you mean? I already have one of those.” She cut, staring pointedly at the lanky guitarist.
“Ouch.” Jack scrunched his face up.
“Snap.” Annabelle widened her eyes. The six looked at each other and burst out laughing.

***

“Shot! Shot! Shot! Shot!” The boys were chanting at Matt as he stared at the full shot glass in front of him. In the middle of the table the group were slowly building a shot glass tower, much to the barman’s dismay. After arriving back from Disneyworld they had picked up the manager who had been resenting them, as he had not been able to join them on their Mickey Mouse-filled trip. Now, the band, the manager, and Annabelle and Kara were indulging in a shot competition to cheer up Matt. The table went up in cheers as the manager added another glass to the precariously wobbling tower, chasing the vodka down with his beer.
“Maybe-maybe…” Annabelle slurred, throwing herself onto the table, causing the glasses to teeter dangerously, “we should start…A- ANOTHER TOWER!” She picked up the shot glass in front of her and downed the vodka, much to the delight of the table, and smacked it down next to the tower of glasses.
“Who’s next?!” She laughed. Kara struggled with hers, and then stacked it on Annabelle’s. They fell over each other, giggling in rapture. Annabelle climbed into Alex’s lap after he stacked another glass. She held his face in her hands to see if it would stop swirling, and kissed his mouth. He gathered her up in his arms and rocked her back and forth as she laughed, she spread herself out and put her head on Zack’s lap. He looked down at her hazily. She rolled her head into his abs, paused a moment, and wondered about the prospect of a threesome with he and Alex. She burst out laughing and escaped to Kara.
“Imagine,” She sniggered, "if Alex and Zack were in a threesome…Together.”
Kara began to laugh, solely because she was so drunk.
“IT WOULD BE SO GAY!” She cackled, pointing at Alex. Annabelle stifled her giggles to make a straight face before saying,
“But hot.”
Kara became serious for a moment while she tapped her nose at her and they both burst out laughing again. The boys stared at them like they were loonies. Alex went to throw an arm around Annabelle, but she squirmed away and announced that she and Kara were going to the bathroom.
“Man, those two are crazy.” Rian scrunched his nose after they had left. Alex just shook his head.
“What were they saying about?” Matt slurred.
“About a threesome involving Alex and Zack.” Rian stage-whispered across the table. Alex started, staring at Zack, who had suddenly become alert. They looked at each other and shuddered.

“Nah, you’re actually not that bad,” Zack said thoughtfully, “I mean if Megan Fox told us that she would have both of us or none, I would.”
“Make it Rhianna.” Alex stated as Annabelle and Kara settled back down.
“What are you talking about?” Annabelle wondered.
“Nothing.” The boys said in unison. Kara raised an eyebrow and shrugged at Annabelle. Alex gave her a kiss for good measure.
“How were the bathrooms?”
“Full of lesbian sex.” Kara replied, straight-faced. Jack’s jaw dropped.
“WHAT.” He made a made scramble from the table before Kara called out, “I was JOKING, you muppet!”
“I hate you.” Jack slid back into the table.
“Aight!” Matt yelled, looking at his new Mickey Mouse watch that the group had bought for him from Disneyworld, matching Jack's. “Time to head back, methinks!”
“Wait! I need to Tweet this!” Alex declared. He snapped a photo on his phone and then squeezed out of the table to pay for the drinks as the rest gathered themselves up to leave.

***

“Alex…” Annabelle whined jokingly, “Can you carry me?”
“Again?” Alex chuckled as Jack swung his foot at can lying on the ground and missed.
“Again?” Annabelle wondered, and remembered their first night, awkward introductions, Alex’s hostility, “Oh, I remember. Back when you were a nasty cactus!”
“Nasty cactus!” Matt yelled, and threw an arm around Annabelle, stealing her from Alex’s side, “I like you!"
Annabelle laughed and stumbled as Matt lost balance. Kara was walking briskly in front with Rian.
“Hurry up, slow pokes!” She was referring to Zack and Jack who were now kicking the can between them, stumbling over each other like a pair of spastic soccer players.
“Pass to me!” Annabelle clambered to escape from Matt’s grasp, and then joined the boys in kicking the can. She lined it up for a kick into a garbage can and missed the can by a metre.
“Yeah, I meant to do that.” She giggled as Zack ruffled her hair. She noticed that she, Zack and Jack were far behind the others. Alex was jogging to meet them. He scooped her up and ran back to the others in front.
“Hurry up!”
Annabelle laughed and started drunkenly singing Coffee Shop Soundtrack.
“When it all comes dowwwn to a sunrise on an East Side…” She screamed into the night, while Alex laughed. “WILL YOU BE THERE TO CARRY HOOOOME?”
“Well done Miss Heron, you have successfully butchered our song.” Rian laughed from over his shoulder.
“I sing it better than mister Snooty-Pants here.” Annabelle replied, kissing Alex’s collarbone. Alex just refreshed his grip on her and shook his head with a smile.
“Maybe you should-” He started.
“TONIGHT IS ALIVE WITH THE PROMISE OF A STREETFIGHT!” Jack screamed at the top of his lungs as he raced past the group. Zack was following him at a leisurely pace and Matt yelled: “Here’s to you!”
Annabelle bounced in Alex’s arms in a crude attempt at dancing. He tightened his grip and pushed her legs closer to her body, knowing how flexible she was.
“If you’re not careful I’ll fold you completely in half.” He laughed down at her. She stopped moving and looked up at him, her eyes burning into his.
“Like a piece of paper.” She smiled, looking around drunkenly then returning her eyes to his, “And you can slip me into your pocket. We’ll never be apart.”
Alex blinked, furrowed his eyebrows and shook his head. That resonated in him, as drunk as they both were (though Annabelle substantially more then he.) He refreshed his grip again and wrapped his arms around her tighter, so that she was curled into his chest. She nuzzled into him laughing.
“This is so fucking surreal, man.”