I sit at the pub's counter. I've been sitting here for a while as I drank one drink. Then a second. Now I'm halfway through the third. I believe there's shots on their way as well. I still haven't said a word, though. I just sit there quietly as I stare off into space, rethinking everything that happened tonight.

I try to focus really hard on everything that was said tonight. Everything that happened a year ago. But on account of the alcohol, my brain is a little fuzzy.

I wish I could go back. I wish that I could change my ways, and I could pick a different course in life. Well no, I like my life, but I wish with everything in my soul that I could just be in a different situation right now, even if it's just for a little bit.

I glance to my right to see Wilbur, also on his third and a half drink, as he lets me sit in my sorrows. He's been quietly and patiently waiting for me to speak. His hand brushes his curls out of his face. They frame it quite well. He notices me staring and gives me a smile.

My chest flutters. He has a nice smile.

I shake my head and focus on my drink. I can't do that. Wilbur and I are friends, and we can't ruin that. As long as I'm Maia and he's Wilbur, those thoughts need to turn to dust.

"Want to talk about it?" Wilbur asks finally, knowing I wasn't going to push myself to say anything.

I nod once. The shots are delivered in front of us. We each take one, but neither takes it yet. I take a deep breath, preparing for the story I was about to tell.

"My ex showed up tonight," I say it fast as if it'll make the past happen less.

"Oh?"

"It's not a good thing," I continue.

"Oh." Wilbur's shoulders seem to almost relax a little bit, but I'm sure I'm just overthinking it.

"Listen," I say as I turn fully to him, "I haven't been totally honest with you, and I think it's time I am." I take a moment for what I'm about to admit. The reason why I drive halfway to drop off furniture and hate running into girls at cafes.

"I have a bit of a... record." I felt relief as soon as I said it. Not many people know it about me, so it's like a weight off my shoulders.

Wilbur's brows furrow. "What kind of a record?"

I pause, not knowing how to phrase it to sound the best.

Wilbur takes my pause with concern. "Maia?"

"Well um, technically.." I rub the back of my neck. "Technically grand theft auto. Well, not really, but yes. I stole a boat."

Wilbur blinks once, trying to take it all in, then puts one finger in the air. "Hold on, I need another shot before I hear this one."

He turns to his glass and swallows it without a chaser. I follow his lead with the shot, but chase it with my other drink.

"Okay, continue," Wilbur says once he turns to me again.

I take a deep breath. "Well when I lived in Brighton, I had a boyfriend. Ric. That was his name." I shake my head, trying to get everything straight. "Anyways, Ric was a little older, and smarter, and a surgeon, and I was just completely and entirely head over heels for him." I say it as one word vomit of a run-on sentence. I hope this makes sense to Wilbur.

"Aw, little Maia in love." Wilbur coos.

I cut my eyes towards him before continuing. "One night we got a little drunk."

"A little?" Wilbur raises his brows.

"Okay, a lot drunk, and we were at one of those places where they keep the boats?" I rack my brain for what it's called, and I just can't remember. "We were trying to guess the prices, and we found the nicest one there was. Hands down the most expensive, and we just... climbed aboard. We found the keys just hanging by the steering wheel, so we thought we could take it for a joy ride."

Wilbur's quiet now, interested in the story.

"Obviously it didn't go as planned, and we got caught. Well, I got caught and spent the night in jail."

"How badass of you." Wilbur says quietly.

"I don't know if I would say that." I chuckle. "Anyways, he asked me to take the whole blame because he needed to protect his job, so I did. I thought I was doing it for love, but turns out I was just a love-sick idiot."

Wilbur lets out a little laugh, but lets me continue.

"I thought we were just lying to the judge, which is still illegal, but he told everyone. I mean, I got lucky with the court system and got off easy without going to prison," I explain, "It was the opposite in Brighton. Everyone thought I was the crazy girl who stole a boat, and Ric was a saint for trying to stop me."

Wilbur's still quiet.

"In the end, Ric broke up with me because he couldn't date a criminal." I sound pathetic as I say it.

"That's bullshit," Wilbur mumbles.

I shrug. "Either way, I still stole a boat, but I wish I didn't take the entire blame for someone because I thought I was in love."

He's quirt. It starts to turn awkward. I spin the ice in my drink around with my straw, waving to the bartender for a refill.

"Should I share about something I wasn't totally honest about too?" Wilbur asks after a while.

I smile as I take a sip of my new drink. Number four I believe.

"It's not as crazy, but I did leave some information out yesterday," Wilbur continues.

"I knew you were the one who farted in the sound booth." I shake my head and hit my knee as if I made a breakthrough.

"No, not that." Wilbur shakes his head with a smile. It doesn't go unnoticed that he didn't deny it. "It was about Alina. I made it sound like we were actively dating, but I've been kind of ignoring her. We're kind of just friends."

I nod once, not really knowing what to say. My back relaxes a bit. I'm not sure what it really is. Maybe relief? No, why would I be relieved?

We take the rest of our shots and once again fall into silence. I stare off into space, trying to recount where I went wrong last year. Probably just dating Alaric all together.

Wilbur's right next to me still. I can sense every little movement he makes, from the drumming of his fingers to the sips of his drinks he takes.

I turn to him once more. His eyes shift back to me after I do so, indicating he's just as aware of me as I am of him. His warmth seems to radiate off of him in this crowded pub. Everything inside of me feels pulled in his direction, no matter how many other people there are. Even though I know I shouldn't because of who he is and who I am.

"Do you ever want to be somebody else for a night?" I ask him as he takes another sip of his drink.

He makes a face as the alcohol slides down his throat. "All the time, why?"

"Right now I don't really want to be me." I sigh, going to take another sip of my own drink.

"Then pick someone else." He shrugs. "Pick anyone in the world and be them tonight. Anybody else."

I smile at his suggestion. I want to be Selena Gomez. I bet she could have a good time in the pub tonight. I want to be Harry Styles, singing softly to myself as I cook dinner. Maybe even PewDiePie. That sounds like fun.

Except I don't want to be them. I just want to be another random person. Someone who's never stolen a boat. Someone who's not Ric's ex. Someone who isn't best friends with George or Wilbur. I just want to be anyone besides Maia.

"I want to be Lilly," I say, picking the first name off the top of my head.

"Nice to meet you Lilly." Wilbur puts his hand out for me to shake. "I'm Lucas."

I giggle as I take his hand. The drinks really must be getting to me now. "Lilly and Lucas?"

"The greatest pair in the world." He smiles.

"Well, Lucas, what would you like to do tonight?" I ask him as I take yet another sip of my drink.

"We should go on an adventure," he says.

"Adventure?" I raise my brows. "What kind of adventure?"

"The best kind." Wilbur, or Lucas, says as he picks up his drink. He quickly chugs the rest of it before his face scrunches up. "You coming with, Lilly?"

I shrug before following his lead. The alcohol burns my throat, but I try my best to ignore it. "Where's our first stop?"

Lucas holds out his hand. "Do you trust me, Lilly?"

"More than anyone," I say as I grab his outstretched hand. Electricity shoots through my veins from the spot our hands first touch.

I glance up to see if he felt it too. He looks distracted as he stares at our hands. He clears his throat before speaking.

"Then follow me."