Page 21 of The Comeback

“Gee thanks, bestie. Glad you approve.” I stick my tongue out at her, rolling my eyes.

“Of course. Now drink this. I’m like three drinks ahead of you.” She grabs a shot glass full of a suspect dark liquid off the coffee table, passing it to me.

I can already feel tomorrow me warning today me that this is a terrible idea, but she has no say in our plans. Ree clinks her glass with mine and downs the rest of her pink concoction in one go, then grabs her little rose gold phone case/clutch. She types away at her phone with long vibrant pink nails that match her dress. I don’t know how she manages those nails and still functions as a student and a human, but good on her.

***

The cold air bites at my bare legs as I swing them out of the car onto the sidewalk in front of Sleek. The line up isn’t too long even though it’s a cheap drink night. We’re here pretty early, so the club will probably be embarrassingly empty when we get in there, but that’s fine by me. More room to move so we can get our dance on before a bunch of hot, sweaty bodies invade the place to rub drunkenly up against each other.

My shoulders hunch into my coat, trying to keep warm as I stomp my silver sandal clad feet. I eye the strappy shoes twining up my calves. Maybe not the best choice of footwear for a fall day in Michigan, but I love them. And sometimes you make bad decisions for love.

My palms sweat a little as the bouncer eyes my ID before waving me in. It’s real. I am twenty-one, but for some reason I still get nervous that I’ll get turned away and humiliated in front of everyone in line.

Walking through the doors is like passing through a portal into another realm. A blast of heat has me shrugging out of my jacket immediately, and the pounding music vibrates through my body. It’s messy and chaotic, crowding out all the uncomfortable thoughts that have been plaguing me since I spent the afternoon with Sebastian.

Ree holds her wiggling her fingers behind her until I latch on, trailing her through the scattered people until we get to the long, chipped wooden bar. The place might be called Sleek, but it’s anything but. It’s the ultimate skeezy college pick up spot. Girls come out in gaggles to dance and laugh and drink, and guys come out to rub up on us and try to find someone to bring home for the night. Maybe I should let one of them tempt me? Nah, the thought of a stranger seeing me naked sends chills through me and somehow, I don’t think nervous sweat and hysterical giggles are all that much of a turn on.

Doesn’t mean I can’t have a little fun though. Ree might be interested in finding someone to enjoy for the night, and I have no problem getting home alone as long as I know she’s safe. Friends have got to look out for each other after all.

I grab a G&T and we finally make it to the dance floor. My hips move with the beat as we sway and shimmy to the melody. I love dancing, almost as much as singing, but in a different way. There’s a drive inside me to sing and write and listen to music. It’s fierce and determined and passionate, but I take it seriously.

I have some dance training. I took ballet and jazz when I was a kid and have done lots of performing arts classes over the years. But I never had the body or drive to dance professionally, so it’s something I just love. Ree’s long slender body is sculpted with muscles from her years of dance training. She’s so talented she could make it as a professional dancer and that’s what her mom always pushes her for, but her true passion is acting. And she’s going to make it. I know it. She’s got the beauty, the determination, the charisma. The complete package.

Space gets tighter and the air more suffocating as people spill in to take advantage of the cheap drinks. We might all have class tomorrow, but there are plenty of students from Lakeview that have no problem partying on a Wednesday night. I wouldn’t do this every week, but I’m enjoying the freedom of letting loose and disappearing into the mass of bodies writhing to the beat.

My already heated skin flares up as someone edges in closer to me. Not the usual dancing and bumping into each other on a packed dance floor. This someone is inching closer to match his movements with mine. A tall guy is hovering behind my friend as well, hands hovering over her hips. Her lips curve in a wicked smile and she winks at me with a small nod.

I arch my head to peer back over my shoulder, but can’t quite catch sight of my admirer. What the hell. I’ll go with it. A pleasant warmth flows through my veins, giving me a little extra courage.

I shift back to make contact, and his hands fall to my ample hips. We move together, and he lets his hands travel up my waist and down my legs. My eyes fall shut, and I enjoy the tingles racing up my sides at the touch of a stranger.

His hands creep under the front of my skirt and I don’t protest as a shiver runs through me. I imagine those hands traveling farther up until they reach my heated center. Strong hands with thick veins running up the smooth backs until a mouth joins them. Sebastian’s mouth. Wait. What? I shove the guy’s hand down and pull away. He backs off and I glance at Ree. She’s fully spun around and melted into her guy’s arms. Her long arms drape around his neck and they’re grinding up against each other as if they can get each other off right on the dance floor.

She probably won’t be coming home with me, but I can’t leave her without talking to her. I force my way through the much denser crowd to grab some water at the bar. A dark corner with a small unoccupied bench tempts me over after I finally snag a drink, desperately in need of hydration.

The worn leather surface is slightly sticky under my bare legs. Gross. I’m going to need a hardcore shower when I get home to wash off whatever super germs hop a ride.

My heart eases up its frantic rhythm as I guzzle half the bottle of water. The whole point of tonight was to stop thinking about Sebastian. Instead, I let him intrude upon my carefree fun times. How dare he. Why can’t I be the sort of girl who loses herself in a stranger for one night like Ree? It would be so much easier.

Nope. Not me. I have to go and waste two years of my life on a cheating asshole like Connor or lust after a guy who hurt me in a much worse way. He seems different, but I don’t know how much of that is just a facade. It’s not worth risking my heart. Not even when a mere glance from him sets my body on fire. It’s like he’s the sun and anytime I get too close, I risk burning up into the atmosphere. I want to be the brightest star in my life, not get consumed by a brighter one, because there is no doubt in my mind that Sebastian will be a star one day.

My phone buzzes in my lap and I flip it open to find a text from Ree.

Bestie: Where u at?

Me: Bench between the bar and the bathrooms. Needed a break. And some agua.

Bestie: BRT

BRT? Be right there? Lia’s fond of making up her own text short form. Sometimes it’s easy to decipher and sometimes it’s like some ancient cipher that even master code breakers couldn’t crack.

The sting of sweat hits my eyeball, so I swipe an arm across my forehead.

A hot pink whirlwind rushing at me comes to a stop with a twirl. I don’t know how she can even move that quickly in a place this packed, but that’s my friend. A force of humanity capable of clearing a path as if she has some sort of magical shield.

“Bestie!” She grabs my hands with bright eyes and makeup astonishingly still intact. How is that fair? “Soooo….”

“You want to go home with that guy?” Pretty safe bet her answer will be a yes.

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