Page 8 of Nightmare

“I don’t need to go on dates to be happy, Jaxson. You’re the only emotionally needy bastard here.” Is the only answer I can give him. His eyes find mine across the table, pity a ghost of an emotion in them.

He sighs, “Can’t run away from your feelings forever.”

I laugh, “Shut up, bitch. Rack ‘em up.” I point to the balls still sitting loose on the felt.

Jax shakes his head on a laugh, but continues to put the balls in place, giving me a break from the girl talk for now.

Three games, a burger and four beers later, I’m laughing and putting my hand out to receive the money my best friend owes me for losing, when Sarah’s arms snake around my waist from behind. Jax slaps the money in my palm and gives me thebe niceeyes.

“You guys can really play pool, huh?” Sarah asks, her nails scraping along the flesh of my stomach through my t-shirt. “How ‘bout you take a break?”

Just as I’m shifting my attention to the girl gripping me, I catch sight of a couple of girls walking in the front doors of the bar, and I freeze in place. Time feels like it’s standing completely still, everyone else unaware, and I watch them step up to the hostess stand and request a table.

One of the girls, in particular, keeps my gaze. She’s little, maybe 5’4”, her long black hair is piled on top of her head, her boots come up high, leaving about four inches in between them and the bottom of her white dress. Her face is luminescent in the shadows, accenting her rosy cheeks. Her lips and eyes are all painted dark, to match her hair and boots.

Her friend is her opposite, tanned skin and light hair that frames a smile that could blind you. She’s taller, but still small, her brighter outfit a splatter of paint next to the dark goddess wearing all blacks and whites.

Jax clearing his throat pulls me out of my trace, “You good, Trav?”

My eyes find him, and I give a small nod, directing him to turn around and look behind him, but when I move my focus back to the girls they’re being led through the other side of the restaurant to a table, asses swaying like they own the place.

I feel…off.Something just isn’t sitting right, the feeling washing through me, churning in my gut like acid – and it’s not even a bad feeling. Just feelings of unfamiliarity and uncertainty. I feel like I’m being pulled, mind and body, like a magnet. Just like that, all other thoughts are gone, and all I want to do is talk to her.

I blink a few times, clearing my throat, trying to shake the longing I feel in my chest, “Yeah, let’s go sit down.”

I pull from Sarah’s grip, making my way to the table, then sitting on the stool and letting my eyes wander through the restaurant to try and find where they went.

My heart is racing, my blood pumping so fast I want to stand up and move around. Jax claps his hand down on the table in front of me to get my attention, “Earth to Travis?”

I realize that Sarah and Rebecca have been trying to pull me into conversation while my attention is spinning all around the bar, and I blink at my best friend, “What?”

He chuckles, “The girls were just asking if we wanted to head to Savage with them tonight.”

“Oh, yeah, whatever. Sounds good.” I answer absently, my mind still lost.

Sarah and Rebecca squeal with delight and Sarah’s hand finds my thigh under the table, where she strokes upwards, “It’ll be so much fun. They have a DJ and everything.”

I laugh, placing my hand on top of hers, keeping it from exploring me any further, “Yeah, I’ve been to that club a few times.”

“Oh, okay.” She says in a defeated tone and pulls her hand from underneath mine to grab onto her drink.

I meet Jax’s eyes, standing, “A minute?”

I tip my head towards the front doors and he nods, standing up and following me up towards the hostess stand by the front.

“What’s going on, man?” He asks, his hands spread out at his sides.

“I don’t know.” I answer, and he gives me a confused look.

I shake my head a little, “These girls walked in,” I point a hand towards the doors absently, “I think we need to meet them.”

Jax laughs, “Dude, are you not aware we came here with two girls? You want to go hit on someone else? Right now?”

“I can’t explain it,” I say, “Something inside of me is screaming.”

Jaxson laughs again, harder this time, “Travis, are you hearing yourself right now?”

My chest vibrates on a groan, because I don’t fucking know what I’m talking about – why every inch of me is gravitating towards them, why my skin is crawling and my head is swimming. I reach a hand up and run it through my hair, “C’mon.”

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