Page 10 of Nightmare

I stay there, held captive in his eyes, like I’m swimming beneath a sea of salt and wildlife. I feel my stomach drop and twist into a knot, uncomfortable with the intrusive nature of his stare, like he’s staring into my body and stealing all my secrets.

I pull my eyes away from his with a clear of my throat when Summer speaks up, “Why don’t you give me your number, Jax? We can try to meet up later in the week or something.”

Travis’s eyes stay on me, his silent stature begging to pull me back and crack him open. So, while Jax types his number into Summer’s phone, I skim the menu like a coward, avoiding any sort of communication with this man who has made me feel something remotely human for the first time in months.

“Alright, I’ll text you babe.” Summer finishes up the conversation and kicks me under the table to get my attention back.

“Nice to meet you, guys.” I tip my head a little in their direction and paste on the smile I’m so used to faking.

“It was really great meeting you, Olivia. Hopefully I’ll see you around.” Travis adds as he takes a step backwards, back to wherever the hell they came from.

The second they’re out of ear shot, Summer laughs and full belly laugh, triggering my own laughter. “That was fucking weird.”

She shrugs, tapping a fingertip at the corner of her eye to stop the moisture from her laugh-attack, “Told ya, their favorite food isshit. But, weird or not, dibs on the blonde.”

I snort, picking my menu back up and studying it, “You can have ‘em both.”

She slaps the menu, making it fall back to the wooden tabletop, and I blink at her in question.

“You’re annoying.” She mutters, rolling her eyes at me for dramatic effect.

I blink hard, shaking my head in question a little, and she groans but continues, “You were basically drooling over that guy! And he was all‘rah-rah, I just had to meet you Olivia, please come back to my house and marry me.’”

I snort again, “You’re delusional. And insane.”

She shrugs, “I’m officially interested in you hooking up with someone this summer, and Travis the tattooed god is top of my list.”

“More like Satan.” I mumble, taking a peek over my shoulder to see if I can see where they’re sitting. My eyes scan the restaurant to no avail, and Summer kicks me under the table to get my attention. “Ow! What?”

She smirks like the cat who got the cream, leaning back in her chair and lacing her fingers together in front of her, “Oh yeah, this is happening.”

I hum through my closed lips in return, humoring her and adding a roll of my eyes to show her howdonewith this conversation I am.

Chapter Five

Olivia

“Ugh, slow the fuck down.”I yank on Summer’s hand as she drags me across the sidewalk, the booming from the music inside the club already causing a pulse inside my bones.

Summer laughs, slowing her steps and flashing her ID to the bouncer, who waves her through and onto the velvet carpet leading to the blacked-out front doors. I pull my ID from the little clutch thrown across my body and the bouncer gives me a big smile, brown skin cracking with crow’s feet at his eyes.

He motions for me to enter, and I give him an appreciative smile while stepping past him onto the carpet, “Thank you.”

He nods his head in response, then Summer links her arm through mine to pull me into the stairwell that leads to the flashing lights of the club upstairs.

Summer started early, taking shots of tequila while we did our makeup, so her sweaty palm starts moving in front of her in a snake-like motion to the music as we walk past clubgoers to get to the bar on the opposite side of the giant room.

The club is smoky-sweet, filled with sweaty people that are rubbing their bodies against each other to the loud dance music, and my heart is fucking racing like NASCAR.

I slide my arm along Summer’s, lacing my fingers between hers for comfort, and she squeezes my hand in response. “You good?”

I nod, fixing my eyes on hers, and continue to let her pull me through the bodies to our salvation.

She stands on tiptoes to put her elbows on the bar, and I mimic her movement, getting the attention of the bartender, my hips moving to the music behind me.

The bartender, a young guy with slicked back black hair and a face tattoo, steps up to us, “What’s up, ladies? What can I get for you?”

Summer pulls at my hand, “Tequila?” She asks me, and I give her a nod. She turns back to the bartender, “Two tequila sunrises, make them doubles, please, handsome.”

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