Chapter 4
FOUR
FLORA
The week passes by quickly. Nothing ever comes from the bar fight and I am able to put Dax and Lyka out of my mind. I can hear my father and Nancy laughing in the kitchen downstairs. I look in the mirror, trying to figure out what I should wear for tonight’s mini-concert. Two outfits dangle from my door, representing two different aspects of me.
One option is an oversized T-shirt with the logo of an old band, cut-off denim shorts, and my black, worn Doc Martens. It looks effortlessly cool, a little dangerous, and is comfortable—ideal for the night.
The second option is a delicate, floral dress. It will pair nicely with a light blue jean jacket and ankle boots. Am I going grunge or do I prefer a softer look?
I chose to wear the huge T-shirt and shorts. I tie my hair in a disheveled ponytail and pull two long strands out, framing both sides of my face. I look in the mirror one last time, feeling confident.
I go downstairs and step into the kitchen where Nancy and my father continue to talk. She turns in her chair and looks at me .
“Very rock ‘n’ roll. I like it,” she says, smiling.
“You look great, Flora,” my father says, looking up briefly.
“Ready to rock?” Nancy asks, straightening herself. She's dressed in a trendy outfit, ready for the evening.
I feel my nerves kick in as I reply, “Yeah, let's do this.”
As we head out the door, my father winks at me and I feel anticipation building up for tonight. I am ready to let loose and have fun tonight, rock ‘n’ roll style.
We walk up to the bar’s parking lot where it’s already crowded with people chatting away. Through the crowd, I see Marty standing and waiting for us. He is wearing a whisky sign T-shirt and jeans, looking cool and casual.
He greets me tenderly by leaning in and kissing me on the cheek, taking me by surprise. “You’re looking good, Flora, ” he whispers. I blush at him, feeling a flutter of excitement.
Marty turns to my father and pats him on the back. “Good to see you, man,” he says.
Nancy takes my father's hand as he asks, “We all ready to have a good time?” We all nod in agreement. My father leads Nancy inside the bar with Marty and I following closely behind. The atmosphere immediately transforms. The air is thick with mist from the fog machines. The music is loud and energetic, making me feel the beat thumping in my chest. Bright lights flash with the beat of the music, casting patterns across the crowd. I follow my father as he heads towards the bar, pushing through the crowds of people. He orders four beers, the bartender moving quickly to fill the order .
“If anyone asks, you’re twenty-one,” he says, winking at me with a wicked grin.
Nancy shakes her head with easy resignation. “You’re such a bad influence!” Nancy shouts in his ear as she nudges him jokingly.
We make our way through the busy crowd, holding our drinks, getting closer to the stage where everyone moves to the music.
The stage looms above us as we find a spot at the front. I take a sip of my beer while Marty stands beside me. A few feet away, my father and Nancy begin dancing. Watching them enjoy themselves is a nice sight to see.
The singer announces his next song, All These Lies . The crowd goes wild and starts jumping up and down.
I realize people are quickly coming between me and my father. I scan the area to spot him amidst the crowd. Marty can see I am worrying and places his hands on my waist. “We’ve lost my father and Nancy,” I shout over the music into his ear.
Marty looks over the crowd. “They’ll reappear,” he reassures me. I nod, trying to relax.
He starts dancing and I feel his body move closer to mine. We dance up against each other, lost in the moment. The lights flash in time to the music, lighting up our faces.
My bottle feels light as I take the last sip from it. Marty’s hand remains on my waist and I lean into him, letting myself be carried away by the moment.
Marty leans down, his lips close to my ear. “Having fun?”
“Yeah! I’ve nearly finished my beer, though.”
Marty grabs my hand as we make our way through the crowd, heading back towards the bar. Seeing the long line, I let out a sigh. “Do you mind if I go to the bathroom while you grab more beers?” I ask.
Marty gives me a thumbs-up and joins the line .
I head to the bathroom to see a long line forming against the wall. I put one foot up against the wall, resting my weight on the other leg. I spot a gap in the crowd and see Lyka leaning against the wall opposite me. He looks at me and grins, his eyes locking onto mine. My heart feels like it just skipped a beat. I never noticed before, but his eyes are a light, almost icy, blue. He holds my gaze, unwavering. I’m frozen, unsure whether to go over there or not. I notice he has a healing cut on his eyebrow, I’m guessing from the bar brawl. I wonder if Dax is here, too?
A woman with jet-black hair and tattoos appears out of nowhere, wrapping her arms around Lyka’s neck. He doesn't respond to her touch; his arms remaining at his sides. His eyes remain locked on me as they kiss and I’m unable to look away. He smirks while continuing to kiss her and stare at me, the woman remaining oblivious.
His eyes never leave mine, even when they break the kiss for a moment. I can tell he is getting some twisted pleasure from this.
Why is he staring at me? What is he trying to prove?
Marty appears in front of me holding two beers. Before I can think it through, I put my arms around his neck and pull him into a kiss. His tongue meets mine as he wraps his arms around my waist, the cold glass of the beer bottles pressing against my back.
I lean my head to the side, standing on my tiptoes. I look over at Lyka who is still watching with a dangerous glint in his eye.
Two can play that game, fucker.
He looks pissed off as he stops kissing the woman. A surge of people moves in front of him, obscuring my view. I push Marty away when reality hits me. He looks down at me, flustered and confused .
Oh my god! What the fuck did I do?! He’s my father's friend!
“Flora…” he begins.
“Marty, that shouldn't have happened. I’m sorry.”
“I think it’s best if we keep this between ourselves,” he suggests.
“Yes. I totally agree,” I say, nodding.
He smiles and bobs his head to the music, trying to lighten the mood.
“Why don’t you go find my father while I wait in line? I still need to use the bathroom.”
“Sure. If I find him, I'll wait for you at the bar,” he replies.
Marty disappears into the crowd and I stand on my tiptoes, looking for Lyka. He’s gone.
The line moves and it’s almost my turn. I can feel the music pounding through the walls, but it doesn’t compare to the beating in my heart. My mind goes crazy with thoughts of what just happened. The kiss with Marty was impulsive; we shouldn’t have done that. But the way Lyka looked at me while kissing another woman was intense.
Was he trying to provoke a reaction from me? I realize I played right into his twisted game.
It’s finally my turn. I close the door behind me and take a deep breath. I speedily use the bathroom and wash my hands, not lingering around as it’s dirty. I hope Marty won't say anything to my father; that will make things awkward.
Navigating through the crowd, I head towards the bar and accidentally bump into someone.
“Oh, shoot. Sorry,” I say
I look up and see Jonny with a bruised eye, his friends standing ominously behind him.
“Hello, Miss British,” Jonny sneers with sarcasm.
I try to walk past him, but one of his friends steps in front of me, trapping me as he blocks my path .
“The Faulkner brothers not with you?” Jonny asks, tracing his finger under my chin. I jerk my face away, glaring at him. He makes my skin crawl.
“I don’t even know them,” I hiss back with defiance.
“Oh, so you’re up for grabs then?” he asks, something flashing in his eyes.
“Fuck you!” I yell.
He grabs the top of my arm tightly, his grip strong as his expression darkens.
Without thinking, I spit in his face, my saliva landing below his eye. He freezes, not knowing how to react. His grip on my arm loosens and his eyes burn with fury as he wipes his face with the back of his hand.
“ Trust me , you’re gonna pay for that,” he declares.
I push him with all my strength and dart past him, the crowd closing in around me as I run.
I rush past people and look over my shoulder, making sure that Jonny isn't following me.
Catching my breath, I stop at the bar area, scanning the crowd. I spot Marty, Nancy, and my father standing at the other end of the bar as I make a beeline towards them.
“Why are you out of breath? You okay?” Nancy asks.
“Yeah, it’s just very hot in here,” I say quickly.
I couldn’t tell them about Jonny. My father would only make a scene and I don’t want the drama.
“Well, why don't you step outside for some fresh air with Marty while Nancy and I get more beers?” my father suggests.
Relief washes over me when I realize Marty hasn't said anything to my father.
“Sounds like a good idea,” Marty says, almost too eagerly.
Marty puts a hand on my lower back, weaving us through the crowd towards the exit. We step outside and the cool, refres hing air hits my face. I can’t help but cough as it’s quickly interrupted by the cigarette smokers outside.
“Come here,” Marty says, guiding me away from the crowd.
The noise from the bar is muddled as we turn around a corner. I lean against the brick wall as Marty stands in front of me.
“Everything okay?” he asks.
“Marty…About earlier…” I start to say. He moves closer before I finish my sentence, placing one against the brick near my head.
He gently guides my chin with his other hand, forcing me to look into his eyes. Somehow, our lips meet and his hand moves to my cheek.
What am I doing? Stop! Flora, stop! He is twice your age!
I don’t even like him like that, but his tongue meets mine and I lose myself for a moment.
My back presses against the brick wall and Marty suddenly stops kissing me.
“Fuck…I want you, Flora,” he says, kissing me again before continuing. “However, you’re twenty and my friend's daughter. We shouldn't be doing this.”
We both study each other for a moment. He’s right; we shouldn't be doing this.
I haven’t kissed a guy since I was seventeen at Holland’s house party.
Grabbing my hand, Marty leads me further around the corner out of sight from everyone now. He places one of his hands under my thigh, lifting my leg up against his hip as he starts kissing my neck.
I can feel his other hand inching over the waistband of my shorts to my panties.
“Marty…”
“Flora,” he murmurs against my neck .
I feel his finger start to move under my panties and I gasp. “I…I…I can’t. I’ve never done this before,” I stutter.
“What, outside?”
“Uhh, no. I’m a virgin…” I whisper, gulping loudly.
He stops kissing me and removes his hand from my shorts, taking a step back as he thinks.
“I’m sorry,” he finally says as I look down. He steps forward and cups my cheek. “No, Flora. I’m sorry. I shouldn't have let it get this far.”
I place my hand on top of his, looking at him with innocent eyes.
“Don’t look at me with those eyes. Knowing you’re a virgin…fuck. I want you more,” he whispers.
I don’t know what I’m thinking. Was I about to lose my virginity to Marty? No. Not outside in the dark.
I feel nervous and let out a giggle. “I think it’s best we go back inside.”
“You’re right. Your father is probably wondering where we are,” he says, his voice tinged with reluctance.
We head back to the bar with Marty entering first. I hang back, wanting to catch my breath before I head back inside.
I sense someone is watching me. I turn my head to the side and see Lyka sitting on his motorcycle. He smirks as he takes a long drag from his cigarette, his eyes locking onto mine.
Did he see me and Marty? Does he get pleasure from taunting me?
I want to know what he finds so amusing. I want to go over there and confront him. As I take the first step toward him, Marty steps outside, calling my name.
I give Lyka one last glance and then turn back to Marty. “Sorry, I’m coming.”
I brush past Marty and step inside as the music pounds throug h the speakers. From a distance, I can see my father and Nancy near the bar, enjoying themselves.
“Sure you’re okay?” Marty asks, leaning down and whispering in my ear.
“Yeah,” I reply, forcing a smile.
Lyka comes back into my mind and I can't shake the image of him.
His smirk. His fucking smirk.
What is it about him that gets to me?
My father hands me a beer as we walk over to him. “Flora! There you are,” he says with a grin.
“Just needed a breather, Dad,” I reply, taking a sip of the beer.
Marty glances at me and gives me a reassuring nod. Nancy looks between us and catches on, giving me a knowing look. I look down, not knowing how to react.
I just glance around the room again, searching for Lyka, but he’s gone.
The rest of the evening is drama-free. The concert ends and my father offers Marty a ride home.
Nancy and I make our way to the truck and settle into the back seat.
My father and Marty smoke a cigarette about ten feet from the truck. I bite my cheek and anxiety gnaws at me, thinking Marty could be telling my father about earlier.
“I wonder what they are talking about…” I mutter.
“Did something happen with you and Marty?” Nancy asks .
“N—No…” I say. My cheeks flush as I struggle to keep my cool.
Nancy's eyebrows raise. “Flora. You came back with smudged lipstick.” I look up at her, panicked. “Don’t worry, your father didn't catch on. Also, I won't say anything.”
“It was just a kiss,” I reply, hoping to downplay the incident.
Nancy reaches over and puts her hand on top of mine. “You’re a big girl, my lips are sealed. Just be careful.”
“Thanks, Nancy.”
I am grateful for her understanding. I realize I can trust her as we form a little bond at this moment. My secret is safe with her.
I take a deep breath and clear my throat. My heart races as my father and Marty head back to the truck.
“Ready to head home?” my father asks, climbing into the driver's seat. Nancy and I nod, looking at each other with a smile.
I lean back into my seat and let out a sigh of relief as we drive to drop off Marty first. All I can say is that tonight has been a rollercoaster.