17 #2
“Come on, let’s get drinks. They don't start for another couple hours.” Bloss linked their arms together and they stepped into a warehouse that was also in turn a makeshift club. Inside was well packed and the smell of sex, drugs and alcohol was extremely poignant.
The music in here was pulsing against the walls, Harley regretted not bringing ear plugs. Whenever they walked past someone, one of the girls exchanged pleasantries. It was clear they were very comfortable and well known in this environment.
They reached the bar and a white guy with brown hair and tattoos smiled brightly and Bloss squealed at the sight of him, “I didn’t know you were working tonight.”
“Just covering. Temi had an emergency at home.”
“How come no one gave me a ring? Is it serious?” Scarlett asked, worried.
“Nah, I think his kid came down with something and needed to be looked after.”
“I’ll call him after, sort it.”
“Shame. Wish you could have fun with us,” Lily said as he passed her a drink, then came the flirty once over that made her blush.
“I get off in a couple hours, we can have all the fun you want then.”
The girls cheered in jest and Scarlett flicked him over the head “Fucking flirt, leave her alone.” But the guy just laughed and winked at Lily. She blushed again but wasn’t given the time to digest as Bloss downed a shot and dragged her onto the dance floor. “Oh, I love this song.”
Harley’s chuckle had the bartender looking over at her and he turned the charm on her immediately, “And who are you?”
“Harley,” she told him and then he pointed to himself, “Callum.”
He snuck a look at Scarlett who was no longer smiling watching them interact, he continued, “Where have they been hiding you?”
“I’m kinda new, I moved here about a month ago.”
“You should come by often, we could use a face like yours around here.” He winked at her.
Scarlett didn’t look too happy by his declaration, she flicked his head again. “Do your job and give us something to drink.” He rolled his eyes affectionately and started to pour into four shot glasses and Harley spoke up, “I don’t drink. A Sprite or something is fine.”
At the same time when he nodded in acknowledgement, Scarlett turned towards her. “I didn’t know you don’t drink.”
“That would require for you to actually speak to me,” Harley said. It came out much harsher than she intended, clearly she was more annoyed about it than she thought. Her eyes pinched at this.
Scarlett’s own opened a fraction, surprised. She sighed before responding, “It’s not specifically about you, okay?” She lowered her voice before she spoke, “I just find it hard to separate you from…”
“Annabel,” Harley finished for her and she nodded, confirming Harley’s suspicions. Whatever her issue was with her sister, she refused to get involved with it. “I get it, I’ll stay out of your way.”
She began to stand, wondering where Bloss and Lily had gone, but a hand prevented her from moving. She looked to where Scarlett’s hand was locked around her wrist. “Don’t go.”
Her voice lowered and if not for the fact that Harley was hyperfocused on her, she might’ve not heard the “Please.”
She slowly sat back down. Then Scarlett declared, “I want to be friends.”
Harley tilted her head in surprise, that was not what she expected to hear but she let her proceed, “I do. We work together and see each other far too often. And for whatever reason seeing you talk or laugh with just Bloss or Lil makes me feel a little jealous. Left out.”
Her eyebrows raised at the confession, not expecting that level of honesty from her. “I would’ve never guessed that. You seem so sure of yourself.”
“I am but I guess when it comes to you, I feel different.” She didn’t say it but Harley knew exactly what she was talking about. The pulsating need to have her attention, this must be what happened in friendships.
“Then we have to do something about that, don’t we?”
“How about this? When we’re together, I’m just Scarlett and you’re just Harley. No siblings or family to be mentioned ever, and if we have to, we can just pretend you’re an only child. I try to do that already anyway.”
“That’s fine with me.” Harley shrugged, desperate to put it all behind her. “Fresh start?”
“Fresh start,” Scarlett said with relief. Then, she raised her hand and Harley stared at it in confusion, as she gave her a coy smile. “Hi, I’m Scarlett.”
Harley rolled her eyes with no malice, and with a smile of her own she clasped her hands with Scarlett’s hanging one. “Harley.”
They didn’t pull their hands apart from each other. It was odd that they had this conversation at a place where they could barely hear themselves speak but it felt like the right time to have it. She wanted to spend forever just talking to her, everything about it felt just right.
As they sat there talking, a pair of hands pounced on her, taking her out of the moment. She turned to see Bloss and Lily stood there with drunk smiles, “What are we talking about?”
Scarlett answered, “How stupid drunk you are.”
She made a buzzer sound, “Wrong. Not drunk but really tipsy.”
“That’s the same thing when it comes to you.”
Harley smiled as they bickered. However, the arrival of a man had the attention in the room centred on him. Men stood a little straighter and the girls tried to be flirtier, yet beneath it all the room seemed to hold a mixture of respect and fear.
He was tall and quite broad, his black hair shone under the club lights. Everything about him was cocky and self-assured like he knew the authority that he radiated when he walked in. He was beautiful and he knew it.
The whole thing really stumped her because even Bloss and Lily stood a little straighter at the sight of him. But not Scarlett who appeared bored by the entire ordeal. Pointing to the man in question, Harley asked her, “Who is that?”
“It’s Lucas.” The name didn't ring a bell and she shaked her head to show as much, and “Lucas Carney.”
“The Entrepreneur? The Forbes one?” Even Harley had heard the name Carney, he had been featured in last year’s 30 under 30. Lately, she had heard whispers about other things.
“The one and only. Don't mention the Forbes thing when he gets here, he already has an ego the size of a whale.”
The buzz in the room started to near as the man of the hour walked towards them, flanked by two black guys who carried just as much arrogance with every step. She was confused why but then remembered they were still at the bar. “How do you know?”
Yet what he did next caught her by surprise, Lucas reached them and immediately wrapped his arms behind Scarlett. The familiarity startled her.
“Because he’s also my insufferable twat of a cousin,” She finished.
“Who are you calling a twat?” His deep voice rang out.
“You. Get off me.” He gave her a peck on the cheek that she wiped off with her sleeves which led to him presenting them with his first blinding smile. Harley just knew he was a problem when it came to women.
Luckily, the last thing she cared about was a man but the same couldn’t be said for the other two girls standing next to her, who currently bestowed them with bright grins.
Bloss hugged the darker guy in greeting, “Hey, Amb.” Then gave Lucas a small wave and hi in tow, an indicator of the bridge in relationship, who said, “Having fun, tonight?” and she nodded.
The lighter skinned guy next to him scowled at this, “You can say hi to them but not me. I see how it is.”
She turned her head towards him and gave an identical scowl, “That’s because I actually like them. You, not so much.”
He took an intimidating step towards her, and her breathing hitched, “Say that again.”
Her eyes narrowed with determination, “Leave me alone.” They glared at one another, the tension bouncing off the walls.
Harley wasn’t sure whether or not to be worried but judging by the amused faces in the room, she leaned towards no. “Are they always like this?” she said to no one in particular and they all nod.
Perfect.
Harley had been so focused on the scene in front of her that she hadn’t noticed Lucas was scrutinising her, a frown on his face that kind of scared her. “Do I know you from somewhere?”
She realised the question was directed at her when all heads turned her way, and she shook her own. “No. I just moved here.”
“Stop staring at her like that,” Scarlett said, snapping Lucas out of it. “This is Harley, she’s a friend.” Harley felt glee at the label, she loved the sound of it on her lips and wanted to hear it again.
He shrugged, “A friend of Scar’s is a friend to us all.”
Harley wasn’t sure if she liked his tone but she gave him a strained smile. “Thanks.”
For some time, they conversed amongst themselves and she learnt the darker guy was called Ambrose and the lighter one Jameson. According to them, they all grew up in the same neighbourhood and worked together.
Including the place they were in right now. Something didn’t feel right about the way they sidestepped some questions but Harley couldn't place her finger on exactly what.
An hour later, Lucas read a text message from his phone and declared, “Come on, it’s starting. Pose and Amb are ready.”
At once they piled outside, the roars of the crowd was deafening but electrifying.
Harley knew nothing about cars or street races but she could feel herself feeding off their excitement, as they were cramped together in the open space behind a set of bars that hadn’t been there when they had arrived earlier.
She spotted a betting table up ahead, where the people behind the counter were saying no to any new bets as the race was about to begin.
“Who are we rooting for?” she asked, shivering from the cold, desperately wishing she brought a coat with her. Scarlett took her hand and put it inside the jacket pocket like it was a normal thing they did.
“Usually I wouldn’t play favourites but see the purple car?” Harley nodded, trying not to focus on the current placement of her hands. “My cousin is driving that. Posy, Luke’s sister.”