Chapter Nine
Anya
As the men form a circle on the dance floor, anticipation and nerves grip me tightly. The idea of participating in this game sends a rush of excitement mixed with apprehension coursing through my veins.
As I stand there, surrounded by the rest of the volunteers, feeling the anticipation of the game, a sudden realization dawns on me. I've always been seen as the sweet, quiet church girl—the one who plays by the rules and stays within her comfort zone.
Yet, in this moment, a spark ignites within me. A voice inside whispers, not tonight you’re not. It's a reminder that I have the power to rewrite the script, break free from the expectations of others, and embrace a new version of myself.
With a surge of confidence, I let go of my doubts and fears. Tonight, I embrace the wild and adventurous side of me that's been waiting to break free. As the game is about to begin, I take a deep breath and let go of all my insecurities.
The MC's voice snaps me out of my thoughts, jolting me back to the present moment. "Are you ready?" he asks, his words injecting a surge of adrenaline into my veins. With a nod of determination, I brace myself for the impending excitement.
Lana squeezes my arm in solidarity, and we begin to circle the group of men as soon as the music starts. My heart pounds with anticipation as we make our way around the circle, the beat of the music propelling us forward.
As the music plays on, I take in the diverse array of faces before me, each one holding its own story and potential connection. Then, as suddenly as it began, the music stops, and I hastily make my way to the nearest available lap.
I find myself seated on the lap of a dark-skinned man, his slender frame requiring effort to support my weight. He smiles warmly at me, and I return the gesture nervously, feeling a flutter of excitement mixed with apprehension.
Before I can say much, the game continues, leaving a young girl without a lap. She quickly grabs a guy, and we're left with a smaller group. The music starts again, and we resume our circuit around the remaining men.
Once more, the music stops, and I quickly choose a lap to sit on, this time finding myself in the embrace of a much thicker frame. I steal a glance at the man beneath me—short light brown hair, captivating blue eyes that seem to dance with the reflections of the disco ball. His strength is evident as he effortlessly holds me up, and his smile lights up his face in a way that sends a flutter through my stomach.
"Hello there," he greets me with a deep voice that sends shivers down my spine. "Hi," I reply shyly, feeling a sudden rush of butterflies in my stomach. Before we can exchange any further words, the music starts again, and the game continues, leaving us with a dwindling group of participants.
As luck would have it, I find myself seated in the same guy's lap for the second time in a row. "Fancy meeting you here again," he jokes with a sly smile, his teasing tone sending a flutter through my stomach. I let out a nervous giggle in response, feeling the heat rising to my cheeks. "So it would seem," I reply, trying to play it cool despite my racing heart.
He gives me a gentle squeeze, his touch sending a jolt of electricity through me, before the music starts up again. I barely make it around the circle when, to my dismay, the music stops once more, and I find myself in the same guy's lap for the third time in a row.
"I swear this isn't on purpose," I blurt out nervously, feeling a pang of embarrassment at the repetitive coincidence. He smiles teasingly, his playful demeanor only adding to my flustered state. "Uh huh, sure it's not," he teases, his tone laced with amusement.
Before I can protest any further, the MC interrupts with a surprising announcement. "Since we're down to 3 girls and 2 guys, we're gonna switch things up," he declares with a devious grin. My eyes widen in shock, and I exchange a bewildered glance with Lana.
"Gentlemen, you have been kneeling all this time and I am sure your knees could use a break, so for this round, we're having the guys lie down on the floor and the girls have to straddle them," the MC finishes, his words sending a flush of embarrassment creeping up my neck. I can't believe this is happening.
Before I can fully process the situation, the music starts up once again, and I find myself glancing nervously between the two men before me. One is the familiar guy I've been unintentionally seated on three times in a row, and the other is some hairy older guy from New Jersey, a prospect I find decidedly unappealing. As the music grinds to a halt, the inevitable happens—I'm straddling on top of the familiar guy once again. My dress rides up to my ass and I struggle to keep it covered. The realization floods me with embarrassment, and I can feel the heat radiating from my flushed cheeks. I can't believe this is actually happening. Oh please don’t get a boner! As if detecting my anxiety, I feel his large firm hands reach up and gently pull my skirt down to where I’d rather it be. The subtle yet intentional gesture sets my cheeks on fire as I become flush.
Relief floods over me as the MC finally ends the game, bringing an end to my awkward predicament. With a sheepish smile, I climb off the mystery guy's lap, grateful for his outstretched hand as he helps me up. I offer him a shy thank-you before glancing around the room.
My eyes land on Lana, who was the unfortunate girl left out of the game. Without hesitation, she grabs the mystery guy's hand and leads him off the dance floor, leaving me to stand there, still feeling the lingering heat of embarrassment on my cheeks.
The MC then calls out, “Looks like we have 2 girls left for the lucky guy!” Looking at the final guy, and doing my best to conceal my revulsion, I motion to the other girl, “You can have him!” My savagery draws “ooooooohs” and laughter from the crowd and MC. I don’t care, I just need a break from the intensity of the moment, so I slip away to grab a drink, hoping it will help calm my racing thoughts. When I return, I find Lana and the mystery guy still deep in conversation.
Trying my best to keep my focus on Lana, I approach her, attempting to ignore the magnetic presence of the cute mystery man. However, he startles me when he addresses me directly.
"Well hey! What are you doing here?" he asks, his tone casual yet direct. I raise my eyebrows at his straightforwardness, caught off guard by his boldness.
"I'm here to talk to my best friend," I reply with a playful grin, trying to keep the mood light despite the unexpected interaction. "Why are you still here?" I add, matching his teasing tone.
He laughs in response, raising his hands in a gesture of innocence. "I was talking to your friend Lana here, since she was the one who picked me," he explains, his words tinged with amusement.
I can't help but smile and shake my head, knowing full well that he expected me to pick him. Despite my attempts to play it cool, there's something undeniably charming about his playful banter, and I find myself drawn to him despite my best efforts to resist. I am not here to find a man, I remind myself.
As Lana excuses herself to grab a drink, leaving me alone with my mystery guy, I can't help but feel a pang of nervousness. Towering over my petite 5-foot frame, his presence is even more imposing now that he's standing near me.
With a disarming smile, he says, "Hi, I'm Jacob," his voice smooth and confident. His charm is palpable, and I find myself momentarily at a loss for words.
Quickly regaining my composure, I extend my hand almost instinctively, "Hi, I'm Anya," I reply. A handshake? What is this a business meeting? Get a grip, Anya! Shaking away my lingering thoughts, I focus on Jacob's question. "So are you here with family?" he asks, his hand resting gently on the small of my back as he guides me toward one of the booths. I feel a faint flutter in my stomach at his touch, but I push aside any lingering nerves as I answer, "Uh, no, it's just me and Lana." Despite my attempt at casual conversation, I can't help but feel a sense of warmth at the way Jacob's presence seems to put me at ease. As Jacob settles down next to me, his arm casually draped over the back of the booth, I can't help but feel a sense of warmth at his presence.
"What about you?" I ask, genuine curiosity coloring my tone as I turn towards him. His easy smile puts me at ease, and I find myself drawn to his relaxed demeanor. "I'm here with my family," he replies, his voice tinged with fondness. "We decided to take a cruise together for this year’s family reunion."
His words spark a sense of nostalgia within me, and I find myself reminiscing about my past family vacations. Growing up my family took us on a cruise vacation and I remember my brother making friends and I wonder if this is how he felt when he first met them. Unfortunately, he doesn’t talk to them anymore and I wonder if that is how it will be with us. Will we remain friends after the vacation is over? Will we stay friends or will we end up like my brother and fade away?
I shake away my thoughts and focus on Jacob’s words as we continue to chat. The atmosphere between us feels light and effortless as if we've known each other for much longer than just a few moments.
Lana's arrival at the table interrupts our conversation, and I turn to greet her with a smile. "There you two are!" she exclaims, holding out a drink for me. "Here, I got a second one for you because I changed my mind on what I wanted," she explains with a grin. I can't help but laugh at Lana's indecisiveness. "So what, I just get your sloppy seconds?" I tease playfully, nudging her gently with my elbow. She playfully rolls her eyes, "As if you'd ever say no to a free drink," she teases, a smirk playing on her lips. I laugh, knowing Lana has a point. "Touché," I reply with a grin, raising my glass in mock surrender. "You got me there."
As the evening unfolds, Jacob's friends Ben and JC join our group, along with two new faces, Piper and Sam. Despite the growing crowd, our conversation flows effortlessly as we share stories and laughter, each of us eager to learn more about one another.
Jacob's presence is magnetic, drawing me in with his easy charm and genuine personality. With each word he speaks, I find myself hanging on his every word, wanting to know more about him—his passions, his dreams, his quirks. There's something about the way he listens intently to each person's story, his eyes lighting up with genuine interest, that makes me feel comfortable and understood.
As the night wears on and our conversation flows effortlessly, it feels like time has flown by in the blink of an eye. Suddenly, the announcement from the MC jolts us back to reality— the nightclub is closing down for the night.
I instinctively reach for my phone at the same time Jacob does, and in the moment of confusion, our hands accidentally collide. His warm touch sends shivers down my spine, and I feel a rush of electricity course through me. It's a sensation I've never experienced before, a sudden jolt of connection that takes me by surprise.
We lock eyes, a silent understanding passing between us as we both realize the accidental touch. In that moment, everything else fades away, and all I can focus on is the warmth of his hand enveloping mine. It's a feeling unlike anything I've ever felt before, and for the first time in my life, I'm left speechless.
Lost in the moment, it's Lana's gentle nudge that snaps me back to reality, signaling that it's time to leave. With Jacob's hand still intertwined with mine, we both rise from our seats, oblivious to the fact that our hands are still connected.
As Lana casts a knowing glance at our joined hands, a flush of embarrassment washes over me, and I quickly pull my hand away, murmuring a hurried apology along with Jacob. Together, the seven of us make our way out of the nightclub, the cool air from the hallway is a welcome reprieve from the warmth of the moments we shared inside.
Just as we're about to head towards the elevators, Jacob stops me with a gentle touch on my arm. His proximity sends a shiver down my spine, and I can feel his warm breath tickling my lips as he leans in close. "May we hang out again tomorrow night?"
A rush of excitement courses through me at the thought of spending more time with him, and I find myself nodding eagerly in response. "Yeah, I'd like that," I reply softly, my voice barely above a whisper. As we exchange one final lingering glance, anticipation swirls in the air, and I can't help but wonder what tomorrow night will bring.
Before I can fully process what's happening, Jacob leans down and presses a soft kiss to my cheek. His lips linger for a moment, leaving behind a tingling sensation that spreads warmth throughout my body.
"See you later, beautiful," he murmurs, his voice soft and gentle, before pulling away and heading towards a different elevator. Stunned and speechless, I stand there for a moment, my hand still lingering on my cheek where his lips had just touched. Lana's wide-eyed expression and beaming smile catch my attention, and her enthusiastic declaration sends a wave of warmth through me.
"Oh my god, Anya, he's totally crushing on you!" she exclaims, her excitement contagious.
Yeah right? No one wants damaged goods, my inner voice sneers, echoing the insecurities that have plagued me for so long. The thought of opening up to someone new feels daunting, especially when my past experiences have left me feeling broken and unworthy of love.
"Oh no, he couldn't possibly. He was just being nice," I murmur, dismissing Lana's excitement with a wave of self-doubt. It's hard to imagine that someone like Jacob could genuinely be interested in me, especially when my inner demons rear their ugly head reminding me of all my flaws and shortcomings.
As we make our way toward our cabin, I try to push aside the negative thoughts and focus on the present moment. But deep down, the fear of rejection and heartache looms large, making it hard to believe in the possibility of something real with Jacob. It's a constant battle between my inner demons and the flicker of hope that maybe, just maybe, Lana could be right.