Chapter 12 No One Saw That Coming. No One. #2
I feel eyes on me, and look at Riden. He’s looking at me strangely, and I realise why.
My eyes were practically closed with the intense glare I was sending the little duo.
I then feel someone move their wrist in my grasp and remember what I was doing.
I turn to my crazy best friend and ask, “How much have you drunk?”
“Me?! I’m definitely not drunk!” Yeah, she’s wasted. I mean, how is that even possible? We got here like fifteen minutes ago.
“Alls! I’m serious!” The music is so loud that I sound like a crazy lady, shouting close to her ear.
“I may or may not have drunk a few shots…” I sigh. This girl. “You know, Mads, you should try it!”
“No way.” I feel it leaving my mouth, but I don’t really mean it.
I’m so angry at my dad, at my mom, and like always at West that I just-
I walk confidently to the bar and set my purse on the counter.
“What’s the strongest you got?” I shout at the bartender, and he moves to take out a bottle of liquid resembling water.
“Absinthe!” He shouts back, and I send him a thumbs-up.
He fills three shots, and I pay, sitting on the high barstool, bracing myself for them.
Mom. My hand grabs the shot and downs it. It tastes like hand sanitizer, but I don’t care.
You look… Another shot. My head begrudgingly moves to West, and he’s grabbing her waist. Last one.
I feel my stomach kind of rejecting it, but I push it down.
I get up and find Allison. A song passes, then another, and I don’t feel any different, so I make the decision to ask for two more shots of the same stuff.
I down them like I’m used to it, and I’m here every other weekend, but I don’t care. Today is all about letting loose. No more sad, pathetic Madelaine…
Okay, this kind of has a kick to it. My stomach protests, but I ignore it. Allison dances like our lives depend on it, and I don’t look in West’s direction anymore. I dance, feeling the vibrations through my body, and close my eyes, letting the music take me.
I feel someone laying their hand on my back, and my eyes shot wide open. He’s handsome… And I’ve never seen him around here. Good. Because he doesn’t know me. And he doesn’t know I don’t usually dance with strangers.
I’m so dizzy, though, the lights are all blurred…
He places both hands on my hips, and I let my head fall backwards, trying to gain a sense of my surroundings.
Lights and a heavy bass are all I can make up.
I feel something in my neck, and oh, it’s him.
This is definitely a first. I can’t find the will to push him away, so I don’t.
Who says I can’t be this girl? An Allison, if you will?
Heck, I’m sure that by now she has already made out with half the guys in here.
Maybe this is supposed to be my first kiss.
I avoid a hiccup and turn to his face. I can’t even tell his features; I can only say he’s handsome.
I feel someone yank me back, and next thing I know the guy is- PUNCHED, WHAT?!
West turns around, shaking his hand and standing over the guy who’s now on the ground. Oh hell no.
“Are you crazy?!” I shout at him, pushing his chest, and he frowns at me.
“He had his hands all over you, and you’re drunk!” He reasons back, a circle forming around the mess.
“You can have your hands all over the redhead, but I can’t be with him?!” This argument is stupid, but at the same time, it makes sense in my head.
“It’s different! You can’t even stand!” He gestures at me, and I attempt to walk sober to him but trip into his arms. He catches me, but as soon as I realize I’m in his arms, I push him away.
“Just go find another girl!” I shout at him and move to sit at the bar. He doesn’t follow me, but every now and then I catch him staring at me, making sure I’m not throwing myself at another guy, I’m sure.
Soon enough, Allison finds me, exhausted, and hugs me.
“Girl, are you drunk?” She grabs my head and looks me in the eyes. “You are!”
I let myself free from her grasp. And then my eyes look outside the club’s window. Looks like Amanda found Jake. But they’re arguing.
I grab Allison’s arm and drag her outside.
We step out of the club and pass through the crowd of people who are happily watching them fight.
Riden finds us and stands right next to me, watching the scene.
“Why did you do it?” He asks, a hand running down his face.
“I need a reason to date someone?”
“Come on, Amanda!” He speaks louder, and he is so exhausted.
Maybe he shouldn’t be dancing with the redhead… Wait, focus.
“I’m stopping this.” Riden starts to move, but I place a hand in front of him.
“Wait, I got this.” I would love to tell you what went through my head to do this, but I really can’t put it together.
I get to them, and their conversation fades, both a bit surprised.
“Who called the town’s loner?” She levels me with a look and I laugh ironically.
“I don’t recall people calling the town’s bitch either, yet here you are.”
She looks like I slapped her, and West is just wide-eyed next to me.
“We were having a private conversation, if you couldn’t tell.” She tries to kick me out, frustrated.
“I can see that.” I gesture around at the crowd, and her use of the word private. “What are you talking about?”
She glares at me, shiny black hair blinding me even during the night.
“The subject doesn’t concern you.”
“I think when the subject is my boyfriend, I am concerned.” It flies out of my mouth before I can even think about it.
The crowd gasps, and Allison and Riden are just smiling so much. As for Jake, he is as surprised as I am, eyebrows shooting up and mouth wide open.
Oh noo no no no no, I take it back!
“What?! What are you talking about?!” Amanda’s face is so red with anger that it is funny.
“For god’s sake, are you that slow?” I ask, smiling.
I have to smile through this internal freak-out.
“Let’s see if your pea-sized brain can understand this.
West and I are together. As in a romantic way…
” I make a lot of gestures like she is a five-year-old and her head is about to explode.
I’ve always known how to deal with her. Before she can say anything else, I say, smiling, “Lovely talk, Amanda. Unfortunately, I have to go. Have a good night.” And with that, I grab Jake’s hand, and before we go home, I go to Allison and Riden.
“Wanna go with us?” I ask as if nothing happened.
“No, you two go, I’ll stay here with him.” She’s wearing the brightest smile I’ve ever seen on her.
I stumble out of the crowd, fingers always on his, and for a while, I even forget I’m dragging him along.
The night is so quiet and the sky so clear…
I stop in the middle of the street and look up.
For a few moments, all is right with the world.
My head isn’t pounding, my stomach isn’t recoiling, and my mom didn’t leave me.
I close my eyes and take a deep breath. When I prop them open, I find Jake staring at me.
“Hi, boyfriend.” A giggle escapes my mouth, and I cover it right away.
“What’s going on?” He places his hands in his pockets, and I scrunch my nose.
“Nothing is going on, I just saved you from Amanda, uh, you’re welcome.” I scoff, attempting to walk forward but feeling myself go down. He grabs me.
“I mean, with you. What’s going on with you?”
I try to stay awake and remind myself we’re almost home.
“Nothing.” I look up at his face and see him clenching his jaw. “Are you mad at me?” I bite my lip, suddenly unsure of what I did. He flashes me that great smile of his to settle my feelings.
“Since when have you cared if I was mad at you?”
“I pretend I don’t, but I do.”
He sighs, and his smile drops, being replaced by a knowing look.
“No, I’m not mad at you.” He simply says and lets me rest against the gate while he opens it.
He takes me inside and OH-
“My dad!” I whisper yell, stopping him from getting me to my room. “He’s gonna kill me if he sees me!”
West nods and takes me to the living room instead. Oh, I love these couches, best nap ever.
I let myself fall on the softest cushions my body has ever had the pleasure to lie on, and I feel West taking off my shoes.
When I open my eyes again, West is sitting in front of me, on the ground.
“Thanks for the help, you can go now.” I grin and my eyes half-close.
“C’mon, Brown, I know I’m your favorite person.” He wiggles his eyebrows, and I laugh.
“Ha! You wish!” He covers my mouth because I must’ve been loud, and then removes it.
“What happened?” He asks me, and I feel a lump in my throat. I hate that he can see through me, even though he’s the last person who should.
The room falls silent, and darkness surrounds us. My head settles, but not before something slips out.
“I look like her.” I confess to the darkness and feel the emotion rise up in my throat.
“Like who?” He asks, and I manage to get it out.
“Like my mom.” I open my eyes to find comfort in his. It’s like some sort of understanding goes through him, and his eyes soften somehow.
“I don’t know, you always looked like Madelaine Brown to me. Stubborn, fiery, and a pain in my ass.”
A smile takes hold of my mouth, and my chest decompresses, like a weight has been lifted.
“Are you mad at me?” I ask, feeling some sort of deja vu.
He chuckles. “No, Brown, I’m not.” Pause. “I could never be mad at you.”
Then I close my eyes, feeling like I’m in the clouds and no problem of mine could ever touch me or affect me again.