47 #3
While we’re dancing, I keep my attention on Brooks.
I don’t think he’s even noticed that I’m over here dancing with a group of guys.
Either that or, now that Harper’s here, he doesn’t care.
A hand touches my hip, and one of the boys has turned his body to face mine.
I have two choices here. One is to be mature and back away, keeping this a G-rated group dance…
or I can see how far I have to go to get Brooks’ attention away from Harper and back to where it should be.
With the Jager Bomb still coursing through my veins, I turn to face the boy, sliding my legs on either side of his so I’m straddling his thigh.
He places both hands on my hips, and they feel wrong, like they’re not supposed to be there.
I bring my hands up to my hair and turn slightly to get a better look at Brooks.
I watch him, barely moving my hips as the stranger high-fives his friends.
It takes a good minute before Brooks glances around, expecting me to be right where he left me.
He looks slightly panicked for a second, his eyes scanning the crowd until he spots me.
I quickly look away from him, pretending like I haven’t been watching him this whole time.
Out of the corner of my eye, I see his face turn a light shade of red.
I’m not sure if I’m happy to see that he actually cares or if I should be regretting this dumb decision.
Before I have a chance to decide, he drops his arm from around Harper and storms towards us. His hand wraps around my arm and wrenches me away from this stranger, who has no idea I have just used him to make my boyfriend pay attention to me.
“What the fuck are you doing?” Brooks yells over the music. If his tone didn’t make me regret my decision, then the cold look in his eyes does.
“Everything ok, buddy?” The boy steps forward. Brooks pushes him away with his free hand, still holding on tight to my arm with the other. The stranger stumbles back, almost falling. His friends gather around him, ready for a fight. I bring my hand to Brooks’ face and make him look at me.
“Let’s go. Please just take me home,” I beg, desperate to make him calm down and leave with me. This is getting out of control. I only wanted his attention, I don’t want him to beat the guy up. His stone-cold eyes stare ahead.
“Fine, let’s go,” he replies angrily, still holding onto my arm so tightly that it’s beginning to hurt.
He pulls me toward the door, out of the bar and into the cool night air.
As soon as we’re outside, he lets go, almost throwing my arm away, and walks a few steps ahead.
I rush to catch up to him, trying to grab at his hand, but he pulls away the second I touch him.
“I’m sorry, Brooks. I’m so, so sorry.”
“You’re sorry? You were acting like a whore.
You were all over that guy in front of everyone!
You made me look like an idiot.” He turns to face me, and suddenly we’re that drunk couple screaming at each other in the street.
You know, the one everyone tries not to look at as they pass, but they can’t help it.
“If you hadn’t been that way with Harper…” I start, gesturing back to the bar, where Harper is no doubt laughing at the scene she caused.
“What way with Harper?”
Luna, Gaia and Sam come jogging up to where we’re standing.
“You were all over her!” I shout. I know I’m exaggerating, but I’m trying to prove my point and pretend that what I just did wasn’t a lot worse.
“Fuck off!” Brooks shouts, bunching his hands into fists at his sides. A couple stops nearby. “What the fuck are you looking at?” His eyes widen, warning them to keep walking.
“You were dancing with me, and the second she appeared, you dismissed me! She was basically touching your butt.” The memory of her hands on him turns into picturing them naked together.
She touches him, making him groan the way only I can.
The contents of my stomach begin to rise in my throat, but I fight to keep it down.
“As opposed to that guy actually touching yours?”
A little crowd forms around us, watching us like we’re street performers putting on a skit.
Each person has an identical version of themselves overlapping with the other.
I close one eye in an attempt to return them to one body.
The ground whirls beneath my feet, and I raise my hands in an attempt to steady myself.
“Calm down, Brooks,” Sam says, putting his body between us.
“You can fuck off too, Sam. Don’t think I haven’t noticed you making eyes at my girl all night!”
“Your girl? You don’t act like it!” Sam raises his voice to match Brooks’.
I glance at Luna and Gaia for help, but they’re just standing there soaking up the drama along with everyone else. All they’re missing is a big bag of popcorn. My head becomes heavy, and it dips forward, causing my feet to stumble.
“You don’t know the first thing about us,” Brooks snaps, broadening his shoulders. He takes a step forward.
“I know you don’t treat her right,” Sam quips back. “I know the second Harper shows up, you drop her like she’s nothing. You are lucky to have a girl like Abi. If you don’t watch out, someone is going to come along and show her the way she deserves to be treated.”
The world around me spins out of control, and I can no longer tell which way is up.
Luna and Gaia pop up on either side of me, wrapping their arms around me to stop me from falling.
I can still hear Sam and Brooks yelling at each other, but I can no longer make out what they’re saying.
My thoughts fully focus on trying to stay upright and not letting everything that’s in my stomach make an embarrassing appearance.
A hot rush moves up from my stomach into my cheeks, and I know I can’t keep it down any longer. Luna guides me into the alley.
“It’s ok, Abs, let it out. You’ll feel better,” she says, helping me maintain my balance as I bend forward and vomit over the ground in front of me.
“Brooks!” Luna shouts over her shoulder back towards the street. She’s rubbing my back while Gaia pulls my dress tighter around my legs, ensuring that I don’t splash it with vomit.
“Is she ok?” I hear the familiar sound of Brooks’ voice. This is now the second time he’s witnessed me throw up, and I’m just as mortified as the first.
“She’s alright, but maybe you could call an Uber and get her home?” Luna suggests. It’s weird to hear her helping Brooks take care of me. I would have assumed she’d be ushering me away from him so she could take care of me herself.
I vomit for what feels like forever, and when I’m done, I’m tired, and my legs no longer wish to do their job. Luna takes me to the curb and helps me sit.
“It’s ok, Baby, our ride will be here soon,” Brooks says, his voice soothing the thumping in my head.
He takes a seat beside me and wraps his arm around me, keeping my body warm.
My head falls onto his shoulder. I wish we’d never gone out.
We should be snuggled up in bed, my head should be on his chest as he gently runs his fingers over my back.
“You girls get a lift with them. I’m going back in,” Sam announces, his voice sounding distant.
“Ok, be careful. If you need anything, call me,” Luna replies.
My eyes are closed as I’m resting up against Brooks, his smell coaxing me to sleep.
“I’m sorry,” I sob into Brooks, hoping he can hear me over the thumping. He doesn’t answer. He just squeezes my knee and places a sweet kiss on the top of my head. He’s going to forgive me. He has to.