Retrace

Chapter 8

Nia

By the fourth time, Bill, Billy, blargh, or whatever his name is, the guy who's been inching my way, almost pushes me off the chair, I jump up to stand. When he asks me if I'd like to dance, I first take a step back where we don't have to exchange oxygen anymore and politely refuse the tempting offer. What can I say, I'm not the biggest fan of the intoxicated, conceited, and reproducing Horny Trinity.

"Refill anyone? " I ask.

"We can have the waitress bring us refills, " says Toni, a wide shouldered brunette with the most delicate voice. She is Alex's roommate, so I've been told. I wonder if it's only a room sharing situation between them, given Alex's constant small gestures toward her "roomie. "

"I'm going anyway, I need to stretch my legs. " I add a thin smile to my words, sending a stay-back warning glare to the guy who eyes me as if he is about to dry hump my leg.

"Don't take long, " says Mr. Horny, sending me what I believe he might think is his best production of a sexy smile. I inwardly shudder.

As I make my way through a maze of tables toward the bar, a handsome, hard-jawed guy, clad in a badass leather jacket, rewards me with a smile after a blatant top to toe scan. He sends his hand to a black device that's peeping from his ear and says something, ending it with a devilish grin. He throws his head back laughing next. Not a beat passes and his demeanour turns severe. I just shrug and move on.

Some alone time is needed, I think to myself as I take a seat on a stool by the bar. I send my original table a peek, waiting to be served. They are a bunch of cool people. Alex, Toni, J.D., who's apparently a semi-famous comics illustrator, and Paul, which took me a few moments to make sense of his connection to the artsy gang. With him being the ultimate nerdy programmer type, by look and nature. Nonetheless, he somehow just fits in. I like him; Paul is quiet and polite and intriguingly clever. He is one of those guys who just knows everything but shows it in a humble way. My eyes jolt back once Sir Creepy catches my stare.

I tap my fingers on the hard surface. A disturbing thought nestles in my mind. I might have totally sent to hell the opportunity I've been given at the dance studio. The look in Mrs. Perry's eyes plays in my head and I cringe. I might have taken it a bit too far, letting loose like that in front of the girls and the parents. My chest presses just enough to signal for my gut to clench. Not only do I really want the job, I'm counting on it. I can't afford to lose it. I have some money set aside for emergencies, but that's exactly what it is, emergency dough. Especially with the indulgent apartment I've rented. The only thing I swore I wouldn't cut back on, and I didn't. God, I'm so screwed if I let this job slip through my fingers.

"Another Talisker? " asks the attractive blond server with the impressive showcase under her tight black tee. I frown; wasn't the other bartender serving me before? How would she know what I ordered? She tilts her head to the side, gifting me with an urging smile.

"Um, no thanks. Just ice water, please. " She nods. I can't unglue my stare from the word Jake's splattered between the two small peaks her n*****s form under the tight shirt. Guess she'd need a Brinks truck to take her tips home. Sliding my drink toward me, Spiky runs her eyes quite openly over me, smiles a little secretive smile, and shifts her stare to the other side of the bar. Mine follow suit. Reaching the point her attention was drawn to, my eyes land on my G.I. Joe. "My. . ." I inwardly roll my eyes.

I get the chance to thoroughly study him as I watch him talk to a real life Tinkerbell. Reeves is handsome in a non-beautiful way. Beautiful constitutes delicacy and flawlessness, even features, but he has none of that. He is attractive in a raw, somewhat fierce, masculine kind of way. Hard, square jaw, sharp planes, high, bristled cheekbones, but it's his smoldering eyes that hold the warning, sexy vibe he exudes. I gaze at them both; his companion appears ridiculously fragile with him towering more than a head above her. It seems as if he might be scolding her. His eyes, some indistinct cyan shade that I hadn't gotten the chance to validate yet, glare at her with a rare blend of irritation and gentleness. She nods, hugging herself, gently rocking back and forth on her pink Mary Jane's while returning his pointed stare. Her soft, golden locks sway, fluttering the middle of her white camisole as she nods again.

The edginess disappears from his tense stare. He runs a hand over his lightly scruffy cheek, ending the rub on his dark buzzed hair. He tells her something, crossing his arms over his chest, causing his curved bicep to bloat proudly. He moves his black jean and heavy boot-clad leg to rest on the foot ring of one of the stools and speaks again to the spectacle of delicate prettiness before him. Her lips twist, and her eyes turn downcast in response. I'm too far to precisely zero in on her eyes, but from where I sit, they seem to have turned glossy. A bolt of alarm crosses his face and he inches to envelope her in his arms. Her petite figure is swallowed in his embrace. He crouches for his chin to rest on the crown of her head and closes his eyes. Something streaks through me, a sudden jolt of jealousy which at first I can't make any sense of. I take a sip of my water and look at them out of the corner of my eyes. At second glance, I realize where the envy came from; it's the sense of protectiveness and care his hug emits that causes my heart to tug. I'd do anything to feel secure again, to allow someone to make me feel this way.

But I know that it's not in the stars for me. I gave up on that. Nothing can take away the pain I've been harboring, and the rooted guilt I nurture. I inhale deeply, shake away the thoughts that cloud my mind, and signal to the bartender for another drink. Scotch this time.

I place the bulky goblet on the table I left earlier, returning the smiles that greet my return. Luckily, my persistent suitor found another victim with whom he now occupies the dance floor and I get a chance to enjoy a light conversation with J.D. and Paul.