“I …I gotta go to the bathroom!” Was all I could manage. I felt like I was going to be sick. I know it was a silly reaction to have but I couldn’t help it. I just needed to get out of there. I pushed my way through the Gothic Draven fans over to the bathrooms. I knew the direction as Jack had pointed to them in reply to my rude exit. I saw the neon sign glowing like a beacon as it was near the bar on the same side of the wall as the entrance.
Once inside I could feel myself calming down like the air in here was clearer. There was no one in there apart from the refection of myself staring back at me. Horror struck. I looked terrible. No worse than terrible, I looked ill. I was so pale and my eyes looked almost black. I felt so ashamed, no wonder he was staring at me. He probably thought of me as riff-raff. Wondering what a plain, fragile little thing was doing in his club!
I ran into the cubicle not being able to stop what was coming next as I threw up the one bottle of Corona that I had consumed. Thankfully I heard the door open when I had finished. It sounded like two girls and no guessing who they were chatting about.
“And oh my god did you see his body, he gets finer every year. What I wouldn’t do to have a night alone with that man!”
“Tell me about it, now there’s a man that I bet has good equipment, if you know what I mean!” A girl's giggle followed.
“Yeah and I bet he knows how to use it!”
“Yeah baby!” They both giggled again stupidly like superficial teenagers. I found myself angry at them being so vulgar towards him. I was just about to leave when I heard more.
“Yeah but did you see that girl he was staring at... urgh.” The silly cow then made a gagging noise. I was furious even though I was in the same frame of mind just a moment ago but still, it wasn’t the nicest thing to hear.
“I know she wasn’t at all pretty, nice skin I suppose but way too pale.”
“It was just make-up, I bet my life on it.” Well I sure hoped that this girl didn’t get into any unforeseen accidents on the way home on account of my skin type! I thought angrily to myself.
“Well I bet he was only staring because he couldn’t believe she got in his club, and if we would have been sitting there we probably would be in the VIP area now!” Oh god, it was getting worse. Now they were deranged!
“We are going to have to come earlier next time and try for those seats.”
“Yeah then he won’t have to be put through that sight again!” They giggled again only this time making high-pitched squeals. My blood boiled as I walked out of the cubicle head held high. I knew that they were young from the sound of their undeveloped conversation but they were practically kids. They were applying lip gloss when they saw me, then their faces dropped.
I washed my hands that were shaking slightly in anger and dried them. Once I had finished I made my way to the door but just before I left I turned to say my piece.
“Oh and by the way, he might not be into pale and plain but I’m pretty sure he’s definitely not into kids, so why don’t you two run off home before you miss Hannah Montana!” And I walked out with the biggest smile on my face, leaving them with their mouths still hung open. As I walked back with an everlasting grin on my face I looked up to stifle a laugh and noticed a pair of eyes that were watching me in amusement themselves.
I could see the VIP area clearly from back here and it looked full of people. But it was strange, as not one person had gone up the stairs after them. Maybe there was another entrance to it, one for the “special guests.” These little factors were irrelevant compared to the statue of a man staring back at me now, just as he had before. He wasn’t as clear up there, in the low light, but I could have sworn I had seen him smile. The faint glint of white as he showed his teeth flashed momentarily. He was so damn enigmatic. I stopped smiling and put my head down determined not to look again as I hurried back to my seat.
The rest of the night went quickly and without any more incidents. Jack insisted on staying with me while I waited for Frank. The others were going on to Drew’s house but as I was getting picked up and didn’t want Frank having to wait up for me any longer, I declined the offer.
“Are you sure? I could drive you home. I’ve only had one beer.” Jack said with a hopeful look in his eye. “I’ll behave,” he added with a mischievous grin.
“Thanks, but Frank’s probably on his way now... rain check?” I said hoping he wouldn’t take it the wrong way. I mean maybe before, at a different time, I would have really gone for someone like Jack. He was really convivial. That happy go lucky nature that was infectious. You couldn’t help but smile around him. But I didn’t want him to get the wrong idea. How could I get it across that I just didn’t date. Maybe I could hint to RJ about the whole “not dating” rule. But what was I saying, I was being conceited enough to believe he wanted to be more than just friends. He was just a nice guy, plain and simple.
“Ok, ok I give in, but how would you like to meet up and I will show the big bright lights of our small town?” I raised my eyebrow and said “bright lights?”
“Oh yeah, there’s one really bright street lamp on 5th, no really, you should see it, Vegas has nothing on us baby!” I laughed and he smiled down at me sweetly, his hair flopping over his eyes. He was really tall, I hadn’t really noticed in the club. But he had long legs that met a wide chest that went out in a v shape from his waist. He wore jeans that were ripped at the knee and a t-shirt with an Iron Maiden picture on it, underneath a combat style jacket.
“I will have to get your number off RJ, so next time we can arrange for me to pick you up and take you home again, that way you don’t have to wait here in the cold. We don’t want that pretty skin of yours to get any paler!” I blushed as always and smiled not knowing how to respond.
“Or I could just keep embarrassing you, that seems to put some colour in those cheeks,” he said laughing and then nudged me, trying to get me to smile.
“I can wait on my own if you’re cold, I feel bad you waiting with me like this,” I said trying not to offend him.
“Plus they’re going to be waiting for you at Drew’s.” I added, trying to sound light hearted.
“Are you kidding, I don’t mind waiting with you, besides RJ and Drew are probably just brawling around on the floor, which I’ve seen a hundred and one times before and trust me when I say I would much prefer being here with you.” I blushed again, hoping he didn’t notice.
“Brawling?” I said trying to imagine the two of them, “The Goth and the Geek” going at each other.
“Yeah, and I would put my money on RJ any day, she fights dirty, at least that’s the way I taught her to fight!” He gave me a wink as the penny finally dropped. He’d been teasing me.
“You shouldn’t tease gullible people, it’s against the law,” I teased back.
“Oh, but where’s the fun in that!” Then he rubbed his hands together and blew into them. I couldn’t help but feel guilty.
“Are you sure you don’t want to go, I’ll be fine, the clubs not even closed yet and the doormen are only over there.” I said pointing over my shoulder.
“I think I’ll survive, plus if I get frost bite you can nurse me back to health. I would be expecting first class heath care though, sponge baths included.” He was in front of me now and he poked me gently in the ribs. I, of course being very ticklish giggled and to my embarrassment snorted a little as well. I stepped back as a wicked grin spread across his face and he held out his finger threatening to do it again.
“What an adorable sound you just made,” he said mocking me but trying very hard not to laugh. Just then Frank’s car came into view and Jack nodded as if to ask, “if that was him”.
“Well that’s me, but thank you for waiting with me, it’s been …amusing,” I said smirking back at him. I went to turn but instead he just said “oh come here,” and wrapped his big arms around me in a bear hug, he whispered down into my ear, “It was very nice meeting you Keira,” and then let go and walked away, waving over his shoulder.
I composed myself and got in the car a bit red faced. Frank turned to me and said,
“Boy, kid, you sure do make friends quick!” The fact that he called me kid made me smile.
“So how was it?” He said as he pulled away nodding briefly towards the doormen.
“It was good, everyone was really nice,” I noticed his lips curved into a mocking smile.
“Yeah I got that, he seemed very friendly,” he teased just like a big brother would.
“It's not like that!” I said getting defensive.
“Sure, sure, I’ll say no more but I’m warning you, your sister might grill you when you get home.”
“What, she stayed up?” This was bad, she would want every minor detail about the whole evening and unless I could convince Frank not to mention “the Jack thing” then I was screwed! She would push it and push it until I repeated every word he'd ever said to me.
“Umm… Fr..an..k” I said in my sweetest voice dragging out his name.
“Y-y-e-e-s-s” he said doing the same.
“Could we kind of…not mention the whole Jack thing to Libby?” He raised his eyes and a cunning smile crept across his lips.
“Oh its Jack is it?” Damn! I tried the puppy dog eyed thing and then Yes! I knew it would work. His features turn to putty in defeat.
“Ok, ok, I promise, not a word.” This is why I loved Frank, when it came to Libby we were on the same page, the less she knew the better it was for her. Well for us more like. God love him!
“Thanks, only I would never hear the end of it.” He was on the main road now and I knew there wasn’t much further to go.
“No, neither would I. She’s still having a go at me for getting you that job. Speaking of which did you see Jerry?” I smiled thinking of it, Frank had rang him to let him know I was going to be there and must have given him a description of me because at the end of the night Jerry the Manager, had come over to introduce himself.
He also asked if I could start earlier due to the Dravens’ unexpected early arrival. The place had been packed tonight and there didn’t seem to be enough bar staff. I told him that wasn’t a problem and he looked thrilled. Added to that, he also looked tired and worn down. I wasn’t surprised with the night he must have had.
“Yeah he did, thanks for that. He asked if I could do a small shift, starting tomorrow.”
“That’s great but…” he shifted slightly in his seat, looking uncomfortable.
“But…?”
“But Libby is going to have kittens, I try and tell her that she worries too much about you but she can’t be reasoned with,” he said looking sympathetic to my cause.
“I know but I can handle it. Her heart's in the right place.” I didn’t like where the conversation was leading so I quickly changed it.
“So was the game on tonight?” Knowing that this would be enough to carry me home for the rest of the journey, only needing to make “umm” and “ah” noises in response.
Of course it worked.
Chapter 8 – First Night
When I had agreed to start work early I had been glad for something to do. There were only so many times I could sort out my room and I think Libby was sick of me moving furniture around. It was something I always did whenever I was restless, and unfortunately I hadn’t grown out of the annoying habit. In the summer holidays I used to do it so often that I could never find stuff.
RJ had rung me to give me the low down on what everyone thought about me, and she was happy to report that I was a success, especially with her brother. I winced at the thought.
“Yeah he wouldn’t shut up about you last night at Drew’s, I think my big bro has a bit of a crush!” she said laughing as though she had been teasing him about it all day.
“Oh, I think…I think he’s just being nice,” I tried but this didn’t sway her efforts.
“Trust me, there is being nice and THERE’S BEING NICE!” And thankfully she left it at that, going on for the rest of the conversation about the drummer. The band last night had been surprisingly good. RJ had only dragged me up once for the last song. She pushed her way to the front to make goo-goo eyes at the guy. It had worked as she got his number, much to Chaz's dismay.
We had arranged to meet up for the fresher’s day and travel together, which I was more than happy about. Her brother Jack was already starting his third year, so he was going to show us around. He was majoring in engineering, confessing to me last night that he was good with his hands. I felt a lot more at ease going with someone I knew and I was starting to feel really good about being here. I was generally an optimistic person by nature but I had to admit I hadn’t been optimistic about anything for a long time. I could feel myself lifting. My bad memories were not yet in the past but clouded and faded somehow. It was like it was all coming together. So when I rang my mother with my weekly call she could sense the change.
“You sound…cheery. Are you having fun over there? Is Libby taking care of you?” I don’t know why she asked me this last question, as she knew more often than not I was the one taking care of Libby. But I explained what I had been up to and described new friends, new sights, and well my new life in full. She beamed on the other side of the phone. I thought at one point she would start crying with happiness. By the end of the phone call I had a big cloud of guilt hanging over my head. I should have behaved better before now. It was unfair to have put my family through so much. Well at least I sounded happy now and for a change I wasn't faking it.
I said my goodbyes and I love you's and I promised to email more and let her know how I got on at my first day of work. Then it hit me. The nerves. The thought of going back there made my palms sweaty again. I don’t know why.... well ok, that wasn’t entirely true. I was pretty sure I would be more at ease if the Dravens weren’t there. What was it about that man that had my body in knots? He was just so intimidating! And of course there were the dreams to explain. I mean how can a man who I had never laid eyes on before end up being so real? I had tossed and turned over these very questions all last night. And the feeling of dread filled my mind once more. Every time I tried to just shrug it off and put it down to nothing it just crept its way back in to my mind like a little bug munching away at my brain.
I had just finished getting ready by the time Libby got home. I didn’t know what felt worse, the idea of work or having to hide my nerves from my over sensitive sister.
“How was work?” I tried to sound light hearted but think I over did it.
“Fine!” By the way she answered I would say it was anything but.
“What’s wrong?” my tone was unconvinced.
“We’ll it’s this bloody hopeless girl on the front desk, she is utterly useless! She sent a major important client to the wrong floor and had him waiting there for over an hour, I couldn’t believe it…I just couldn’t believe it!” she threw her hands up in the air in a dramatic fashion. I suppressed a smile at her little tantrum.
“Oh dear, I bet that didn’t go down well.”
“No… it bloody well didn’t!” She stomped into the kitchen and banged her black leather handbag on the table making me jump.
“Sorry,” she said with a half-smile.
“How about some tea, I have the pot brewing?” Knowing she couldn’t resist, I got a mug down ready for her. At least this was keeping her mind off me and thankfully Frank said he would drive me there.
“Oh yes please! What are you dressed up for?” Bugger! I knew I couldn’t get away with it for long, bring on lecture time!
“I’m not ‘dressed up’.” Was I? She had me paranoid now. I was told by Jerry to just wear a black top, which hadn’t been a problem as most of my tops were a shade rather than a colour.
“Well, you know what I mean, smart top and jeans instead of the usual sweat pants and baggy sweater ensemble.” Her intuitive eyes didn’t leave me as she sipped her tea. Well I couldn’t put it off any longer. Here goes.
“Well see, I meant to tell you about that last night but I g
uess I forgot.”
“Forgot what, are you going out again?” I was stalling for time, maybe if Frank walked in the door now he could take me early and save me all the agro.
“Yeah but…” her eyes lit up
“That’s great, will that Jack be there?” She had all the wrong ideas about Jack. She was determined to think it was more than it was, for me anyway.
“Its work Libs…Aww come on don’t pull that face. Jerry asked me if I could start early and I need the money and something more to do than just wait for college to start.” I was speaking at a million miles, trying to get it all out before she started with her worries.
“You don’t need money and you don’t need to start early, look you could even move the furniture in the lounge if you want, I won’t mind.” I laughed at her humorous attempt, but I stood firm.
“Look, I spoke to mum today and she thinks it will be good for me, plus I do need money if I’m ever going to buy a car. I can’t keep expecting you and Frank to chauffeur me around all the time.” I gave her my best pleading puppy eyes and I could see she was caving.
“I thought you had some saved?”
“I do, but I didn’t get much for my old fiesta and I want something a bit better than that, I wouldn’t mind a four wheel drive. I mean around here I think it would come in handy. And besides I would need money to run it.” Just then I heard Frank’s car pull up on the gravel. I was edging towards the door when she surprised me.
“Ok, ok, I know I’m being silly but if you have any problems call me, ok?” I picked up my bag and was walking outside when I answered, “It’s ok Lib's I know you worry and it’s sweet but I will ring if there’s a problem, I promise and I’m only going to be a couple of hours, after all, this is only a trial night.” Frank was still in the car, so I opened the door and waved back to Libby, who was now stood by the door, mug in hand looking very forlorn.
“How bad was she?” Frank asked knowing I was going to get grief.
Afterlife (Afterlife Saga) Page 10