by R. S Burnett
“What are you wearing tonight?” Sophie asks me, changing the subject.
“I bought a blue chiffon dress this morning.”
“Aww Brooke, just one night!” she pleads. She doesn’t have to say anything else because I know what she’s asking; to forget about the guys and wear something that I really want to wear, without having to worry about hiding my body.
“No,” I say firmly and roll my eyes when she pouts and gives me puppy dog eyes.
Four
Walking into the café, I notice that Jason’s best friend is eyeing me curiously. I turn my head and approach Sophie’s table, she looks up, surprised at my approach.
“Why are you blushing?” she demands amused.
“Umm…I…eh…need your help with…something,” I stammer as I sit down and nod my greeting to Matt and a few of his friends.
“Okay, what’s going on?” she asks giving me her full attention now that I have her interest piqued.
“I need to go out tonight.”
“Right…what’s that got to do with me? You want me to come with you?” I can see the confusion on her face and I take a deep breath for what I’m about to do.
“Yeah, but I wanted you to dye my hair for me.”
“What, why?” she asks whilst looking at my blonde hair and mindlessly picking up a strand and running it through her fingers.
“JasonandIbrokeup,” I rush out so it sounds like one word.
”What did he do? And what’s that got to do with you dying your hair?” she demands.
“Umm well, he kind of knows now…so I want to stop the secret before he does and I figured…” I’m cut off by her extremely loud squeal in my ear. I watch amazed as she jumps up from her seat and starts dancing on the spot, clapping excitedly.
“This is going to be the best night ever! You have no idea how long I have waited for this!” she squeaks still dancing.
“What are you talking about?” Matt asks, watching Sophie looking slightly confused but unable to hide his grin at her obvious happiness.
“I’ll tell you later. I have to go,” Sophie rushes to explain and grabs my hand at the same time, pulling me out of the café. I manage a feeble wave in the direction of the table and blush again at the attention we are getting from all the other students.
* * *
“I can’t believe you’re finally doing this!” Sophie exclaims squeezing my hand in the back of the taxi. I can’t help but smirk at her. After hours of shopping, pampering, dying my hair, then choosing the perfect outfit and getting ready, I just want this to be over.
My normally pulled up into a ponytail light blonde hair, is now a chocolate brown with red highlights and pulled over my shoulder in loose messy curls giving it a bed head look. I’ve finally switched the baggy clothes that hid my figure so well. The clothes that always have made me known as the chubby plain girl, to a black short sleeve shirt that is tied into a knot just above my belly button. The first three buttons are undone showing a bit a cleverage and I’ve paired it with a black and white plaid skater skirt. Setting off my outfit are black ankle boots with a four-inch heel, decorated with silver studs.
To use Sophie’s words, I look like a bad girl that’s waiting to find some sexy trouble to get into.
I just hope it works.
We get out of the taxi at JD’s bar, a favourite amongst our fellow students that frequent it most nights. Luke is waiting for us outside the door. His jaw drops when he sees me, making Sophie giggle and once again squeak about how amazing this is going to be. Taking a deep breath, we open the door and walk inside. I immediately spot Matt at the bar with a few of his friends.
“Hey baby,” Sophie shouts over the music to him.
I watch, holding my breath to see what his reaction will be because even though it has been hard, we’ve managed keep my figure a secret from him. I’m relieved and can’t help but smile when he turns and starts making his way over to Sophie. He stops when he sees me, but simply chuckles and shakes his head.
“I assume we will be seeing you out a lot more now then,” he smirks at me as he grabs Sophie into a hug.
“Something like that,” I mutter while trying not to blush at all the appreciative looks I’m getting from the men in the bar.
“So, what happened to make you want to ‘come out’ if you will?”
“I broke up with Jason and he didn’t take it so well. When he realised I wasn’t going to sleep with him, he said and I quote, ‘It’s okay to be nervous, but you have nothing to worry about. My friend told me that fat girls are the best in bed because they never know when they’re going to get it again.’” I smirk at him.
“What did you say to that?” he asks and when Sophie snorts, he turns back to me looking very amused much to my own amazement.
“Well…I had been avoiding him all week since we got back last weekend. He was waiting for me when I got out of the shower earlier and hit me with that bombshell. So I did what anyone in my position would do…I dropped my robe and got dressed in front of him, then left the dorm with him shouting apologies at me.” I shrug and he bursts out laughing, full on bent over, hands on knees laughing.
After several attempts of us all trying to get him to stop laughing, I shake my head and go to the bar where I’m immediately approached by a tall, medium built man who looks a few years older than me; about twenty six I would guess.
“Hey.”
“Hi,” I smile back at him
“I don’t think I’ve seen you here before have I? Are you new to the area?” he asks, while trying to keep his eyes on mine but failing several times.
“No. it’s my first time here, but I go to the uni.”
“Well, I can understand your boyfriend keeping you inside all to himself. I’m assuming you have one…”
“Not as of a few hours ago,” I shrug and pay for my drink.
I’m not all that surprised when Luke comes up to me and slings an arm around my shoulders. I pretty much worked it out that the guy I’m talking to is only interested in getting me into his bed.
“I wondered where you got to,” Luke greets me, pulling me into his side.
“Needed a drink.” I lift my glass to him and turn to guy still staring at me; I catch him looking down my shirt.
“This is Luke, my friend,” I introduce him, then realise I don’t even know his name.
“No I know. How’ve you been Luke, how’s Kate?”
“She’s good, she’ll be here later.”
“Okay, well I’ll catch up to you later,” he says to me as he makes his way over to a table full of men; none of who I can see because they are all facing away from me. I turn my attention back to Luke and smirk at him.
“Nice. Very smooth by the way.” I nudge his shoulder with my own.
“Just looking out for you, that’s Adam Jenks; stay away from him. He’ll try his hardest to get you into his bed and that’s all he’s interested in,” he warms me, looking very stern and fatherly, making me chuckle.
“I kind of figured that out before you got here. I might be a virgin, but I’m not clueless”
“Hey, don’t say the V word around here Brooke, these guys will have a field day with that,” he growls at me.
“Okay, Okay.” I hold my hands up in defeat “Let’s go find Sophie. Lead the way, my knight in shining armour.” I follow him through the crowded bar to find Sophie near the back, talking to Matt and man I don’t recognise.
“Hey, are you having fun?” Sophie asks, pulling me in for a quick hug.
“I was until Luke spoilt it for me,” I complain, adding a pout for good measure making Luke sigh and roll his eyes.
“What do you mean?”
“She was talking to Adam Jenks at the bar,” Luke says as if that’s the only explanation he needs to give, which apparently it is.
“Oh no Brooke, stay away from him. He’s a player,” Matt warns, but Sophie just rolls her eyes like I did.
“I know. You lot do realise I’m not stup
id, besides I was having fun. If he thinks he can charm me into his bed, then I’m not going to stop him trying. I have a feeling it would be fun to wind him up.”
“What happened to the quiet, shy girl we all know and love?” Matt asks, looking far too serious.
“Don’t worry, this one is way more fun,” Sophie reassures him. “It’s entertaining to watch,” she grins at me, making me remember a night out we went on during our first month of meeting. “And Adam Jenks is nothing, Brooke can handle much worse, trust me.”
“Are you looking for a job?” The man that I didn’t recognise earlier asks me. It’s now that I notice he’s wearing a JD’s Bar T-shirt; he’s looking over me taking in my outfit and body in one swift look.
“Umm…no, why?”
“A girl like you could fit in well here and by the sounds of it, you can handle the men, so think about it and get back to me. My name’s Jeff,” he says to me and then turns to Sophie. “When will Haley be back?” he asks looking worried.
“Tomorrow, I promise,” she assures him.
“And what I am supposed to do tonight?” he asks her.
Sophie grins at him and points to me.
“Brooke,” she informs him in a way that makes me worry what she is promising him.
“I need someone who knows what they are doing, not someone who’s going to mess about, Sophie,” he tells her while assessing me again.
“Trust me.”
“Okay, what are you talking about?” I ask, shifting uncomfortably from foot to foot under their combined stares.
“We need you to fill in for our dancer; she’s ill.” Jeff smiles at me.
“Come on Brooke, what better way to say ‘fuck you’ to everyone than this?” she asks.
My attention is drawn to the door when I hear a familiar voice; Jason strolls in with his arm over Cassie from my English class.
“Fine, I’ll do it,” I nod at Jeff.
“Great, because you’re up. What songs do you want?” he points to a curtained off area behind us.
“Umm Shakin Hands by Nickleback first of all, and then Pour Some Sugar on Me by Def Leopard as the second one. I’m only doing two and I need Sophie for the second one.”
Jeff seems pleased with my answer and heads off to the DJ, while I make my way behind the curtain. I’m stood on a small stage with a pole in the middle of it. I’m just thinking that I might just kill Sophie when she pops her head in the curtain.
“Why didn’t you tell me I had to dance around a pole?” I demand with my hands on my hips.
“Don’t worry, you’ll be fine. Remember the last time? Just do that again,” she insists with a small smile that makes me think she’s up to something.
“Fine, but I need you for the second one, just like last time.”
“No problem. Matt will love it,” she smirks at me and then disappears again.
I take my position sitting in front of the pole with my legs straight out in front of me and silently thank the lord that I put a pair of shorts on under my skirt before I left the dorm earlier. I keep my head down as the first few notes of the song drift through me and the curtain opens. Keeping my head down, I bring my feet up so my knees are bend in front of me and lift my legs up in the air hooking my feet around the pole. Using my hands I spin myself around, I bring my legs down one at a time slowly and then stand, wrapping my leg around the pole. I alternate between doing spins, holding myself up and dancing around it. I keep my head down the whole time and can only barely hear the music over the cheers in the bar. Soon enough, the song fades out and Sophie makes her way on to the stage.
Taking her position on the lower part of the pole we both alternate between dancing around each other and the pole during the second song. The cheers get louder every time Sophie and me come into contact with each other. So far, I have kept my face hidden from the crowd and only through Sophie’s occasional giggles can I assume that they are enjoying the entertainment we are providing.
“Jason’s watching, I don’t think he’s figured it out yet,” she says loud enough for only me to hear. I shrug and do one final twist down the pole as the song comes to an end.
Grabbing my hand Sophie and I stand at the front of the stage. When I lift my head to look at the crowd, I’m rewarded by a few dropped jaw expressions from people who know me and can’t quite believe what they’re seeing. Looking down, Luke is stood with his arms wrapped around Kate; they’re both laughing at Adam stood next to them who just keeps blinking at me.
Matt and Jeff take a few steps forward, both sporting shocked and impressed expressions as they help us down from the stage.
“Sophie, I can’t believe you have kept this from me; why have you kept her hidden?” Jeff demands, looking at me as if I might disappear any minute. Sophie just laughs at him and pats his chest.
“She’s better than our actual dancer,” he says to her disbelievingly. He turns to me suddenly looking serious. “The job is yours,” he states and starts taking some money out of his pocket.
“Whoa,” I hold my hands up in front of myself to stop him. “I don’t want a job, and I definitely don’t want any money for what I just did.”
“Why the hell not? You do realise that every guy in this bar is going to want to buy you a drink. Do you know how much you have just increased my sales?” he asks looking as though he can’t believe what he’s saying.
I shrug at him helplessly. “I don’t want to get paid for it. I only did it for fun and I won’t be accepting drinks from anyone, so if someone does buy me a drink, just pour me water.”
“Huh, smart too,” he appraises me.
“I can’t believe this is the same girl who has kept her head down for two whole years, hardly spoken a word to anyone, is only ever seen wearing clothes ten sizes too big for her, and never goes out. And you knew this whole time and no one ever suspected a thing?” Matt laughs through his words to Sophie.
“This is the real Brooke,” Sophie says simply as Adam approaches us and wraps an arm around me. I smile up at him.
“You look a little tense, I can help out with that,” he says seductively to me.
“How do you plan on doing that?” I ask shyly.
“Sex.”
“Mmm…would it be good?” I ask, biting my lip.
“It would be amazing. I could make you forget everything, even your own name,” he assures me, watching my lip.
I let out a little moan, “Could you make me scream?”
“I can guarantee to make you scream and worship gods you didn’t even know you knew,” he says, quietly running his hand through my hair.
“Would I be satisfied after it?” I ask, looking up at him through my lashes.
“Baby, I can make sure you only have enough energy to sleep after it.”
“Would it last long enough for you to take your time?”
“I’ll go all night.”
I let out another small moan and slowly drag my teeth along my bottom lip, but then I shrug. “You know actually…I think I just need a drink.” I smile sweetly at him.
His mouth opens and closes a few times, letting me know he’s at a loss for words. I can hear Luke, Kate, Jeff, Matt, and Sophie laughing as he walks away.
I wink at them and let out a small laugh.
“Told you that the real Brooke is more entertaining.” Sophie boasts to Matt who is looking at me as if I have grown two heads.
“I knew it would be fun to wind him up,” I sigh happily.
“We are going to have the best year ever!” Sophie exclaims.
“You’ve been holding out on me!” Tucker complains as he hands me a drink. He’s closely followed by a few of his friends. I look at the glass in my hand and back up at him. “I bought it,” he assures me. I look over to Matt who nods his head at me and start drinking it. “So, what was with the disguise?” he asks, keeping eye contact I notice.
“Seriously? A twenty year old...”
“Shy girl,” Luke cuts me off sending me a glare.
“Right…a twenty year old shy girl, who happens to have extra curves in all the right places, surrounded by a hell of a lot of horny guys.”
“You mean you’re…” Matt asks, looking surprised enough for me to be offended.
“Uhh…yeah, and no plans to change that in the immediate future.”
“I guess I can see what you mean,” Tucker agrees. I’m not sure if he caught my slip up or not, but before I have time to dwell on it one of his friends steps forward and pulls me into a hug.
“I’m Brad,” he says, as if wrapping his arms around someone before he tells them his name is normal.
“Brooke,” I reply when he lets me go and takes a step back.
“Can I have your number?” he asks me seriously.
“It’s really nothing personal, it’s just that your…you know, male,” I sigh as I watch him consider my words.
“Oh, you mean you…”
“I like girls,” I confirm.
He watches me suspiciously, and shakes his head to let me know he doesn’t believe me. I turn to Sophie and raise an eyebrow at her.
“You know, you probably don’t want to stay in the dorm tonight after all this, you?” she mutters to me, gesturing to Matt with her head.
I smile sweetly at her as if I have no idea what she’s talking about and pull her head towards mine. I lean in for the kiss. Before I have time to pull away, her tongue is sliding against mine; she lets out a little moan and then I hear Matt groan behind me. I catch on straight away and play it up a bit. When we break apart after another minute, I notice all the guys are visibly swallowing and clearing their throats.
“Guess I need to find a room to spend the night in,” defeated, I quickly run through my options in my head.
“You can stay in my room tonight; my roommates gone home for a few days,” Brad offers.
“That won’t be necessary, Brooke is coming home for the night.”
If Sophie wasn’t sending him open glares that promise death, I never would have believed that my step dad had just joined us.