by Vicky Owen
‘Fuck up. You didn’t help. But it was you’—he looks over at Jake—‘that actually upset her.’
I click the message icon just as the doorbell rings.
Jake scowls at Harry and Gethin before heading to the door.
‘Anyway, why do you care?’ Harry calls after him. ‘If she was more than just a fuck buddy you’d be with her tonight. Right?’
Jake returns carrying five pizza boxes, stony-faced.
‘Or am I wrong?’ says Harry.
I start tapping out a message.
Free tonight?
Send.
‘Well?’
Gethin sighs. ‘Harry, just let it go, for fuck’s—’
‘Yes! Fine. You’re wrong. And I know I fucked up!’
My phone vibrates.
Going out with some friends tonight x
I reply: Oh yeah?
‘But she won’t reply to my messages now,’ Jake says. ‘I just know she’s going out tonight.’
Harry grabs a slice of pizza and shoves it into his mouth before booting up the PS4.
Another message.
Spotlights x
Nightclub in town. An image of her on the dance floor flashes through my mind.
My phone vibrates again.
You should come x
‘So go find her,’ Gethin is saying to Jake. He snatches the player one controller out of Harry’s reach.
‘I haven’t got a clue where she is,’ Jake sighs, sinking back against the sofa, a frown on his face.
‘You’re pretty clueless in general,’ says Harry. The guy doesn’t miss a fucking beat. ‘Luc, you having some of this?’ He gestures towards the tower of pizza boxes.
I quickly type out a reply.
Maybe…
I hit send and shove my phone in my pocket.
‘Nah. Not really feeling it tonight.’ I stand up before adding, ‘I’m going to head off.’ Harry opens his mouth to protest but I turn to Jake before he can say anything. ‘Also, Cerys might be in Spotlights.’
Jake shakes his head, confused. ‘How’d you know that?’
‘Lexi.’
He stands up, almost level with me. He’s tall, but not tall enough to match my height.
‘What the fuck? And you didn’t say anything. Fuck’s sake.’ He heads for the stairs. ‘Damn it, Luc,’ he mutters, disappearing around the corner.
‘Lexi told you?’ Harry leans back on his forearms, looking up at me, eyebrow raised.
‘Gave her a lift home last night, didn’t I?’
A smirk spreads across his face. ‘Right,’ he says slowly.
Jake loudly runs down the stairs, wearing a hoodie over his t-shirt now. ‘Later.’ He grabs his keys and practically sprints out the door. It slams behind him.
‘Before I forget,’ says Harry, rolling back over onto his belly to face the television screen, ‘have you decided if you’re moving in yet?’
‘Not yet. I’ll let you know.’ I grab my jacket from the back of the sofa.
‘Looks like it’s just you and me, Geth,’ Harry says, grabbing the second controller and scrolling through the start menu as I head out the front door.
‘GET YOUR FUCKING cock out, then!’
Town on a Friday night. Some overconfident dickhead across the street has messed with the wrong group of women. Two bouncers from the nearest club look ready to intervene, but the guy just seems to be loving the attention. He’s already taken his shirt off, despite the chill in the air.
I throw my hood over my head and shove my hands deep into my pockets. Keep walking. Don’t want to be recognised tonight.
Spotlights is on the far side of town, and I’m really hoping Jake will have already been and gone by the time I get there. Purposely walked here to buy some time for him to do that.
And, you know, delayed gratification.
My phone vibrates in my pocket. Message.
Hayley’s name at the top of the screen.
Can’t believe you stood me up!! Wtf luc. Call me NOW
Not this again.
I swipe it off the screen and switch to the conversation with Lexi to let her know where I am.
Nearly there. Meet me outside.
I hit send as I approach the end of the main street through town. The chatter of clubbers outside Spotlights gets louder and I slow down. Don’t want to be seen by Jake if he’s still here.
I feel like I’m stalking someone as I slowly step around the corner, rapidly scanning the area for any sign of Jake or Cerys.
Nothing.
But there’s a tall, dark-haired girl emerging from the shadows of the club.
Looking at her phone.
Pale grey jeans clinging to her legs and ass. Tight black v-neck t-shirt. Boots.
Everything tight. Accentuating every sexy curve.
Didn’t think she could look hotter than she did in that dress last night, but there she is. Proving me wrong.
Light from her phone casts a blue glow onto her face as she touches the screen with her thumbs, and my phone vibrates in my pocket. Messaging me.
I start heading over, but before I get there another guy approaches.
She looks at him. Frowns. Smiles. Shakes her head. Looks back down at her phone.
He steps closer.
Puts his hands on her hips.
Not OK, buddy.
Still clutching her phone in one hand, she struggles against him. Pushing him away with her forearms.
‘Get away!’ she’s saying as I approach.
‘Hey, you heard her,’ I say to the asshole touching her. ‘Back the fuck off.’
‘None of your fucking business,’ he spits back at me. ‘C’mon sweetheart, how about it?’
‘I don’t think so.’ I grab him by the back of his shirt collar and shove him away. Lexi stumbles backwards and I catch her before she hits the wall.
‘What is your fucking problem?!’ He comes back at me, full-on arms-wide come-at-me-bro stance, practically on tiptoes.
‘Fucking try me,’ I growl back, standing up straight and towering over him by at least four inches. My fists clench at my sides. I came out for a good time, not to deal with this asswipe.
He hesitates for a moment, sizing me up. Reconsidering whether this is a good idea.
Then swings for me anyway.
Wide.
Too wide.
And slow.
Too slow.
Drunk off his fucking ass.
I block him easily with my forearm and push him backwards.
Straight into a security guard.
Fuck it. They can deal with him now.
‘Wow,’ says a tipsy voice from my right. ‘Luc Hall. You’re usually so quiet.’
I turn to Lexi. The contrast between her milky skin and her thick dark hair is even more pronounced in the moonlight. ‘Quiet? Like in my interviews you mean?’ I raise an eyebrow at her.
She shoves me softly. ‘Shut up!’ Then she tilts her head to one side, smiling. ‘You didn’t have to do that.’
‘Uh huh?’ The adrenaline inside me starts to subside and I’m aware of the crisp night air around us again. If she’s cold in that flimsy t-shirt she certainly doesn’t show it. The alcohol, probably.
‘I could have handled him, you know.’
Not that I’m complaining about the view.
‘Oh, I’m sure you could have.’ I shrug myself out of my hoodie and wrap it around her shoulders.
‘I mean it!’ She frowns at me, although doesn’t push me away, or the jacket.
She’s pretty much level with me, and her dark eyes looks straight into mine for a moment. We’re so close I can see the pale freckles under her eyes, and feel her breath on my lips. She smells of strawberries.
The urge to reach just a little bit closer is almost overwhelming. To brush my lips against hers.
But not like this.
She looks down, thick lashes almost brushing against mine, and worries her bottom lip. ‘I’m a bit…drunk,’ she says,
before looking back up and bursting into laughter.
‘Yeah,’ I say, and can’t help laughing back, ‘I see that. Is that why you invited me out?’ I tease.
She gasps in response, wide-eyed outrage flashing across her face. ‘I would never!’
‘You absolutely did.’ I pull out my phone and show her our messages. ‘See?’
She squints at the screen, then bites down on her lip as she smiles and looks at me. ‘Oh. Oops.’
Oh well. ‘You hungry?’ I ask her. Any excuse to keep talking to her, even if I don’t get to take her home with me tonight.
‘Oh my God, yes, so much!’ Lexi says, beaming.
I can’t help laughing at her sudden enthusiasm. ‘OK, let’s get food then.’ I put my arm loosely around her to keep her away from the drunken louts and screeching party revellers spilling out of the clubs and we walk away from Spotlights.
A few minutes later we’re in some busy fast food joint after Lexi decides she wants a cheeseburger.
What she really meant was a double cheeseburger with bacon, a large order of fries and the largest cup of pink lemonade they do. I’ve got the same, except with a shake instead of the lemonade.
She’s clearly starved, wolfing down the whole thing, barely speaking a word the entire time. It’s actually kind of impressive.
Hayley used to subsist on half a plate of salad.
Hayley.
The thought of my ex-girlfriend makes me frown. Get the fuck out of my head.
‘You OK?’ Lexi’s voice interrupts my thoughts. She’s looking at me with big round eyes, holding the last bite of her cheeseburger in one hand. She’s fucking adorable. The thought is unexpected, but true nonetheless.
I’m not letting poisonous thoughts of Hayley put a damper on this evening.
‘Yeah,’ I say, letting my expression relax back into a half smile, ‘I’m good.’
She nods and takes the last bite into her mouth.
‘Tell me about your night,’ I add, and she frowns at me. I suddenly feel like an annoying waiter who only approaches to ask if the food is good while the patron has their mouth full.
She swallows just as I pick up my own burger and take a bite.
‘Well, your friend showed up and caused a scene,’ she says.
‘Jake?’ I swallow my food. ‘What happened?’
‘I don’t know. Argument. Cerys left with him.’
Sounds about right. ‘Yeah, he’s clearly in love,’ I say, putting the burger down and grabbing some fries.
‘Wow. Love,’ Lexi says. ‘It’s just Sam and Mylo now.’
‘Sam and Mylo?’
‘Yeah.’ She looks at me like I’m being stupid.
‘Who are Sam and Mylo?’
‘My friends! Keep up, Lucas,’ she says, grinning, pleased with herself.
‘Where?’ I have no idea what she’s talking about.
She sighs, her drunken mind exasperated with my slowness. ‘My friends who I’m out with tonight!’
‘Oh. You could have just said, Alexis.’ I take another bite out of my burger.
‘Stop calling me that.’ She twists her mouth into a sulk.
‘So, come on, tell me about yourself,’ I say, putting the burger down. ‘All I know so far is that you’re doing a biology degree, you have long legs and you don’t have a boyfriend. Correct?’
She looks at the burger. ‘You gonna finish that?’
‘And you have the appetite of a fucking bear,’ I add.
‘Well?’ she says, looking back up at me. After a few seconds of trying to stare her down, I relent.
‘Take it.’ I hold my hands up in surrender as she reaches over for the last remaining mouthful of double cheeseburger. ‘I don’t usually share my food.’
‘Yeah, but you’ve got a milkshake so you don’t really need it.’ She pops the burger into her mouth.
‘You could have had some if you wanted,’ I tease, offering her the cup. She scrunches her nose in disgust.
‘Ew. No. Banana flavour milkshake.’ Lexi shakes her head. ‘You know that’s the same flavouring they put in pear drops?’
‘Really?’
‘Yeah,’ she grins again, pushing her hair back away from her face.
‘But…why do you even know that?’ It’s been a while since I’ve been genuinely interested in someone new, but here she is. Reaching over the table and grabbing some of my fries. Rocking into my life and stealing my fucking food.
‘I don’t know. It’s good to know some random science things for teaching. Like how you share something like fifty percent of your DNA with a banana.’ She shoves the fries into her mouth.
‘Teaching? And do all your science facts relate to bananas in some way?’
‘Yeah, that’s what I’ve got to do. Teaching.’ She replies, ignoring my teasing.
‘You have to be a teacher?’
‘Yeah.’ Lexi grabs her little bag off the table and opens it up. ‘I had a placement. Before uni.’ She rummages around inside before pulling something out and handing it to me. ‘See.’
It’s a school staff card with her picture on it. Somehow, Lexi even manages to look hot in an ID photo.
‘So you want to be a teacher?’ I ask for clarity as I hand the ID card back to her.
Lexi looks at it for a moment, her brow creased into a gentle frown, before accepting it and putting it back inside the bag. ‘Well,’ she says, speaking softly, ‘I don’t know. It’s OK. The kids are great.’ She closes her bag and shrugs. ‘It’s a real job, at least.’
I raise my eyebrow. ‘Uh huh?’
‘I mean, not that your job isn’t real,’ she says quickly, completely misunderstanding my response. ‘I wish I could do that kind of thing. Creative things.’
I let her babble, half-enjoying her attempt to explain her way out of a misunderstanding that’s entirely in her own mind.
‘Not music exactly,’ she continues at speed. ‘I mean, I love music, but there are no guarantees, are there?’
‘Guarantees?’ I ask.
‘That you’ll succeed. Not sure I could live with being a starving artist, so I need a real job. You know?’
I fold my arms and lean forward slightly, resting my elbows on the table. ‘Do I look like a starving artist?’
Lexi bristles. ‘Well, no! But most people aren’t as lucky as you.’
‘Luck?’ I have to fight to keep the grin off my face as she blushes and looks down. This is too easy.
‘Or, I don’t know. Not as talented.’ She looks back up at me and takes a deep breath, exhaling forcefully. ‘Either way.’
I pick up my milkshake, swirling it around gently before deciding I don’t actually want any more and putting it back down. ‘So if you could do anything, what would it be?’
Lexi shakes her head and shrugs before looking down and wrapping her arms around herself. ‘I don’t feel so good. Maybe I shouldn’t have eaten.’
‘Yeah, that was a lot of food you put away there.’
Lexi doesn’t respond.
‘Lexi?’
Still looking down, she shakes her head.
‘Wanna go outside for some air?’
She nods slightly and looks up a little, her face a shade paler than earlier.
‘OK,’ I say, softening my voice and standing up. ‘C’mon. Let’s go.’ I help her up and grab my hoodie from the back of her chair, putting it around her shoulders once more and gently guiding her towards the door.
‘I feel sick,’ she says quietly, still hugging her midsection as we exit the burger joint into the cold night air.
‘We’ve all been there. It’s OK.’ I’m not sure my words are actually all that reassuring. This is not the night I was hoping for when I messaged her earlier.
‘Yeah but…oh God!’ Lexi lurches away from me towards the edge of the pavement, pushing her hair back with one hand as she vomits straight into the gutter. Half-digested double cheeseburger with bacon and fries, violently expelled by her stomach.
Definitely not the night I was hoping for.
‘Ew, that’s fucking gross!’ A group of girls a few feet away scrunch their noses in disgust before walking away.
Judgemental nobodies who’ve probably done more than their fair share of drunken puking.
‘Oh,’ Lexi says quietly, still hunched over. ‘I’m so sorry. This is so embarrassing. Oh God.’ She shakes her head, tears from the effort streaming down her cheeks.
I drop into a low squat next to her so I can see her properly. ‘Lexi, it’s fine. Are you OK?’
She closes her eyes and nods, a pained expression on her face.
‘Let’s get you home. Will anyone be there when you get in?’ I stand back up but Lexi stays hunched over.
‘I don’t know. Mylo is still out. Cerys probably went back to Jake’s place.’ She slowly straightens, carefully wiping the edge of her mouth with her thumb before rubbing her eyes. ‘I’ll be fine though.’
I nod absent-mindedly before remembering where Harry and Gethin are right now. ‘No. I don’t think they’ll be at Jake’s.’
‘Oh?’ Lexi’s skin has more colour already, but her sleepiness is evident. And she’s clearly still drunk. ‘Well if they’re at my place, I won’t be on my own.’
But they might see me when I drop you off.
‘Yeah, but you don’t want to listen to those two go at it all night.’
And what if she’s sick again in her sleep?
‘Thanks for the visual,’ she scrunches her nose before sniggering.
Someone should be there to make sure she’s OK.
‘Yeah. You can stay in my hotel room.’ I start walking towards the taxi rank.
‘Your hotel room?’ she says, catching up and slipping her arms properly into my jacket.
I pause to watch. There a few things hotter than a sexy woman wearing your clothes. Damn. Despite the drunken hurling less than two minutes ago.
She notices me looking. ‘Is it because you like me, Lucas Hall?’ she says as she struggles with the zip, eyelids heavy and a smile playing on her lips.
Definitely still drunk.
‘Well,’ I say, stepping forward and zipping the damn thing for her, ‘someone’s got to make sure you don’t choke on your own vomit.’ I flash my eyebrows at her before heading for the first free taxi, opening the door for her to get in.
‘Would that really happen?’ she says while following, looking genuinely concerned.