Avoiding Responsibility

by craziebabe45

  More comforted by this new train of thought, Lexi followed Ramsey over to the cake. She felt almost like it was her birthday, and the only thing she was missing was the candles. She took a small piece for herself, and then began to mingle with the rest of the group. Somehow Lexi got dragged into a conversation with Brad and Jason about the varying aesthetics of the female rear end. She should have known better than to ask what they were talking about. The conversation was beginning to go a direction she hadn't dreamed of them discussing in front of her. Once they started talking about the extra shape and structure of her own butt, she had had enough. She needed to get out of there.

  She smiled anxiously at Ramsey's two roommates as she tried to insert an excuse to leave into the conversation. She finally squeezed in the remark, and quickly scurried away from them and out the back door. Closing the door behind her, she took a deep breath of fresh air and checked her watch. She was stunned. How had the time gone by so fast? The party had been going on for hours, and she hadn't even realized it because up until the conversation with Brad and Jason she had been having an incredible time.

  "Well this doesn't look like much of a party," someone said following Lexi out onto the balcony and closing the door and the noise behind him.

  Lexi turned quickly and found herself face to face with the guy who Jessie had come with. She hadn't recognized him before, but now that he was facing her she realized she did in fact know him. Both times she had ventured into Bridges Enterprise she had run into him, and after her experiences with Jack and Ramsey, she stopped believing these occurrences were purely coincidence. People just gravitated to her at times and she was never quite sure why it happened, but here he was: Brandon Calloway.

  "I think it's a fine party," she responded letting herself relax back into the railing. The afternoon heat hadn't quite subsided as night took over, but still it was better than being surrounded by people right now.

  "It would be fine if the guest of honor was inside, but since you're out here I have to disagree, respectfully of course," he said with a charming smile. "So, I came to find the party."

  She remembered his easy flirtations the last time she had been around him. He teased every girl in his vicinity and had likely been with just as many. His easy words were nothing to her, but she smiled nonetheless. Every girl enjoys a compliment. "Thank you. Thought I came out here for peace and quiet which I don't think is what you have to offer."

  "I can be quiet," he said pushing his lips together with his fingers and leaning his body against the railing beside her. Instead of turning his head out to the lingering sunset, he kept his gaze strictly on her face.

  "You're missing it," she said gesturing to the skyline. She feared his answer would be predictable and she couldn't keep from smiling bigger the longer his eyes bore into her.

  He shook his head as if to show that he would still remain silent as she had asked. His hand came up and tapped her lightly on the nose. She turned her face back to him in surprise and she watched his eyes roam her face. She knew what he was saying without a word spoken from him. She was the view…not the sunset.

  Suddenly, she couldn't hold back any longer and she giggled uncontrollably. His eyebrows knitted together as he attempted to understand the joke.

  "You think that's going to work on me? Does that work on other women?" she asked incapable of keeping her giggles to herself.

  Brandon gasped and clenched his chest as if wounded. "Of course it works," he said after a minute his cocky smile returning.

  "Well not on me," Lexi said rolling her eyes.

  "Perhaps," he conceded, "But I almost had you."

  "Not a chance," she countered. "Anyway aren't you here with Jessie?"

  Brandon rolled his gorgeous blue eyes to the ceiling at that. "That girl is harder to shake off than anyone I've met. Stage five clinger," he muttered reverting to language from Wedding Crashers. "She invited me here yes, but I came more out of spite than anything."

  "Ah yes, your dislike of my boyfriend," she said remembering their earlier conversation at Bridges Enterprise.

  "And now people actually know you have this claimed boyfriend," he said reminding her of the painfully humiliating day when she had stormed through Bridges as Ramsey's girlfriend who no one knew or acknowledged. "And anyway he dislikes me not the other way around," he said with a nonchalant shrug as if he had the world at his feet.

  "Perhaps you deserve it," she said quickly uncertain of the history between them. She wanted to just ask what happened, but she wasn't sure she wanted the answer.

  Brandon laughed boisterously at her reply. "He's got you wrapped around his little finger doesn't he? Ramsey Bridges can do no wrong," he said mockingly. "The Golden Boy. I don't know how he does it so easily…and with brilliant women no less."

  "What are you talking about?" Lexi snapped quickly becoming serious.

  "Oh nothing," he said patting her head like a child. "Don't fret your pretty little head over me. I deserve everything I get right?"

  "Brandon what are you going on about?" she demanded more firmly this time.

  "I'm afraid love, you'll find out with time. No need for me to spoil your fun."

  He clearly knew he had done just that by the look on her face. He laughed again at her anger. "Has anyone ever told you that you're sexy when angry?" he asked leaning forward into her charmingly.

  Immediately all emotion lapsed from her face. She had been told more times than she could count just that. A chill went down her spine at the similarities between Brandon and Jack. Yet she didn't feel for Brandon what she had ever felt around Jack. Brandon was just a charmer out for one thing and he seemed pretty successful.

  The difference was he wasn't going to succeed with her.

  "Have you been with every woman at this party?" she asked abruptly changing the subject.

  "You're still up for grabs," he said smirking.

  "Besides me!" she cried.

  "Enough. The ones that interest me," he allowed.

  "And what interests you? Boobs? Butt? Do you even need that?" she asked insulting his good taste.

  "That hurts. I'm hitting on you and you have both," he said merrily.

  "Well stop hitting on me. You're getting nowhere. Go hit on someone easier because I'm a lost cause," she told him up front.

  "But you interest me," he confessed.

  "Well I'm spoken for."

  "How medieval!" he cried. "Soon you'll be betrothed and all that."

  Lexi reflexively gagged at the idea. Not that she was necessarily against it, but all engagements meant to her were heartache, heartbreak, and disappointment. She didn't even want to think about that.

  "Ahh…even more interesting. A woman gagging at the thought of marriage," he said intrigued. "That's a new one for me."

  Lexi shrugged not wanting to go down that road. "Can you do me a favor?"

  "Anything doll," he agreed immediately his face brightening.

  "Well one don't call me doll," she told him.

  "Fine you're honey to me now," he cooed.

  She rolled her eyes, but knew a lost cause when she saw one. "And two pookie can you not chase me?" she pleaded.

  He kept his face neutral as if he had been prepared for rejection. "But hoooooooney…"

  "Now pookie I just got into town, I'm moving in with my boyfriend, and my best friend is going to Milan for the summer. I need a…a friend."

  "A friend?" he asked warily as if he had heard of the dreaded friend zone and was terrified of even the word.

  "Yes a friend. Someone I can hang out with and confide in and do stuff with without thinking they're going to jump me at the first chance. And I think you're it."

  "I don't do the friend thing," he told her.

  "Well there's a first for everything," she told him a big smile crossing her face.

  "You're not going to let this go are you?" he asked grudgingly.

  "Nope…pookie…"

  "Fine," he grumbled. "Honey."

  T
he back door swung open unexpectedly. "There you are," Ramsey called as he opened the door. "I've been looking all over for you." He eyed Brandon warily. It was clear by his clenched fists and stiff body that he didn't trust or like him. He looked prepared to pounce at a moments notice.

  "Sorry I just needed some air," she said walking up to him and touching his arm reassuringly. No need for him to freak out about their alone time. She wasn't that girl anymore and anyways Brandon Calloway was no Jack Howard.

  "Well everyone's heading out and I thought you would want to say goodbye," he said finally meeting her sweet brown eyes.

  "I would. Thanks for coming to get me," she said walking past him and through the door. Brandon followed in behind her smirking at Ramsey as he walked past. Lexi said good-bye to the crowd and watched as most of them drunkenly stumbled out of the apartment. Brad and Jason had disappeared with their dates upstairs, and Lexi hoped that she didn't hear from them the rest of the night.

  Chyna walked up to her and gave her a hug. "Congrats girl! We're going to head back to our hotel now," Chyna said with a wink.

  Lexi shook her head, but couldn't help but laugh. She had the same thing in mind as soon as everyone else evacuated the premises. "Have fun. You'll be here tomorrow?" she asked hopefully.

  "Nah we're going to take the early flight back to New York. He has work in the afternoon, and I have to start packing for Milan," she told her excitement evident in her voice.

  "Oh come on Chyna you know you're not going to do any packing."

  Chyna just shrugged. "You know me too well."

  "I'm going to miss you," Lexi said wrapping her up in another hug. "Let me know you're safe."

  "Will do chica," Chyna said kissing her cheek and stepping back. Adam gave Lexi a quick hug. "Take care."

  "I will. Bye," she said watching the last guests disappear.

  She sighed pleasantly at the quiet that took over the apartment. Turning around she looked for Ramsey, but realized that he must have disappeared upstairs while she had been talking with Chyna. She hadn't even realized it.

  "Hey you," she said walking into his bedroom. "What are you doing up here?"

  "Just giving you sometime to say goodbye," he said turning around to face her.

  Lexi saw the same tension in his shoulders as when he had walked outside and found her talking with Brandon. She knew that he must be dwelling on it, and she didn't want him to feel like that. There was absolutely nothing between her and Brandon.

  "Ramsey, you know I'm yours right," she said quietly after a minute of silence.

  "Of course," he said reaching out for her and pulling her into his chest.

  "I just…I just don't want you to feel like you have anything to worry about," she continued on. "You know my past, but that's all it is…the past." The last words were almost just a breath as she got them out.

  "I know Lexi. I know," he said stroking her long brown hair.

  "I'm serious, Ramsey," she said a bit more forceful as she pushed back to stare up into his green eyes.

  "I know you are sweetheart," he said leaning down and brushing his lips against her. "And my uneasiness doesn't originate from you."

  "So are you going to tell me what happened between you two?" she asked studying him carefully.

  "Look that stuff doesn't matter. He's just…not a good person," he said carefully.

  "I've heard the same thing about you before," she reminded him.

  "This is different."

  "How?" she asked unable to see a clear distinction.

  "I'm not actually a bad guy and he is," he said as if it were obvious.

  "I can't see that."

  "That's because you don't really know him yet. And you shouldn't get to know him," he warned. "Lexi please tell me you won't keep talking to him."

  "No Ramsey. I'm not going to do that," she said firmly. "You have nothing to worry about from Brandon. Whatever happened is in the past, and I don't want you to think that there is any reason to hide me from the world."

  "That's not what I'm trying to do," he said quickly. "You just don't know what he's capable of."

  "Well tell me," she said exasperated.

  "Look it doesn't matter," he said shaking it off. "You are what matters. I know Brandon and the way he operates. He'll do anything to get close and that means you. Please promise to stay away from him?"

  "I already told you that I'm not going to do that. I'll be extra careful around him, but it's not the end of the world. Just promise me you won't get angry with me," she begged.

  He sighed heavily and dropped his head to her tiny shoulder. "You make things so difficult," he complained.

  "You're the one imposing rules for who I can hang out with," she said sharply…a little sharper than she had even anticipated.

  "You're right," he said straightening. "Of course you're right. I have my reservations, but they are my own. You're free to see whoever you want. But if he lays one hand on you or says one thing out of line," he warned, "you let me know."

  Lexi nodded solemnly and hoped that she would never have to take him up on the offer.

  * * *

  K.A. Linde

  Fake

  I need another story

  Something to get off my chest

  My life gets kind of boring

  Need something that i can confess

  - One Republic "Secrets"

  * * *

  Chapter 17: Present

  Rage Bar after midnight was everything she remembered Chamber to be from college. The new owners hadn't changed a single thing other than the name. Several bartenders worked the massive bar that stretched the length of the room. The medium-sized rectangular room was divided in two by sliding glass doors keeping the dance space and the more secluded lounge area separate. A raised platform designed in an L-shape was constructed against one wall in the dance hall so girls could show off their moves and easily be seen across the room. Large security guards now wore bright orange Rage polos and were stationed in precarious locations around the room.

  The patrons never aged at this establishment. It was the same group of eighteen to twenty-one year olds sneaking in with fake IDs. She knew twenty-four wasn't old by any stretch of the imagination, but she might as well have been seventy with how old she felt at this bar. She smoothed out the ridiculous outfit Bekah had given them and tried to remember what it felt like to be nineteen.

  She had danced her heart out on that stage more nights than she could count. She could remember the adrenaline of hanging out with your closest friends and the thrill of dancing with total strangers that you thought you would never see again. The town was too small for that though and she always ended up seeing the people she had drunkenly danced upon in her class or out for coffee later in the week.

  New York was nothing like that. If she never wanted to see someone again, then she never had to see them again. Sure some of the guys circulated the same bars more than others. She could pick out the regulars, but the clubs were so large that they were easy to avoid if need be.

  She remembered getting free drinks because she knew the bartenders. She made friends with a lot of them. Some were in her classes and others she just knew because she frequented the establishment a bit too regularly as an undergrad. The free drinks were given to her also because of the people she hung around with. Her friends from the gymnastics team could drink surprisingly more liquor than most of the people she had met in her life. Even though she had only set foot on the mat at one meet and it was only for exhibition, everyone still considered her part of the team. She had a stack full of team paraphernalia in her closet to prove it. She had been nineteen when she joined the team. Jack had gotten her that spot. She hadn't thought about that fact in a long time. Suddenly nineteen felt too young.

  When she had been nineteen she had fallen into his trap. She had fallen in love with him. She hadn't been disillusioned by his inability to commit to her or his philandering behavior. But she couldn't think about going back in time l
ike that. She wouldn't be the person she was today if she hadn't experienced what she had gone through with Jack. And though the things they had done together were wrong…terribly wrong, she knew that if she relived them that she wouldn't have been able to change a thing. And so she lived with her decisions and moved on.

  She sighed realizing that whole train of thought had made her feel very far from nineteen.

  With that she followed the rest of the drunken entourage to the bar. Lexi was feeling the booze in her system, but she wasn't gone just yet. She knew that it was important to try to maintain some semblance of sobriety tonight. Otherwise she couldn't guarantee that she would be able to hold back any snide comments. Bekah put her on edge and when she had her three stooges with her it was just a recipe for disaster. Lexi had survived this far with only one misstep with the phone call and she wanted to keep it that way. After this night she would just have the wedding to get through and then she could put this all behind her.

  The rest of the group had no reason to want to remain sober for the night. They had all delved in as quickly as possible, and were having more trouble functioning as the night progressed. By the time they had hit Rage Bar, Kersey was having trouble with coherent sentences. Though somehow, she had found a way to flirt with every guy who walked past her. She was already clinging to a fraternity type standing against the bar. He looked like he had just won the lottery with the way she was fawning over him. Apparently her prudish composure washed away as the alcohol she consumed increased. Her breasts were spilling out of the low cut shirt Bekah had insisted they wear and her skirt had bunched up to the point where her ass was nearly hanging out. The guys arm had circled around her waist and was resting lower and lower on her pleated mini skirt. She hadn't even seemed to notice.