One Night Stand

by Corina Eichholz

  “Yeah, I was waiting for you.” She smiled brightly. “I haven’t seen you much lately and I missed you, so I came to kidnap you.” She giggled mischievously and I couldn’t help but laugh with her too.

  “Kidnap me, huh?” I asked, amused by this.

  “Yeah, you’ve been so busy with school and clinical. We could both use a fun night out,” she said and I could see the calculated twinkle in her eye. Of course, she wanted to go out. This was Chelsea after all, she always wanted to go and have fun.

  “Chelsea, I have clinical tomorrow at eleven a.m.,” I told her.

  “I know Lee but please!” She pled her eyes all big and wide. “For me! Come out and have fun with me,” she urged, batting her eyelashes at me, most guys couldn’t resist her when she did this. I could but I was going to choose not to. I did miss her and one night out couldn’t hurt anyone. Could it?

  We both got ready at my place before we went out, scrambling around the small space of my apartment. Chelsea straightened her hair out even more, so that it was pin straight, while I left my beachy waves, natural and loose. I decided to put on a plain white form-fitting V-neck t-shirt. It wasn’t anything special or revealing but it looked good and I felt good in it. I paired it with a pair of dark blue skinny jeans that hugged me nicely. I didn’t look like anything special or standout at all. I looked plain and unnoticeable but I felt good and that’s all that mattered to me. Chelsea came out looking stunning in a pair of black short shorts and a white crop top.

  “You look amazing,” I told her, because she did. Her makeup made her look much older and very sexy, I was invisible beside her but I didn’t mind; I actually preferred it that way.

  “Lee! Please tell me you’re not going out dressed like that!” she exclaimed, pointing to all of me.

  “Yes, Chelsea. I like this,” I said stubbornly and stuck my tongue out at her. She merely shook her head, smiling at me.

  “I will never understand you, Lee. You’re the most gorgeous girl I know and you always insist on downplaying all of you and trying to blend in.” I couldn’t help but laugh at her silliness.

  “Thank you, I think,” I said, not offended in the least. This was Chelsea and she always said exactly what she was thinking. There was no filter.

  “Can you at least put on some makeup? Just some mascara and lip gloss, please?” she said, begging for the second time tonight. I sighed in defeat, knowing she’d get me to cave in the end anyway and not having the energy to put up a fight. Sometimes you pick and choose your battles.

  “Fine, fine,” I agreed, walking to my small bathroom to apply two coats of mascara and put on some shimmering pink lip gloss.

  “Happy now?” I asked, rolling my eyes at her nonsense. She gave a little squeal, jumping up and down like a little kid.

  “Yes. I’m so excited!” she said, grabbing her purse and heading for the door. “Come on, let’s go have some fun!” she hooted, making me excited too. I grabbed my fake ID and put it in my purse, locking up before I followed her outside to her new Audi. Chelsea’s family came from money. They were filthy rich which explained a lot of why Chelsea was the way she was. Despite all of that, she didn’t think she was better than too many people and she’d always been a great friend and extremely loyal to me. I hopped into her black Audi as she zoomed down the street and away from the campus. We usually went to the bar on the other side of campus, one where we knew the workers well and never had to worry about our IDs or if we’d have to walk back to my place to crash because we were too trashed. I looked around the surroundings we passed, confused as to where she was taking me.

  “Where are we going?” I asked, feeling a little anxious, as we got farther and farther away from the campus. She looked at me with a mischievous grin.

  “Duke’s,” she said, still smiling. It was a well-known bar in the city, one we’d never been to because it was always packed, security was strict, and they charged a cover fee to get in.

  “Why are we going there?” I asked bewildered, “Do you actually think we’ll get in?” I felt a little nervous now and looked myself over, would I get in?

  “Come on, of course we’ll get in! We’re hot and it’s early so we’ll miss the lines and be able to get our pre-drink on. Plus, I’ve always wanted to go there.” She grinned at me.

  “Oh yeah, since when?” I asked, knowing there was more to this than she was letting on. She had an ulterior motive behind this. I knew her well enough to know that much.

  “There’s a guy from my Buddhism class that’s going to be there tonight and I need my wing woman,” she admitted to me.

  “Buddhism.” I couldn’t help but laugh, that was the only thing that surprised me out of this conversation.

  “Yeah, it’s supposed to be an easy class and we both know I need that.” She laughed with me too now. Chelsea was still majoring in undecided, so she took a bunch of random classes and spent her time just enjoying the college experience. Her family could afford to pay for however long it took her to get there.

  We arrived at the bar. It was more of a club from Thursday to Saturday nights; the parking lot had lots of free spaces still. She parked at the back of the lot and we got out of her car and made our way to Duke’s. Chelsea was right, just as she’d said, there was no line to get in this early. The bouncer was a guy with shaggy black hair and tattoos all over his arms. He took one look at us and took our ten dollar entry fee each, not bothering to check our IDs.

  Wow, this was our lucky night! Chelsea and I walked into the dimly lit club. Music was playing already, it was club music yet, not the kind that made you get up to dance. I guess that was going to start later. We snagged an empty booth and sat down to read the menu and grab some dinner before the night got into full swing.

  The waitress came and got our order, she was wearing a tiny pair of shorts and a skimpy tank top. I looked around and most of the girls were dressed like that. I stuck out like a sore thumb and looked like a nun compared to them, suddenly I felt so out of place. I decided not to care and just enjoy myself tonight. Chelsea and I got caught up on what had happened in each other’s lives over the last few weeks. I finished my chicken wings, licking the sweet sauce off my fingers as Chelsea finished off her Caesar salad.

  “I have a good feeling about this year,” she said positively, I loved that about her, she was always positive.

  “Why is that?” I asked, genuinely curious.

  “I don’t know, everything is just working out, you know?” she said, smiling.

  I nodded in understanding. “Yeah, I do.” I agreed. It was nice; everything felt right in this moment. Her smile faltered slightly and I saw something hidden behind it and then it was back like nothing had happened. I almost wondered if I’d imagined it but no, it still hid there in her baby blue eyes. What’s she hiding, I wondered.

  “How’s it going between you and Chris?” she asked finally, that must be what’s bothering her.

  “Good,” I told her honestly. The flowers and constant texts had stopped now that we were back together. I actually saw him less than I’d seen him when he was trying to win me over, but it felt better now, more real. “We’ve worked through things, put everything behind us and we’re starting over.” It was my idea for many reasons but it was working for us and we’d managed to get past everything and get even closer. She nodded, clearly thinking hard on something.

  “Well, as long as you’re happy,” she said. I smiled at how much she cared about me. She was being supportive, even though she wasn’t a huge fan of Chris anymore.

  “I am,” I promised, not wanting to discuss this anymore.

  “I think it’s time we get our drinks on,” she said excitedly as the waitress came and collected our empty plates. “Four Cosmos please,” she ordered for us. We had a system: always order two drinks at a time, that way you never had to wait for the next one on a busy night. Once you finish the first drink, you ordered the second round because it would probably arrive when you were just about to finish y
our second drink. That way you were always in full supply, it was quite a brilliant system.

  I took a sip of the sweet, red cocktail in front of me and savored the sweet, yet tart flavor, masking the taste of the vodka. It was a nice change from all the beer we’d drank in Germany. By the time we’d finished our first drink of our second round, the place was packed and the dance floor was in full swing.

  “Come on, let’s dance!” she shouted over the blaring music, beating out of the speakers surrounding us. I downed my last drink with her and we made our way through the bodies and onto the dance floor. We started to dance together to some of the house music they had playing. I swayed my hips and did a little shimmy and felt someone press up behind me, grabbing my hips. I looked over my shoulder to see some beefy jock gazing down at me. I pulled away from him, annoyed, and Chelsea took my hands pulling me harder away from him. Once out of his clutches we both laughed at him. He went to the back of the dance floor probably to find someone else to rub his cock against. Chelsea and I decided to dance with each other, grinding up against each other for fun. Lots of other guys approached us and tried to cut in but we turned them all away laughing. I was so hot from all the dancing and the heat of all the people surrounding us on the packed dance floor. I wiped beads of sweat from my brow and my cleavage. I needed something to drink.

  “Bar?” I asked her and she nodded happily, looking like she needed a drink just as bad. Her eyeshadow was creasing on her eyelids from the heat and sweat and her eyeliner was running. It was the exact reason I didn’t use it. I knew it would just come off during the night and look worse. We ordered only one drink each this round. We were already tipsy enough and just wanted something to cool us down and keep us enjoying our buzz. Chelsea’s eyes widened as she looked towards the door.

  “He’s here!” she exclaimed, finishing her drink in one long chug. I looked to the door to see a tall guy, probably 5’10” walk in. He had brown hair and wore a blue hoodie. He didn’t look special to me; he was too lanky for my taste but Chelsea clearly thought otherwise. She waved him over and he took quick strides to meet us at the bar.

  “Hey.” He smiled at her and then to me.

  “Hey Mack,” she said, her smile turning flirtatious. “This is my friend Leah, but everyone calls her Lee,” she said, introducing me quickly.

  I smiled at him for her. “Hi, it’s nice to meet you,” I said politely, he smiled back at me.

  “You too,” he said, returning his attention to Chelsea. And just like that I was third wheeled. I didn’t mind so much that I was completely out of the loop as I sipped on my tasty drink. However, when they left me alone to go on the dance floor I decided I should just head home, it wasn’t fun anymore.

  I usually had no problem being alone, except when random guys would come up to me and offer to buy me a drink, or ask me to dance, or just try to talk. I was polite enough but my rejection was clear. I had a boyfriend and to me even flirting was wrong. If I expected Chris not to, then I certainly shouldn’t.

  I looked all over for Chelsea’s blonde head of hair but couldn’t find her, they’d disappeared. After checking the bathroom for her and using it quickly, I reapplied my lip gloss and went back to look for her. They were gone and I had no clue as to where they’d vanished. Thanks Chels! I thought angrily. I made my way out of the bar, maybe they’d gone out for some fresh air. That was the last place I could possibly think they could be. I pushed my way through all the sweaty bodies and to the door. The bouncer stood at the entrance looking out onto the street. The lines were gone now that the night was already in full swing and only a few people would come up and trickle in. Chelsea and I had come in early so we hadn’t been given a bracelet, if I left the bar now, I wouldn’t be allowed back in, not that I minded at this point. I walked up to the bouncer; it wasn’t the one who had let us in. This one was very tall, with broad shoulders and I could see the muscles of his biceps clearly, even under his baggy shirt. I felt my smile grow involuntarily as I approached him and lightly tapped him on his muscular arm to get his attention.

  “Hi, sorry to bother you but I can’t seem to find my friend and I was wondering if you saw her come out here,” I said as he turned around to face me. The first thing I noticed was his strong jawline that screamed masculinity and then his sandy blond hair that fell into his face ever so slightly, but what made me lose my breath and my heart skip a beat were his eyes. The most beautiful green emeralds I’d ever seen in my life, eyes I’d know anywhere. They were the same eyes I’d been drawing for the last three months and looking into them now, I knew I hadn’t done them justice in my feeble attempts.

  I TRIED TO GET MY breathing to regulate as I felt my heart hammering away in my chest and blinked my eyes a few times. This had to be a dream, I’d had these dreams often since I’d been home. I’d run into those green eyes again and we’d make love or he’d fuck me senseless. But as I blinked my eyes and nothing changed, I knew this wasn’t a dream. No, it was a living nightmare. His eyes widened in shock like mine and I could see my own disbelief mirrored in them, there was no doubt he recognized me too.

  “Leah!” I heard a girly shout but I couldn’t turn my head to look, I was still too stunned and frozen in place staring into those green eyes. “Lee!” She continued, until I felt a pair of hands shaking me. I broke my gaze with the green gems to see Chelsea holding my arm, her eyes half closed in her drunken stupor.

  “Hey, I was looking for you,” I said, my voice soft as I tried to recollect myself from the shock I was experiencing. She didn’t notice the tension in the air; she was too wasted.

  “Oh my God, Mack is so fun!” she shrilled, getting on my nerves. I couldn’t help but wince. I looked at her and then back to the green-eyed man standing a few inches away from me. My face turned red betraying me. This is not good! I told myself. Chelsea could not know what happened, no one could.

  “That’s great. I’m going home,” I told her, tearing my eyes way from the beautiful man in front of me and looking back at her, trying my best to remain calm. “Now.” I needed to get out of here this second. Chelsea pouted but I knew she didn’t really care, she’d just cut me out for an hour and then disappeared altogether for the last thirty minutes, clearly having forgotten me altogether.

  “How will you get home?” she asked, making me realize I was screwed. It would take me an hour to walk back from here. Dammit, why couldn’t we just go to our usual bar!

  That left me with one option. I’d have to take a taxi by myself. I really didn’t want to do that because then I couldn’t split the cost and I really didn’t have any money to waste.

  “I guess I’ll call a cab,” I told her, hating that she had put me in this entire situation. She nodded as I pulled out my phone.

  “Okay, be safe,” she said, hugging me quickly before returning inside to Mack.

  “You too,” I called after her, meaning it in every sense of the word. I watched her go back into the bar, not a care in the world and I turned back to face my green-eyed nightmare.

  I didn’t have words, this was too surreal, so like the chicken I was I went to walk by him and leave. I wanted to ignore the entire situation around me. He gently grabbed my arm, keeping me in place and turned me to look at my face and then up and down my body. He gulped noticeably, before that huge carefree smile, that I’d been so attracted to in the first place, returned to his face. I couldn’t help but smile back at him, it was contagious.

  “I never thought I’d see you again,” I admitted through the smile that I couldn’t fight.

  “I know, me neither,” he said, a huge goofy smile on his face. “My name is Axel,” he told me his eyes twinkling. “We never got around to that part.” He chuckled, a deep throaty laugh. It made the butterflies in my stomach go crazy.

  “Leah,” I said, blushing deep crimson, as I thought of how I’d had him and then kicked him out before I even knew his name or had a conversation with the guy. I could only imagine what he thought of me and I felt humiliate
d. I really wasn’t that kind of girl.

  “I need to go now,” I declared, nothing good could come of this. I was with Chris and I didn’t do one night stands. That was just a mistake that I couldn’t seem to forget or get away from.

  “Wait,” he said, still holding my arm gently and rubbing small circles over it with his thumb. It was a sweet gesture but it alone made my lower regions catch fire. “I finish work in an hour and a half, let me take you home,” he said caringly, which caught me off guard. He must just be trying to get in your pants, I told myself. His kindness made no sense otherwise.

  “No, I have to go now,” I told him, pulling away. “Thanks though,” I said when he still didn’t loosen his gentle hold on me.

  “Okay, but please just wait here one second,” he asked and left me where I was standing, going inside the bar. I was going to leave after I had waited for three minutes but realized the taxi wasn’t here yet. So, I had nowhere to go anyways. Axel returned while I was deep in my internal conflict. He smiled at me and again, against my will I found myself smiling back. It was impossible not to when such a beautiful man was giving you, and only you, such a smile.

  “Here,” he said, handing me a napkin. I looked at it and saw a phone number scrawled on it and felt my blush creep over my face. “Sorry it took so long, I had to do it in the bathroom. I’m not allowed to do this kind of thing,” he said with a shy grin that was unbelievably adorable. I took the napkin and put it into the pocket of my jeans, knowing I shouldn’t be accepting it but he was too cute to hurt right now.

  “Have a good night Axel,” I said, seeing cab lights appear, and thankful for an escape.

  “Good night Leah,” he said, his accent coming out thick only when he said my name, making my knees shake. Get a hold of yourself girl, stop acting like a love-struck high school girl over some beautiful man, I scolded myself, as I sat down in the cab and gave my home address. Where was his accent? I know it had been so thick that night. I’d spent so many hours thinking about that night, that accent, those hands, his eyes, all of him, all of it over and over, replaying it to myself before I went to sleep. I had so many questions now but most importantly, why was he here? And how had we never met before? I would have noticed him if I had ever seen him before. He was someone you couldn’t forget, no matter how hard you tried and I’d been trying.