Uncommon (BWWM)

Chapter 3

Grace's throat burns as the smooth vodka lemonade mixture runs down towards her stomach. She knows not to go too fast; she doesn't want it to all come up again like it has before. Elina is next to her; egging her on with a jägerbomb in each caramel brown hand, one for Grace and one for herself.

"Drink up!" She yells over the music, "We've got 2 more of these each!"

Grace would have laughed out loud if her mouth wasn't full of vodka. She slams the glass onto the bar and grabs the next drink out of Elina's hand.

"Bottoms up!" She says when she finally catches her breath.

The pair make light work of the rest of the drinks, then Elina grabs Grace's arm and drags her to the center of the dancefloor, where the girls spend most of their nights out.

Grace loses herself in the cheesy dance music, singing along sloppily to song after song, laughing as she and Elina make bigger fools of themselves with each track. This is what she loves. Enjoying herself with her friends, not worrying about how she looks to other people, only how she feels in herself. And she feels amazing.

"Don't look now," Elina says, her body pressed against Grace's in a way that would be almost erotic if the pair weren't so comfortable with each other, "But there is a gorgeous guy looking at you."

Grace looks past Elina's head and, sure enough, notices a very attractive man stood with a group of friends, swaying to the music and sipping from a nearly empty glass. She catches him stealing the occasional glance their way and feels her face flush with embarrassment.

"How do you know he's not looking at you?" She challenges, with a raised eyebrow, and grins when Elina tips her head back laughing.

"Maybe! But you look fit, so he'd be an idiot not to want you too." She says, her voice light, but tinged with sincerity.

Grace just gives her a wide toothy smile, grabs one of her hands and gives her a twirl.

"I guess we'll have to see!"

The two women dance for a while longer, just basking in the feeling that the alcohol gave them. A short while later, Elina ceases her movement, causing Grace to stop in concern.

Next to the two girls, with a hand snaking around Elina's waist and coming to a rest across her back, was the attractive man they had seen earlier. He has a cocky smile on his face which Grace decides is one extra tooth away from being predatory.

"Hello, beautiful," The man says, loud enough for Grace to hear, even though he's clearly speaking into Elina's ear, causing her to flinch, "Having a good time?"

Elina smiles politely, pulling her face away to look at the guy, and put some space between them, "Yeah, thank you. Just having a girls' night."

"Ah I love a girls' night! You look amazing. Would love to get you a drink." He continues, leaning in Elina's space again, making her visibly uncomfortable.

"Oh uh, no thank you, we were happy just dancing." She gestures her head towards Grace, reminding the man of her friend's presence, hoping he'll take the hint to leave.

He tilts his head up at Grace. Sort of in the way that guys do when they greet their 'bros'. It makes Grace frown, suddenly she doesn't feel as sexy as she had minutes ago. She felt like the ugly friend, a feeling that was never unfamiliar.

Elina's expression pulls Grace from her self-pity and into protective mode. Elina gives her a desperate look as she struggles to lean her body away from the stranger.

"I'm sorry I'm not interested; I have a boyfriend." She says, a little more firmly than before, hoping he'll release her from his death grip.

He rolls his eyes playfully, and Grace narrows her eyes with a scowl. She waits to see what he has to say. Nine times out of ten, Elina can expertly handle herself; Grace will only step in if she has to.

"Come on, love, we all know girls like you just say that to be difficult," he puts a hand on Elina's back, "Have a dance with me." He leans in towards her and Grace leaps into action.

She grabs one of Elina's hands and twists her so that her back is to the man. Then she grasps her shoulders and spins them both around so that Elina is furthest away. Satisfied that her friend is safe, Grace swivels around and gives him an intense glare, then raises an eyebrow as if to say, 'Try me'. The guy just frowns and rolls his eyes petulantly, before accepting defeat and skulking away.

Elina watches him walk off, then takes Grace by the hand and leads her upstairs to the club's toilets.

"Thanks babe," She gives her best friend a loose hug before looking in the mirror, fixing her outfit, "Why do guys get so creepy?"

"Because some of them just were not taught how to act." Grace rolls her eyes and follows Elina's lead, putting on lipstick, "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine. And I know what you're thinking." Elina starts, then continues at Grace's confused expression, "But you shouldn't think it. You don't want guys approaching you like that. It's degrading."

Grace's body heats up in frustration, and her expression twists into one of discomfort, "It's not that I want to be objectified. And god knows I don't want attention from a walking red flag like that. But-" She cuts herself off with a sigh, "Am I just not the sort of girl that guys would go crazy for? I mean, it'd be nice to know that I'm so attractive that a guy forgets how to act right after looking at me."

"Don't say that. You have plenty of guys come onto you on nights out." Elina combats, slightly annoyed that her friend thinks like this.

"I know, I know." Grace sighs again, "I just want to feel like the other girls feel. Like I'm actually a desirable person, rather than some thing that people wanna have a go on. You know?"

Elina frowns sadly, her face down-turned in sympathy. She knows exactly what Grace means. She's watched her friend grow infatuated with countless guys who lose all interest in her when she ceases to be useful. 'Pre-girlfriend girlfriend' she calls herself. Elina hates it.

"The guys that you're looking for are respectful, that's why." She tells her resolutely, "They know that you're a catch who deserves to be courted through way better means than a sleezy pick up in a club."

With a soft smile, Grace nods once, looking at herself in the mirror, "You're right. I deserve better than that... And so do you. Screw these gross guys who look at girls like us and assume we're all the same, and good for just one thing."

"I mean..." Elina starts, grabbing her friend and making her way out of the bathroom to the main part of the club, "I am a woman of extraordinary talents." 

A/N:

Hopefully this chapter gives some insight into Grace and Elina's dynamic. Next chapter will have some more of Arthur, and then the story will begin to pick up a it more after that.

Serena x