Strictly Business *Editing and Adding More*

Ch. 9 ~ Rethinking

Adam P.O.V

     I looked at Sharon, who was staring to the side of me. I followed her gaze to a girl with light brown hair and sweet features, sitting on a flimsy plastic chair. She had a non-alcholic beverage in her hand and her eyes were fixed on me, she was giving me a look of confusion and, possibly, fear.

     "Sharon?" I said, attempting to get her attention. Her head's direction faltered before looking back to my eyes.

     "Oh, um, sorry baby," she choked. The mystery girl quietly ran from her seat and into the crowd around the make-shift dance floor.

     Pointing to the chair and back to the girl's general direction I asked Sharon, "Who was that?"

     "Oh a friend,  she seemed oddly interested in you." I shrugged.

     "Probably nothing," I said as I grabbed Sharon around the waist and pecked her on the cheek. She returned the favor with a kiss on the lips. A giggle escaped her mouth. I felt a brief sense of sickness deep in the pit of my stomach.

     "We can continue this later," she whispered in my ear, "Let's have some fun for a little while though." I released her from my grip and trailed behind her to her living room. There weren't as many people as the first party I went to here, but the music was blaring none the less. 

     Sharon backed up and rubbed against me me, following the drum of the music. It felt uncomfortable for once. I had the urge to back away from her.

     "I'm going to go sit down Sharon," I said, loud enough to be heard over the music but still quiet enough to be personal. I started walking backwards, getting farther from the stereo.

     "Why babe?" She pouted. "This is just the start of tonight." Sharon winked and reached out to grab my arms.

      I jerked back instinctly. Her smooth, brown eyes glimmered with hurt. 

     "Sharon, babe, I'm sorry." I nervously scratched the back of my head. "I just don't feel very good right now." Part lie. Part truth. 

      Sharon's nostrils flared with the outgoing huff. She swallowed and turned around, showing me the low back of her tight, black dress. She left me and disappeared into the swarm of sweaty bodies. I remained standing in my spot.

      I should have been lucky to have a girl in my life like Sharon. She was gorgeous but to me she seemed like an incomplete puzzle. She didn't have much depth.

      With the force of a train, realization slammed into me. I had mere weeks to fulfill my dad's last wish but my only option right then was an empty (but beautiful) shell of a person. 

       I left the thought to remember another time and my senses adjusted to my surroundings again.  The ringing in my ears were back. The taste of Sharon's bubblegum lip gloss danced on my tongue. The scent of beer reached my nose. The sweat still clung to my fingers. My eyes laid upon a crowd of dancing people, a couple kissing.

      A couple kissing. A blonde woman with her arms around a curly haired man. Her pink lips in synch with his. The same lips that had swept over mine earlier. Sharon's lips.

      "Sharon!" I called out. The people around me blurred and the two stood out among all the rest. I felt like a rusty tin man as I walked towards them, my pace slowly  speeding the closer I approached.

      Their lips parted and she looked towards me. No remorse. No raising of her perfectly trimmed eyebrows to show she cared that I cared.

      The man smirked. "Have a problem?" he asked.

      I couldn't speak. Why did I care anyway? Hadn't I just considered Sharon flat? Didn't I feel sick to my stomach around her earlier?   

     Sharon's eyes rested on me. She lifted her chin back up to the man's and whispered something in his ear. My eyes burned. He wrapped his arm around her and lead them deeper into the group.

      I pushed my hair back in frustration. Did I really set her off that much? Did she read my mind? I stomped off in another direction. I pushed through people and found myself on the balcony. 

      The cold wind blew goosebumps onto my exposed skin. I leaned over the railing and admired the city lights. 

      "Are you okay?" I heard a small voice behind me say. I looked towards the direction of the voice. It was the girl from earlier sitting in a plastic chair. I hadn't seen her when I came on the balcony.

      "Erm, yeah, I'm fine."

      "Girlfriend trouble?"

      "How'd you know?" I turned from her back down to the skyline. "And she's kind of not really my girlfriend." I laughed a little. The girl got up and walked to the railing and leaned over next to me.

        "I assumed."

       Dropping the subject, I said, "why are you out here by yourself?"

        "I guess you could say I'm a closeted introvert," she laughed and our eyes met. Her green eyes were surrounded by layers of eyeshadow. I scanned her face quickly. Her lashes glittered and her lips were encased in a dark purple lipstick. 

      "I have to pretend I'm extroverted sometimes too." I smiled at her. She smiled back. "Do you want to get a drink inside?"

        "I don't usually drink, but I gue-"

     I cut her off, "Great, let's go." I grabbed her by the arm and we walked through the hoards of people to the drink table.

        I reached down in the ice chest and grabbed two drinks. I handed her one. She drank a few sips as soon as she got it open.

         "What brought you here, I mean, if you don't like parties?" I took a drink.

          "My mom's been pushing me to go and do stuff."

        "Total opposite with my parents," I laughed. "They wish I never even found out what a party was, but they pay my rent so I shouldn't be complaining too much."

        "Oh."

        "Where do you work?"

        She hesitated before mumbling, "Odd jobs usually."

        "I'm sorry but I didn't get your name, I'm Adam."

        "Layla"

        "Nice to meet you." I laughed. "I suppose this should have been discussed before." Layla smiled then finished off her drink. She went to grab another.

         When we returned to being face to face she asked, "Do you want to go dance?" I nodded. "And warning, If I seem drunk, it's because I am. I don't hold up very well." Layla smiled, showing all her teeth.

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          We drank. We danced. I had been really enjoying my time with Layla. It felt easy to be me around her. Maybe I could woo her in a few weeks and forget about Sharon.

            As Layla drunkenly sang along to the song that was currently being played our eyes met. By this time both of us were hammered. We stared into each other's eyes and before we knew it, our lips had met too. This was a different kiss. Better than Sharon's. 

            Layla stopped jumping up and down to the music. My arms were wrapped around her. Our lips were together. 

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 Sorry about the long time I was gone. XD.

OMG WHO"S LAYLA?!

Gotta go guys D: See yah!