In My Dreams

Chapter Fifteen

Eight years earlier

Seated at the bar waiting for Lacey to arrive, I check my phone for the last time, seeing she is already half hour late. Resting my elbow on the bar, I place my face in my hands and sigh some more. I hate waiting. I unlock my phone for the hundredth time, replying to a message my brother sent me an hour ago telling me he is at his best friend Jaxon's seventeenth birthday party and for me to meet him there. He is clearly drunk as I sit there trying to make sense of his message, I delete what I type and throw my phone back in my bag.
Sitting here with nothing else to stare at but a large array of alcohol displayed behind the bar, a glass of wine is placed in front of me. Snapping my head up thinking its Lacey, standing next to me is a smartly dressed man in a grey suit, his hair is like a dirty blonde colour, very luxuriant with that freshly clipped look. He has an athletic body which makes his arms bulge under his suit jacket, I must admit he is quite pleasing to the eye.
"Hi, sorry to interrupt you but you've been sitting up here for a while without a drink. Are you meant to be meeting someone?" He says nervously.
"You're not interrupting anything. I've been waiting for my friend but I have a feeling she isn't coming."
He appears shy as he keeps looking down at the floor kicking around what I can only assume is a cherry from someone's cocktail. Peering over his shoulder, I see a group of older men looking over pointing and laughing at him. I roll my eyes, fucking men. It's obvious he's being tormented and forced to be over here with me. "Would you like to sit down and tell me your name?" I ask, pulling out the bar stool.
"Thank you. It's been a long night." He replies sliding himself on the stool. "I'm Alex and you are?"
"Ada." Our hands shake awkwardly.
Sliding the glass of wine back over to him. "I think you need to drink this more than I do... to settle your nerves." I tease.
"Ha ha. Sorry," shifting uneasily on the chair looking over at the group of pathetic men. "I'm not normally like this, I'm usually a lot more confident but you are absolutely stunning and it's thrown me off. Also, I have an audience."
Tapping my fingers on the bar thinking whether to leave soon but the look on Alex's face makes me think differently. I get the impression that he would rather sit alone at the bar than spend any more time with the group of middle-aged pricks poking fun at him.
He listens as if my words are golden and always gives intelligent responses which to be honest is an attractive feature I haven't seen in a man for quite some time, although I don't feel attracted to him.
"Are you hungry? Would you like to get out of here and get something to eat?" I ask him, knowing how every so often he is distracted by his rowdy work colleagues.
His smile stretches ear to ear looking grateful that I would even ask him such a question.
"Yes, I do. Are you sure I'm not intruding?"
I laugh through my nose, I've been sitting at the bar for over two hours now and she still hasn't turned up so I think it's fair to say she isn't coming. "No, you're not intruding at all." I smile.
He slides off his stool and holds out his hand, easing me down from the high stool. Walking towards the exit, his work colleagues start cheering and whistling at us as we leave. Alex doesn't give them the satisfaction, he keeps his head down low trying not to let the embarrassment take hold of him, ignoring them as he holds out the door for me. By now the entire bar are now aware we are leaving. Great.
We walk aimlessly about the streets for at least a half hour before we decided on an Indian, to be fair I didn't mind where we went just as long as they served alcohol.
The restaurant is full. Waiting our turn in line for a table, there is an unavoidable awkward silence between us. Looking around at the busy tables, I nose at what the other diners have ordered for inspiration. There's a sweet aroma of spices filling the room that makes my stomach growl, causing the windows to hurl up making it impossible for people from the outside to be enticed in. The waiter strolls over to us holding two menus and shows us to a tiny table tucked away into a corner. Any other time this would be a perfect intimate spot but, in this instance, it makes the forced intimacy between us more awkward as hell. The waiter pulls a chair out for me, I thank him and sit, while he fusses with a napkin and laying it over my lap. Smiling a thankful smile, I immediately ask for a double vodka and Diet Coke.
"So where are you from Ada?"
The waiter comes over with a plateful of poppadum's and complimentary sauces, placing them in the middle of our tiny table. "I am from Leigh-On- Sea, Essex." I answer eyeing up the food.
Alex slices the poppadum with the inside of his palm breaking the lot and offers me to take the first piece. Don't mind if I do I think, picking out a large piece, loading it with salad, mint yoghurt and mango chutney.
"What do you do?" He continues.
"I've just started an apprenticeship for my business administration degree here in the city. What about you?" I ask, taking a bite of my layered poppadum.
"I live with a group of friends in London," He answers moving his arms away from the table so the waiter can place our drinks down. Finally, a drink, I think as Alex continues speaking.
"Today I was promoted to Finance Manager so my new colleagues took me out for celebration drinks that you saved me from."
I took a massive gulp of my drink and signalled the waiter over again. "Can I have another one of these please and could you keep them coming, that would be sooo much appreciated." The waiter nods and scurries back to the bar.
"Are you trying to get drunk?" Alex' eyebrows are raised at me but not in judgemental kind of way.
"Yup." I say shot glassing the last remnants of vodka down my throat.
"I've had a bad day and for the cherry on top I've been stood up by my best friend from school. we've drifted apart since then so this was meant to revive our friendship somehow but she never showed." I admit, snapping a poppadum in anger.
"Don't take it out on the poppadum" he jokes. I couldn't help but laugh a little as the waiter came over with more drinks for us both. "So then why was your day so bad?"
Tucking my hair behind my ear, I tell him "I mentioned to my parents this morning that I've been thinking of moving out and finding my own place closer to London. My mum, she doesn't want me to go, there were lots of tears and now she won't even talk to me."
"Your mum is mad at you for being an adult?" He asks.
"Yup." I reply taking another large gulp of drink.
Alex smiles a brilliant white smile. His teeth are immaculate which makes me trace my tongue a long mine. "One of my house mates, Rich, he's just moved out to get married. There's a spare room if you need it?" He offers, resting back on his chair with his drink in his hand.
I am starting to warm up to Alex after all, he doesn't seem too bad but let me confirm that I NEVER ask random guys out for dinner. This is a first for me, I have been so busy with college, trying to get my degree that I didn't make it my mission to date a load of boys like most girls do.
"Thanks for the offer... but living with a bunch of men..." I laugh screwing my nose up, not knowing if he was actually being serious with his question.
The waiter comes over with a pen and pad ready to take our order. Shit, I haven't even looked at the menu. I have been more interested ordering drinks instead and now I feel pissed; my belly is full on vodka. I order a chicken tikka masala in a panic ordering a naan bread just to dip into the sauce and Alex orders a Madras. Drinking the last of my third double vodka, I set the empty glass down and the waiter efficiently brings me a fourth.
He asks loads of questions about me, like what my hobbies are, what sort of music I'm into, what my favourite films are. I asked a few questions about him but he never really seemed interested in answering any of them.
Each drink offered I started to loosen up and enjoy myself. The jokes were funnier, I personally thought I were a great comedian of epic proportions while I flirt with a man I know very little about. I leave half of my masala and naan, I couldn't possibly eat anymore. Alex signals for the bill and pulls out his bank card.
"What does mine total?" I ask, as Alex reads the receipt.
"Zero." He answered, laying his card down on the circular silver tray.
"What do you mean Zero?"
"What kind of man would I be allowing a beautiful lady like yourself, to pay for her own... drinks." He laughs through his nose, pointing at my half-eaten dinner.
"Please no, I can pay for my bit."
"Nope." He smiles.
Slumping back in my chair in defeat, sensing there was no arguing with him, we leave the restaurant. I've had six double vodka diet cokes, although I don't feel it that much right now but I can imagine when the fresh spring air hits my face, there's a possibility I will lose all sense of gravity. The world swirled momentarily and I topple down the step onto the cobbled street. Gravity, what a bitch. Alex pulls me up by my arm, swatting the dirt from my knees.
"Ooooops," I let out, exaggerating the O's but I am too embarrassed to even look Alex in the eye so I decide to laugh out loud. Alex laughs with me, or it could be at me, I'm not sure.
"I really need to pee now" I shriek, storming off to find a toilet. I am as steady as a baby taking its first steps, Alex holds my arm in case I fall over again.
As we turn a street corner, I hear music and a lot of cheering and whistling. Is that someone singing? "Can you hear that? where is it coming from?" I slur.
"I think it's coming from that one?" He points to a dingy bar that doesn't look as posh as the others but they are clearly having more fun which draws me in. Grabbing Alex by the hand, I yank him hard, pulling him towards the dingy bar.
"It's a karaoke bar!" squealing in excitement.
Walking down a few steps into a corridor full of people standing chatting with smiles on their faces, it doesn't seem moody as it suggests from the outside. As we enter the main room, there is a woman standing on a stage trying to sing and dancing really badly. Spotting the bar and dragging Alex with me, we perch ourselves up on the stools.
"What do you want to drink?" I shout over the screeching voice.
"I'll have whatever you're having." He answers, sticking his fingers in his ears.
"Can I have two double JD and Diet Cokes and eight B52 shits... shots please. Thank you, very much please kind sir." I slur to the bartender. I pass Alex one of the JD's, I give the bartender my bank card, forgetting to pay and walking away from the bar to find an empty table.
Alex pays with his card, taking mine and planting it in my coat pocket and then places the tray of shots that I abandoned at the bar in the middle of the table. "Shall we sing something?" I say excitedly.
Alex laughs and shakes his head. "No way! I am not drunk enough for anything like that." He laughs.
Taking the shots off the tray, I line them up, four for me and four for Alex. "This should sort you out" I shout as another person starts to sing.
"We take the shots down together okay? On the count of three we shot them all. The last person to finish has to sing." I dare.
"Your amazing." He stares at me intently and smiles.
I feel my stomach flutter for the first time tonight just from the way he looks at me. Gazing back at him, I shake my head out of the moment. "THREE...TWO...ONE...SHOOT!" I shout.
We both start knocking them back. Coming up to our last shots, finishing at the same time, we screw our faces up as we swallow. I think the fourth was a bit too much as we both experience that sickly-sweet gagging taste. Taking a sip of JD to wash away the sweet from my mouth, he does too. I pull out a karaoke slip from the pot by the side of me and start filling it out.
"Table number?" I say, searching the table trying to find a number which is hiding under Alex's hand. I lift up his hand and our fingers accidentally entwine. He catches hold of my fingers and brushes his thumb over them. "Thirty-four." He answers
Pulling my hand slowly out from his fingers, I continue to write, trying to concentrate but the contact with his skin still makes me feel tingly. "Singer names? Alex and Ada. Ooh that has a nice ring to it," I say. "Hmm... Song choice?" deep in thought tapping the pen against my cheek.
Alex takes the pen from my hand, swiping away the slip and starts to write something. Peering over to see what he's writing, he covers it over with his hand so I couldn't see then a woman comes over and takes the slip away.
"What are we singing?" I ask him.
"You'll see."
Fuck, who knows how I'm getting home, I will have to face my judgmental mother. Looking Alex over with my chin rested in the palm of my hand, I feel suddenly interested in his love life. "So, Alex, here is a question you will be able to answer. Do you have a girlfriend?"
"Nope. Well not yet anyway."
Locking my eyes on his lips, I lean over closer to him as he starts moving his head closer to mine. Our lips almost connect for the very first time when the DJ interrupts us.
"Can Alex and Ada, make their way to the stage please."
We pull away from the heat and compose ourselves, making our way to the stage. "Boyz II Men, I'll make love to you." I read on the screen, laughing. Alex is already laughing at my reaction to his cheesy song choice, then the music starts and we have to sing.
The crowd seem to be enjoying us. I can actually hear cheering behind the loud music but surprisingly Alex has a great voice. I am definitely not doing him any justice right now so I stop singing just to listen to him.
As he finishes the song, he places the microphones down, I take his hand I rush him up the stairs and out of the bar. Finding the nearest doorstep, I push him up against a wall and pull the collar on his coat down to my level as we start kissing. Our tongues caressing having a dance of their own. His hands want to move up my top to my breasts but he stops himself and pulls away.
"Come back to mine?" he whispers into my ear.
"Okay." I agree without thinking. He takes my hand and leads me to the end of the road, hailing down a Taxi.
The Taxi journey is mostly spent kissing, straddling him on the seat. We are both too drunk and have gone past the point of caring. The cab stops outside a row of terraced town houses, looking out the window Alex notices that we are outside his home. He pays the cab driver and gives him a little extra for tip. I wonder how much he gives him because the driver seems very appreciative.
We make our way inside, no one else is in as he calls out. "Follow me." He says seductively.
Following him up the stairs, he opens the first door down a narrow corridor. I enter scanning his room, his bed is neatly made, there are no clothes on the floor like I expected and there are old pictures of New York City hanging from his wall. One picture of the World Trade Centre Buildings standing so tall and elegantly in all their glory which makes me sigh a deep sigh thinking about their tragic end.
I feel Alex watching me intently again as I gaze at the rest of his pictures. Suddenly I feel him behind me taking off my coat, kissing my neck. I turn to face him and I start unravelling his tie. I can hear his breathing is getting heavier as I whip the tie out from under his collar. He leans down to kiss me while I unbutton his white fitted shirt, he brings his hands to my neck and starts to unbutton my shirt dress, revealing my bra. He gazes over my chest and runs his finger seductively between my cleavage then pushing my breasts together squeezing them with his fingertips.
My dress falls to the floor on its own and I am standing exposed in front of a perfect stranger. He kisses me fiercely and is leading me backwards to his bed. He lays me down gently then that's when my nerves tangle up in knots in my stomach, even in my drunken state. How do I tell this man that I am a twenty-one-year-old virgin? "Alex... stop." I whisper.
"What's wrong? Are you okay?" His hazel eyes burn into me.
"I've never had sex before." I confess.
He smiles at me in a surprised way, stroking the skin on my cheeks with his fingers. "What do you want to do? We don't have to do anything you don't want."
"No, I want to. I've waited long enough." I say swallowing hard. "Just be gentle?"
I feel his heart pumping hard and fast out of his chest. He unzips his trousers, pushing them down his legs and kicking them down to the floor and then reaches over to his bedside table drawer and pulls out a condom. He rips open the packet with his teeth and stretches the condom over his length staring at me the whole time. "Are you sure?" He asks one more time.
"I'm sure" I pant, anticipating him entering me, claiming my virginity

"SIX... FIVE... FOUR... THREE... TWO... ONE... HAPPY NEW YEAR!!"
The first kiss of the year and it's with my Jaxon.
"Happy New Year" we say to each other under the popping sounds of the fireworks. We watch them rise to the sky and dispersing into beautiful splashes of shapes and colours as we look on in amazement watching the fireworks rocketing off the London Eye.
"I love you so much" he whispers into my ear.
"I love you too." Kissing his hand. "More than anything."