Unholy | Noah Sebastian

|Chapter Six|

"Are you ready, bitch?" Allison asks as soon as I open the door.  She's wearing another short black dress, but I'm wearing jeans tonight.  I never wanted to be that readily available ever again, I wouldn't know if his touch had violated me, but I didn't want it to happen again.

"Yeah, let me just check something," I reply, circling my apartment.  Phone charger, unplugged.  Curling iron, unplugged.  Balcony door locked, stove off.  Stove off. Stove off.  I exit my door and lock it.  Of course it's not enough, and I have to do it three times.  I've kept my... personality quirk hidden from everyone except for Phil.  He lived with me, I couldn't exactly keep all of it from him.  Allison is a good enough friend that she doesn't comment on it.

"You good with that rooftop bar where Paradise Park used to be?"

"Sure," truthfully, I didn't care where we went.  None of these bars were my scene, I don't know what my scene is, but it's not country blaring overcrowded bars with sticky floors.  If I had a vibe, it would be champagne in a book store, but that didn't exist.

"Do you think you could not disappear this time?" she chided as we walked down to Broadway.  She did not have to worry, I would be sticking to my group like glue.  I would not be talking to any strange men.  Hell, I'd marry Dylan if it meant I didn't have to be around another dude again.

"I promise I will be your shadow," I joke, but I mean it. 

Allison and I make our way up to the roof, Dylan and Trevor have seats by the edge of the roof.  We grab drinks at the bar, but I decline the shot she tries to hand me.  I take a drink of my vodka water and we make our way to the guys.  There's no other chairs except for the ones the guys were sitting in.  They get up and offer them to us.  I don't like to sit and drink, but I take the seat anyway because I don't want to make anything complicated.

"Congratulations, Briar.  I've been so busy I haven't had a chance to tell you yet," Dylan tells me, his adorable dimple standing out against his tan skin.

"Thanks," I can feel my cheeks heating up from the attention. 

"Don't be modest, you deserve it," Allison calls out, she points a stern finger at me.  God, I wish I was more like her.

"I'm not late am I?" A familiar voice asks and I turn and see Briana.  Why was she here?  Who invited her? 

"Hey, Briana," Dylan smiles easily at her, maybe he invited her because he likes her.  Allison makes a gagging face at me behind Briana's back and I have to try very hard not to laugh at her.

"Briar, congratulations, I'm so happy for you, really," Briana says, her voice sticky sweet and her face is a painted on fake smile.

"Thanks," I repeat, my cheeks don't heat up.  I know she's not sincere, but I wish I knew why she was here.

Allison and I joke with Trevor while Briana corners Dylan, who looks bored.

"She's like a black widow, I'm sure she's going to bite his head off any second now," Allison sneers, indignant on my behalf, but if she's talking to him he's not getting the wrong idea about me. I turn and look at them over my shoulder, but he looks like he's enjoying their conversation to me.

"I'm going to get another drink," I tell them, getting up off my barstool.

"If you aren't back in a half hour I'm coming to find you," Allison points a stern finger in my direction.

"Yes, mom," I roll my eyes at her.

I toss my plastic cup in a trashcan before going to the bathroom.  I wash my hands and head to the bar, but before I can make it there I'm approached by a Chad in boat shoes.  He's handsome, but in the 'I have money' way that suggests his earlier generations dabbled in incest.  His blonde hair is gelled to perfection and his blue eyes sparkle as he looks me up and down.  I'm instantly disgusted, but I act like I don't see him and step up to the bar.