Topsy-Turvy

Stranger Danger

Scott's POV:

My jaw dropped to the floor at the sight in front of me, and my eyes grew twice in size at Caroline.

Dancing.

On a pool table.

My hands immediately went to my head and tugged at my hair as I tried to think of a solution to the massive problem before me. If any more disasters happened that night, I'm almost positive I'd be bald.

How? My mind went back to the girl I was silently admiring a few minutes ago for her shy, modest... timid qualities, and I come out here to find her rockin' out on a pool table with a bunch of old men drooling over her from every side. And I mean every side.

I looked over at Bill back at the bar, who tried to cover his face with a plastic tray when he knew I saw him. I stomped over to the coward.

"What is wrong with you?!" I growled through my teeth, slamming the tray down onto the counter, making him flinch. I didn't know why. I'd never hit anyone before except once when my step brother went a little too far. But that's different, the pathetic little wimp deserved it.

"I-I-I" he repeated over and over, his bowling ball-like head growing red.

"I leave for five minutes, and I come back to find her getting her ass wasted on a pool table!" I pointed to her, stumbling, giggling and barely able to stand, with a half full mug of beer in her hand. It was almost like she was completely unaware of the close to twenty people surrounding her, amused by her drunken state.

Bill gathered the little bit of courage he had inside him to speak to me. "You were gone for more than five minutes, and-"

I rolled my eyes, interrupting his flustered excuse. "One thing. I ask you to do one simple thing!" How hard could it be for him to keep her in her seat, and away from the lowlives that make themselves at home here.

"I didn't think she would actually drink it after what she said before, and almost choked herself on one sip!" he put his hands in the air, defending himself, before going back to cleaning his glasses.

"Well she obviously changed her mind!" I declared sarcastically, looking over my shoulder to make sure nothing new was happening.

"Look Scott," he started, earning a glare from me as I waited for him to explain his sorry self. "I tried to stop her, but she was determined to drink it for some reason, and started chug-a-lugging it before I could tell her it was a bad idea!"

I sighed, and let my face fall into my hands.

"And then I turned around for a few seconds to put away a glass, and before I knew it she was on the other side of the room doing what looked like a river dance on the table!" he clarified, like there was absolutely nothing he could have done.

Of course she would get away while he's cleaning his glasses.

"You shouldn't have given her one in the first place." I shook my head at him. I convinced myself he should have known, even though there's no way he could have with my behavior in the past.

"I thought she was just another one of your 'one night only lady friends.'" he air quoted the last part to get his point across.

"No! Tonight's completely different!" which was partially the truth. I did bring her here for the same reason I always do, only this time I was planning on getting more than a one night stand and bragging rights out of it. But my plans unexpectedly changed, and I still wasn't sure what to do about it.

"And I don't come here that often!" which was also the truth. I stayed on my feet, in case I needed to rush over there and drag Caroline out of the building, which I still planned on doing when I got done with Bill.