After You... (1st Draft)

Chapter 11 - Chances - part 1

"Macky," Kibbie replied mischievously.

Malachy couldn't help but chuckle at her tone. He passed by my ear and quietly said into it, "I think it's safe to say it complied. Finally."

I bit my lip remembering, and grinned at how he wouldn't come out until his hard-on had calmed down. I mean, seriously, he was a walking turn-on.

"That's quite the image to put in my head, Irish."

"It's no longer just an 'image' now, is it?"

"Not if our arrangement is still on the table."

"Fuckin' tease." He grinned.

Ha! "You teased me, remember?"

His eyebrow rose and he flicked his gaze over me and looked away as he laughed, "You're gonna be trouble for me. I just know it. I kinda like trouble though. Trouble is as trouble does." He said, "But uh, I'm gonna let you spend time with your girl here or...you know...do what you said before."

Set something straight? I took a deep breath and swallowed as I looked at him.

I watched him get pounced on by a rowdy Reggie as their voices sounded into the beats of the music and heard Reggie saying to him he planned to get the DJ to blast music by The Weeknd saying, 'If you can't damn well get laid to that shit then you need to re-evaluate your shit! All hope for mankind is lost! I don't know...'

With Malachy responding, 'Dude, if you need a song to drop some knickers then it's you who needs to re-evaluate your shit! Forget about mankind. Hope for you is lost!'

'Nah bruv, listen, even girls think it's a knicker-dropper. It's subliminal for "lead me to your vag".'

'Vag? You didn't. Oh my God, Reggie, you douche! Go slam your head against a fuckin' table."

"It's true, though!'

I laughed. I liked watching them together. They were ribbing into each other. From the moment I saw them when Malachy mouthed something to him about me, and Reggie lifted his cup smiling at me from a distance, they seemed so close. I think I could officially call what they had a bromance. They kind of reminded me a bit of Jackson and Darius back at University before things slightly frayed between them. Thankfully, that once broken bond was now being reapplied and getting stronger by the minute. I wanted that for Darius.

I soon scanned my eyes over the crowd and quickly locked eyes on Darius. Yeah, he looked like he'd been buddying up with his companion for the night; alcohol. He was one of these guys who could really hold his liquor, but it was clear he'd been getting a little too familiar with it tonight. He was crutching it but strangely didn't look as drunk as I thought he would be. Just...loosened up slightly more.

He'd clearly been leaning on it all night, it was obvious. As I watched him suddenly look seriously sober at me in that moment, I knew Kibbie was right. Even though I'd told him many nights ago to walk, somehow I was still holding onto him. I wouldn't let him go. He seemed to be my crutch, and for the first time tonight I realised I needed to let that go, walk on my own.

Taking one look at Kibbie who could read me like a daily paper, I took a deep breath, grabbed her drink, drank it down like I was downing shots, put it back in her hand and walked over to him, but not before wincing at the burn down my throat. Man...that'll teach me. As Darius and I got closer to each other I grabbed him by the elbow and told him to walk with me.

I got to the other side of the terrace and stepped around a huge pot plant shielding us from view that looked more like an overly large hedge, and briefly stood by the balcony, grabbing a short moment to look over the sight ahead of me. Taking a deep breath, I waited, stupidly wondering why it was that I could always spot Canary Wharf from just about any place in London from a great height. We were nowhere near Canary Wharf but there it was in the distance; that flashing pyramid-top skyscraper...