Reminiscence

Chapter .30. (damn thirtayy)

A-I-D-E-N

She pulls away from the embrace and I miss her warmth immediately. She looks at me deeply, like she was taking layer by layer of my skin off and looking through me.

You know what that just sounds like something the Nun would do. Nevermind, I suck at describing things.

She pinches the bridge of her nose and looks at me. "I need a fucking drink." She says, her voice thick. My eyes widen in surprise. Really?

Yeah, I knew she was no good girl, obviously, but I didn't know she was the drink-my-problems-away kind of gal. I don't judge. I needed a drink too after all the bullshit tonight.

I nod, and she pulls me toward the car. Slamming the door and getting in, she looks like she just aged a million years. She drives to a place I don't know, called 'Tapers'. It looked pretty modern but retro at the same time.

I turn toward her and see her taking off her coat and letting her soft hair out of it's ponytail. She runs her hands through it and looks at me. "Just getting in costume." She says and jerks her head toward the door, signalling me to get out.

I step out of the car and then it hits me. This is a horrible idea. I turn to look at her, getting out of her car and locking it. "Renesse, this isn't a good idea. We should head back home."

She looks weary. She shakes her head. "I need this. I've been needing this ever since I saw you. And believe me, you look like you do too."

She walks up to the bouncer and pays him, and I check the time. Way past eleven for Ladies Free. She walks in through the doors and I follow. My instincts told me to keep an eye on her in the club but as soon as I went in, I lost her in the crowd. It was so dark.

Just fucking great. She literally has neon purple hair and you lost her.

It feels alien, being in this club. People were dancing, the lights were dim and the air smelled like booze and slightly of sweat. I squirm through the bodies and make my way to the bar. I sit on a stool and don't order anything. I can't drink, I'll have to drive us back. If I couldn't manage a bicycle while sober, how would I manage a car while drunk? We'd be roadkill.

I look around for a tall girl with purple hair. It's like my eyes can't stay away from her. I shake my head and turn my attention back to being a lonely loser.
I feel a tap on my shoulder and turn around. A man, probably about my age smiles drunkenly at me. "Hey girl, wanna dance?"

Now that was just too much. I was offended. Not only am I a lonely loser, but some random drunk dude thinks I'm a girl? Good one, life.  "Erhem, excuse me but I'm a dude. Y'know the ones without vaginas? Yeah, those."

The guy blinks. Then another smile takes over his face. "Well I don't mind some dick too." Then he wiggles his eyebrows. I gag.

"Sorry, but I'm into girls." I make a shooing gesture with my hands.

"Yeah me too!" He slurs and puts his face near mine. I jerk away.

"I'm not a girl!" I yell in his face. God, I wonder how women take this bullshit everyday. He backs away, but winks at me one last time before going to hump another wall.

I roll my eyes. Men.
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R-E-N-E-S-S-E
Ms eyes immediately go to the bar as soon as I enter. God, I needed this. I briskly slip through the mass of bodies and make my way to the bar.

The bartender is attractive, with dyed blue hair and dimples. He smiles. "And what would the lovely lady like?"

"Tequila. Strong." I say and sit down on the stool. He pours me a shot glass and I pick it up and throw my head back as I drink it. The burning liquid goes down my throat and makes me feel warm. Unfortunately for me, it takes a lot to get me drunk.
Woohoo.
7 shots later, I'm dizzy as I walk onto the dance floor. Just my luck, when I step on, a slow song comes on and all the single people have no choice but to shimmy their asses off the stage. Great. That meant me too.

I'm about to turn around when someone grips my wrist and pulls me into their side. My reflexes are muffled and pushing the person back takes me a while. When I look up, it's Aiden, smiling down at me with those irresistible lips. He looked so beautiful in the light, as the different colours cast over his features and make his eyes glow and swirl like a colourful hurricane. He pulls me close to him, and I smell the alcohol on his breath. I wrap my arms around his neck and he puts his arms on my waist as we sway slowly to a song I don't recognize.

My face rests in the crook of his neck, and his fingers run over the strands of my hair and get lower and trace my cheekbones and then go to the delicate curve of my lower lip. I look at him and see that something is off, but I just brush it off in my drunkenness. I'm drunk. I'm not supposed to worry. His eyes flick from my eyes to my lips.

My mind is hazy and the edges of my vision are dark. The distance between us is lessening by the second and he brings his lips close to mine. My breath hitches. Is he going to kiss me? Do I want him to kiss me? How do I fix climate change? What?

My thoughts are cut off as he places his soft, but cold lips on mine. This shouldn't be happening. I'm drunk. He's drunk. The rational part of my brain is knocked out by the tequila, and I kiss him back, moving my lips against his in harmony.

This is bliss.

It's like all these past pent up apologies are flooding through as we mould our lips together. My hands are in his hair and his are tracing the hem of my tank top. The song fades away in the background. He pulls away and looks at me.

That's when I recognize the ending notes of the song: Consequences by Camila Cabello.

I look up at Aiden again. I really feel like there's something wrong now. My thumbs run across his high cheekbones and the corners of his beautiful eyes. I move them up and then my fingers freeze.

There's no scar above his eyebrow.

This is not Aiden.