I hang up and head back inside as I realise how cold the air is outside. I walk back to my table, wondering how I feel about the call. Am I happy I have another chance? Is it me having another opportunity, or am I the one giving him another chance? It doesn't matter, really... I'll figure everything out tomorrow. I don't need to stress about anything tonight. I came here to have fun and have a drink, so that's what I'll do.
I almost forget to send him the address of the Staycity Apartments I'm staying at. As I sit down next to Ashley, I realise I have no clue what the address is. I giggle to myself and text back to Marcel.
Me: I don't know the address of my hotel. You'll have to do the work. I'm too drunk to search for it. I'm at the Staycity Apartments in Hayes.
I look up and away from my phone and smile weirdly, too happy to see the band. Fortunately, no one notices but Mike. He just looks at me very amused and laughs silently before looking away.
I fill up my glass and immediately sip the bronze liquid. The beer has gotten warmer. It tastes like hot piss. It's disgusting. I decide to drink it all at once instead of letting it go to waste.
"Oh! Oh!" Lucas grins at me, bringing all the table's attention to me. "I guess someone is ready for something stronger. I know I am. Who's up for shots?!"
"I'm always up for tequila," Sophie exclaims with a broad smile, and she winks at me as I notice Cal, Mike and Ash either raising their hand or nodding.
"Bring the good stuff, mate. Bourbon for me." Caleb says and gives twenty pounds to Lucas to share the bill.
Ashley orders something for Lucas to bring back from the bar as I feel my phone vibrating again in my pocket. It's from an unknown number again, so I can only guess it's Marcel harassing me again. I immediately program his contact setting on my phone before reading his text.
Arrogant Jerk: Hayes is like... I don't even know where it is in London!
Me: It's right next to Heathrow Airport.
Arrogant Jerk: Why are you staying so far away?
Me: My bus station is at the airport.
Arrogant Jerk: Still... I'll pick you up at 8.
Me: In the morning?! Are you crazy? No.
Arrogant Jerk: Yes. Be ready.
Lucas already came back with the shots, so I barely read the last text Marcel sent me and put my phone in the back pocket of my jeans. He distributes them all, and, with disgust, I look at the tequila in front of me. I look at them. They are all about to drink theirs, but Caleb looks at me and my expressive face. He smirks and puts his shot back on the table.
"Why don't we make things interesting?" He lifts his eyebrows high and still looks at me.
"I'm always up to spice things up!" Sophie gets excited and furtively looks at me as Caleb hasn't stopped his stare. "What do you think, Grace?"
I take a long second to consider the consequences and abandon them as it seems too complicated to the only remaining active brain cells in my head.
"Why not?" I lift my shoulders quickly and drop them to support my words.
The bassist looks at Sophie and then at Lucas.
"I'm sorry, mate, but I'll ask your girlfriend to take her tequila from Mike." I look at Caleb's smirk to Lucas, who looks at Sophie, who doesn't care and goes for it.
She takes a quarter of a lemon and presses it against Mike's neck, where she sticks salt to the wet spot. He is already ready when she lifts the lemon to his lips. He bites it slightly to keep it in place.
I look at this as a probably amusing and ordinary thing for them as it seems like an erotic dance in front of me. It excites me a bit. I never did that in my life. I'm not a big drinker, and I must say, the last time I drank tequila, it was also the first time, and I hated it. I ended up throwing up like crazy the morning after prom.
I find myself excited to try something like that. Maybe it will give some edge and make the tequila taste better. I sure hope so.
Sophie takes the lemon from Mike's lips with agility and bites it hard with the funniest face. I look at the small bowl of lemons and limes. I think I would prefer that taste over lemon.
Mike then looks at me. I don't know what I look like, but he still laughs at my face. I feel a little lost. Even though I like the same kind of music as them, never in my life do I do rock and roll things in my everyday life. I never go out, except on rare occasions with Steeve. We often have a drink at home, but with Uni, I always have to study if I'm not working. I hardly ever have time for myself, so this is why I enjoy myself so much tonight. This might be the last time I do something like that.
So yeah... I must look puzzled, or Mike sees right through me as I struggle to get my walls down and completely let go to enjoy this game. That must be why he laughs at me. I have no idea what to do, so he tells me how.
"Hold the lemon tightly between your teeth... or your lips if you don't care if I kiss you." He smirks, wets my neck and puts the fruit between my teeth. "Just kidding."
He puts some salt on my skin, but I can't help but follow it from sight as half of it falls from my neck to between my boobs. I shake my shirt to allow the salt to fall.
"Ready?" He looks at me, and I let go completely to grin back at him.
"Go for it!" I struggle to encourage him with the lemon between my teeth as he obliges.
He slides his hand to hold my neck and leans his head on the side. I feel him on my skin. I expected his lips, but his tongue caressed me first, and then his lips joined the game.
Oh! That's how it works?
It almost feels like he kisses my skin, and it honestly feels delicious as it tickles slightly at the pit of my stomach. He takes his shot between his fingers and drinks it quickly before biting the lemon between my teeth. His lips caress mine only slightly as I feel his warm breath against my skin. I let the fruit go, and he downs the juice, getting away from me.
Wow! That was exciting! I get why they play that game. It's fun, and it's my turn. I turn to the person on my right, and I smirk at Ashley. I hope I do it right and I don't scare him away.
I look at him seductively. At least I try. Even if my goal is not to seduce him, I think it's all part of the game. I take lime from the bowl and slide my hand on the other side of his neck, like Mike did to me, to hold him steady. I lean my head to approach my lips to his ear.
"Keep still..." I murmur and gently rub the cold green fruit on Ash's skin slowly.
I look at him, right in his beautiful eyes, eyes I've looked at in a sober state as he was on stage when I never thought I would be doing something like this to him. He is at least two inches from my face. The drunk part of me clearly wants to enjoy this. It doesn't take long for that part to wrongly win my entire will.
I put the lime between his teeth and slid my hand deeper to the back of his neck to get a grip of his hair, tangling my fingers in it. Biting my lip, I gently pull his hair to tilt his head on the side to pour salt on the wet spot of his neck. Once it's done, I put back the salt on the table and grab my shot with my free hand.
I look one last time into the beautiful hazel eyes staring at my every move. It excites me. I feel his gaze burning me, anticipating my touch as much I want to touch him. I drop my eyes a second to his lips around the lime and back up into his eyes. I have never done this, but I just have to do like Mike did, and everything will be fine.
In a rush of excitement, I don't lose a second, and I dive my lips to his neck. I find myself tugging his hair a bit to grant me more access to his skin that I lick and kiss for a few seconds what seem heavenly for me but might be far too long for the time expected by the band around us. So I step back and lift my shot of tequila quickly to my lips to swallow it as fast as it comes into my mouth. The gold liquid burns its way through my throat. My whole body shakes in disgust as I pull Ashley to me. Our chests collide together in the momentary passion with which I pulled him to me to bite into my lime.
As I'm about to wrap my lips around the lime, he slides it into his mouth, and I find my lips moulding his. He welcomes them smoothly as if he was expecting them. I don't fight it, which surprises me. He definitely makes me forget the bitter taste of the tequila as his kiss tastes heavenly. I let my tongue adventure against his lips, and he grants me access. I'm not one to deepen my kisses that way, but Steeve isn't the passionate type. I just feel compelled to do it in the rush of attraction I feel towards him. I caress my tongue against his a moment until I taste the lime, and he pushes it slowly into my mouth.
I step back from his kiss, biting hard the lime, making funny faces under the sour taste of the fruit. I take it out of my mouth and put it right next to Mike's. They all look at me with glossy eyes. They all seem as intoxicated as me. Maybe not. I don't really take alcohol very well. I can almost say I have practically no tolerance. I feel woozy right away.
"Cal, don't take this the wrong way, but I won't be taking my tequila with the person on my right. I think I'm going to stick with the person on my left." Ashley says to his buddy, implying him sitting on his right.
Ash looks at me with a seductively look. It makes me shiver of desire, anticipating his touch again, something that boils the blood inside of my veins. He is lovely and appealing. I find it hard to resist him right now. I didn't know alcohol could make me wrong my morals that way. I instead find myself giggling under his intentions.
He strictly does what he said he would do, licking my neck, awakening every nerve in my body in response to his touch. I feel his mouth kissing and biting my skin gently, which makes me giggle as it tickles. He takes his shot and bites in the lemon I hold tight between my teeth so that he doesn't kiss me again. He clearly has other plans as he takes it between his teeth and spits it away to have his mouth free to kiss me.
Never have I tasted someone else than Steeve, so it feels weird but exhilarating. Ash has this smoothness and this eagerness that just drives me completely mad. It's not only in the kiss itself. It's in the strength with which he pulls me to him. He has one hand on my cheek, and his other arm circled my waist to rest at the bottom of my back.
"Hey, Romeo? Maybe you should let her breathe. We need to get back on stage anyway. We have another set to perform." Caleb stands up and drinks his bourbon all at once, followed by the other boys.
The warm and delicious touch of the drummer's lips on mine stops as he steps back. I can't look anywhere else than them, pulpy and irresistibly dark in shades of pink. I lift my eyes gently to meet his as most of our communicating has been made through our gaze more than words.
A simple smile, almost a smirk, is all he does as the electricity still runs through my veins. I still feel the warmth of his hand on my cheek, our chests pressed together, his hair between my fingers. Wow...
He runs to join the lads backstage as I sigh, looking at him until he's out of my sight. I lock eyes with Sophie that grins with brows high, looking at me.
"That was something..." She smirks, and I can't help but mirror her as I run my thumb on my lip thinking back on what happened.
Oh my God! Wow...
Oh my God! What have I done?
"I think I should go..." I rush out, picking up my purse.
"What? Already? Can't you wait for the boys to end their set? They have like four or five more songs-"
"No, I really can't.... I've had a call from Marcel Wright. He wants me to give him another chance. We brunch together in the morning." I rush out as I look through my wallet to get out some cash.
"What?! That's incredible! That means we will see each other again. That's great!" I hand her money for all the alcohol they paid for me, but she refuses it. She gets up and hugs me quickly. "You have my number on your phone. So hit me up when you are in town. I know a little somebody that will want to see you again."
"Do you think I can have his number? I feel bad leaving without saying my goodbyes."
"Of course." She winks at me and texts it to me.
"Thank you for being there for me. I needed a friend today." I smile at her and open my arms to hug her.
"Whenever. You know how to reach me." She whispers to my ear, sounding genuine.
I leave her embrace and step back to look at the band coming on stage. I feel bad for leaving now, but in my drunken state, it might be the only dose of reality hitting me before things might get too far.
My gaze has the unfortunate chance to cross Ashley's. I can't help the soft smile on my lips as I turn around and leave the pub for my hotel room.
The air outside is even colder than before, so I run my short way to the hotel. I get inside, and the yellow colour of the accessories in the hall warms me up instantly. The employees are really welcoming, and it makes this stay even more enjoyable. I get in the elevator and head straight to my room. I unlock my door on the eighth floor and drop everything on the floor on my way to the sink. I drink a cold glass of water and undress completely to slide between the cold white sheets of the bed.
Wow.
I set the alarm on my cell for 6:30 AM. It's almost midnight. I decide to put it to 7 AM instead. As I have my cell in hand, I check the text Sophie sent me with Ash's number. I get him in my contacts, debating if I should text him or not, and decide to text him quickly before drifting to sleep.
Me: I hope it was worth your 10£. ;)