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chapter thirty three
vodka and kisses
"It's a horror film." Tom said and nudged me. We were at his place and we decided to spend a few days together, since Clay flew to Scotland, this was the third day at his place and the next day we were going to the party.
"Can we watch something less stressing and scary?" I asked.
"What? Are you scared already?" He turned off the lights and the TV was the only one illuminating us, "I dare you to watch it."
"Okay."
"Seriously? You'll cry and you won't be able to sleep."
"I won't cry."
"You're gonna watch it?"
"Yeah, I don't think it's a big deal." And I was wrong. The film was boring at first. Typical, the family moves to a house that nobody wants, strange things happen by night. Both of us were eating popcorn and I had already finished my bowl so I grabbed a bunch from Tom's bowl.
The woman in the film was standing in the middle of a dark room, it was the attic. Something awful was going to happen, I could sense that.
"You okay?" Tom asked.
"Yeah, I'm okay." He nodded.
"Can you, stop squeezing my wrist?" My eyes darted a it and I released him.
"Sorry."
"We can stop watching the film, it's late anyway." It was eleven twenty, "We should be asleep already. I didn't refuse to stop watching the film. He stood up and turned on the lights.
I got into the bedroom and crawled into bed. Soon after, Tom did the same. I was hoping to have our usual chattering before sleeping, but as soon he turned off the lights, he said "Good night, Oaks."
What?! No! Are you gonna leave me alone here in the darkness?! We just watched a horror film and you're gonna fall asleep?! Is that even possible?!
"Are you gonna sleep already?" I asked.
"Yeah, I'm knackered."
"Oh, good night then."
"Good night." He said and rolled on his side. I was facing his back in that huge bed, if I stretched my arm I couldn't even reach him, not even brush him with my fingertips.
I glanced at the red numbers of the alarm clock on the bedside table. 12:18 AM.
"Tom?" He didn't answer, I sat up and moved closer to him to shake his shoulder, "Tom?"
"Mmm?" He groaned.
"Are you asleep?"
"I was asleep." He buried his face in the pillow, "What do you want?"
"You don't have to be that rude."
"Sorry, I was having a nice dream and you just spoiled it. Are you okay?"
"I can't sleep." He chuckled, "It's not funny."
"It is funny, for me. I told you that you wouldn't be able to sleep after the film." He said.
"Was it on purpose?"
"Yep. There's room for two." He said, lifting the covers. I lay next to him and he wrapped his arms around me, "Good night, Oaks."
"Good night, Tom."
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[Tom's POV]
"Clock strikes upon the hour, and the sun begins to fade, still enough time to figure out, how to chase my blues away, I've done alright up to now, it's the light of day that shows me how, and when the night falls, loneliness calls..." I sat up in bed and listened carefully to the singing voice coming from my bathroom, with a huge grin on my face as I tried to recognise the song.
"Oh, I wanna dance with somebody, I wanna feel the heat with somebody, yeah, I wanna dance with somebody, with somebody who loves me..." The door was half open and the smell of soap and shampoo had filled the bedroom,
"I've been in love and lost my senses, spinning through the town, sooner or later the fever ends, and I wind up feeling down..."
"She's insane." I said whilst chuckling.
"I need a man who'll take a chance, on a love that burns hot enough to last, so when the night falls, my lonely heart calls..." She walked into the bedroom with a towel wrapped in her head and wearing fresh clothes.
"What's all that howling?" She smiled.
"Don'tcha wanna dance, say you wanna dance, don'tcha wanna dance..." She 'danced' towards me and jumped into bed.
"Can you stop? I just woke up." She shook her head, she was dancing on the bed, "Oaks."
"Don'tcha wanna dance, say you wanna dance, don'tcha wanna dance." She grabbed my hands, "C'mon!"
"Nic, I just woke up." I got up and stood next to her anyway, she was jumping and shaking my hands, "You missed a part of the song, you know that?"
"Don'tcha wanna dance, say you wanna dance, with somebody who loves me!"
"That horror film made permanent damage." She poked my arm.
"Rude!" She giggled, "That horror film thing was a pretty smooth move, last night, huh?"
"What?" I asked. Yeah, watching a horror film would mean that she would be scared and she would want to hug someone, at least I could hug her. Was it too obvious? "I'm joking." She pinched my stomach and I smiled, "No, but seriously, don'tcha wanna dance? We're going to a party tonight!"
"Maybe we could dance then." She smiled.
"Okay, bedhead." She grabbed my face in her hands, "I'm gonna make your breakfast."
"You don't have to make my breakfast."
"Cereal or toast."
"You don't have to."
"Toast then?"
"Nic."
"Or you prefer cereal?"
"Nicole."
"You can tell me what to do." She singsonged and jumped off the bed. I shook my head and jump off the bed and made my way to the bathroom. I looked at the man in the mirror.
"Looking good Tom." My hair was pointing at many different ways. I splashed water in my face and felt for a towel to dry my face. I ran my fingers thought my hair, trying to comb it. I spotted the small figure next to the faucet. I took the ring and stared at it. That little circle was mocking at me saying: you took too long.
"Tom, breakfast's ready!" Nicole shouted, making me jerk and the ring slipped through my fingers. I crouched to get it but failed and hit my forehead with the sink. I led my hand to my forehead and grimaced in pain, "Tom?"
"Just a second!" I said, "The ring, where's the ring?!" I muttered under my breath. I spotted it next to the bathtub. When I walked into the kitchen, Nic was putting milk in her tea.
"Oh my God, what happened to you?!" She walked towards me and touched my forehead.
"It's nothing, I'm alright."
"Did you fall or-"
"No, actually, it was its fault." I showed her the ring, "You left it next to the faucet and it, rolled to the floor."
"It rolled, by itself." She raised an eyebrow.
"I tried to get it on time but I hit myself with the sink instead."
"Go sit in the couch. Do you have a first aid kit?"
"In the bathroom." She began to walk, "I'm alright Oaks, I don't need,anything." She was gone. I sat in the couch and waited for her, toying with her ring.
"Okay, let's see what can we find in here." She said when she stepped in the living room, she opened the first aid kit and rummaged into it.
"What are you doing?"
"Firstly, I've got to clean the affected area."
"Okay, doctor." She giggled and approached, examining the 'affected area'. "What?"
"You've got a tiny cut, my God Thomas, it's just a ring, you can't leave your face in a sink for a ring." She said.
"It's and engagement ring."
"Oh, yeah. I'm sure Clay can get new one, but you can't get a new face." She put something in the cotton ball and then she tapped on my forehead.
"Arghh!" I groaned.
"Sorry!"
"I was playing." She smiled.
"Fool." I took advantage of the moment and stared at her. Her brow was slightly furrowed as she cleaned the cut. Her hair was still wet and fell over one of her shoulders, I could see my reflect in her eyes, those big green eyes, I'd love to get lost in them. She smiled, "You're ready."
"Thanks." I gave her the ring and she extended her hand to me, I slid the ring on her finger, daydreaming, imagining that I bought her the ring, and that I was her fiancé.
I was about to stand up when she placed her hand over my shoulder to stop me, "Wait!" She said and leaned over to kiss my forehead, "Mum always said this way you heal faster. Now, you're ready."
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[Nicole's POV]
I heard Robert thanking everyone for being an amazing public, he had just finished singing in the karaoke. He was drunk, like me, like Jeremy, who had his arm wrapped around me. Scarlett was talking with Mark. I hadn't seen Tom since the minute we arrived, we didn't even dance as we said we would. I didn't know where he was. Chris H. was sitting with us, but he was totally sober, babysitting us.
I heard someone shouting for more vodka shots, I don't think I had ever been so drunk in my life. I accepted to dance with Chris Evans at the rhythm of what I think was 'We found love'.
"I think I should carry you!" He shouted, I was barely standing and I had to grab his arm all the time, we returned to our seats and everyone was on the dance floor, everyone except Tom.
"Hey! Where were you?!" I asked and he smiled.
"Talking to Cobie!" That was the only way to communicate with each other, shouting, the music was too loud, "Why did you guys stop dancing?" He asked.
"She's too drunk, and so am I, If can't take care of myself when I'm drunk how am I supposed to take care of her?" Chris said and we chuckled and I sat down next to Tom, "I'm gonna have another drink, see you then." He said and left.
"Do you want another?" Tom grabbed the shots from the table and handed me one, "Cheers." He said, "What's so funny?" He asked when he heard me giggling out of the blue.
"I'm drunk, thanks for inviting me and for the hell of a hangover I'm gonna get tomorrow." I hugged him and he hugged me back and he chuckled in my ear making me squeal, both of us were drunk.
"I'm sorry." He chuckled and broke the hug and he stared into my eyes. I felt so feeble. His breath made contact with my face as both of us got closer, "I'm sorry." He breathed out and our lips touched hesitatingly. I wrapped my arms around his neck and I felt his hands running down my spine, making me shudder, "Oaks-" He cut off himself when he crashed his lips against mine. All I could think was how stupid I was for kissing my best friend, but I was enjoying it. I surprised myself grabbing the back of his neck, pulling him into an attempt of a never-ending kiss. I cried when he bit my lip, and I heard him apologising, our breathing became erratic, I could hear my heart beating faster and faster, my hearing became distorted, the more I wanted to push him away, the more I wanted him near.
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Love, Liz.