This was not a dress, this was a shirt.
I continued to pull down on the flimsy black fabric that belonged to the garment Johnny had loaned me. It clung to my body like a second skin and stopped at a really racy place.
"Lilly, darling, hurry up! I hadn't realized you were such a diva, Jesus," I hear Jonny complain from the other side of the bathroom door.
"It's not my fault that you forgot to give me the other freaking half of the dress!" I yell in frustration, after thrusting the door open.
"It doesn't look that bad, you should see Gola. You'll look like Virgin Mary next to her, I promise. Now we have to get going!" Johnny starts to lead me towards the door.
I try to fight his shoving by pushing towards the opposite direction. I cannot go out like this!
"Wait!" I yell when the idea light bulb turns on over my head.
I hear Johnny let me go with a sigh.
I sprint towards my suitcase and zip it open. Scrambling through my bag of clothes, I dig through the fabrics until I spot what I'm looking for. I start to slide my knee-high black pencil skirt, the one that I used for my job interview, over the bottom half of my dress.
What the heck are you doing-" Johnny cuts himself off with a gasp, after he sees me slide the thing fully up. I run to the bathroom mirror to inspect my work.
I smile when I'm fully sure that I look decent and good too.
"Not bad." Johnny leans against the doorframe and studies me in a weird way. He looks at me like I'm some sort of science experiment and it freaks me out a bit.
"What happened to 'Hurry up'?" I question, so that he can stop studying me that way.
"Oh yes! Time to par-tay!" Johnny giggles like a girl, once he remembers that we have somewhere to go.
I walk out of the hotel room with him by my side, internally dreading the whole night.
Joshua turns around just in time to catch sight of me and Johnny.
"Nice," He comments, looking me up and down. I grab my face when I realize that I'm blushing. So. Not. Cool.
We meet up with the rest of the crew in the hotel Lobby. All of the women are wearing skin tight dresses that leave almost nothing to the imagination. I realize that I do look like Virgin Mary next to all of them, but it doesn't bother me. At least I'm comfortable.
I think that we're all ready to go, until I see the short blonde from earlier walk up to Joshua with a phone in her hand.
Holy shit, two calls in the same week? Somehow I know that it's a bad sign.
Joshua walks out with the phone tight in his hand. I can tell that he works hard to muffle his words.
I make sure to keep everyone in the lobby, while he's outside. I want him to have his privacy now, so I can weasel it out of him later.
The call is brief, and he walks back in after just a few minutes. I don't like the look on his face. If I had to describe it, 'pissed off' would be the word. This wasn't like the first time when he was all sulky and shit. No, I was sure that this was worse.
I don't know why I even cared, but I still made my way over to him, while everyone continued talking in their own conversations.
"Everything alright?" I ask from where I stand.
I expect him to at least tell me that something is up, but instead he gives me a smile and nods his head as a yes.
For some reason, I get really disappointed. I'm about to question him, but I hear Amanda's voice telling us that we're going to be late. Joshua doesn't give me another chance to speak before walking off with the rest of the group, leaving me standing there like an idiot.
Fine, I didn't give a hoot anyway!
The ride to the club that we're going to is fairly short. I bite my nails in anticipation. What the hell are you supposed to do in one of those places anyway?
If someone is expecting me to shake my ass and go wild, then I was really going to disappoint.
When we get there, I feel nothing far from a socially awkward penguin. It doesn't take long for the entire group to disperse once we enter the dark room. It's huge, with two floors and a round bar smack in the middle. The obnoxious techno song and strobe lights start to give me a headache the minute we walk in. I realize that I officially suck at partying.
I don't know what to do with myself as I stand awkwardly in the middle of the dance floor. My eyes wander to Johnny, who dances not too far away from me. I realize with horror that he's started to do the robot.
Oh. My. God.
I would be watching out for Joshua, but even I could see that he wasn't in the partying mood. He mentioned something about getting a drink bitterly, and wondered off the minute we entered the doors. His presence did serve for one thing, getting us into the club before anyone else. The bouncer had quickly let us in once he had realized that Joshua Lachowski was with us.
I feel some warm sweaty hands grab my hips, and I whip my head around to find out who has the guts to get handsy.
What the hell?
Some creeper has practically started to dry hump my leg without me noticing.
"Ew! Gross!" I yell in a high voice. I'm not OK. with being groped by some creepy stranger. Hell, I don't think I'm comfortable with being groped by someone I freaking know! I race to the bar, once I realize that the pervert has started to get all up in my personal bubble.
Plopping myself on a bar stool; I know that I already hate the night. My day has turned from good to crappy in like two seconds. Just when I think things can't get any worse, I feel a hand on my shoulder.
What now?
I turn my head and come face to face with a short guy with a buzz-cut.
His voice is smooth and silky when he speaks, "Hello, my name's John."
He winks before continuing, "I couldn't keep my eyes of off you. Can I buy you a drink?" I can tell that he's trying really hard to make his English accent sexy. Except, I think I smell fish sticks.
I feel like a total jerk when I burst out laughing. Oh my god, just my luck to get hit on by Romeo here. John looks at me like I just grew second head. My laughing goes away and I finally take the chance to reply. I wipe the last trace of humor from my face and narrow my eyes.
My voice is bored and annoyed when I say, "How about....No?"
I turn around, thinking that it's the end of it. When have I ever gotten what I want?
Instead of leaving, John sits himself down on the stool beside mine. He orders some fancy drink to the bartender and turns to me with yet another wink.
What a creep, man.
"Look, I'm not interested," I say with clenched lips. I wish he would get the hint already, but he clearly doesn't.
"Are you sure? How much was your skirt?" He says, throwing me off.
I'm ready to tell him to get the fuck away from me again, but the question distracts me. He wants to buy my skirt?
"What?" I ask, truly confused.
"Well, because when you're with me, I promise it's one hundred percent off," He gives me a wink and a smile after he finishes dropping his lame-ass pick-up line.
I stand up; ready to smack the asswipe across the face, when I feel yet another presence behind me.
In a flash, Joshua has pushed John back into one of the stools, sending him down to the floor with a clash.
Holy shit!
"Fuck off!" Joshua yells. His Brazilian accent comes off strongly. I remember that this only happens when he's really pissed off.
"Relax!" I yell at Joshua, throwing his words back at him from earlier.
My mouth hangs open when I see that Joshua has picked the sleaze bag up by the collar and has his fist inches away from John's face. I wonder if Joshua's drunk.
"Stop it!" I try to yell.
Johnny apparently notices the commotion that brewing, and comes over to pull Joshua off of John.
"That's enough Pretty Boy. Don't want to make headlines, now do we?" Johnny says, close to Joshua's ear.
Joshua roughly lets go of the fabric he's holding, and straightens himself up. What the hell has just happened?
Next, John the Sleaze pulls himself up and starts wiping at his trousers. He has absolutely no limits, because he asks out of breath, "What's your number?"
His face is looking at me, waiting for my response. I stand there in shock as Joshua pushes another stool to the ground and stalks off.
"It's one, two, three, don't call me, asshole!" I yell frustratingly.
I want to follow him, but Amanda walks up to our little gathering and looks around bewildered.
"What happened?" She questions. I see the concern in her face and I don't want to upset her. I remember that this is her celebration.
I talk really fast as I push her towards the stairs, hoping she won't figure it out, "Nothing, just having a little chat. Want to go up to the second floor?"
She nods and we climb up the sticky steps past the couples who sit swapping spit. You can just feel the class in here, I swear.
We stand next to the balcony rails and peer down at the swaying bodies below us.
I hear Amanda sigh next to me. I notice that she's not enjoying this as much as she's trying to portray.
"How come even Johnny can get a date?"
I look down to see what she's talking about. Sure enough, Jonny is talking really close with some random guy. You can tell that he's flirting, because he's practically on the guy's lap.
"Hey, don't worry about it. You know what they say, beauty is in the eye of the beer holder," I say, trying to make her feel better. We both crack up when the guy that Johnny is talking to takes a sip out of his beer, proving me right.
"Oh my god, you're right Lilly!" Amanda says. I can tell that her confidence has been restored.
I spend the rest of the night worrying about Amanda having fun, and wondering where Joshua is.
I finally relax when I see Joshua stumble into a cab that stands idly behind my own, while we're leaving. I notice that he isn't entirely sober as I pull open the door and climb into my own cab.
The ride back to the hotel somehow takes longer than the ride to the club. I look out of the window and watch the streets of London almost fly by me.
I try to put together all of the shit that has happened. From posing with Joshua and having him help me overcome my fears, to watching him almost punch a guy in the face for flirting with me.
I wonder why he would do that. He couldn't possibly care, right? I mean, why would he?
It's not like he didn't practically bet that he could get in my pants and get me fired.
All of these thoughts are really stressing me out. I know that I won't be able to sleep
When we get to the hotel, I tiredly make my way to my room. Even though I feel like I'm about to pass out from the exhaustion, I still know that I won't be able to sleep with all of the thoughts on my mind.
I don't think that I have anyone to talk to, until I remember that Amanda has been my only friend throughout this whole thing. Maybe she can tell me if what I'm thinking is a bunch of bullshit? I just really need to get all of my suspicions out in the open and have someone help me clear them up.
I remember overhearing her room number and head that way. Her room is a few floors higher than mine, so the ride in the elevator takes a while.
I spot her room number and knock gently. Turning around, I figure that she's too tired and probably asleep anyway, until I hear the door creak open.
I turn around, but notice that Amanda didn't open the door for me. She must have left the door half open and my fist must have pushed it further.
I resolve to just close the door completely and then head to my room. Except, I forgot what a nosy person I am, and I can't resist but to go in.
I can wait for her inside right?
I mean this Joshua shit is really confusing me and I'm sure Amanda can help me sort it out.
I sit on her hotel bed and swing my legs back and forth. Where the hell could she have gone? It's nearly five in the morning.
I feel weird just sitting on her bed waiting, so I head over to the mini fridge to get a water.
That would look more casual, right?
I pull open the small white door and stick my hand in the smaller-than-average compartment. I try to locate the bottle of water, but my hands make contact with a plastic bag instead.
My nosiness doesn't stop there, because I pull the mysterious bag out and read the label.
'Blueberries'
The connection doesn't hit me until I've popped a few in my mouth.
Holy fucking shit balls.
Blueberries! Why the fuck would Amanda have a bag of blueberries in her mini fridge?
Except, maybe to give Gola and allergic reaction!
I can't believe what I'm thinking and think of ways to argue with my logic. Maybe she's just a blueberry addict? Can't get enough of the shit and keeps a bag everywhere she goes?
No matter how much I internally fight with myself, I can't win.
I remember how eager Amanda had looked when the designer was looking for a replacement. I remember how sure she was that she would get the part and how crushed and shocked she had looked when he turned her down. Lastly, I remember the far calculating look in her eyes when she had been told that she was too old.
I should have known!
I'm ready to storm my way out of the room in anger, I get mighty close to the door too.
My stalking comes to a halt when I hear a woman moan from the other side of the door. I recognize her as Amanda.
I don't know why I do it, but I find myself sliding under the bed at the same moment that the door busts open.
My head barely makes it in, before I hear some more moaning from Amanda and the person with her.
Holy shit, what if they start having sex on the bed, on top of me?
I squirm, trying to get comfortable. This cannot be happening to me. Maybe, this is all a freaking dream. Shit like this just doesn't happen to normal people!
I hear and feel a loud thump on the bed and figure that it's Amanda being thrown down
I shut my eyes, trying to teleport myself somewhere else, anywhere else, really. Take me to freaking Africa for god's sake!
The next words that come out of Amanda's mouth stop all of my inner pleading and render me speechless.
"I knew you couldn't say no to me for long, Joshua" She moans.
Here's the fourteenth chapter for you all! Can a get a gasp from the audience? What will Lilly do? What was Joshua thinking? Find out in the next chapter ;) Also, this is my longest chapter ever!
Finally, I've entered the Watty Awards and was recently reading someone's work. I saw something on the Author's note that sounded like a really good idea. So here it is: I shall post the next chapter when this one gets at least 50 votes (don't hate me?)!That way I can stay motivated and make my chapters better! Thank you guys so much for reading, commenting, voting, and fanning! It means a lot!