I hated that even two weeks later I still thought about that night in The Whipping House. A part of me wished that I had a way to get back into that place, just to see if William might be there again. I snapped out of my thoughts when class was let out, thankful that I hadn't seemed to have missed much. On my way back to the dorm room I ran into Mackenzie.
"Hey you." She greeted me with a smile.
"Hey."
"So, I was thinking that we should go out tonight." She tells me and when she sees the look of disinterest I give her, she quickly adds. "It's a concert, come on I know you'll love it."
"Who's going to be playing?"
"The only band I know is Motionless in White."
"I've never heard of them."
"You will love them, I promise."
"I don't know..."
She cuts me off, "Please? When have I ever given you a bad music recommendation?"
I let out a sigh admitting, "Never."
She grinned at that as she asked, "So will you go?"
"Sure, why not?"
"Sweet!" She cheered as she gave me a quick hug, making me chuckle. "Let's go get ready for the show!"
Mackenzie rushed me back to our dorm room, finding Lea in the middle of writing a paper. When she saw the frenzied state Kenzie dug through the wardrobe she stopped typing.
"What are you two up to?"
Mackenzie tossed me a pair of my faded black skinny jeans as she explains, "There's a concert going on just down the road. Do you want to come with us?"
"What kind of music is playing?"
She had to think over it for a moment as she rifled through some shirts before finally saying, "Rock for the most part."
Lea shook her head even though Mackenzie wasn't looking at her, that was definitely not her type of music. "I'm good."
She shrugged before motioning me over to her questioning, "Do you want to wear this one?"
I took the t-shirt from her, seeing that it was my 'It Dies Today' shirt. When I nodded she swiftly started searching for her own outfit. I left her to it and went to the bathroom to change and freshen up a bit.
When I came back out I found her peering in the mirror and she glanced at me whining, "I wish I had a nose ring like you. It would be so cute."
I laughed, "How about we see if we can find you somewhere to get one after the concert?"
A bright smile took over her face as she nodded enthusiastically.
"I swear by the time we get back to Kentucky, you both are going to be different people," Lea mumbles as she pulls her chair back towards the computer.
The momentary drop in my facial expression didn't go unnoticed by Mackenzie as she hands me my coat saying, "Come on, we don't want to be late."
Lea must have caught on to the change in the atmosphere because she instantly began to backtrack her words. "Not that it's all a bad thing. Change can be great."
I nodded along, trying my best to appear agreeable. We all knew that it was still bothering me regardless. I put on my boots and Mackenzie was swift about getting me out of the dorm room after that.
"You know she didn't mean anything bad by that, right?" I asked as we got on the elevator.
"Yeah, I know, but it just felt uncalled for. She knows not to say stuff like that."
"But she was one of the last people to find out about what was going on anyway. I can't blame her for not remembering." I point out.
"What he did to you isn't something that I could forget as easily as her." She snapped, but then frowned as she realized what she had said.
I gave her the most comforting smile I could as I put my hand on her shoulder. "I know, you're a big part of the reason I was able to get out of that situation. Of course, it sticks with you more, but let's try not to ruin our evening by thinking about it."
She nodded as the elevator doors opened and we hurried outside. I was grateful to discover that it had warmed up a bit from this morning. Once I had hailed a cab and Mackenzie told the driver where to head, she started on a different topic.
"So, you never really told me about what happened that night in that club you went to without me."
"Didn't Lea tell you?"
She waved it off. "She told me how outrageous she thought the place was and that you had disappeared with some guy while she suffered with a drunk Blake to take care of. That's not the details I wanted. I need to hear more about this guy."
I let out a dry laugh, "Well, first of all, I didn't disappear with anyone. I got separated from them thanks to the crowd and I ran into the guy in the process. He was actually nice enough to volunteer to help me find them again."
"But how did you end up dancing with him then?" She asked with a smirk.
"When he spotted where Blake and Lea were, he asked. I didn't see why I shouldn't at the time." I confess as I recall that moment.
"Did anything else happen?"
I felt myself blush as I remembered his words. "He asked me if I would ever partake in anything like what was going on around us and how he could show me what it felt like."
She wiggled her eyebrows. "Lea told me that she found him kissing on your neck, is that true?"
I nodded as I turned my gaze out the window.
Mackenzie giggled, "That actually sounds amazing."
I shook my head as I chuckled myself. "It kind of was."
"So, do you still talk to him?"
My giddiness faded at that. "No, all I know about him is that his name is William."
"How sophisticated." She joked as the taxi finally stopped at our destination. "Oh well, there are always more men of London for you to fool around with."
"I don't think he was actually from here, he didn't have an accent."
Mackenzie and I hurried over to the ticket booth, getting in line with the rest of the crowd. I had no clue when the show was supposed to start, but the group of people waiting outside began to grow rapidly. When we finally reached the ticket booth Mackenzie insisted that she pay for us and I knew better than to try to argue with her, she's the most stubborn person I know. Inside the first band's instruments were being set up and a small gathering of people was already in front of the stage.
"So, where were you wanting to stand?" I asked as I peered around.
"How about over here?" She suggests, pointing to the left side of the venue, where it was fairly empty.
The lights finally went down and the audience cheered. Kenzie and I nodded our heads to the music as the first band played. As the show went on I found myself loosening up, actually enjoying the performance these bands were putting on. By the time the last band was up next the room was charged with excitement and the number of people in here doubled.
The venue was plunged into darkness and everyone around me began to cheer and scream as loud as they could. One by one the members of the band I now knew to be Motionless in White came onto the stage and began to play their instruments. As the singer came on stage the audience went absolutely ballistic and when the stage lights hit his face, my mouth fell open in shock.
"Oh my god! That's William!" I shout to Mackenzie as I grab onto her arm.
She gave me a puzzled look, "How can that be? The lead singer's name is Chris. Besides, I thought you said that you didn't know these guys?"
"No, you don't get it! That guy I met at the Whipping House was him! Maybe he told me a fake name on purpose!"
She gasped, "Are you serious? You had fucking Chris Cerulli kissing on you?"
"Is that a good thing?"
"Hell yes, it's a good thing!"
While Mackenzie looking like she was about to explode from excitement, I found myself feeling a quite different way. I felt oddly nervous as I watched him sing to his eager audience, something about him looked so different this time. It couldn't just be the fact that he wasn't in a suit this time or that he had on heavy dark makeup, it was something that I couldn't quite put my finger on. None the less I danced along with Mackenzie as she shouted the words to their songs. I had to admit they were great.
When the concert was over Mackenzie was a sweaty mess of happiness that was very contagious.
"So, what did you think?" She asks in a somewhat hoarse and out-of-breath voice.
I laughed, "They were awesome!"
"Do you care if we stop by the merchandise booth?"
I shrugged, "Sure, let's wait for everyone to clear out a bit though."
It didn't take long for the security to start telling people that they needed to leave unless they were buying something, so the building cleared out fairly fast. Kenzie was the last person in line and didn't take her much time to pick out a shirt. I was glad because my feet were starting to hurt a bit from the show and I was ready to sit down. As soon as she paid for her shirt I turned around, managing to bump into the person behind me.
"Oh, I'm sorry." We both say at the same time and I find that it was Chris that I ran into.
Without intending to, his name slips past my lips in a quiet murmur. He smiles slightly, causing his eyebrow to arch. Another expression takes its place a mere second later, a mixture of recognition and confusion.
"Have we met before?" He questions as he studies me.
I noticed that his voice is a bit less raspy than the first time I had met him, but I could only assume that it was from singing.
"We have, it was in that club two weeks ago."
It was obvious that he didn't remember when he asks, "Which club?"
Despite the fact I had no desire to say the name of that strange, slightly depraved place, I softly say, "You know, The Whipping House."
Something that looked like fear flashed through his brown eyes as he shook his head saying, "I've never been there before."
I knew that I wasn't making a mistake. This man standing in front of me was the same one I met that night. People that look alike don't also happen to have the same exact tattoos. It was clear now that he was unwilling to recall or speak of that evening, so I decided to leave it alone.
"Oh, well, it must have been someone else then. I'm sorry." I say as I move to get out of here and save my dignity.
He was quick to follow me. "But I know I've seen you before."
Now I was convinced that he was just messing with me at this point.
"Maybe you just had too much to drink to remember me." I point out, thinking to myself that he hadn't appeared to be the least bit intoxicated at all.
"What did we do?" He asks hesitantly.
"We just talked and danced."
"You would think I wouldn't forget someone like you." He murmurs more to himself than to me.
"It's fine, it isn't that big of a deal," I reassure him as I turn away, slightly stunned by what he said.
Before I can get very far he reaches out to grab my hand. "Hang on, I feel like such a dick for not recalling you."
I did my best to resist my urge to rip my hand out of his and just leave already. I peered back at him, waiting to see what he would do.
His head tilted slightly as he asked, "Wait, your name is Amber, isn't it?"
I nodded, so he did remember me.
"I really am sorry that I forgot you, is there any way I can make it up to you?" He questioned, giving me a pleading look.
I was so puzzled by him, it was like he was almost a totally different person.
"Bring him with us." Mackenzie volunteers in a quiet tone to me.
He clearly heard her because he asks, "Where are you guys heading to?"
"To get my nose pierced." She tells him with a grin.
"Sweet, do you care if I tag along then?"
Before I had a chance to protest she says, "Sure, the more the better."
He grins and I have to fight off my thoughts of how adorable he is. This could not be the same guy I met in that club. Maybe no one was supposed to know about his other 'interests'. That was the only thing that made any sense.
"Alright, just wait right here for a minute and let me get my stuff." He tells us before running off to the backstage area.
I turn my attention to Mackenzie, quietly demanding, "Why did you tell him that?"
She smirked at me. "Consider it a favor."
"In what way? This whole thing is ridiculously embarrassing and now we are just prolonging it."
"Well, he clearly thinks you're cute if that remark was anything to go off of."
"Oh my god," I mutter as I palm my face.
"Oh, come on, it won't kill you."
I grit my teeth mumbling, "Fine."