Thank you @daddodiestro for this Dubai edition poster! You DM'd me with this poster but please let me know if you want me to tag you on Instagram with it :)
Chapter 54: Looney
"And here's another," the waiter said as he set two more glasses in front of us.
They clinked on the metallic table and I stared at the drink's yellow coloring. A curled lemon peel was artistically placed on the rim, as if someone had forgotten to throw it away after eating.
I flicked it off.
We were in a club, where Chad had reserved a table under his father's name. The bar's heavy lights flashed neon colors and the noise reached a deafening peak.
I yelled into Austin's ears, pointing at the waiter and our retreating cocktail glasses, "They were empty."
I felt empty.
Austin raised our new glasses and offered one to me, "But these are full."
We clinked glasses and drank our next round. Austin and I had advanced into a new stage of drinks we didn't even recognize.
But I realized that he was already talking to a girl. She was wearing a shimmery black dress and must've shimmered over to our table.
"One down," I said to my glass.
It's down to my cocktail and me. I wonder if Austin liked that girl. I've never met a cocktail I didn't like.
Meanwhile, Cearra was on the dance floor with Oma. They really hit it off this evening. She had sailed into the group dynamic.
I stared down at my cartoon t-shirt. "You didn't help," I told it.
**
Luke is handsome, we all know that. Does it get tired being that handsome? I bet it does. He probably measures his abs every day and feels sad when people don't complement him.
No, I'm not sour since this drink isn't a whisky sour. Yes, I'm bitter because he neglected me.
Now Luke walked towards me, peeling away from the crowd on the dance floor like the lemon peel next to my drink. He was wearing a blue t-shirt that matched his eyes. No one had complained to him about his t-shirt.
With his back to the packed dance floor, he ran a hand through his hair and asked, "Where have you been?"
"Here," I replied bluntly.
"You should've joined us," he said, keeping the charming act up. He saw my cocktail glass and his expression changed. He reached out for it.
I let him take my drink but watched him with a hawk's gaze. If he has more than a sip...
He tasted it, "Amaretto sour. You're mixing drinks."
"Is that condensation in your voice?" I think I meant condescension.
"Millie, you did not start the night with this. Are you keeping track?"
"Oh, so it's Millie now," I said, disapprovingly.
It's all fun and games when he calls me Minnie but call me Millie and it's suddenly doomsday.
He put the drink on the table. "Are you drunk?"
"No."
"You're drunk, Millie."
"You're drunk."
"I haven't been drinking," he said.
"Neither have I."
"That's a lie."
"You're a lie."
"OK," he offered his hand to me, which I did not accept. Then he came by and wrapped his arm around my waist, "Here, let's get up. Are you hungry?"
I nodded.
**
We walked across the street and the cooler air did a good job at removing some of the fog in my mind. My ear drums were vibrating, even though the sound of the music was distant now.
Luke bought us fast food at a place nearby. He also bought three bottles of water and made sure I drank one before we returned to the club.
"Are you going to eat this?" Luke asked, pointing at the takeaway bag in my hand.
I gasped in shock.
"What?" he asked, and repeated, "Are you going to eat this?"
"Ohh," I exhaled, relaxing, "I thought you asked 'are you going to eat me.'"
He stared at me with no comment.
We returned to the club. There was still a long line of people waiting to get in, though it was moving fairly quickly. Luke walked straight by it, pulling me along.
I told the people in the line, "Party's over. The police is here," I said, pointing at Luke who was pulling me along, "So everyone can go home."
"I'm not the police. I'm just trying to take care of you," he said, stopping in front of the bouncer.
Luke gave me a look to stop playing around. Since when did he get so boring?
I held onto my paper take-out bag as Luke spoke to the man. They exchanged words and the bouncer let us in. I kept a serious face to the bouncer and to Luke and then waved at my new friends in the line.
They didn't wave back.
Here we go again. Back into the lion's den. Music, lights, sweaty bodies.
"I'm telling the others that we're going home," Luke yelled over the music.
"To the US?"
"To Chad's villa," Luke said, "Please don't walk away from me. I don't want you to get lost."
"I've been lost since we landed on this vacation," I spat facts.
"What?" Luke asked over the loud music, "I can't hear you."
"I'M LOST!" I yelled out.
"No, you're with me," he answered, holding onto my hand as we started to weave through the crowd.
**
"Lukey," I cooed as he navigated us through the crowd.
"Minnie, that's not a nickname we're using," he reminded me, turning around so he faced me properly.
"You get to call me Minnie and I can't call you Looney?" I asked, though I meant to say Lukey. Oops.
I wrapped my arms around his neck.
"You're so drunk, aren't you?" he laughed, letting his hands rest on my waist.
His easy going nature returned and we moved to the music. We were surrounded by bodies. It was so nice to be alone with him here, even if we were still in a faceless crowd.
"You've been so serious," I told him, "I think we should loosen up. Take some clothes off..."
I slid my hands under his shirt and felt his firm, warm body underneath.
"You want to take my clothes off here?"
"Yes. No one will notice," I nodded, pulling his shirt up slightly. "Don't you want to?"
I want to. Every time I see his naked upper body, I feel the urge to run my hands over every inch of his skin.
"Yes, I do," he answered, "But not like this. You have no idea how much I want this with you, but not when you're like this."
**
~Cearra's POV~
This was the most incredible day of my life. The popular club, the gourmet dinner, the stylish villa... I was living a whole new life in here.
I was dancing with Oma and whoever came in and out of our circle. Oma had a real suave-ness to her. She operated with confidence, knowing how to act and what to do.
Chad and Bianca joined us after a while, and I kept looking around for Millie. Last I saw her, she was with Austin. I'm glad she has a boyfriend already.
She literally scored Luke.
I know he's her boyfriend, but his appearance does such a service for the community. Between him and Austin, I can spend my day watching them.
I saw Austin speaking to a girl he met a few minutes ago. Anytime he turned in my direction, I would pretend to be having the time of my life. But otherwise, I was staring at him – feeling that jealousy build up in my stomach.
"Hey guys, Millie and I are going to head home."
I turned back to the group and saw Luke speaking to Chad and Oma. Then I saw Millie behind him, standing with a fast food takeaway bag in her hand.
Someone bumped into me and apologized. When I turned back, Millie was gone.
"Luke!" I exclaimed, pointing to his girlfriend.
She was sitting cross legged in the middle of the dance floor, eating her burger.
"That's why I like her," Chad said, "She doesn't give a f*ck."
**
~Millie's POV~
Somehow, we were standing on the balcony. I didn't know this club had a balcony.
The whole group was out here talking. I didn't know what they were talking about. Occasionally, they would look over to me, but I had no more burger to offer. It was all gone.
I leaned over the railing to stare at all the little ant humans down below.
But then I felt dizzy and my stomach turned. I stood upright and brought a hand to my shoulder bone, since that was mid-way between my hurting head and my aching stomach.
Where was Austin? He was the only nice person here. Everyone else has been so cold.
"Millie," Luke told me, turning his attention to me now, "Chad's driver is outside, so we're going home now."
"I don't feel so good." My stomach revolted.
"Soon we'll be home and get you-"
I threw up over Luke.
Someone behind him screamed.
Oh no. This is not good.
Luke's blue shirt had my not-so-blue barf on it. I put my hand to my mouth to wipe the grossness off. Oh dear. I felt so embarrassed, though admittedly my stomach felt better.
"I'm sorry, Luke."
He didn't say anything and stared down at the gross stuff on his shirt.
Cearra came sweeping out of nowhere and threw her arms over me, leading me somewhere else. I let her guide me, though my head turned round to look at Luke. His friends gathered around him and I felt even more humiliated that they were staring at my barf.
"I ruined the night," I said.
Cearra pushed the door to the ladies' bathroom open and helped me wash my face and gargle water in my mouth. She didn't watch that part.
"Why did you drink so much?" she asked me.
"I don't know," I exhaled, feeling miserable in more ways than one, "I didn't feel like I was fitting in and I wanted to forget."
"Drinking is so not the answer," she said, "I wish you told me. I didn't realize you didn't feel a part of this group. You're the one who invited me in, so I just assumed you were comfortable."
"I'm not comfortable."
**
When Cearra and I returned to the others, I could see that Luke wasn't in a good mood. Bianca was telling him something and Chad was nowhere near them.
He had completely distanced himself from the situation.
Bianca was in mid-sentence when Luke stopped listening.
She objected, "What are you-"
He pulled his shirt off and threw it into the trash.
She then said, "Oh I am not complaining."
Luke turned back towards us, chiseled upper body on display. He looked over at me and nodded his head. He wasn't playing sweet anymore. "Let's. Go. Home."
"Ok." I squeaked.
Luke's hot when he gets angry.
Cearra asked me, "Do you want me to come? I can be emotional support."
"No, you should enjoy the rest of your evening," I told her.
I was in trouuuuble. But I guess I got his shirt off in the end.
A/N: I cringed for Millie while writing this chapter. Please vote if you want the next one this week! How is Luke going to react?
Want to know a secret? That moment with Millie sitting cross legged at the party eating her burger 100% comes from real life :)
<3 Natalie
IG: @NatalieInACorner (lmk on Instagram that you came from here!!)