Petals [1]

She stood off to the side. She was minding her own business, sipping her drink quietly, and most obviously looking available.1

“Do you believe in love at first sight or should I just walk by again?” I grinned as I sauntered over.2

Setting her drink on the counter behind her, she snorted and leaned back against it, tucking a strand of her shoulder length rusty red hair behind one ear. “Nice try. I’ve only heard that one about a thousand times.”3

“Fine, but I bet you’ve never heard it from someone as good-looking as me,” I replied, keeping my wide smile evident and jerking my head towards the dance floor. “Dance with me?”4

She picked up her drink and her dark, inquisitive eyes traveled to a spot almost directly over my shoulder. However, I didn’t look away from her pretty face. “Sorry. You’re cute and all, I’ll give you credit for that, but it’ll take something a little more thoughtful to get me on your arm. Besides, Terrence here—“ a big man pushed past my right shoulder and the girl looped her arm in his “—already has a reliable claim on me.” She smiled up at him, and she had little dimples in the corners of her mouth.5

Needless to say, I was struck speechless. After a second of surprise and slight incomprehension and smiled and forced out, “See you around. Maybe alone next time?” I flashed a white grin, winked. “Stubby’s at nine; tomorrow night.”6

And then I disappeared into the throbbing dance floor, knowing in the back of my mind that she’d be there.7

♥♥♥8

I shook my head and downed what remained of my drink.9

“Come on. Let’s go,” I said coyly, and pulled Terrence by the hand onto the dance floor. Quickly, smoothly, he placed a little black flower behind my ear. I touched it self-consciously, and he assured me that it was beautiful. I positively glowed. 10

Most of our Friday nights were spent this way; whittling away the time dancing into the early hours. And after, back to Terrence’s for a little while before he finally dropped me off back at my place. But I had at last grown used to getting hangovers on Saturday morning.11

“Scarlett. You are so sexy, you know that?” Terrence moaned. He towered a head higher than me, and his hands were sliding up and down my body, smoothing over my hips and down my thighs, then back up again as he danced behind me.12

I smiled at his praise, even though I know he couldn’t see me. “Yeah. I know.”13

After two songs, I complained that I was tired and wanted to sit down for a while.14

“Baby, another beer?” he asked, throwing his arm behind my waist and glaring at any guy who so much as took a second glance at me.15

“Sure,” I said, leading him towards two open seats at the bar.16

He ordered two beers, and they arrived, frothing as little bubbles jumped up to the top of the glass. 17

I took a small sip, and the liquid burned my throat in a pleasing way. 18

“You know, Scarlett,” Terrence began, “I’ve always been astounded by how much alcohol that little body of yours can hold down before it collapses.”19

I tossed my head, lost for a second in pretend vanity. “It takes lots of practice.”20

Terrence took a huge gulp of his, half emptying the cup in one swig.21

I leaned forward, until our foreheads were touching. My breath was still coming a little short from the dancing.22

I turned my head up, arcing my neck until my mouth met with his.23

This kiss, like every other with Terrence, was good, setting my body on fire as I steadied myself with one hand against the countertop and pressed the other behind his neck, which was slightly damp with sweat from the terrible heat of the damn place.24

After a little too much tongue for my liking, I pulled away. “God Terrence,” I gasped, my heart thundering in my chest. “You are such a fucking good kisser.”25

“Then we should do it more often,” he replied, and again his lips met mine. The music was thudding around us still, and the dance floor was writhing with bodies but it seemed muted from were we sat. 26

Too soon, a voice interrupted us. “Jeez, you two! Get a room!”27

I pulled back and tucked a loose strand of hair behind my ear, knowing at once who it was.28

“You know, Cayla, I was kind of in the middle of something,” I growled playfully, slapping my sister in the arm.29

She rolled her dark brown eyes, her smiling face showing a sarcastic expression so close to mine that I could use her as mirror if I wanted to. Cayla shrugged her slim shoulders. “Sorry. I just thought I should stop you before you lost any clothes in public, is all.”30

“Ha, ha, very funny, Cay,” replied, my face grim. My mouth was still slightly numb from the last fiery embrace.31

“Uh-oh.” Terrence broke the sinister sisterly glare going between. “Nature’s calling.”32

After he’d disappeared in the general direction of the restroom, Cayla remarked, “All that alcohol’s gotta end up somewhere, huh?”33

“Thank you for that… vulgar observation, my dear. Where would I be without you?” I said sarcastically, turning my eyes toward heaven and hiding a smile. It was impossible not to smile around Cayla.34

“Probably having sex in a dark alley with mysterious strangers every other night,” she grinned, and looped her arm in mine. “So, sister dearest, I saw you talking to an eleven a little while ago.”35

“I thought we’d agreed earlier that Terrence was a nine?” I protested, thinking favorably of our hot guy scale. We started to walk aimlessly around the dance floor, Cayla putting that face of hers that makes every guy in the damn place want to have her then and there. 36

She then dismissed my boyfriend of seven months with a wave of her hand. “Not him. Some really hot guy. Blond. Green-blue eyes. Sexy. Nose bent a little bit in a cute way. Like he broke it fighting to defend his girlfriend from a group of thugs.”37

“Oh, him,” I said, recalling Mr. Hot-Shot.38

“Yes, him,” Cayla replied, waving faintly at a man who walked by us and smiled at her, lifting his eyebrows. 39

“He wants me to go dancing tomorrow.”40

At this, Cayla broke her hold from me and stopped walking. “He asked you to go dancing?”41

“Well, he didn’t ask, he sort of told me where and then disappeared,” I said, remembering his behavior.42

Cayla looked to heaven, as if pleading. “Oh my god. He was so hot.” She paused to fan herself. “What are you going to wear?”43

“Wait. Cayla,” I said, my forehead creasing in confusion. Someone tapped me on the shoulder, no doubt a man looking for some fun, I looked over my shoulder and blurted “Taken,” too lazy to think up something more effective. “Cayla, you think I’m actually going to GO?” I demanded incredulously.44

Cayla shrugged again. “Well, yeah,” she said as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. “He was an eleven.”45

My voice was steady, and I grabbed Cayla’s upper arms and looked her right in the eye. “I have a boyfriend. For seven months, I have had a boyfriend, and I like him a lot. Hell, I might even be in love! And I’m certainly not going to go out dancing with some random guy and ruin everything that happened in the last seven months.”46

“You can to have a little freedom,” she objected stubbornly. “You’re allowed to dance with people other than your boyfriend. You’re just not supposed to…” Cayla’s eyes widened, flicked to my left, then back to my face, then to the same spot to my left again. “Not supposed to…” She fumbled for words. I turned my head slowly, expecting the worst. “Make out with them,” she finished weakly.47

But I barely heard her.48

I barely heard anyone, in fact. The music had disappeared. The dancers had disappeared. Even Cayla, who placed a comforting hand on my shoulder, had disappeared in my mind.49

There was only Terrence, standing a million miles away and ten feet away at the same time. He looked like he was at the end of a long tunnel. I took one step toward him, one shaky, tiny step, and the people nearest me were turning to watch when they sensed something was amiss.50

The discomfort spread until there was a clean channel between my boyfriend and the girl who that sucking on his mouth and was definitely not his girlfriend.51

Air sped out of my body and I felt like I’d been socked in the stomach when I wasn’t in the least bit ready.52

“Terrence,” I said. My voice was so soft, but it sounded so loud in my mind.53

Finally realizing that something was wrong, Terrence and the girl broke apart.54

His expression changed from uncertainty to astonishment when he saw me standing there, no doubt looking beautiful with my mouth hanging open and my eyes almost popping out of my head.55

“Terrence,” I repeated. I wanted to scream. I wanted to scream and cry and pull my hair out. But I just stood there stupidly, unable to process the scene in front of me.56

I could hear Cayla gulp behind me. “I didn’t know he was THAT drunk,” she said, forced a thin, high laugh.57

But it wasn’t funny.58

I took another step closer to them. The girl looked between us, but her eyes were slack and I knew she was wasted.59

I took another step, and another, until my red face was barely a foot from Terrence’s. Inside, my spirits wavered and quailed, but on the outside, I had enough grace to scrape together what was left of my dignity and say in a dangerously low voice. “Explain, please.”60

“Scarlett,” he started off awkwardly, finally letting go of the girl to gesture wildly. “This is not what it looks like!”61

“Oh, what is it then?” I mocked. “If it isn’t what it looks like? Because this looks like my boyfriend making out with some fucked up girl he could buy in a magazine when he’s got a perfectly fine girlfriend ironing his clothes and cooking him breakfast! What is it then, if it isn’t what it looks like?!”62

I was shouting now, and Terrence cringed away. The music had silenced and a crowd had silently gathered around us.63

“She’s… just a friend!” Terrence pleaded.64

“Yes, well, I don’t make out with my friends on a regular basis,” I snapped, then threw up my hands. “I cannot believe you could think for even a MOMENT that you were going to get away with this. Have sex with two girls in one night and keep them both in the dark? Yeah, right.”65

Terrence began to protest again, but it was feeble, and my domineering attitude silenced him immediately.66

“Needless to say, Terrence, it’s over.” I turned to the people crowding around us and told them, smiling mirthlessly, “Congratulations. You’ve just witnessed the big dumpage of asshole-boyfriend number five for Scarlett Branson. Boy, I’m on a roll!” I turned on my heel and began to walk away before I stopped abruptly and came back.67

“Thank God I’m wearing a ring tonight,” I muttered. Louder, I told Terrence’s shocked face, “I almost forgot!”68

And I slapped him across the face. The crowd cheered and shouted “Dumpage!” as Terrence fell backward into the anonymous fucked up girl’s arms, and there was a red outline of my hand on his face. With satisfaction, I noted that the stone in my ring had left a little bloody mark on his cheek.69

Cayla followed me closely and once we reached the crisp night air said in a strangely business-like way, “Well. You sure handled that well.” I pulled the flower out from behind my ear and fondled it, simultaneously wanting to rip it to shreds and preserve it forever.70

I sighed. “It takes lots of practice.”71

♥♥♥