“Sure.” I stand and he does the same. Grabbing my drink, I hook a finger into his belt loop. Not so accidentally grabbing his butt in the process.
“You keep doing that and I’ll carry you out of here.”
The drinks are working their way through my system because what falls from my lips next is something I’d never say. “Don’t make promises you can’t keep.”
13
Patrick
Didshe just say what I think she did? I almost ask her to repeat it, but if she does, there’s no way in hell we’re staying here a second longer. More people from downstairs are finding their way to the balcony, and I position myself closer to Jaylen. Bending down, I whisper in her ear, “it’s a promise I intend to keep.”
The small gasp that falls from her lips is exactly the reaction I was hoping for. I wrap my arm around her shoulder as we make our way to the stairs. We descend slowly so her heel doesn’t catch, and if we come up or down the stairs again, I’m carrying her. There’s no reason she should torture her feet to look good for me.
“Where do we want to go? I think there are two other rooms.” She looks around the space, trying to figure out what direction to take.
“Let’s walk around and see where we end up.” There really aren’t that many people here. Definitely less than three hundred. Now that more folks have showed up, I study all their costumes, and feel underdressed. This feels like a party for the elite, and I can’t imagine how much tickets cost. There’s no way Jaylen could afford them on a teacher’s salary. I don’t want to bring it up, though. Maybe she saved up for these tickets in hopes I would come. She put a lot of faith in me saying yes.
Jaylen moves in the direction we came from when we first got here, except she’s not going to the other side of the dance floor. There’s a door directly in the back, and I follow her through it. The space isn’t as big as the main room. The vibe is cozier and the dance floor is half the size.
There’s a raised platform off to the side and a woman is sitting at a table in the corner. A glass ball in front of her on a pedestal. Another woman sits in front of her, attention focused solely on the woman with the cards.
“I didn’t know they were going to have fortune tellers. That’s so fun.” Jaylen moves her hand from my waist and takes a step forward. “I wonder how much it is.” She takes a step closer to the raised platform and sees a sign. VIP ONLY. Her face falls, and I hate that she's disappointed.
I wish more than anything I could get her up there to participate, but I don’t even know where to get a pass for that. “Maybe I can find out where to get a pass.”
“No, no, it’s fine.” It’s not. She really wants to do it, even though both of us know it’s not real. It’s a fun thing to do, especially on Halloween. “Can you hold this for a second?” She points toward the other side of the room. “I need to go to the restroom.”
“Absolutely.” I grab her drink. “I’ll be here when you get back.”
I wait until she’s lost in the crowd and head over to the closest bar. When one of the bartenders is free, I wave her over. “Do you know where I can get a VIP pass for the fortune teller?”
“They came with the VIP passes.” She points to a person wearing a wristband. “I don’t think there’s another way to get them.”
“Dang it.” I shake my head. “I need to find a way to get one. The girl I’ve loved for basically my entire life really wants to see the fortune teller, and I want to make that happen for her.”
“I’m sorry, Sir. I can keep an ear out to see if anyone is leaving and doesn’t want it anymore.”
“That would be great, thank you.” It’s a long shot, I know that. But for once, I need luck on my side. Now that I know she feels the same way about me, hell even if she didn’t, I want to make sure tonight is perfect for her.
I’m not sure how long Jaylen will be in the restroom so I make my way back to the area by the fortune teller to wait for her. Luckily, nobody else has taken the spot. I keep searching for her bright dress, but I don’t see it yet. Hopefully, she’s okay.
I’m about to go look for her when someone steps in front of me. “Hi, my friend and I heard you talking to the bartender.”
Was I that loud? I didn’t mean for anyone but the bartender to overhear me. “Oh, um, hi.”
“He’s the one dressed up like Cousin Itt.” She waves him off, “anyway, he has no interest in seeing the fortune teller, and wants you to have this.”
She hands me a wristband exactly like the one the bartender pointed out. “Th-thank you.”
“No problem.” She waves away my words. “I know things like that are silly, but I hope this helps you make her night magical.”
“You have no idea.” I grip the wristband in my hand. “I wish there was some way I could repay you.”
“Don’t worry about it. Halloween is a fun night, and I know she’ll appreciate it.” Before I can say anything else, she walks back toward the guy with long hair covering him from head to toe. How did I miss that guy when I was over there? Too bad Jaylen is in the restroom and misses it.
I’m watching the woman and Cousin Itt walk away when someone wraps an arm around my waist. “Who was that?”
“Just someone who wanted you to have something.”
