“Ohhhh, okay yeah, I would’ve had more to say at the first two things,” I reply. “Guess I have been in my head lately.”
“Kiara?”
“No. I mean, I’m always thinking of her, but not the reason.”
“Mabel?” Javi whispers, so Cole doesn’t hear.
“Yeah,” I reply sheepishly, caught out.
“What’s happening there?” Javi asks, caringly.
“Too much to discuss before Cole gets back,” I whisper, nodding towards where Cole disappeared to.
“Bring Otto outside. It’ll buy us some time and more of a warning when he finally emerges from the bathroom,” Javi says, getting up to go to the outside area of Cole’s rental. It is fake grass in a small square enclosure with a shade cloth overhead.
“Okay, just dot point it. What’s happening? It’s been months, right?” Javi asks, keeping his gaze on the sliding door for Cole’s imminent return.
“Yeah, four months, but she doesn’t want a relationship. Unsupportive and overcritical parents have burnt her, so she is happy doing things on her own terms, not relying on anyone else,” I blurt out.
“But you guys have spent an inordinate amount of time together. She doesn’t think you will be different? I mean, assuming you aren’t a complete pain in the ass and she’s just waiting for the end of the season to ditch you?” Javi jokes.
“Ha-ha, so funny. No, I am also keeping how I feel to myself. I don’t want to stop what we are doing, whatever it is. Casual, friends with benefits. I just have to keep my cool tonight around everyone. That’s all I am stressing about,” I confess.
Cole opens the sliding door and exclaims, “Thought you guys bailed on me.” Otto waddles over to Cole as he enters the area.
“Never, man!” Javi says.
“How long until we meet with the girls?” he asks.
“Thirty minutes,” I reply, instantly regretting being on the ball with the time.
“Keen bean to get out on that dance floor, hey? Will be nice to let loose a little,” Coles adds with a little move of his feet with his hands up by his shoulders.
“Yeah, it will be great,” Javi joins.
We make general chit chat and make sure Otto will be okay for a few hours before leaving with ten minutes to spare before meeting the girls. It’s late in the evening, because why go to a nightclub before 9:00 p.m.?
We take our time walking to the club, enjoying the chill in the air. The slight damp on the road indicates the looming threat of the on-again, off-again July rain.
It’s still relatively early, for nightclubs standards, so we only need to line up briefly outside the club before going in. The nightclub is filled with random decorations and it screams over-the-top irony. There are booths that line all walls and tables that fill in the areas outside the booths before you come to a sunken dance floor in the middle of the club.
There aren’t too many people yet, so not as cramped, and the girls are easy to spot. Sophia is sitting at a booth and Fleur and Mabel are dancing. I watch Mabel in the moment, carefree, singing along to an upbeat song. I’m familiar with it because Mabel has been playing it constantly. Her honey brown hair bobs around as she moves her body to the beat, her dress shimmering under the pulsing lights. She ducked out before I couldsee her outfit for tonight, and I am glad she did. Seeing her in the tight, short, black, sparkly dress with new Vans sends my heart racing. She’s effortlessly breathtaking. I make my way to her. I don’t even care. All my resolve to play this cool and aloof goes straight in the bin. She is drawing me in. I am the moth to her flame.
My timing is right. Fleur leans to Mabel and I can hear her yell, “I’m going to the booth for a drink.” She turns and sees me. “Oh, you boys are here. Tag, you’re it; dance with Mabel.” And I don’t have to be told twice.
“Hey,” I say with a smile.
She returns with her own warm smile, “Hey. I was wondering how long you guys would be.”
“We were told 9:00 p.m.,” I reply. If I had known we were allowed to turn up earlier, I would have been here.
Her eyes shimmer with silver eyeshadow, and it sets off the hazel under these lights. “You look amazing,” I say into her ear, letting my lips linger close to brush against her skin, inhaling her deeply. She smells like whatever sugary appley drink she is having tonight.
“Thanks. You look pretty cute yourself,” she returns with a smile and a hand on my arm as we move together to the music.
“You girls get up to any trouble on your own?” I tease.
“I don’t know what you are insinuating there,” she replies with a mischievous grin and a step towards me.
