After doing a few laps downstairs, he still hadn’t located Pamela.Maybe she’s upstairs.His stomach did a flip as he worried about the dangerous situation she found herself in tonight.
I may go deaf after tonight.He thought as he squeezed past the band on the landing and headed down the hallway lined with doors on either side. Compared to the rager downstairs, upstairs felt like he entered a completely different house. At the end of the hall, he noticed a golden light streaming through the cracked doorway. He peeked through the crack and saw Pamela sitting on the edge of the bed. Her back faced him.
He quietly opened the door and clutched the gift tighter as he snuck up behind her.
“Pamela?” She turned and made eye contact with him. Her face registered it was him after a moment and a few drunk blinks. Her dress was more loose fabric than what could be considered a dress. It was a low-cut burgundy velvet top and black leather mini skirt. Her usual shiny blond hair was tangled and matted against her head, and wild strands danced around her face.
“You made it!” She jumped up and stumbled over to hug him.
“Made it? Made it to what?” Jenkins smiled coyly.
“My birthday party!” Pamela pushed against his shoulder in feigned shock.
“I know. Here, this is for you.” Jenkins thrust the present towards her, putting her at an arm's length distance. Various alcohol smells emitted from her, as though she had dumped the liquid straight onto her body. Her breath was the main source of the smell and Jenkins did his best to not let her get too close.
“Did you bring me a present?” She squealed and snatched the small box from his hands.
“I also came to talk to you about something important.” A twinge of guilt flashed in his chest.If only you knew how much danger you were in.
Jenkins looked around the room. He had only met Dante once, and the immediate feeling he got from the guy was that he was a skeevy pervert. Even in his bedroom were large photographs of topless women, all posed and made to look like art. Jenkins averted his eyes back to Pamela and let out a cough. He didn’t want to see Pamela end up on this wall, but he had more pressing matters to discuss.
Pamela ripped open the package. Inside was a small, light blue jewelry box.
“Oh, Jenky! You got me the tennis bracelet I hinted about. You’re too good to me.” The words came out slurred, and she lost her balance leaning into him. Jenkins grabbed her as she fell and half dragged her back to sit on the bed. “Although I wish the present was actually a kiss.” She licked her lips while staring hungrily at his.
“I’m not going to kiss you. You’re my friend and nothing more.”
“You’re no fun. Are all lawyers incapable of having fun? Or is it just you?” Pamela pushed her finger against the tip of Jenkins’s nose, and he tilted his head away from her face and stood.
“We have fun, just not the fun where we end up sick with vomit in our hair.”
She tossed the bracelet back into the box and dropped it to the floor as she clambered onto the bed. She kicked off her shoes and climbed under the sheets. Jenkins watched, dumbfounded, as she grabbed the sheets and lifted them open. Then, with a finger, she invited him to join her.
“What has gotten into you?” Jenkins took a step back and raised his hands up defensively in front of him.
Pamela’s seductive smile dropped. “You’re such a prude. It’s just sex.”
“You’re my best friend. And where is Brett, your boyfriend?”
“Humph.” She pouted her lipstick-smeared lips and crossed her arms. “Come on. It’s my birthday. I want to do this.”
“What’s going on with you? Are you okay?”
“Yeah, I’m fine. I’m just trying to live my best life. And as far as Brett goes, he is dead to me. He dumped me right before my birthday.”
Jenkins clenched up his fists. “Pamela, you cannot continue to behave this way.”
“Shut up! You aren’t my dad!” Her voice cracked, and Jenkins did his best not to let a smile break across his face.
She is the most ridiculous girl.Jenkins just stared at her, not sure how to respond to such a ridiculous outburst.
“There are a lot of people who care about you and don’t want to see your life get thrown away.”
Pamela glared at him. All hints of playfulness vanished as tears streamed down her face.
“You’re ruining my birthday. Why did you even come here if you are just going to be a drag and not do what I want?”
Jenkins pinched the bridge of his nose and took a deep breath.I need to change the topic and tell her about Darla.
