Chapter 8 - Chapter 6 - Part 1

🎶 The club isn't the best place to find a lover so the bar is where I go

Me and my friends at the table doing shots

Drinking fast and then we talk slow 🎶

- Ed Sheeran -

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#Jean's POV

 I momentarily freeze in place. My heart stops beating for a second, only to run a mile after. I can feel it thumping loudly in my ear. 

 I can't seem to find a word to say. My mouth just opens and closes like a fish out of water. It's not like I'm fluttered per se, more so confused and muddled. I have no idea what the best answer is without offending him.

 For instance, I never danced before. I mean the kind of dance where it involves a club and loud music in front of a big crowd that is most likely full of super stinking rich people. This will be my first time.

 Can I dance? That is the big question.

 Well, if you call a monkey do crazy popping moves and jumps around, then yes, I can dance. Honestly, the two-step moves are the only humanly possible thing I can do. 

 If this is a romance novel, the girl would blush bright red while shyly nodding her head yes to the charming boy. Even though she's never danced before, he'll say he'd teach her, and they will dance romantically while looking into each other's eyes. Love sparks in the air, and their lips will soon come together in a sweet union. Bam! Happy ever after

 No, I don't think that'll happen to me. I'm a wreck of nerves and very clumsy in the dance part, so I'm pretty sure I'll just end up embarrassing everyone, myself included.

 And surely I won't do the most idiotic thing on my supposed big day, right?

 And that's why I need a way out.

 I can feel his hot gaze burning a hole on the side of my head as I look around to find the best excuse when I find my glass empty already. I don't remember finishing it up, so my guess is Beth who drained them out. That's my ticket.

 I turn to Beth and Kylen since I don't want to walk alone to the bar to ask for a refill. Because honestly, I'm still a little wary about wandering around this place where I practically know no one. 

 Yes, this place is filled with rich people that probably won't give a shit about me, but there're still possibilities. I mean, don't you watch horror movies where the hot and rich one is the serial killer? Call me paranoid, but better safe than lying dead later.

 As if Edward can sense my gaze, he nudges me softly.

 "Need more drink? Do you want me to get it for you?"

 Goodness, why does he have to be so sweet? And so close? It's getting harder to say no to him, but I don't want to give him another wrong signal to dwell on. He and I don't have the same idea about us.

 "Ah... no, I'm good." I lie through my teeth with little difficulty.

 "Really? It looks like someone drained your drink," he says, amused.

 I chuckle softly. This man really knows me so well that sometimes I wonder if he can read minds.

 "Yeah, probably these two girls beside me that called themselves my my best friends." I smile as I look at those so-called best friends of mine.

 He smirks as he shakes his head. "Can't say anything to that, but seriously, want something else to drink? You're the birthday girl tonight; say it and I'll bring it for you." His soft gazes melt my heart. 

 Isn't he such a sweetheart? 

 I'm a fool for not accepting his feelings. I know; trust me. You don't have to threaten to bang my head to the nearest wall for me to recognize my foolishness; I have Kylen for that specific job. But that's exactly the problem. I'll probably regret this afterwards, but I don't want to deal with it now.

 "That's really sweet of you, but I'm afraid I have to say no this time." I smile, "I'll just go with Beth and Kylen." I grab Beth's hand as I ask her to accompany me to the bar.

 After a little eyeroll and a nasty glare to Kylen to signal that I need girls time, we finally leave the table and walk to the bar. I sit on the bar stool as Kylen orders cokes for me and Beth. I took that chance to look at all the bottles behind the bar and begin to count them all. Weird, I know, but I have this urge to know how many of them there are. I'm almost at the end of the left side when Kylen asks me something.

 "Earth to Jeanette!" Kylen snaps her fingers to grab my attention.

 "Huh? What is it?"

 "What happens back there?" Kylen repeats.

 "What back there?" I know what she means, but I play dumb. Besides, I'm still going strong on counting the bottles.

 "Don't play dumb, J." annoy drips from her words. She wants some juicy gossip, and I don't want to give her anymore reason to preach about what I should and shouldn't do. She's very keen on my relationship with Edward, more than Edward himself. 

 "Nothing out of the ordinary, so don't worry about it." 

 She pins me with her stares, trying to see through my lie. 

 I send a wink at her to lighten the mood. I hear Beth giggles beside me, so I threw the second wink to her, acting like a professional flirter. We all laugh it off. 

 "Fine. Whatever. Just stop that; it's creeping me out." Kylen rolls her eyes at me. A ghost of smile was evident on her lips.

 "What? You don't like my sexy winky twinkie wink?" I wink at her two more times just to tease her.

 "No, you look like you have seizures." She smirks.

 "What?" I choke on my coke. I hear Kylen laugh at my unladylike behavior.

 "I do not!" I pout at the both of them, and then we laugh out loud. It feels so good to loosen up.

 "Hey, J, I think the bartender has his eyes for you." Kylen whispers to me eagerly.

 We all turn to look at him, and sure enough, he's looking in our direction.

 He looks at me and smiles. I smile back out of politeness. He's cute with blonde hair and has a dimple smile. I always find a man with a dimple as cute, but even his cute dimple cannot make me want to start something with him, so I turn back to my drink. Going solo is not a problem for me.

 "He's cute," Kylen says with a smirk.

 "Uh huh." I hum an answer as I sip my coke; that much is obvious.

 "With a dimple," Kyle adds.

 Okay, so?

 "And blond hair." Beth states playfully. I quirk an eyebrow at her.

 "Yes, I can see that clearly, but thank you for the reality check." I can only chuckle softly at this matchmaker, "And no." I add for confirmation.

 I'm not ready for a relationship, and honestly, I can barely deal with Edward's feeling. Let's just focus on my studies since I need to do an internship starting next semester. 

 "I'm disappointed." 

I roll my eyes. "I'm sorry if I can't reach your expectations, Mama." I turn around in my seat to look at the dance floor, feeling reluctant to continue talking about boys, feelings, and whatnot. I'm tired.

 I nod my head to the beat unconsciously and enjoy the moment as I'm observing people on the dance floor. I find it more amusing than talking about measly boring romance. The dance floor is now crowded with people dancing and grinding endlessly. They look like they're having fun. 

 "You know what?" Kylen suddenly pulls my right hand.

 "What?" I turn to look at her, wondering what's her new antics this time.

 "Let's go dance!" She yells, then proceeds to drag me without waiting for my answer. I can only squeak in shock. Beth, who follows close behind, squeals in delight as she grabs my other hand.

 Good God, how can I be friends with both of them? 

 I shake my head as I think about it. The three of us don't have the same personalities, and yet we team up perfectly. What more do you ask? I'm a lucky girl.