Chapter 4
Nicole, Jessica and Vickie returned to Shadows to finish their work; along with three other waitresses that work there. Nicole went to the bathroom leaving Vic and Jess to run the bar on their own for a few minutes; with the crowd back up and dancing the three extra waitresses had a short breather.
"Phew! We're only just past midnight." Said a tall light brown curly haired girl named Renee.
"Yeah it's been all go since we started." Jessica agreed. She grabbed a bottle of coke from the fridge; Vickie handed her the vodka.
"Thanks." Jess began mixing up her favorite drink.
"So…Vic, you, Jess and Nicole seem to be getting very cozy with those boys." Answered Sandra as she joined them at the bar followed by Emma. Vickie and Jessica looked at one another worriedly; did every single person here see all the interactions? It seemed so.
"I don't think you can call it 'cozy' so to speak. We're just being friendly that's all. I mean; everyone knows we don't like them anyway." Jess shrugged her shoulders.
"I'm giving you a warning Vickie. You keep the hell away from Mark because he's mine." Added Emma; Vickie narrowed her eyebrows in skepticism.
"You're warning me? Yeah nice try. Besides I highly doubt Mark would even be interested in you. All you do is fluff around all day being a try hard." With that Vickie wandered to the opposite end of the bar to serve a waiting customer. Emma muttered darkly under her breath; seeing Jess, Sandra and Renee giving her looks she spun on her heal and disappeared into the crowd.
"That's odd she's never shown any inclined interest in Mark from what I know. I wonder why the sudden change in mind." Jessica mused aloud.
"She probably saw what happened with Mark and Vickie and those two sleaze balls earlier in the evening that's why. You know Em, once a guy is interested in one of us she wants to get in on the action." Sandra sighed. She'd been friends with Emma for five years and knew the tactics well. Nicole returned from the bathroom a short time later settling back into work
Meanwhile; the four young lads gathered together at Shane & Nicky's house to reflect on the night's event. Nicky still grumbled about Tyron; but he said it more to himself than the other guys. In fact Shane and Kian were giving Mark a rather tough time about Vickie.
"You're being ridiculous lads. I don't fancy her ok? I was just…helping out." Mark shrugged.
"Oh come on Mark! Admit it you had a set agenda you wanted to do tonight; you wanted to leave some sort of an impression on the girl. Dare I say I think you have, but it's not to say you've only recently been interested in Vickie. This infatuation of yours has been going for quite a while," remarked Shane. Mark looked at Shane in disgruntlement.
"How…?"
"I know all." Shane grinned cheekily.
"Look." Mark stood up.
"I'd rather not discuss this at the moment if you don't mind. I'll see you guys in the morning." He left the house fairly quickly. He didn't want to hear anymore of Shane's wise words. Jumping into his car he kicked started the engine and sped off into the night.
"I'm going to bed." Nicky announced getting up from his favorite arm chair he left Shane and Kian alone to talk.
"What's up with those two tonight?" Kian wondered aloud.
"Wish I knew. Actually I had a thought earlier about Mark. It's obvious there is something happening with him even if he doesn't want to acknowledge it. So what do you say…Kiki you and I put a bet on him?" Shane inched a mischievous grin on his lips.
"Oh Shane you are nasty bro!" Kian broke out laughing. Shane smirked in response.
"Anyway; what do you say?"
"You're on then. We'll put in…I say $100 on him to get Vickie in two weeks." Ki said.
"That's the spirit, but I'll raise the stakes and put down $150." Shane answered.
"$150? That's a big risk you're taking there." Kian observed.
"$200!" Nicky interrupted; surprised Shane and Kian turned around to see their blonde haired friend standing at the doorway in a white t-shirt and black shorts.
"Ok that seals it. We'll talk to Mark tomorrow and see if he's keen. Now Kian you're up next." Shane said.
"What? Me? You must be joking," Kian replied.
"Not in the slightest. Now your little proposition with Jess. You got two weeks too just like Mark. Get her, bed her and make her fall in love with you. Simple enough I'm sure so Nicky what should we put on this one?" asked Shane.
"$200 for me just like before." Nix said.
"Ok I'll say $200 as well." Shane turned to Kian; his cheeks flushed a little red but there's a dead set determined expression on his face.
"You've set the platform so I'll finish it. I'm putting in $200 too."
"Great." The three friends placed the cash on the table; Shane separated the two piles.
"Now we'll just wait for Mark to decide on the bets and we can set both of you into motion." Shane said happily.
"I wouldn't be smiling too big yet Filan. It's quite a well known fact around the campus I'm quite the charmer with the ladies so I'm quietly confident I'll be the one to take the cash in two weeks." Kian remarked with an air of great outer confidence.
"Whatever Egan, whatever we will see." Shane smirked just as confidently; Nicky shifted his eyes up towards the ceiling and sighed quietly to himself. * Thank god he didn't bring up about wanting to make a bet with me trying to get my girlfriend back * It's the last thing Nicky wanted at the moment.
Mark barely slept when he arrived home. His head swarmed with thoughts from the day's events. He thought back to only a few hours ago all that had unfolded at Shadows. He hadn't really thought about what he was doing at the time as he'd gone on instant reaction. Ring! Ring! Mark grabbed his mobile off the bedside table.
"Hello?"
"Mark, mate hope I didn't disturb you," Shane greeted cheerfully.
"No I'm awake what's up?" Mark sat up in bed.
"Not much; just thought I'd ask you how much you want to put a bet on Kian and you getting your girls? We've already laid down ours." Explained Shane.
"What?" Mark yelped.
"Calm down, and give me a minute to explain. After seeing what I did last night it came quite clear what your interest is in Vickie; and don't deny any of it mate I know you too well. You've got a good record; and you always know what you're doing so here it is. You have two weeks; two weeks from today to get Vickie. You know the drill. Now; how much you willingly to put on you winning?" Shane didn't waste a second. He wanted to get the plans into motion quickly as possible. Mark sighed allowed running his hands through his hair.
"All right fine I guess I'm in so I'll say $250."
"Good. Now what about Kian?"
"Make it…$210"
"Excellent ok then mate get to it!" The phone line went dead. Mark dropped his phone back on the bedside table and stared aimlessly at the blank television.
"Great."
Vickie and Nicole yawned tiredly as they locked up Shadows for the night and it's now 4:30am. Everyone had headed home at around 3am but Nicole and Vickie stayed behind to clean up.
"God I'm so glad it's the weekend. I wouldn't have coped too well if I had classes this morning." Remarked Nicole yawning again for the third time in the last few minutes. Vickie also yawned, giving a stretch her feet ached and her back would kill for a nice hot bubble bath.
"It was a long night that's for sure. Next time I'll think twice of working when Bronson's not on hand. No wonder he takes tons of days off it was a mad house here last night." Agreed Vickie; she and Nicole descended the stairs, it's quiet with only the vague sounds of birds and light early morning traffic.
"I reckon the best part of the night came when Mark basically had to save your ass from those guys." Nicole giggled.
"Shut up!" Vickie blushed bright red. * Why does everyone like to bring that up? * She thought.
"Oh so I take it there's some interest there." Nicole arched her eyebrows suggestively. Vickie frowned she gave her friend a light push away.
"Don't be ridiculous. As if I'd have any interest in him whatsoever! Totally not my type anyway." She remarked. They walked through the clock tower to Princess St; and just for a moment, the memories of last night flooded back to them. They crossed the road going to their individual cars.
"You know Nic; I've been doing a little thinking. Your idea about perhaps giving some payback to Filan and his companions actually sounds like a great idea," said Vickie.
"Really? You think so?" Nicole asked and Vickie nodded her head.
"Absolutely."
"Well I guess now it's up to Jess if she wants to join in the fun." Nicole said.
"I wouldn't worry it won't be hard to convince her, she seemed quite keen already." Vickie said.
"Yeah true. Anyway I'm off see you on Monday." Nicole hoped into her car and drove away. Vickie opened the front driver's side of her own car about to hop in when a loud beeping sounded. Alerted and surprised her head sprung up to see another car similar to any typical boy racer car blocking her exit. Annoyed she placed hands on hips and strolled over; only to have the driver stop the engine, open the door and step out.
"Mark?" she gasped in surprise.
"That's me, in the flesh too," he grinned.
"Yeah I noticed." Vic answered dryly. He moved around from his car; now standing directly in front of her. She allowed her eyes to move from his face to his short sleeved white collar shirt to his black jeans.
"So, what brings you out so early this morning?" asked Vickie.
"Oh not much really, just out enjoying the fresh morning air." He said casually, she gave him a skeptical look.
"Yeah, right as if! I thought men never show any interest in those aspects to nature." Vickie retorted.
"That might just surprise you about me. I've always enjoyed the finer things in life." Answered Mark. There's no smirk, no sign of arrogance in his voice and not even an ounce of self preservation. If at all there seemed to be a sort of truthfulness in him this morning, quite the opposite contrast to last night although she had picked up a very sincere and caring side to him later in the evening as well. Remembering her own words to Nicole not long ago Vickie suddenly came up with an idea.
"Say Mark…you don't happen to have any plans later do you?" she asked timidly. Mark had one eyebrow raised at her question; he glanced sideways at her and usually in most circumstances other girls would be smiling flirtatiously but not Vickie. She remained solid footed with both hands resting at her sides. He could tell she isn't the type of person to get too easily fooled. * I guess I have a little work cut out for me. *
"No, actually I haven't got anything special planned although Kian had made a mention last night that he wanted to go to the hot springs just out of Auckland for the weekend." He shrugged his shoulders carelessly. He knew Kian never mentioned it but he randomly thought it up. * Hmm…hot springs...hot guys… STOP IT!* Mentally Vickie kicked herself for thinking such a thought.
"Ok well, if you guys go maybe you wouldn't mind Nicole, Jess and me tagging along?" a light curve of a smile appearing at the side of her mouth. He grinned back at her, her knees almost turned to jelly then but yet she kept calm, cool and collected.
"It's fair to say we wouldn't have any objections." Vickie nodded, the two of them fell silent now each thinking of their next potential move. They didn't want to come across as being overly eager but they also knew in their own minds the set agendas run on a heavily tight schedule.
"Would you care to join me for breakfast?" asked Mark out of the blue. Vickie's eyebrows raised, she hadn't expected this not in the least. She had to pause to think and let the question sink in before replying. * Oh go on. What's the harm? He is offering so I might as well just go along with it. * She thought.
"I'd love to." She smiled.
"Great." He smiled back.
"However it's still very early in the morning so it's best we wait for a while. So how about this, I go home and get some sleep and then at around…let's say….9:30am you give me a call." Vickie added.
"That sounds like a fair plan. Just one problem."
"What?" She looked at him quizzically.
"I don't have your number so I wouldn't be able to call you now would I?" Mark joked.
"Oh…right….forgot." Vic laughed.
"Phone?" He dug into his pocket and pulled out his mobile handing it to her.
"Thanks." She then programmed her phone number in, keeping her attention focused on the phone despite having the odd feeling he's watching her every move.
"Ok there you go. Oh that actually reminds me you'd better put yours in mine incase I forget; not that I would," She handed hers over to Mark; he didn't say anything just nodded and repeated the same process she'd done on his phone. Finished he handed her phone back to her.
"All right I guess I shall be seeing you later." She answered heading back to her own car.
"You can be rest assured you will." He smirked; now that old mischievous manner of his made an immediate return. This time thou Vickie took it in her stride and decided she'll leave her own little pay back for later. Hoping into her car she started the engine, just in her rear view she saw Mark climbing back into his own car and reversing to allow her the room to move. As she drove away from her university campus she thought smugly to herself; * It won't be long now and the games are about to begin! *
