Sorry for this being so late you guys! I had soo much going on, and then writers block...ugghhhh. Well to make it up to you, there will be major drama in the next few chapters, which I hope to get to you this week, I promise. Thanks so much for the help of my new beta , Love is WAY Over rated!!!! She helped me this week soo much and with this chapter, enjoy you guys!!
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The day after everyone was healthy in the house again and Duncan had caught up on his sleep, I was back to school. Truthfully, I was actually kinda happy to get away since the house still smelled slightly of sick.
"It'll probably take a couple days and some major bathroom cleaning to get rid of that smell," I spoke to myself grimly, taking in a breath as I changed clothes just to confirm my thoughts. My nose wrinkled in disgust of the odor and I heard Duncan laugh from where he was sitting on the bed; just watching me.
"What's so funny?" I inquired, wondering if there was something on my face.
"That thing you do with your nose, it's cute," he told me simply, smiling softly in a way that made butterflies erupt in my stomach as I was reminded of why I loved this man so much.
"At least one of us does something cute with our nose. All you do is snore with yours," I joked, laughing as his expression; one of slight horror and of his ego being wounded.
"That's only when I'm sick," Duncan defended himself and I just hummed in a mock form of agreeing with him.
"Whatever you say Hon," I told him with a smile and a grin appeared on his lips.
"Whatever I say, huh? Well what if I tell you to stay home today?" he asked and my smile fell as the guilt weighed down on my heart.
"You know I can't do that Duncan, I've already missed a week of school," I said sadly, looking anywhere but at my husband. The sheets gave away his movement as he slid out of them and walked over to me; the sound of his footsteps muffled by the plush carpet.
"Doesn't stop me from hoping," he whispered to me, wrapping his arms around my waist from behind. I leaned back into the security of his chest, breathing in his spicy smell and feeling at peace in his arms.
"Hmm, I could stay here all day," I thought happily, feeling as if I were floating in my mind with no worries. But then reality came back and I realized that I had to get to class before I was late.
"I love you Duncan," I told him, breaking away from the embrace to look at him. Even though the mohawk was no longer there, looking at the man before me I could still see Duncan and all the reasons why I loved him so much shining through in his baby blue eyes.
"Love you too Princess," he replied, kissing me softly. A cry from the twins' room broke our embrace and Duncan groaned as he ran a hand across his face.
"I'll see you when I get back, alright?" I asked, even though I knew he'd be here. He would probably be dead tired so I wouldn't spend much time with him, but he would still be here and that's enough for me.
"Of course," he assured me before I left the house as he headed to calm whichever child had started crying this time. It never fails to make me feel guilty when I think of how much Duncan has to do with the family: try to make money for us, put up with me going back to school, and taking care of the kids all day. God, I love that man.
I smiled as I headed out the door and into the car. It was nice of one of my classmates to drop off the classwork and the homework I'd missed so I wouldn't be too behind. However, it wasn't like I couldn't catch up quickly what with my grade being the highest in the class and all.
As I drove the familiar route to my high school, I hoped that Duncan would hear back from the owner of the unused lot close to home. I really wanted him to have his own business, but I'd also like it if it was close to home so he could still be involved in the family. I giggled to myself, I was so selfish. Just thinking about my needs all the time.
I pulled into the parking lot and stepped out of the car. It felt good to be surrounded by fresh air instead of the sickly smell and feeling I got inside my own house.
Entering the hallways, students stopped to say hello to me; classmates waving to me and I waved back weakly. It was strange what one week can do to people. And when I entered class and took my seat, who to say hello to me then one of the most popular girls in school, Dana. It shocked me for a moment, but I recollected myself so I wouldn't seem stupid. Though I have to admit, just being so aware and nervous in her presense made me feel stupid due to the fact that she was a good 4 years younger than me and I'm a married woman with children. She's just some high school girl, but to them, so am I and I feel the pressures just as much as the rest of them..
"Hi there, where have you been all week Hon? Vacationing maybe?" I giggled at the thought.
"I wish. No, I was stuck in bed with the flu all week." Dana laughed at the way I wistfully said it and flipped back her blonde hair. Why would she think that being sick was funny?
"So, listen, me and my girls want to ask you to have lunch with us. You must get lonely eating in the library all the time. We're going out after school today too; for drinks. Wanna join?" I nodded heartily, I needed to get out of the house once in awhile. One time wouldn't be too bad right?
"It sounds like a lot of fun, I'd be happy to join you." Our conversation was abrupted to a halt when the teacher shifted our attention onto her. The lesson began and I smiled, some fun in high school wouldn't be too bad. I was owed some fun.
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"So cutie, why've you been hiding from us all this time?" I swallowed the martini I was drinking heartily and giggled. These kids were so much fun. Not to mention that the guys were smoking hot. Each girl in the room was lounged across a hot guys lap, flirting with each other now and then, definitely not excluding myself. I was lounged across this guy called Matt and he was a mega hottie.
"I wasn't hiding, I've just been secluded from society." I hiccuped and everyone laughed along with me.
"Secluded from society, huh? Like a princess trapped away in a tower and a mean scary dragon keeping her locked in," one of the girls, I think she said her name was Claire, giggled. Hearing the word 'princess' sobered me up some and the guilt weighing down on me almost crushed me when I realized all this time I'd been out with Dana and the group, Duncan has been at home looking after the twins.
Trying to stand, I spoke groggily, "I really need to get," a hiccup overcame me for a moment, "back to Duncan." More laughs echoed through the room from the hiccup but I saw Matt look up at me seriously.
"Aw c'mon, don't leave yet; this party is just getting started," he told me, holding out his hand probably so he could pull me back down to him.
"Party?" I asked, raising my eyebrow. I do like to party...
"Well sure, it's Friday so why not party," Dana said as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. Right now, what she said did make perfect sense.. I had skipped out on my partying days when I got knocked up and had to drop out...
"It is Friday, and I can always help Duncan look after Alex and Devon all weekend when I'm not studying," I thought quietly, in a way convincing myself it was alright to stay and party.
"Alright, I'll stay," I announced with a smile, letting Matt lead me back down to the seat while the group let out little cheers.
"That's my girl," Matt whispered into my ear, his hot breath running over my skin and making a shiver run down my spine. If I were sober, I probably would've shot him a look and declared myself Duncan's girl, but I wasn't sober and in fact a little tipsy so I just knocked another drink back and smiled.
"So Courtney, who is this mysterious Duncan anyway?" This girl, I think her name was Melissa, said. I thought to myself, I was so tipsy, my thoughts weren't clear and I said, "He's nobody, just someone dragging me from my right to party!" The group laughed along with me as we all got up from our chairs. I was confused for a moment.
"Where are we going?" The girls in front of me smiled easily and said, "Where do you think we're going? We're going to party at one of the nicest clubs in town!" I smiled and didn't even consider the thought that we probably couldn't get in.
"I have nothing to wear though, I can't go to a club looking like a schoolgirl!" I giggled at my own outburst before the girls dragged me to a bathroom. "That's where we come in sweetie." The girls made me discard my capris, T-shirt and sneakers for a black leather skirt, stilettos and a tube top. "We always have extra clothes handy, just in case." They coaxed my hair out of the elastic, shook it out around me and put some make-up on me while others changed beside me.
When we left the bathroom, not only did I look major different, I felt major different. I was free, no kids, no husband, no worries. Just an ######## senior having some fun on a Friday night.
I didn't even pay attention to how Dana got us into the club, I just knew that all us girls were walking arm in arm into the club and the people in line to get in were all wolf-whistling and calling out random compliments. I was kinda too tipsy to actually asses the situation I was in.
I'd never been to a club before so the full impact on a tipsy mind was exhilarating. Lights, everywhere! People pulled me onto the dance floor and it was fun. Grinding left and right, I've never seen, let alone been a part of, so much dirty dancing in my life!
Matt pulled me up against him as he put his hands on my waist. I pulled away for a moment before asking him, "What the hell are you doing?" Matt laughed at me before pointing to Dana doing the same thing with a guy I've never even seen before. I turned and looked around, all the girls and guys in the clique I guess I was now in, were doing the same exact thing.
"I don't know how," I explained softly and embarrassingly, blushing. Matt laughed at my shyness. "I'll show you, just go with the flow." He got up behind me and put his hands on my hips again and grinded with my hips. It was fun and weirdly...alluring. I put my hands around his neck sexily and had a blast. We all stopped for drinks, and after another margarita, Matt and I were the stars of the dance floor.
Matt pulled in for a kiss and I almost allowed it. Honestly, if it wasn't for the smell of alcohol on him, I would have made out with him then and there. Gosh the alcohol was a terrible influence on me. I pushed him away while wrinkling my nose in disgust. "Ugh, you smell disgusting!" Matt laughed at me and leaned in again. "Your nose is so cute when you do that, you know." His lips almost touched mine when I remembered that Duncan had told me the same thing this morning. Duncan! I had completely forgotten about him and the twins! I snapped back to reality instantly and pushed Matt away again before running to Dana who was grinding with some strangers.
"Dana, I need to leave now. Thanks for the amazing time, but where did you put my clothes?" Dana looked at me and winked. "In my bag on that table over there. You sure you gotta leave so soon honey? I could use another grind partner." I nodded frantically and Dana sighed. "Wear something nicer on Monday, you're part of our club now doll-face." I giggled a bit, I had become just a slight bit more sober.
I dashed to grab my clothes and left the club in a hurry to get to the nearest bathroom. I changed quickly, splashed some water on my face, brushed my teeth-who doesn't carry an emergency toothbrush?- and sprayed some perfume so I didn't totally reek of alcohol. I checked my watch that told me it was only eight fifteen. I could make it home in ten minutes, I calculated shortly. I drove home quickly, thinking up excuses to why I'm so late; kinda pleased with myself on being able to drive after all the drinks. I pulled into the driveway and unlocked the door. Once I stepped in I was greeted with shouts of joy from my two kids.
"Mommy!"
"Where have you been Mama?!" They rushed into my arms and I pulled them close and swung them around. It was only then that I looked up and caught the slightly stern face of my husband. Said man pulled the kids out of my arms and I let them go unwillingly. "Come on kids, it's time for bed and daddy needs to talk with mommy." I cringed slightly and put my coat on the couch. I got myself a cup of water and hastily ate a cracker before I headed back and saw Duncan sitting on the couch looking at me quite amusingly yet still stern.
"Would you care to tell me why you are so late Darling?" He dragged out the 'Darling' which made me feel gallons of guilt for ever thinking of touching Matt. I sat next to him and lay down on his lap without thinking; still just slightly buzzed. His hands didn't dare stroke my hair so I took that as a bad sign.
"No big deal Duncan. I just stayed after school to study, you know because I was so behind in everything." I smiled when I finished glad that I had been able to lie so easily, though still feeling the guilt from having to even lie to my husband in the first place. Duncan raised his eyebrows at me. "And you couldn't just call to let me know this because?" I sighed, I forgot I had a cell phone in my bag. "I lost track of time and you know the library, no cell phones allowed. Besides my phone was on silent so I couldn't hear if you called." Duncan nodded and relaxed a bit.
"I missed you honey." I sat up and kissed his cheek, he moaned slightly before grabbing me in his arms and sitting me up. "You have no idea how much you worried me Princess." I felt a bit guilty about that but I shrugged it off, knowing that I'd probably feel even worse if I told him the truth. "So how was school today Darling? I bet it was pretty busy with all your work and all."
"Yeah it was busy, but I made some new friends and they really like me so I got to hang out with them today." "Thats good Babe." He leaned down to kiss me and I immediately allowed. No need for Duncan to know about my partying and what my new friends and I really do. And no need for Duncan to know about Matt; it was a one time thing. We could do something else next week, like go see a movie or something.
No big deal.