Chapter 5
" Ah, Ah, Ah, Staying Alive, Staying Alive!"
His eyes dilated and his grasp on my neck became a little tighter," Tell me what you do."
If he had done this under different circumstances with fewer clothes and a little more foreplay I would have been completely at his disposal. As it was we were in a very public location where my brother would be watching me like a hawk and I was not into the scorn and wrath that comes with his ire.
"Dude, foreplay!" I swatted his hand away from my throat rubbing my neck after he relinquished it. "You cannot go zero to one hundred." His brow scrunching in confusion before a ravishing smile swathed his debonair face taking my comment as some type of encouragement. This man was what fever dreams were made of and I was here for it. Also, I was going through a drought of eligible young men -due to the majority still being in college or move elsewhere- and despite the creepy entrance, I was willing to overlook it for this handsome man.
" Sorry, it seems I got a little carried away," an almost sheepish expression quirked its way over his sexy lips. I paused caught up in his dreamy presence and losing myself in the moment.
" I will only let it be okay if you buy me a drink at the Grill after my shift is up." I waved my hand over my popcorn prison that I wished I could break free from at this moment. "I should be able to meet you there after I clean up after the comet."
" See you then." The appraising look he gave me made my heart speed up and warmth floods my body. I would follow this man down a dark alley any day or time in this life or the next. I watched him swagger away and I could not help but stare at his back. My eyes were superglued to his sultry silhouette until he disappeared into the crowd like a shadow in the night.
XXX
As the night wore on and my smile began to waver Lydia from the cult of Karens came up to me. Lydia's smile was plastered on her face in a genial way that put me on edge. Lydia had a face full of angles and it looked most comfortable in her austere relaxed mode which is why when she smiled it put me on the defensive side. I mentally started to gather up my fortitude as she drew near. Her hair was a manicured to perfection, subtle red curls hung around her face that bounced in a mesmerizing way as she walked. Her hand extended a candle to me and I was taken back by the kind and thoughtful gesture.
Lydia had been ahead of me in our schooling by two years. She had always been talked about in social circles but our paths had never really crossed. She was an outlier descendant of a founding family so not as pure as others could boast which made her lesser in some eyes. So when she extended this fig leaf to me I was taken aback and was slightly reeling. Though the gesture was kind it seemed out of nowhere for someone of the Karen Clan. My hand reached out to grasp the candle slowly wondering if this was some kind of joke or a hazing ritual.
"I used to be Carol's old errand girl, I am happy you came back." Her shoulder bumped into mine jestingly and I swear my heart stopped. This stone face girl was joking with me. I had not realized Karens were capable of such a feat. Maybe I had judged her too harshly, however, I was unwilling to take the judgment back right away until she proved I should.
"Glad I could shoulder your burden."
" I am glad you did too, it was getting annoying being the punching bag." I shrugged not knowing what to add the conversation. A stranger bent over to light her candle and she turned to me after the exchange.
"So, are you sleeping with Carol's son yet?" She lit my candle after she dropped that bomb and I stood there a little taken aback. " I would have, if it was me he was interested in, just to get back at her." I laughed unsure if she was joking or not and unsure if it mattered in this context.
" Nah I like my men little more aged, I always fancied myself a silver fox." I glanced over at her weighing her expression. I felt like I was on the precipice of making a friend or an enemy and I didn't know which way Lydia was leaning quite yet.
" Mhmm, it is always lovely when they can pay for the niceties you desire," She lifted her hand to show off a 3 ct princess cut emerald on her finger and I felt myself become intrigued. If Lydia was to be a cliché she would be the underdog mean girl that threw a coupe against the old one and I am kind of enthralled about the possibility. Overthrowing Carol sounded like fun and if I was going to be here for the foreseeable future I supposed I needed a hobby.
" You'll have to teach me how you do that," I threw a wink at her and could feel our bond solidifying. Her hand extended a realtor business card and I took it willingly.
"Call me sometime we can chat."
" I most definitely will." A hush fell over the crowd as the comet graced the sky. For me, the comet marked the start of a new era. I felt hope swelling in me as it disappeared into the sky, I had a new ally in the town and it felt promising. Lydia quickly departed not wanting to be seen with me by Carol which I could understand. Though I was wildly accepted in this town due to my familial background the town seemed to be still testing my mettle to determine my worthiness. I fingered the card in my hand before slipping it in my jeans back pocket. This had been an interesting development and I could not wait to see how it progressed.
After the comet, everyone seemed to clear out giving me a chance to shut down my trolley. I wheeled it to one of the trucks to have it loaded to be stored away until the next town event which knowing Mystic Falls was never very far off. I happily trotted my way to the Grill to meet Damon my tall dark and handsome stranger, but first mother nature was calling me.
The town had stilled and those who were still out had headed to the Grill. When I had reached the Grill people were buzzing around the entrance and the bar was loaded. I ran in the direction of the restroom right away trying to relieve myself slamming the door shut behind me. I swear it was probably the loudest, longest, and most satisfying pee of my life.
I opened the door feeling like a completely new person when I realize I had wandered into the wrong bathroom. Several young gentleman eyes bulged out of their heads as they clamber to zip up their pants at the urinal. I scurried to the sink to wash man hands
"As you were gentlemen," I called over my shoulder. I soon settled myself at the bar waiting for my handsome gentleman. I signaled to the bartender to come over and he took my order for an Old Fashion. Hopefully, he wouldn't mind that I started without him.
"Has anyone seen Vicki?" A familiar voice called. I glance over and spotted Jenna's pseudo spawn with Tyler and the poor bartender I had assaulted. I ducked down trying to pretend I didn't exist. I did not want to be drawn in anything with the personification of my last drunken bender. They escaped out of the bar I supposed to look for their lost friend.
"Belle." I felt a presence sit next to me and I turned happily towards them, the smile dropping off my face instantly.
"Logan, what are you doing here?" We had been getting on better, but that didn't mean I wanted my brother to be present for when I was flirty with Damon.
"I saw you heading towards this building and thought I would find you at the bar. If you come here too often people may get the wrong opinion." Logan eyed the full bar around us to see if any scoundrels were looking at us the wrong way. The bartender took that moment to arrive with my drink and I wanted to hit my head against the counter. Logan looked down at the drink with disdain. " How thoughtful of you." And with that, he pilfered my drink from me.
" Hey, I am old enough to drink Lo." I tried to grab the drink back from my estranged brother, but he blocked me as he took a sip of the cocktail. "Gross, you are going to pay for that drink bud." I glowered at him upset at his jerk-like attitude.
" The drinks here are below par anyway just think of it as me helping you out," he finished with an apathetic shrug. I nodded to the bartender asking for another when Logan cast a glance in the opposite direction.
"Do you think I should have come back?" It was the question I had wanted to ask since I stepped foot in this small town.
"Where would you have been if not here?"
"I don't know maybe I would have become a writer or something or I always liked the idea of teaching."
"You could always try substituting, all you have to have is your GED and be over and I am sure someone from a founding family could easily get in."
" What the fuck, it is that easy to get a job where you watch over kids in Virginia? That is absolutely abhorrent!" A shudder wracked down my back imagining the type of people who could and would apply for the job.
" That's not even the worse part, most teachers and Substitutes in the United States are not drug tested and will never be during their tenure. It is too expensive for the states to be able to afford." He leaned in to whisper to me. "My team is running a story on it and they may let me head it." A proud smile was set on his as he shared the last tidbit of information as if it was the juiciest bit. The bartender places my drink in front of me and this one Logan allowed me to keep it.
"The future of America is screwed."
"And doesn't that make a great story." I shook my head at his sentiment not completely over the information.
" I always thought Mr. Welsh was a pothead, I guess it was probably true."
"To the youth of America," Logan brought his cup in a salute to our future generation.
"They'll need all the luck they can get," and with that, we sculled our drinks and chatted into the night.
XXX
Damon did not show up that night and I was a little miffed I would have just gone straight home if I knew he would stand me up. I walked out with my brother to his car neither of us feeling the drink we had and I was not going to pass up a free ride. I had worn heels for over nine hours today and I was not about to walk home.
"Hey Lo, do you have any plans tomorrow?"
" I am meeting with the council, why?"
"Oh, never mind." I sighed trudging my way to his car that was parked off in the distance due to the celebration all the close spots had been taken. An idea struck me as we meandered our way over and I couldn't help but ask. "Do you think they would let me on the council? It sounds more fun than the Founder's Committee."
"I only got on it because our father passed, so unless you take me out I would suppose not." I sighed not necessarily liking that answer. I knew the council was a bit of a boys club but Sheriff Forbes was on it so I didn't see why I couldn't be.
"I bet I would be great on the council, they need someone like me." If I was paying attention I may have noticed a human shape flicker in and out of focus at these words, but I didn't. Maybe if I did I would have been more prepared.