Notes: Thanks for the reviews, Steph, Vic, Moth, Christina Miller and loads of other people. You all rock! Sorry this is a short chapter, I have much more to write about this night out, but don't want to break what's coming next in half, hence the short chapter!
We manage to snag a booth near the dance floor, from here we can see almost everyone in here.
Sharlie and Annie are doing their best to find a girl for me.
"How about her?" Sharlie points to a random girl wearing an almost non-existent skirt dancing with a few friends.
"Doesn't she go to our school?" Annie asks.
"Yeah, she's nasty." I agree.
"But do you fancy her?" Annie persists. "I'm not talking 'til death do you part', would you at least go dance with her?"
"No."
"Why not? She's pretty, I'd dance with her… and more!" Annie giggles, she and Sharlie are downing vodka like it's going out of fashion. "She's pretty, right?"
"Only from the neck down, she's Beelzebub in human form." I shrug. "It's not enough for me."
"Oh, please! You dated Traci for two years!" Annie retorts, getting to her feet and stumbling towards the bar.
Although her insult was fairly mild, by her standards, it's the first one that's ever been directed at me. I give Sharlie a look. "What was that about? Something I said?"
Sharlie rolls her eyes. "Don't take it personally. It's the Bush-Pig. There will be tears before dawn, mark my words."
I glance around and am surprised to see so many students from Eden Hall here. I guess we're not the only ones with fake ID's who can forge our parents' signatures. I see a group of girls that look familiar, on closer inspection I realise that they are Traci's crowd… and Traci's right in the middle of them.
"Someone caught your eye?" Sharlie asks, she follows my eye-line. "Urgh, she looks like a cheerleader."
I sigh. "Head cheerleader, actually."
Sharlie gives me a disbelieving look. "That's your type? You really like that 'I'm sexy, I'm cute, and a total whore to boot' thing?"
I grin at her mini-cheer. "I like her. That's Traci."
"Ah, the evil ex." She deduces. "You can do better than her. She's not that great."
"Yes she is!" I reply defensively. "You don't even know her."
"Ok, let's ignore the fact that she's not been the best girlfriend in the world, what's so great about her – aside from the way she looks?"
I glare at her. Sharlie may be Annie's cousin, but she doesn't know me, or Traci. "It's not about looks, there's more to it than that! I'm sick of everyone assuming I'm shallow." I snap.
She holds her hands up in a surrender gesture. "Did I ever say you were shallow? All I meant was that she's obviously a hottie, even a straight girl like me can see that, so list her other pluses."
"Fine." I admit defeat, mainly to shut Sharlie up. "She's funny –"
"I bet Annie's funnier."
"Annie's gay, and besides, I don't think of her like that." I've got to find myself some sane friends.
"Not the point. I'm merely trying to find a replacement, not for Traci, but for each of her attributes, then maybe you won't be so lonely." She gives me a smile, and I realise that she's not being bitchy or just talking for the sake of it, she's trying to help.
"She's smart."
Sharlie hides a snort of disbelief, then adds, "Most of the population are."
"She laughs at my jokes."
"Ok, that one we'll have trouble replacing." She teases.
"Ha ha."
"What else?"
I shrug awkwardly. Have you ever tried listing the reasons why you love someone? It's impossible. Doubly so when you're listing them to someone you've only known a couple of hours.
And besides, all that's left to list is the sappy stuff. Like I love the way she always smells of vanilla. I love the way she smiles. I love the way she fits into my arms. I love the way she used to make eyes at me right under Riley's nose when they were still together. I love everything about her.
"Uh-oh." Sharlie nods across the bar.
I look up and see that Annie is returning, she's got a mutinous expression on her face, she's carrying three glasses and I can clearly see that she's got something white and blood-stained wrapped around her right hand.
Annie sets the drinks down on the table and then takes a seat next to me. She gives us a big grin, clears a space on the table in front of her, then bangs her head against it.
"What happened?" I ask, at exactly the same time as Sharlie says, "What's she done now?"
Annie downs her drink in one big gulp then holds up her bandaged hand. "Argument. Clenched fists. Holding glass. Blood. Pain. Ouch. Hellbitch."
Sharlie stands up and climbs over the table. "Gonna bag me a Bush-Pig." She mutters before leaving.
"Are you really ok?" I ask Annie.
She nods. "I'm fine. I'd be more worried for Donna if I was you, Sharlie's going to kill her." She sighs. "God knows why I let her get to me, I'm not dating her any more. Urgh!"
All of a sudden she starts laughing.
I look at her nervously, has the alcohol finally hit her system?
"Annie?"
She points. "Isn't that the girl from your team, the one that was bitching about you with the blonde?"
I look over and see Connie in deep lip-lock with Lester Averman.
Ooh, this is too good to be true.