Chapter 9: Listen, Forgive, and Forget
Peyton drove the way just how I remembered. Like a crazy drunkard on crack. When we arrived at the club, I silently prayed. How we got there alive, I don't exactly know.
Hot Fox's was a club that had a waiting line that went all the way down 2 blocks and around the corner. Everyone wanted to get in, but few succeeded in doing so.
I stood there amazed at the extravagance of a nightclub. Its neon lights were brightly glimmering and the music was blaring. The club looked like it was newly built with all sorts of new gadgets and gizmos. The building was silver with a red carpet that spread on the pavement.
Peyton grabbed my arm and pulled me forward, breaking my trance. Somehow, we ended up right in front of the bouncer. The bouncer was a buff man with a really bad tan. His face was red and he looked like one of those guys pumped on steroids.
He was eyeing me suggestively. Peyton, who noticed his interest in me, elbowed me hard in the ribs and looked at me expectantly. I reluctantly flirted and sent him a seductive smile. I even eyed him with fake interest. In my head, I was swearing left and right. There is no way in hell I would ever talk to him, let alone get with him. He let us in. Peyton smiled at me. I looked back at the bouncer, who was still staring at me. I lowered my voice.
"Why did you make me flirt with that repulsive moron?"
"Haley, he's our only chance in getting in."
I growled at her. That guy was still checking me out. I knew what he was thinking and I felt violated.
"Peyton, you're a great person and all, but if you ever make me do that again, I will never talk to you again."
She laughed and pulled me towards the bar. We ordered a couple of fruity drinks. Before I drank it, I sniffed my liquor. It smelled sweet, like melted candy. I drank the whole think in one gulp and savored the stinging sweetness. The burning sensation left my mouth tingling. I ordered another drink, then promised myself that would be my last one. Well, let me tell you how that was definitely not me last drink. To be truthful, I lost count.
Peyton had left me to dance with some brown-eyed guy. I slowly pulled myself out of my seat and walked over to the dance floor. I started to dance and felt a guy's hand edge his way along my stomach. I let him, mainly because I was drunk and it felt good. I turned around to face this guy and recognized who it was. Even in my drunkard state, I remembered him. How could I forget THH's adorable young father. I giggled at the mere sight of him. He had obviously not recognized me in these slutty clothes. I leaned down near his ear and whispered huskily "hey Jake."
He looked at me confused. Slowly realization hit him and I saw his face break into a smile.
"Well, well, well... What have we here, Ms. James?"
"Thought you'd never know it was me."
"Well who would when you are wearing something like that?" He pointed to my clothes and I laughed. We continued to dance, but only with a certain amount of distance between us. We weren't up and all over each other. I could never like Jake like that. He was the guy with all the answers for all of our problems, the guy who would drop everything for you. He was loyal, caring, and adorable. I just never had that special feeling with him.
Once we were tired of dancing, I pulled him off the dance floor and towards a table. I wanted to talk about some people, places, and things.
"So how have you been, Mr. J?" I sheepishly asked. I used to always call him Mr. J. It was my nickname for him since 10th grade. He laughed at me and answered.
"Well, I am good. Not much to complain about."
"How's Jenny?"
"Well she's growing up fast. She's 4 years old right now. Do you wanna see his picture?" he asked keenly. I nodded for curiosity's sake. He pulled out his wallet from his pant's pocket and flipped it open. A long list of pictures unraveled. I smiled softly as he showed me her picture. She was adorable. Jenny had tufts of brown and blonde hair with sparkling green eyes.
I laughed softly as he put his wallet away. He looked at me puzzled.
"What?" he asked raising his eyebrows.
"O look at yourself Jake. You have all of her pictures in your wallet. You're such a dad, but you're a really good one. I'm proud of you Mr. J," I answered with a gentle smile. He was surprised, yet grateful.
"Well I try James," he said modestly. He was always modest about his parenting skills. That just made me more proud of him. My own parents were inexperienced and they were older than him by 30 years.
We continued out talk, but were interrupted by a panting Peyton. Her face was red with exhilaration. Jake looked at me with that eyebrow raised glance. I just laughed it off and greeted Peyton.
"Hey girl, I saw those moves and you have to show me some," I started. She grinned and took a seat. It was then did she notice Jake.
"O hey Jake, what are you doing here?" she asked surprised at his appearance in the club.
"Well Peyton, I'm having a good time. I do remember you telling me countless times to have fun when we were in high school," he replied.
"So you finally listened to my great and magnificent advice. Good for you, Jake," she smiled. Her face was flushed with happiness. I never saw Peyton act like this and took it as a hint that she had a lil crush on Mr. J. Who would ever think Peyton and Jake? Definitely not me.
We started to talk about things, but were once again interrupted by a person who was tapping my shoulder. I turned around, annoyed, only to face Brooke. She looked at me timidly and spoke one single word.
"Truce."
I looked at her, not quite understanding what she said. She then repeated what she had said.
"Haley, I'm calling a truce. I don't know... maybe we could be friends instead of enemies. After all, we are out of high school," she said while looking at her feet. I had never saw Brooke so shy before. Usually, she was bold and daring, but right now she had a humble look. She then held out her hand to shake mine. I looked at it hesitantly, then shook her hand and smiled at her.
I didn't want to be her friend, but I couldn't ignore something my father had told me right before I left for college. He said that I should always listen, forgive, and forget. If I never did those things, I would get nowhere in college or in the world.
Something in me was also whispering in my head that this was the beginning of a new and important friendship.
Peyton drove the way just how I remembered. Like a crazy drunkard on crack. When we arrived at the club, I silently prayed. How we got there alive, I don't exactly know.
Hot Fox's was a club that had a waiting line that went all the way down 2 blocks and around the corner. Everyone wanted to get in, but few succeeded in doing so.
I stood there amazed at the extravagance of a nightclub. Its neon lights were brightly glimmering and the music was blaring. The club looked like it was newly built with all sorts of new gadgets and gizmos. The building was silver with a red carpet that spread on the pavement.
Peyton grabbed my arm and pulled me forward, breaking my trance. Somehow, we ended up right in front of the bouncer. The bouncer was a buff man with a really bad tan. His face was red and he looked like one of those guys pumped on steroids.
He was eyeing me suggestively. Peyton, who noticed his interest in me, elbowed me hard in the ribs and looked at me expectantly. I reluctantly flirted and sent him a seductive smile. I even eyed him with fake interest. In my head, I was swearing left and right. There is no way in hell I would ever talk to him, let alone get with him. He let us in. Peyton smiled at me. I looked back at the bouncer, who was still staring at me. I lowered my voice.
"Why did you make me flirt with that repulsive moron?"
"Haley, he's our only chance in getting in."
I growled at her. That guy was still checking me out. I knew what he was thinking and I felt violated.
"Peyton, you're a great person and all, but if you ever make me do that again, I will never talk to you again."
She laughed and pulled me towards the bar. We ordered a couple of fruity drinks. Before I drank it, I sniffed my liquor. It smelled sweet, like melted candy. I drank the whole think in one gulp and savored the stinging sweetness. The burning sensation left my mouth tingling. I ordered another drink, then promised myself that would be my last one. Well, let me tell you how that was definitely not me last drink. To be truthful, I lost count.
Peyton had left me to dance with some brown-eyed guy. I slowly pulled myself out of my seat and walked over to the dance floor. I started to dance and felt a guy's hand edge his way along my stomach. I let him, mainly because I was drunk and it felt good. I turned around to face this guy and recognized who it was. Even in my drunkard state, I remembered him. How could I forget THH's adorable young father. I giggled at the mere sight of him. He had obviously not recognized me in these slutty clothes. I leaned down near his ear and whispered huskily "hey Jake."
He looked at me confused. Slowly realization hit him and I saw his face break into a smile.
"Well, well, well... What have we here, Ms. James?"
"Thought you'd never know it was me."
"Well who would when you are wearing something like that?" He pointed to my clothes and I laughed. We continued to dance, but only with a certain amount of distance between us. We weren't up and all over each other. I could never like Jake like that. He was the guy with all the answers for all of our problems, the guy who would drop everything for you. He was loyal, caring, and adorable. I just never had that special feeling with him.
Once we were tired of dancing, I pulled him off the dance floor and towards a table. I wanted to talk about some people, places, and things.
"So how have you been, Mr. J?" I sheepishly asked. I used to always call him Mr. J. It was my nickname for him since 10th grade. He laughed at me and answered.
"Well, I am good. Not much to complain about."
"How's Jenny?"
"Well she's growing up fast. She's 4 years old right now. Do you wanna see his picture?" he asked keenly. I nodded for curiosity's sake. He pulled out his wallet from his pant's pocket and flipped it open. A long list of pictures unraveled. I smiled softly as he showed me her picture. She was adorable. Jenny had tufts of brown and blonde hair with sparkling green eyes.
I laughed softly as he put his wallet away. He looked at me puzzled.
"What?" he asked raising his eyebrows.
"O look at yourself Jake. You have all of her pictures in your wallet. You're such a dad, but you're a really good one. I'm proud of you Mr. J," I answered with a gentle smile. He was surprised, yet grateful.
"Well I try James," he said modestly. He was always modest about his parenting skills. That just made me more proud of him. My own parents were inexperienced and they were older than him by 30 years.
We continued out talk, but were interrupted by a panting Peyton. Her face was red with exhilaration. Jake looked at me with that eyebrow raised glance. I just laughed it off and greeted Peyton.
"Hey girl, I saw those moves and you have to show me some," I started. She grinned and took a seat. It was then did she notice Jake.
"O hey Jake, what are you doing here?" she asked surprised at his appearance in the club.
"Well Peyton, I'm having a good time. I do remember you telling me countless times to have fun when we were in high school," he replied.
"So you finally listened to my great and magnificent advice. Good for you, Jake," she smiled. Her face was flushed with happiness. I never saw Peyton act like this and took it as a hint that she had a lil crush on Mr. J. Who would ever think Peyton and Jake? Definitely not me.
We started to talk about things, but were once again interrupted by a person who was tapping my shoulder. I turned around, annoyed, only to face Brooke. She looked at me timidly and spoke one single word.
"Truce."
I looked at her, not quite understanding what she said. She then repeated what she had said.
"Haley, I'm calling a truce. I don't know... maybe we could be friends instead of enemies. After all, we are out of high school," she said while looking at her feet. I had never saw Brooke so shy before. Usually, she was bold and daring, but right now she had a humble look. She then held out her hand to shake mine. I looked at it hesitantly, then shook her hand and smiled at her.
I didn't want to be her friend, but I couldn't ignore something my father had told me right before I left for college. He said that I should always listen, forgive, and forget. If I never did those things, I would get nowhere in college or in the world.
Something in me was also whispering in my head that this was the beginning of a new and important friendship.