For the most part, the night was a success. They had a good time and Alex charmed the others enough that Lister was granted unofficial and unspoken permission to continue spending time with him. The only downer on the whole evening was Rimmer.
At some point, presumably shortly after Lister had spotted him scowling at them, he had just left the club altogether, not even bothering to come over and say goodbye. It wasn't until the rest of them finally decided to call it a night, and searched the club to tell him they were leaving, that they even realised he had gone.
When Lister got back to their room, the lights were off and Rimmer was in bed. Stifling a huff of annoyance, Lister undressed in the dark and hopped up onto his own bunk. Another time he might have turned the lights on and woken him up deliberately, just to annoy him. But although part of him was angry and did quite feel like starting a row and telling him so, another part of him just couldn't even be bothered with that. As much as he hated to admit it, Lister was feeling very hurt by Rimmer's behaviour and didn't actually want to talk to him at all. The whole reason they'd planned this evening had been because of him; to include him and make him feel better, and he'd just thrown it back in their faces. He hadn't even tried.
Lister rolled over to face the wall and curled up moodily. Well, he'd had it. Why should he always be the one who had to make an effort? Why did he always have to adjust his plans and his wants to accommodate Rimmer's sulks and tantrums? Enough was enough. Alex was a better friend than Rimmer had ever been. He didn't need that smeghead! Rimmer could go to hell!
He didn't notice as he fell asleep, that he should have been able to hear Rimmer's breathing in the bunk below – slow and steady, as of someone who had been asleep for hours. So it didn't occur to him that perhaps Rimmer had been lying awake in the dark all this time...feeling very alone and abandoned; waiting for him to come back. And wishing like anything he'd gone over to dance with them...