Chapter 23: Follow Your Instinct

Reggie stood off to the side of the canopy. He had seen Ali walk into the event with her parents, but he was absolutely taken away by her. As he watched her converse with different individuals, he noticed that she was a completely different person in this setting. She came across as a proper young lady who was as much as a business intellect as her parents.

"What are you looking at?" Reggie's eyes were pulled away from Ali when he heard someone ask him a question. He looked over and saw Josie looking up at him.

"I was just taking this whole thing in." Reggie lied.

"It's okay. I've gone to enough of these events to know how they run like the back of my hand." Josie pointed out.

"Well this is new for me." Reggie said.

"Are you excited to see me perform today?" Josie asked.

"Of course." Reggie smiled at his date, but it never reached his eyes. Josie was nice; he liked her. She was pretty, smart and talented, but she never made his heart race – unlike the British girl who was standing just a few feet away from him.

"Great! I have to go get ready, so I see you later." Josie wanted to lean in for a hug from Reggie, but only managed to squeeze his hand. As she walked away, Reggie's eyes found Ali's body. She was dancing with Nick and he felt a pang of anger and jealousy. However, his anger began to boil under his skin when he saw Nick's hands roam downwards towards Ali's ass. Her hands quickly raised his hands back up to her waist. Reggie noticed the frown on Ali's face as she looked at him. Nick leaned forward and whispered something into Ali's ear – which resulted in her brows furrowing and a look of disgust being plastered on her face. Reggie decided to walk over to the pair and make sure that Ali was safe.

"Hey, Ali." Reggie greeted Ali.

"Reggie?" Ali was surprised to see Reggie, but she noted just how dapper he looked in his well-fitted suit.

"Oh hey! Aren't you Veronica's friend?" Nick asked as he looked up at Reggie.

"I am. I was wondering if I could have a dance with Ali?" Reggie suggested.

"I think we're still dancing, bu-"

"Of course." Ali cut Nick off. "You don't mind, right?" Ali smiled at Nick. Reggie straightened his back a little more – showing his dominance to Nick.

"Sure. Just come find me when you're done." Nick winked at Ali. Nick let go of the girl in front of him and walked away. Reggie quickly took his place and placed both hands on Ali's hips while hers managed to find their way around his neck.

"Thanks." Ali thanked the boy in front of her.

"No problem. I saw you guys and you looked pretty uncomfortable." Reggie explained.

"He's just…he gives me a weird feeling." Ali stared at his back and watched him approach Cheryl.

"What do you mean?" Reggie questioned.

"He kept asking me if I wanted to go somewhere else with him and when I kept saying no he just kept being really pushy about it. He wouldn't take no for an answer." Ali explained.

"Well don't worry, I'm here now." Reggie smiled at Ali.

"I would've knocked him out, but I didn't want to embarrass my parents." Ali sighed. "You have to learn to keep up certain pretences depending on where you are."

"Let's not dwell on it. You're safe and you're with me." Reggie comforted Ali.

"I'd much rather have food than you." Ali joked.

"I can give you some sausage?" Reggie playfully winked at Ali. She lightly smack his chest as she smiled and shook her head.

"You're a perv."

"I'm only a perv for you."

"Why are you here, anyways?" Ali asked.

"Josie invited me." Reggie answered.

"Oh…like a date?" Ali felt her heart drop into her stomach.

"She knows that we're just friends." Reggie quickly answered. He didn't want Ali thinking that he was dating Josie when he very much wasn't.

"Look at you two looking all cozy!" Cheryl happily giggled while Nick held her up. She was standing pretty close to Ali and Reggie. "Make sure Josie doesn't see. I bet she'll be really jealous that Ali is swooping in on her man."

"You're drunk, Cheryl." Reggie sighed as he rolled his eyes at the red head.

"Very perceptive of you, Reggie. I'm just saying that, since Ali has been hanging out with Veronica and Betty, her social standing has dropped in school. What a shame." Ali knew not to give Cheryl a response. She was clearly drunk, with the way her words slurred, her legs practically giving way underneath her and the fact that she had to be held up by Nick.

"Can you just take her away, Nick?" Reggie asked the curly haired boy beside him.

"Of course. Come on, Cheryl." Nick cooed in Cheryl's ear and he happily took her away from Reggie and Ali.

"Don't listen to her. There's nothing going on between Josie and I." Reggie began to defend himself to Ali. She stopped dancing and brought her arms down to her sides.

"It's okay. It's none of my business." Ali refused to make eye contact with the boy in front of her. Reggie took Ali's hands in his, so she would look at him.

"It is because I don't want you thinking that after I kissed you, I turned around and started liking someone else." Reggie explained.

"Again, it's none of my business." Ali said.

"It is. I'm only interested in you, even if you're so stubborn that you don't believe me." Reggie joked which allowed a small smile to form on Ali's red lipstick covered lips. "I know you don't want a relationship right now, so I'll wait. Even if all I want to do is kiss you." Reggie basically whispered to Ali. Her heart began to flutter in her chest at his words.

However, from the stage, Josie saw this exchange. She saw hoe close Ali and Reggie were. How he dipped his head, so he could whisper sweet nothings into Ali's ear. She watched as a smile would form on Ali's lips before they continued to sway to the music that Josie and her friends were playing. Josie felt heartbroken while watching the scene in front of her. She believed that Reggie was genuinely interested in her after the previous party, but she was mistaken. When Veronica nudged her arm, her eyes flew to another couple – Nick and Cheryl. Nick was caring Cheryl out of the canopy and into the hotel, so Josie, Veronica and the Pussycats all followed the two. Ali saw Veronica and her friends leave the stage and walk out of the canopy. She quickly excused herself from Reggie and followed them. She caught up to Veronica and grabbed her arm.

"Where are you guys going?" Ali asked as she followed the raven-haired girl.

"We saw Nick taking Cheryl away and she couldn't even walk." Josie explained.

"You can't trust him, Ali." Veronica said as they walked into the hotel.

"Don't worry, I don't. He gives me to creeps." Ali confirmed as they ran up the stairs. "Do you know what room he's staying in?"

"This one, over here." Veronica pointed out the room door. Luckily, there was a janitor cart in the hallway, so she quickly picked up the keys and unlocked the door. The lights were off and the moonlight shown in. Cheryl was lying on the bed – unconscious while Nick took off his jacket. Ali quickly ran over to Nick and grabbed him by his collar. She slung him backwards and wound up her right fist before letting it loose on his nose.

"You piece of shit!" Ali yelled as she pushed him backwards, to the Pussycats could give him a few punches too. "Go check on Cheryl." Ali instructed Veronica and Josie. Ali allowed her heels to collide with Nick's ribs, several times. She quickly pushed back to Pussycats, so she could get on top of him and begin punching his face. "You disgusting piece of shit!" Ali yelled as he fists continued to collide with his face.

"Ali, stop!" She felt her arms being pulled as she was lifted back to her feet. Ali saw the Pussycats holding her back. She quickly let her foot to hit him one more time before raising her hands.

"Okay, I'm done." Ali quickly turned around to see Veronica and Josie trying to wake up Cheryl. She quickly grabbed a nearby towel and wiped her hands before making her way over to them.

"Damn Ali. You got one hell of a punch." Veronica looked at Ali with amazement. She just shrugged her shoulders.

So are we happy Ali got a few punches in on Nick?

Also, what Reggie said was so SWEET! Don't you think?