Chapter Four
I stared at the dark wood panelling of Lana's front door before trailing my eyes across to the doorbell and eyeing it nervously. I bit my lip and played with my fingernails for several long moments, as I attempted to work up the courage to enter the party.
I was late. It had taken every ounce of the willpower I possessed to get dressed and come here. I was nervous beyond all belief that I would run into Danny and it would be awful. I was torn between wanting to ignore him, or walk up and slap him.
I nervously smoothed down my dress, and brushed my hair out of my eyes, before recklessly reaching out and pressing the doorbell before I could stop myself.
The door flung open before I could change my mind, and Lana grinned at me excitedly, "about time you got here," she said as she launched herself forward and hugged me in greeting.
"Wow," I laughed, as the force of her greeting nearly knocked me off my feet, "are you drunk already Lana?"
"I don't know what you're talking about," Lana replied innocently, "but lets go get you a drink, I think you'll need one."
I frowned and allowed her to drag me through the surprisingly packed party to the kitchen, "I don't like the sound of that."
Lana pressed a tequila shot into my hand and I stared at it blankly, "I hate tequila."
Lana pointed across the room.
I followed her gaze and my insides turned to ice when my eyes landed on Danny. But he wasn't alone… he was joined by a gorgeous blond who was clinging to his arm and laughing at something he had said.
"I'm leaving."
"No Amber you can't," Lana whined grabbing onto my arm and preventing me from moving. "You promised you'd be here for me."
I glared at her, "Lana you can't be serious?"
Lana pressed the entire bottle of tequila into my arms," look, you just do whatever you need to do. But I need you here, at least until my announcement ok?"
I downed the shot and poured myself another, "fine, but I'm out of here as soon as you announce whatever it is you're going to announce. Deal?"
Lana grinned, "deal. Now you go do what you do best."
"Yeah?" I asked, "and what's that?"
"Just network like the sexy Public Relations consultant you are."
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"So Amber I just loved what you did for the Jane McGraw Benefit. The colours were just darling. I think I just could have taken a bath in those beautiful reds and gold's."
I smiled politely and inwardly wracked my brains as I attempted to remember which benefit this random lady was talking about. I had organised a million parties over the past few months and they were all starting to blend together.
My tequila haze wasn't helping my short-term memory either.
Finally a fuzzy picture of an oriental theme swam into my mind and I almost cried in relief, "I'm so glad you enjoyed the evening. Do you attend many charity events?"
The lady whose name I had already forgotten smiled, "only the ones you organise my dear. You know, I told my husband the other night that the event management industry is going to the dogs. I mean…"
I tuned her out as she started to blab using eccentric hand movements that showed off every diamond on her stubby fingers. I frowned as she spoke, trying to remember the exact moment I had suddenly became 'known' within the industry. Unable to find the exact point in time, I just shrugged and let my eyes wander around the room.
My movements were casual, but I knew exactly who I was looking for. I stared at him, watching shamelessly as he took a sip of his drink and smiled politely at the group of people around him. If there was one person who was making more small talk then I was tonight, it was definitely him. Despite the sheer annoyance I felt when I looked at him, I still had to respect the way he handled himself within a crowd. He spoke to everyone, and treated them all the same, giving them generous amounts of his time and asking for nothing in return… I could never do that… I was far too impatient.
Then suddenly, as though he knew he was being watched, his eyes met mine. I froze and desperately tried to tear my eyes away but they were stuck on his… blue on brown.
Then oh so subtly he nodded with his head to the lady in front of him and rolled his eyes, a small smile crossing his lips.
I couldn't help the smile that crossed my lips at his antics.
"Amber, dear?"
My mind flew back into the present and I inwardly hit myself for being so stupid. What in the world was I thinking making doo-eyes across the room at him as though nothing was wrong and we were living eight months in the past.
"I'm sorry?"
"I asked what you think of the event management field?"
"I dabble in it from time to time," I replied politely, "but I prefer to be behind a desk working with the media." I paused, "excuse me I have to use the bathroom."
Then without another word, I tore across the room as quickly as I could.
I felt his eyes on me the entire way.
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I spent as long as humanly possible in the bathroom, attempting to get myself under control and back into the right frame of mind. But finally after a good fifteen minutes, I stepped back into the room, immediately grabbing a glass of champagne from a near by tray, just for the sake of having something in my hands.
"Omg, Amber Blair?"
I cursed under my breath. What now?
I turned quickly and nearly had a heart attack when I noticed Danny's blond date hurrying towards me, dragging a reluctant Danny behind her. I stared at them in shock, could my night get any worse?
"Oh this is such an honour," the blond said with a large smile reaching out and shaking my hand excitedly, "I'm such a fan of your work. I'm studying public relations at university and I just admire your career so much."
I stared her in amazement, before glancing quickly at Danny who was staring at the floor, a soft flush in his cheeks. "Well, thank you," I finally replied to the girl as civilly as I could despite wanting to throttle her.
"Can I get you a drink?" she asked.
I raised an eyebrows in surprise, "oh… well…"
"Great," she cut me off, and set off in the direction of the kitchen leaving Danny and I standing awkwardly in one another's presence.
I clutched the stem of my wine glass like a lifeline. I hated awkward silences.
'Sorry about that," Danny finally said, looking at me sheepishly, "she's a bit…"
"Its ok,' I cut him off quickly before frowning. It felt utterly ironic that my first words spoken to him in six months were 'its ok' because things were definitely not ok.
He opened his mouth to reply but suddenly the tinkling of glasses filled the room and he closed his mouth and shook his head instead.
I turned my attention to the front of the room where Lana was standing unsteadily on a chair holding a glass of wine and tapping it with a butter knife, "can I have everyone's attention!" she shouted.
A hush slowly fell over the room and Lana grinned, "Well, first of all I want to thank everyone for coming. I know some of us," she tossed me a meaningful glance, "had our reasons not to be here, but it's a sign of true friendship that we are all here anyway."
I shifted uncomfortably, fully aware of Danny looking at me curiously after Lana's statement.
"I have some very important news," Lana smiled and paused for dramatic effect, "Eric and I… are engaged!"
My mouth dropped open and the cheers and claps drowned out my shriek of excitement. I immediately pushed my way to the front of the room before tackling Lana to the floor in a hug. "Omg!" I yelled, "congratulations!"
Lana laughed, and detangled herself from me before standing up and yelling, "drinks all around!"
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Several hours later, my awkward encounter with Danny was forgotten as I sat around a table with Lana, Eric and several others making loud and boisterous toasts to everything we could think of… to Lana… to Eric… to marriage… to good health… to friends… to good weather… it was like a really messed up celebratory drinking game.
"To drinking!" I toasted loudly, pouring what felt like my millionth shot down my throat.
"To drinking!" everyone echoed clinking their glasses together and drinking as one.
"To my best friend Amber!" Lana called.
"To best friend Amber!" everyone echoed.
I laughed and took a sip of my drink, "Lana I'm so excited for you."
She grinned at me, her eyes bright with excitement, as she stumbled to her feet, "I need to ask you something, c'mon."
I allowed her to drag me over to a nearby couch and we both fell onto it. I waited patiently for the room to stop spinning before turning my attention to Lana's three faces, "what?"
"Amber," she said seriously before bursting out into a fit of drunken giggles.
I couldn't help the laugh that escaped my lips, "what?"
Lana giggled a bit longer before finally getting herself together and taking a deep calming breath, "Will you be my Maid of Honour?"
My mouth dropped open and I smiled, "of course I will be!"
Lana shrieked and hugged me, "I'm so glad." She held up an imaginary glass, "to the wedding."
"The wedding!" I echoed.
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It was extremely late. So late, it was early, and I was pretty sure the sun was going to rise anytime now. I found myself slumped on the couch, half asleep as the last strands of the party bustled around me. Through my hazy vision I could see Lana fast asleep on the couch opposite me, and across the room I could just make out Eric sitting at the table with a few guys.
I sighed and snuggled down into the couch closing my eyes.
"Do you think we should let her sleep?"
"I can take her home."
"Are you sure?"
"Yeah, its fine, she's on my way."
The soft voices drifted into my senses and I opened one eye to find Eric's face inches from mine. "What?" I asked, my voice thick with sleep.
"Do you want to head home Amber?" Eric asked, "Sleep in your own bed?"
"Sure," I murmured, closing my eyes, and allowing him to help me up off the couch. "Thanks for the great party," I mumbled as a strong arm wrapped around me and helped me towards the door.
"Thanks for coming," Eric replied from somewhere in front of me.
I sighed and shifted closer to the warm presence beside me. I didn't remember Eric smelling like cool night air, and cologne. But I was too tired to care, so I just allowed him to manoeuvrer me out of the house, down the driveway and into a car.
It was about five minutes into the trip that the last tresses of sleep trickled from my mind, and I was able to take in my surroundings. I opened my eyes and glanced at the dark dash of the car in front of me. I frowned in confusion… the interior of Eric's car was brown… I blinked several times and turned my attention to the guy in the drivers seat.
I suddenly realised where I was and who I was with and I immediately jumped into autopilot, "Stop the car!" I ordered.
Danny looked at me in surprise, obviously a little shocked that someone so drunk could move so quickly, "what?"
I unbuckled my seat belt, "let me out."
Danny looked at me bewildered before obeying politely and pulling over.
I immediately threw open the car door and began storming off in the general direction of my apartment. I was several meters down the road before Danny figured out what was going on.
"Amber what are you doing?" he shouted after me, "are you insane?"
I continued to storm down the road as the car re-started and Danny accelerated to drive beside me. "Where are you going?"
"Away from you," I hissed.
"Don't be silly Amber, your apartment is miles away."
I didn't reply. My mind was surprisingly clear as I walked… if I was lucky I could walk off my entire hangover, and get away from Danny. It was a win-win situation. Killing two birds with one stone as my mother would say.
"If you don't get in the car I'm just going to drive alongside you anyway," Danny informed me.
I suddenly stopped walking and turned to look at him, "what in the hell are you trying to do Danny?"
Danny braked the car; "I'm taking you home."
"Taking me home?" I yelled, "more like taking advantage of me in my drunken state. You know very well I'd never get in a car with you."
"I know you wouldn't. But I just thought this could be a good opportunity to talk." Danny tried to explain as he turned of the engine and rounded the car towards me.
"To talk?" I repeated placing my hands on my hips and glared at him, "talk about what?"
"About where I've been for the past six months. I…"
I cut him off angrily, "I don't even want to look at you right now, let alone hear what you have to say."
"Amber, just let me…"
I rubbed furiously at my eyes, "no Dan. I'm done listening, and I'm done waiting. I don't know what happened and I don't know what went wrong. But I'm done wondering. I don't care anymore alright?"
"You don't mean that."
"Yeah I do," I insisted. I sighed, "Look, just stay away from me alright?"
Danny stared at me for a few moments before dropping his eyes and shrugging, "fine. But if you'd just hear me out I could…"
I shook my head desperately. "No. I'm serious Danny, Just forget about it."
"I can't forget about it!" Danny yelled at me. "I need some closure…."
"Closure," I repeated incredulously before shaking my head and taking back off down the road.
"You think you need closure?" I ranted as I paced back and forth. "I saw what happened. You dated blonds for six months. You didn't call me. Hell you sold your apartment! You think you have no idea what's going on… I'm the one in the lurch here… I'm the one who waited around wondering, but you know what…I'm done waiting around for you Danny."
"So this is how it's going to be?" Danny questioned gesturing between us, "this hostility."
I looked away from him in annoyance, "well it could have been something more than that, but you fucked it up."
"Why wont you just hear me out? Hear my side of the story?"
"Because I don't want to get hurt again!" I yelled.
Silence.
Danny stared at me, before lowering his eyes and shoving his hands into his pockets.
I sighed, "look, I don't doubt that you have a story to make everything better. But did it ever occur to you that maybe I don't want things between us resolved? Maybe I just want to go on hating you for a while."
Danny looked off down the road a frown marring his features. It was at that moment I realised I had hurt his feelings. I sighed, "just take me home alright?"
"Ok," he murmured softly.
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To be continued...
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