Chapter 18

“So where exactly are we going tonight?”

I tear my eyes away from my reflection in the mirror in the changing rooms we’re currently occupying; my right lash clamped in my tweezers, to look at Raven as she aims her question at our ring leader, April. I think Raven speaks on behalf of everyone currently here when she asks that question because April has been incredibly tight lipped about her plans for this evening. I have heard of a couple of parties happening around here but so far nothing has been mentioned as to where we’re going to be spending our evening.

April just shrugs nonchalantly as she pulls the hem of her dress down, fluffing up her red hair and refusing to answer the question that was thrown her way. I can tell she’s really struggling to keep up this act, her nose is twitching and her eyes are sparkling. Both actions are tell-tale signs that she has a secret that she can’t wait to spill. I catch her gaze in the mirror and raise an eyebrow, watching as she is unable to tear her grin from her face when she realises I know exactly how she’s feeling.

“Okay fine, I’ll tell you!” She eventually caves under my stare. Everyone in the group whips their gazes up from whatever makeup or preparation they were doing to focus on her. I catch Mackenzie’s gaze as she looks at me with a grin on her face, her expression suggesting she knew I was who got her to silently give in. I just wink at her as April claps her hands together bouncing on her feet as she stalls for dramatic effect. “I scored us tickets to the opening of Vanity Lounge!”

“Vanity Lounge is an adult gay bar.” Raven says slowly. “None of us are twenty one.”

Everyone murmurs in agreement, and even I find myself questioning my best friend’s sanity. It’s one thing getting her sister to buy the tickets as a way of verifying age, but none of us have ID so the second we turn up to the club opening we’re getting turned away. April scoffs and walks over to her bag and rummages around, everyone looking at her with confusion. “Do you honestly think I haven’t been planning this for a while? I knew I was going to bring us here the second Mackenzie broke into our group. You can think of this as an acceptance into the soccer team Mackenzie.”

This is definitely just an initiation for Mackenzie. I can’t help but mutter sarcastically in my head. April knew she could use Mackenzie’s sexuality as a way of diverting attention from the fact she’s no doubt doing this for the both of us. I can’t help but admit the fact that I’m excited to go, if we can even get in, because I want to start to embrace the way I feel and I know going to Vanity Lounge is the perfect starting place. April emerges from her bag holding onto seven fake IDs, one for each of us going. Devon already has one so I’m assuming that’s why she hasn’t got eight. Everyone starts asking questions about how she managed to afford seven IDs, where she got the photos from, and why she had to pick the worst photos imaginable for them, but April simply smirks and says people owe her favours. Raven looks at her ID with horror, showing me the photo April picked for her, and even I can’t tell her it isn’t bad. It’s an awful photograph, a photo taken by the yearbook this year no doubt after April’s beginning of the year party when everyone was still hungover two days later. Raven’s bags are dark and obvious, her eyes dull and her face clean of makeup. She’s not smiling, and her facial expression suggests she’d rather be anywhere else.

I look at April and shake my head in disappointment, seeing that everyone else has a photo of them smiling and looking presentable. At least she has the decency to look guilty and cringe at the group’s reaction. I know she’s done that as a way of getting back at Raven for being in a relationship with Derek which is very immature on her part. I look at Mackenzie and beg her with my eyes to break the awkward tension that has risen within the group. She nods her head and clears her throat before pointing at Raven’s fake ID. “I’d fvck you even with the bags Raven. Just tell people it was picture day right after a night with me. I have a reputation of keeping you up all night. Call me if ever you want to find out.”

Raven can’t help but snort with laughter, Mackenzie sliding up to her and jokingly putting her hand on her knee, a wry smile on her face. I mouth thank you once everyone moves on from the tense few minute’s moments before, her smile soft as she nods her head my way before grabbing her clothes and slipping around the corner in order to change.

I realise I’m still holding my eyelash in my tweezers, the glue no doubt nearly dry. I place it on my upper lid and fan it dry before looking at my appearance and nodding once. I’m happy with my makeup , despite the fact I have an ugly scar forming right through my brow thanks to a certain Whitney Sandoval. Now all I have to stress about is which of my mismatched outfits I’m going to wear. I didn’t even look at what I packed this morning in my panic, and annoyingly I only have one outfit that actually matches. I’m grateful it’s actually a half decent outfit and quickly slip it on. It’s a liquor and poker button detail denim skirt in check with the matching jacket. I find a bandeau scrunched in the bottom of my bag and I decide to wear that too, grabbing my clothes plus underwear before slipping into a stall and dropping my towel to change.

I have to go braless because the only one I packed is green and you can see it through the thin fabric of my bandeau, but thankfully everything fits fine and matches, and my underwear doesn’t leave a line in my skirt. I step out from the stall and shove my towel in my bag after wrapping my dirty kit inside it so nothing else gets muddy and slotting it into a plastic bag so everything stays dry. I grab some white trainer socks and my brand new white trainers before doing a final check on my appearance. “Right I’m done.”

Gemma looks up at me from buckling her heels, a low whistle escaping from within her throat. “Damn captain, if I wasn’t as straight as the crow flies I’d totally feel you up in Vanity Lounge.”

I laugh and blush at their compliments, helping Gemma curl the dark hair at the back of her head she can’t reach by herself before offering to do her lashes for her because Raven is preoccupied with her eyeliner. April is rambling on about how she plans for us to stay at Vanity Lounge until at least midnight before meeting the rest of the soccer team at Peter Morrison’s house. It’s much closer to Mackenzie’s so she says so it’ll be easier for us to get back to hers than it was if we were still at the club. Faye has just texted her saying that the three of the cheerleaders are going to meet us in the bar April has arranged for us to stay in, in an hour or so because Kiera forgot to get a change of clothes so they’ll be going home first. I check my watch to see that it’s a little after five, meaning that we have four hours  to kill drinking before we can start queuing.

I’m just finishing off when Mackenzie finally emerges from wherever she disappeared to, my brain unable to stop my jaw from dropping slightly at her appearance. Her white blonde hair is pin straight and brushing her shoulders, eyeshadow dark and smoky and her lips a rose gold that matches the colour of her dress perfectly. Her dress is a rose gold bodycon that has thin straps and a square neckline that shows a modest amount of her cleavage. She’s wearing heels that make her an inch or two taller than me, roughly five foot eight in height going off her height in comparison to mine. It’s weird looking up at her when I’m usually looking down slightly, but she looks breathtakingly beautiful, so much so that I forget how to breathe for a few seconds.

I snap my mouth shut when she looks at me, her cheeks reddening slightly at my reaction, instead of the usual smirk she uses whenever she catches me staring.

“Damn Mackenzie!” Raven wolf whistles, gliding across the room to cup my crush’s face in her hands. “Gemma pass me my phone, I think I’m gonna give this sexy piece of woman a call because I need her to keep me up all night when she’s looking this gorgeous!”

~•~

Our IDs got us into an Irish bar called Old man Irish’s, a venue just across the road from Vanity Lounge, so we’ll be able to get near the front of the queue. The bouncers didn’t even question us when we passed over our fakes, their eyes barely scanning the details before ushering us inside where the music was lively and the bar was packed with drunken students.

Raven and Gemma offered to go and get the first round of drinks so April, Mackenzie and I went to find somewhere that could seat eight of us once the rest of our group shows up. I find a table at the back of the room near where some guys are playing darts, feeling their drunken gazes follow us all the way to our seats. April revels in it, smiling and winking at one of them whilst Mackenzie slips her arm around my waist and blocks me from view. I figured she could tell I was feeling slightly uncomfortable, but I’m definitely feeling better now her fingers are brushing against the skin of my stomach. I slide into the booth first, Mackenzie following behind me, keeping in contact with me at all times so that the guys stop staring. Her arm that was around my waist is now snaked around my shoulders, her free hand resting on my thigh and drawing nondescript patterns on my skin.

“I hate it when guys leer at girls like that.” Mackenzie mutters into my ear, her warm breath hitting the skin underneath, bumps rising at the contact. “I can’t even do anything to stop them because the thought of two girls probably turns them on more.”

“It’s the thought that counts.” I grin at her, boldly lacing our hands together under the table just as Raven and Gemma arrive with two trays full of shots. I grimace at the thought of any form of spirit passing my lips neat, knowing that my body can only manage gin and vodka so long as it’s mixed with something. “Oh God.”

“So I asked for twenty five random shots.” Gemma grins wickedly as she slides the tray onto the table before sitting beside April. “Its happy hour so all shots are less than a dollar each.”

“So we’re going to be drinking five shots of paint stripper each.” Mackenzie winces at the thought. “Great.“

“Well, it is your initiation night.” Gemma grins ruefully, sliding five different coloured shots in Mackenzie’s direction. “Drink up newbie and then we’ll find a girl who takes your fancy.”

“The least we can do is drink at the same time.” I laugh forcedly, using my free hand to place both mine and Mackenzie’s shots in front of us. My stomach turns at the thought of having to set Mackenzie up with someone in here. I remove the anxious look on my face when I realise I have no right to stop Mackenzie from flirting with other people, but instantly calm down when I feel her squeeze my hand comfortingly.

Nobody has noticed our locked hands and I know that we’ll have to let go so we can do the shots, but I’m prolonging the feeling a little bit longer. Mackenzie knows exactly what I’m doing, if the soft smile on her face is any indication. Everyone agrees and takes five shots of their own, my hand eventually letting go so she can raise a shot whilst keeping her arm around my shoulder. I down mine in quick succession, not wanting to reflect on the foul taste of tequila and Sambuca that is lingering on my tongue. I gag when I finish my final shot of vodka, my hand flying to my mouth to force myself to swallow. I can imagine that everyone’s faces are mirror images of my own and I can’t help but laugh at how disgusted we all look.

“I’m going to get some more drinks.” I say, watching as everyone gets their money out to pay their own cut. I wave them all away, flashing my card their way. “As captain I refuse to let anyone other than my dad pay for the shots this round, he just put far too much money on my account and I think now is as good a time as any to celebrate.”

I slide over Mackenzie as I get out of the booth, April muttering about having to give Faye and Kiera their IDs and that I have to get them drinks. I weave through the crowd in the bar, smiling at people as I pass them, flushing under the sultry stares I receive from guys and girls alike. I’m assuming a few people had similar ideas to us and opted to getting drunk here before crossing the street once it opens. I slide into an open space at the bar next to a girl who looks not much older than I am as she taps her phone against her chin as she waits to be served. She’s gorgeous, with chocolate coloured hair and pale green eyes, her cheeks coated in freckles. I tear my eyes away before I get caught staring like a creep, but can’t help but every so often let my eyes wander. She’s the same height as me with trainers on, her figure slender but not skinny. She’s effortlessly pretty, barely any makeup on and her hair thrown up into a high ponytail.

“What can I get you?” I hear the bartender say, and I look up to see he’s looking at me. Without even thinking about it I point to the girl beside me, telling him that she was first and watch as he slides across so he can hear her order more clearly.

“Hey, thanks.” I look to my right to see the girl talking to me, a smile tugging at her lips. She’s leaning against the bar now with her head resting on her palm, her eyes scanning over my face. “I’d been waiting ages and those assholes had been looking right through me.”

“No worries.” I wave her off whilst smiling. “I’m sure he’ll be back to serve me soon.”

She grins and hands the bartender a twenty dollar bill when he comes back to receive payment, sliding a glass across the bar to me before picking up her own. “A thank you shot.”

I grin and clink my glass with hers before knocking my drink back, wincing at her drink of choice. “Thanks, but oh God Sambuca makes my insides burn.”

“Mine too but they don’t have any salt so there isn’t any point in tequila.” She chuckles, sticking out a perfectly manicured hand my way, her eyebrow arched my way. “I’m Giovanna.”

“Alex.” I say, shaking her hand and laughing at how absurd we no doubt look. I break away to tell the bartender my order, Giovanna’s eyes widening at the sheer number of drinks I’m buying. “They’re not all for me; I’m out with friends waiting for a club opening.”

Giovanna nods her head, her thumb tossed over her shoulder to point at our destination. “We’re waiting for Vanity Lounge to open too; maybe I’ll see you in there.”

I nod my head as the bartender returns with my drinks as I feel arms slide around my waist and a head land on my shoulder, Mackenzie’s vanilla perfume invading my senses. “You’re taking ages; do you need any help carrying these?” I felt her lips against my skin as she spoke, although I’m unsure if it was intentional, but my body still buzzed at the contact.

“Yeah that’d be great thanks.” I reply as she grabs the first try of drinks with one hand, her arm lingering around my waist for a few more seconds before slinking away and leaving me at the bar again. I look to where Giovanna was stood to see that she’s gone, and I can’t help the crease that forms between my brows. I liked talking to her, however brief it was, so I hope that she got dragged away and that she didn’t just leave.

She was pretty, and nice to talk to.

I grab my tray of drinks once the bartender has accepted my card and head back to the table, dropping it down next to Mackenzie’s tray. Kiera and Devon have slid into my side of the booth so there are no seats left, and there are no spare chairs around us so it looks like I’m going to stand. I grab the vodka lime and soda that I bought for myself and move away, standing between Mackenzie and Faye who have both managed to find chairs in this madness.

Faye taps my bare leg and I turn to face her, looking at the wicked smile on her face as she discreetly nods to Mackenzie and mouths. “Sit on her lap.” My face flames at the thought of being so bold, but when I turn to look at her she’s already staring at me with a smirk on her face and an eyebrow raised. My cheeks darken as Mackenzie grips my skirt by the belt loop and pulls me onto her lap, her arm winding underneath my jacket and her hand resting on my exposed skin underneath.

April and Faye are both grinning at me like fools but everyone is just seeing it as a friend perching on another friend because there are no free seats. But all I can concentrate on is the way her free hand is drawing circles on my stomach, and she might as well be holding a lighter to my skin because it is scalding. I find my best distraction in my drink, which I find myself slurping up like its juice. For the next two hours we take it in turns to go up to the bar and buy a ridiculous amount of drinks considering it’s happy hour and a round is literally costing fifteen dollars. By the time ten o’clock rolls around I have to lean back on Mackenzie because I can barely keep my body upright. Everyone sat around this table is quite a few drinks past tipsy, April openly flirting with the boys who were staring at her when we arrived hours before and Mackenzie openly flirting with me.

So far nobody has mentioned anything, and nobody seems to mind. I wouldn’t be surprised if everyone thought this was Mackenzie’s personality, a shameless flirt that’ll even try it with a straight girl with a boyfriend. Funny thing is I’m neither straight, nor have a boyfriend, but then again nobody else bar my closest friends know that.

I look out of the window with blurry eyes to see that a queue has started to form underneath the neon light across the street. I hear Mackenzie laugh next to my head as she acknowledges something that Devon has said to her. I pinch the skin on her thigh with my fingertips, watching as her attention instantly comes onto me, a drunken smile slowly spreading across her face. “Can I help you?”

“There is a queue across the road, maybe we should think about leaving.” I say and watch as she looks past Kiera, her eyes slightly glazed as she digs her fingers into my hips to steady herself.

“Guys, the line is getting pretty long.” Mackenzie slurs as I stand up from her lap so she can grab her coat and usher everyone out of the bar. Everyone follows suit and we pile out of Old man Irish’s, our bodies steaming in the frigid evening air. In my drunken state I’ve decided I’ve grown a giant pair of lady balls and I slide my hand into Mackenzie’s as we cross the street, grinning as she tugs me closer to her. We join the back of the queue which is a good fifty people from the front door, and even then we can still feel the pounding of the bass and the fast dance music coming from inside. I have a feeling it is going to be packed once we get inside, so I’m glad we got drunk in Old man Irish’s for twenty dollars each. Despite wearing a jacket I’m shivering, Mackenzie’s hand doing little to keep the rest of my body warm.

“Are you cold?” She asks me drunkenly and I send her a sarcastic look, watching as a smile breaks out on her face and her dimples appear in both of her cheeks. “Sorry, stupid question.” She slips her hand out of mine before sliding her hands around my waist and pulling me towards her until my back is nestled tightly against her front, her body radiating a heat that instantly warms me from my toes upwards. She rests her head on my shoulder as the line slowly shuffles forward, her lips ghosting against the skin behind my ear, an action that has me shivering for a completely different reason. I feel her grip tighten on me as she exhales shakily, her fingers rubbing patterns against my bare skin. The interaction is so intimate, so flirty, that I have to bite my lip to stop myself from making any weird noises that I couldn’t possibly explain. I’m drunk, really drunk, so I can put a lot down to that I think, and definitely not down to the fact that when I’m drunk my sex appeal just raises through the roof, or makes me act like a fool. Everyone here knows this so they’re probably just assuming I’m on one of my drunken rampages and going along with whatever Mackenzie is trying because we both know it’s a joke.

Even though both of us know it really isn’t.

I feel her smirk against my skin but she doesn’t say anything as the conversation continues around us. I try to focus on what April and Faye are saying to me, but all I can concentrate on is the blood rushing in my ears, and the way Mackenzie’s lips feel against my neck. I can’t focus on anything else and I think she knows it because she keeps chuckling in my ear and pinching the skin where her hands linger.

April goes to the front of our group and shows the bouncers our tickets, their eyes scrutinising us before letting us in without asking for ID, something that makes Faye grin stupidly and Raven sigh with relief. The bouncer at Old man Irish’s almost laughed when he saw her ID photo so I think she’s relieved that she didn’t have to go through that embarrassment again.

The first thing that hits me once I step inside Vanity Lounge is the heat. Hot, sticky air is blasting from inside and hitting me like a slap in the face, moisture collecting in my hairline and making me instantly shrug my jacket from my shoulders. The bass is vibrating through every bone in my body, a smile coming onto my face at the size of the dancefloor, and the sheer number of people who really don’t give a flying fvck what people think about them. There are drag queens singing and dancing on a stage overlooking the dancefloor, shirtless male bartenders serving drinks and nobody is getting judged or harassed for embracing themselves.

“Let’s dance!” I hear Kiera shout and we all push out way onto the dancefloor. The music is fast and easy to dance to, so all of us are stood close together and jumping to the beat. I dance until my legs ache and my hair is sticking to my face, desperately in need of a drink. I think I’ve sweat a lot of alcohol from my system but I’m still drunk, my legs feeling a little bit like jelly. I push my hair from my face and motion to April that I’m going to the bar and she nods her head saying they’ll all stay here and wait for me. I use my shoulders and elbows to force my way through the throngs of sweaty bodies until the cool metal of the bar is under my fingertips and I finally feel like I’m not being swallowed by the crowd.

“Vodka soda please!” I shout at the bartender who comes over to serve me. She’s gorgeous, with long blonde hair thrown up into a ponytail, and a tattoo swirling out from the neckline of her work shirt. She grins at me before turning her back and fixing my drink, her legs looking toned and roped with muscle, like she boxes or really doesn’t miss leg day. I can’t help but stare, and frankly I feel like I’m finally in a place where I can actually be myself, even if my friends who don’t know are all somewhere in here with me. I grin as she passes me my drink with a wink, and I swipe my card when she promises to charge me for a drink of her own. Booze really does make me confident, and now I’m finally seeing how this confidence translates into the sex appeal everyone tells me I have. Never in a million years would I have flirted with a girl so out of my league if I was sober. Mackenzie is out of my league and I can barely find the courage to wink at her sometimes.

Hands roughly grip my hips and pull me back into a body, my heart racing when vanilla and coconut cloud my senses. I spin in the grip I’m held into find Mackenzie looking at me with a frown on her face, her grey eyes icily glaring in the direction of the bartender I was flirting with. Her blonde hair is tucked behind her ears, the tips curling due to the heat in here, her fingers gripping at my skirt by the belt loops. “Mackenzie?”

“I don’t understand.” She huffs in frustration, her voice loud just so I can hear her. “I don’t understand how you can hold my hand and sit on my knee and then flirt with other girls!”

My eyes widen in alarm, my fingers clutching at the fabric of her jacket. Her eyes return to me and I can tell that she’s annoyed with me, her bee stung lips pulled into a frown. She looks almost intimidating, the extra inches on her height caused by her heels making her almost tower over me.  I can’t help but smirk at how frustrated she is, and the pull of her brow and the glint in her eyes makes her more attractive than I ever thought possible. I find myself giggling, and I don’t giggle. “Oh my God, are you jealous?”

Mackenzie looks at me like I’ve got a screw loose, her face moving so that its inches away from mine. I find myself laughing whilst looking at her lips, the way her teeth catch on her bottom lip pulling me in as I stare transfixed. “I’m not jealous. I just don’t understand what game you’re playing. I can’t tell if girls are a phase for you because you and Clay didn’t work out and you want to throw something back in his face so you’re flirting with anything that gives you the hint of attention. “

I pull away from her as if her words have slapped me, making her hands drop to her side. Her words break the spell I’m under and I snap out of my Mackenzie Daniels lust trap, suddenly quite annoyed with her as she hurls her accusation my way with malice. “Mackenzie, I’m pretty sure I’m single, and I know that girls aren’t a phase. I think that means I can do just about whatever the hell I want within reason. If I want to flirt with the bartender because I think she’s pretty then I’m almost certain I’m allowed. Don’t you dare try and slut shame me for flirting with people whilst I wait for you to stop sitting on your hands and make a move on me!”

Mackenzie’s jaw clenches as she looks at me with irritation. I almost widen my eyes at the words that came out of my mouth, but I won’t allow her the satisfaction of me second guessing myself. If I wasn’t so angry I’d think she looked hot, but green isn’t her colour even if she says she isn’t wearing it. I basically just admitted I like her and all she does is step away from me and disappear into the crowd.

I exhale a shaky breath as my head clears of the mist Mackenzie distorts it with every time she’s around. I turn around when I realise I don’t have my drink in my hand anymore and even if I found it on the bar I’m not stupid enough to drink it in case anything has been slipped in it whilst my back has been turned. I grab the attention of the attractive barmaid and order myself another drink.

“I took it off the bar when I saw your back was turned.” She grins as she slides my original drink my way, blowing a strand of her blonde hair out of her face. “It saves you buying another one.”

“Thanks.” I grin, taking the straw between my lips. She looks down the bar to see everyone is served before leaning across the bar to talk to me. “Do you always save girls drinks before they get spiked?”

“Only the pretty ones.” She winks, sliding me a napkin. “I finish at one, text me where you are and maybe you can buy me a drink as a thank you.”

I smirk and tuck the napkin into my pocket. Normally I would think about what Mackenzie is doing, or how she’d feel about me flirting, but after the way she just spoke to me I really couldn’t care less what she thinks. I lean over the bar until I’m eye level and inches away, watching as her bright eyes flicker to my lips before back up again. “I’ll think about it.”

And then I push away from the bar and walk back into the crowd, smiling at myself as I go and find my friends. Tonight just keeps getting better and better.