Sandcastles
thirteen
“Look, I get that you’re all smitten and shit, but can you hurry your ass up?!”
Sara was shouting at me from where she sat on the bed. Apparently, I was taking entirely too long to get myself ready for the club that night. It seemed like it had been forever since all of us went out to a bar or dancing, and the girls (plus Kaner) had been begging for a night like tonight for some time. I was doing my best to straighten my hair as fast as I could, but it seemed to be taking much longer than usual. I had gotten back from my dinner with Jonny a little bit later than I had planned, and now Sara was on my case about how quickly I could throw myself together.
“I’m going! It’s not my fault this thing takes forever to heat up!” I shouted back, getting slightly annoyed with my best friend.
“Seriously,” I heard her move from the other room, and before I knew it, Sara was standing in the doorway looking right at me, arms crossed, “Who are you trying to impress tonight? You already have a boy, Bailey.”
Shooting her a look, I began to run the straightener through my hair. “I would at least like to look half way decent for Jonny.”
“Why? He’s already completely in love with you,” Sara said as if it was no big deal. She began to pick at her peeling nail polish, not meeting my gaze.
“Did he say that?” I asked, turning back to the mirror, trying to act like it wasn’t a big deal. I knew it was though. The feelings that had grown inside of me for Tazer over the past week and a half weren’t ones to be taken lightly.
Sara had moved from her fingernails to playing with her wedding ring. It still looked strange seeing a silver band encasing her left ring finger. “Not to me. But apparently to Kaner.” Glancing up, she noticed how slow I was on straightening my hair. I heard her grumble before taking the straightener out of my hand and finishing off my hair herself. “We were putting bets down on which ones in our little group would tie the knot next. My money’s on you two.”
I felt my nose wrinkled. Talk about marriage already? I have never been as spontaneous as Sara. Then again, being an event planner, how could I be? I thought about everything in such precise detail that anything less than that made me almost slip into a full blown panic attack. “I don’t think so,” I muttered, watching her through the mirror.
“Why not? You two have been virtually inseparable since we met them. He goes out of his way to do things for you. You guys are perfect together,” She muttered, putting the straightener down before she began to attack my face with make-up. When Sara wanted something, she did everything in her power to get it, including getting me ready as fast as humanly possible.
I hated to admit that the worry I still had that Jonny would all but forget about me when I went back to Chicago and he was left in the Bahamas still ate away at me. Sara would tell me that I was being stupid about the whole situation. Blunt was her style, and I knew that. “Because, I did just get out of a long term relationship. And…I’d put my money on Christine and Sharpy.” It was a decent enough cover, at least for now. Sara was pretty good at knowing when I was lying though my teeth, but she chose to either ignore it, or didn’t catch it.
“Done. And will you please just live a little?” Sara said, pointing to the mirror and my completely made up face. She was right. I should live a little. We only have about four days left in paradise, so why not?
-x-
“What took you so long?” Kaner complained, slipping and arm around Sara as soon as we got to their suite. Everyone else was already there. I felt Sara’s eyes land on me as I pretended to look at the architecture of the suite instead of admitting to being the reason we were late. As my eyes scanned the room, I felt an arm slip around my waist as well. Grinning up at Jonny, I felt a kiss hit my forehead.
“Give her a break. Nobody gets to the club before eleven anyways,” Christine chimed. I’d always loved her need to stand up to me. Smiling over to her, I noticed that she was rather cozy on the couch with Sharpy, who was sipping on a beer already. I had a feeling the boys had already had a couple drinks before Sara and I had gotten there, and I was okay with that.
Once out the door, we started to make our way towards one of the downtown clubs. It was within walking distance for us, which was nice and saved us the money on the cab. Different conversations sprung up between the eight of us. I was happily listening to Erin talk about her latest tropical adventure with Corey, which actually sounded like a blast. Waterfall jumping. When we reached the club, it took nothing to get inside with four Blackhawks at our sides, and we were immediately treated like VIPs. Drinks all around, two large couches all to ourselves. Nothing felt better.
The night wore on much like I thought it would. The boys drank, the girls gossiped, and everything seemed like it was perfect. But things never stay perfect for long.
As I was standing at the bar waiting for another cocktail with Sara, we were approached by two rather dismal looking men. I chose the tactic that I usually do when this happens and just ignore their existence. Sara, however, basically tells them to fuck off. A breath a sigh of relief as they begin to leave, but before they do, one slaps my ass, and the other gives Sara’s bit of a pinch.
I feel my cheeks flush, wanting nothing more than to just ignore them, the encounter, get my drinks and return to Jonny. Sara, however, doesn’t let them get away so easily. Her voice rises as she confronts the two about it. Of course, they both deny the actions. I stood there hoping for the drama to calm down, but it didn’t. Before I know it, Kaner is between Sara and the larger of the two men and fists are flying.
Everything was such a blur, but I felt myself being pulled from the club by Sara as Jonny and Patrick. I can see them through the door of the club as the doors swing closed, and just as the door snaps shut, the first punch is thrown.
Sara was shouting at me from where she sat on the bed. Apparently, I was taking entirely too long to get myself ready for the club that night. It seemed like it had been forever since all of us went out to a bar or dancing, and the girls (plus Kaner) had been begging for a night like tonight for some time. I was doing my best to straighten my hair as fast as I could, but it seemed to be taking much longer than usual. I had gotten back from my dinner with Jonny a little bit later than I had planned, and now Sara was on my case about how quickly I could throw myself together.
“I’m going! It’s not my fault this thing takes forever to heat up!” I shouted back, getting slightly annoyed with my best friend.
“Seriously,” I heard her move from the other room, and before I knew it, Sara was standing in the doorway looking right at me, arms crossed, “Who are you trying to impress tonight? You already have a boy, Bailey.”
Shooting her a look, I began to run the straightener through my hair. “I would at least like to look half way decent for Jonny.”
“Why? He’s already completely in love with you,” Sara said as if it was no big deal. She began to pick at her peeling nail polish, not meeting my gaze.
“Did he say that?” I asked, turning back to the mirror, trying to act like it wasn’t a big deal. I knew it was though. The feelings that had grown inside of me for Tazer over the past week and a half weren’t ones to be taken lightly.
Sara had moved from her fingernails to playing with her wedding ring. It still looked strange seeing a silver band encasing her left ring finger. “Not to me. But apparently to Kaner.” Glancing up, she noticed how slow I was on straightening my hair. I heard her grumble before taking the straightener out of my hand and finishing off my hair herself. “We were putting bets down on which ones in our little group would tie the knot next. My money’s on you two.”
I felt my nose wrinkled. Talk about marriage already? I have never been as spontaneous as Sara. Then again, being an event planner, how could I be? I thought about everything in such precise detail that anything less than that made me almost slip into a full blown panic attack. “I don’t think so,” I muttered, watching her through the mirror.
“Why not? You two have been virtually inseparable since we met them. He goes out of his way to do things for you. You guys are perfect together,” She muttered, putting the straightener down before she began to attack my face with make-up. When Sara wanted something, she did everything in her power to get it, including getting me ready as fast as humanly possible.
I hated to admit that the worry I still had that Jonny would all but forget about me when I went back to Chicago and he was left in the Bahamas still ate away at me. Sara would tell me that I was being stupid about the whole situation. Blunt was her style, and I knew that. “Because, I did just get out of a long term relationship. And…I’d put my money on Christine and Sharpy.” It was a decent enough cover, at least for now. Sara was pretty good at knowing when I was lying though my teeth, but she chose to either ignore it, or didn’t catch it.
“Done. And will you please just live a little?” Sara said, pointing to the mirror and my completely made up face. She was right. I should live a little. We only have about four days left in paradise, so why not?
-x-
“What took you so long?” Kaner complained, slipping and arm around Sara as soon as we got to their suite. Everyone else was already there. I felt Sara’s eyes land on me as I pretended to look at the architecture of the suite instead of admitting to being the reason we were late. As my eyes scanned the room, I felt an arm slip around my waist as well. Grinning up at Jonny, I felt a kiss hit my forehead.
“Give her a break. Nobody gets to the club before eleven anyways,” Christine chimed. I’d always loved her need to stand up to me. Smiling over to her, I noticed that she was rather cozy on the couch with Sharpy, who was sipping on a beer already. I had a feeling the boys had already had a couple drinks before Sara and I had gotten there, and I was okay with that.
Once out the door, we started to make our way towards one of the downtown clubs. It was within walking distance for us, which was nice and saved us the money on the cab. Different conversations sprung up between the eight of us. I was happily listening to Erin talk about her latest tropical adventure with Corey, which actually sounded like a blast. Waterfall jumping. When we reached the club, it took nothing to get inside with four Blackhawks at our sides, and we were immediately treated like VIPs. Drinks all around, two large couches all to ourselves. Nothing felt better.
The night wore on much like I thought it would. The boys drank, the girls gossiped, and everything seemed like it was perfect. But things never stay perfect for long.
As I was standing at the bar waiting for another cocktail with Sara, we were approached by two rather dismal looking men. I chose the tactic that I usually do when this happens and just ignore their existence. Sara, however, basically tells them to fuck off. A breath a sigh of relief as they begin to leave, but before they do, one slaps my ass, and the other gives Sara’s bit of a pinch.
I feel my cheeks flush, wanting nothing more than to just ignore them, the encounter, get my drinks and return to Jonny. Sara, however, doesn’t let them get away so easily. Her voice rises as she confronts the two about it. Of course, they both deny the actions. I stood there hoping for the drama to calm down, but it didn’t. Before I know it, Kaner is between Sara and the larger of the two men and fists are flying.
Everything was such a blur, but I felt myself being pulled from the club by Sara as Jonny and Patrick. I can see them through the door of the club as the doors swing closed, and just as the door snaps shut, the first punch is thrown.