Pieces of a Life

They arrived, as Evelyn put it, fashionably late. Meaning the party was already in full swing, to Leila, and they were just plain late. Evelyn loudly proclaimed that they were the most important guests, and nothing else mattered. Leila just rolled her eyes and followed her friend inside. A lanky and attractive boy greeted them at the door.

“Damn Evelyn,” He smiled. “You’re looking good.”

Evelyn raised an eyebrow. “What else is new?” She replied nonchalantly. She linked arms with Leila. “Oliver, darling, this is my sister Leila.” Oliver began to ask “sister?” but Evelyn waved her hand at him. “Eh, blood sisters. We’re—we’re in the Bloods.” He blinked. Leila nodded solemnly. “Get us a drink, babe. Something sweet.”

“Yes ma’am.” Oliver kissed Evelyn’s cheek and went off to get them drinks.

“Boy toy?” Leila inquired, looking after him. He was cute. Evelyn shrugged.

“Flavor of the month,” She winked. Leila laughed. “You’ll be alright in those shoes, Lei?” Evelyn pointed to the pumps she’d loaned Leila.

“Ev, I dance pointe for a living. I can handle heels.” Leila smirked. She was feeling sassier these days, seeing as she had a personality now instead of being a femmebot. Evelyn grinned.

Oliver returned with two red plastic cups full of some sweet, strong drink. Leila and Evelyn made their way through the crowded house, searching for their little circle of friends. Leila recognized Zack’s girlfriend amongst the crowd.

“You’ve met Angie?” Evelyn asked loudly over the music. Leila nodded. “Oh, she’s a doll. You’ll love her.”

They approached the pretty blonde and made conversation. She was outgoing and friendly, and Evelyn was right: Leila liked her instantly. She was comfortable talking to Angie, even when Evelyn left to find Jack. They were openly discussing Ryan Gosling’s status as a god when the other Barakat twin appeared, a little more than tipsy and smiling.

“Leila!” He yelled, planting a sloppy kiss on her cheek. Leila laughed. “You look ravishing, my dear.”

“Thank you,” She beamed. “Your sister was looking for you.”

Jack shrugged casually. “Eh, I talked to her already. She’s on a mission. Enough bullshit, let’s dance.” He grabbed Leila’s arm and dragged her away from Angie, who playfully waved goodbye.

The party was full of people dancing, cups in hand, to the pounding music. It was impossible to tell what the song was, but you could hear the beat, and that was all anyone cared about. Jack pulled Leila into the crowd and placed her facing him, taking a sip of whatever strong drink was in his hand.

“Jack, you do know I literally do this for a living.” Leila laughed, moving just slightly to the beat. Jack frowned into his cup.

“Puh-lease,” He said. “You don’t do ballet to house music, Lei.” She laughed harder and nodded. “Now drink up, princess, because you are not drunk enough yet.” He gestured to her cup and she took a long swig.

Before long she felt the buzz take over and she was feeling giggly—one of the key indicators that she was tipsy. With that being acknowledged, her inhibitions were gone and her dancing was much more active and involved. She couldn’t help but laugh even more—here she was, a professional dancer, drunkenly moving her hips to pounding club music at a house party. She was no better a dancer than Jack, honestly, but at least they were having fun

Evelyn had indeed been on a mission, as Jack had said. She found Alex sitting at a table on the back patio of the house and she joined him. He grinned, nudging past tipsy and tiptoeing the border of solid drunk.

“Evelyn!” He cheered. “You look like the most glorious kind of slut.”

Evelyn knocked their cups together in a toast to this statement. “You should see Leila.” She smirked, knowing it would bother him. She was right: his smile fell instantly into a scowl at her remark.

“Opposite of funny.” He whined.

“Not.” Evelyn argued. Alex ignored her and looked around the party. He spotted Leila, sequins of her dress glittering, dancing more than a little provocatively with Jack. Evelyn noted his disapproving face and followed his gaze. There was Leila, laughing the type of laugh that crinkles the corners of your eyes, her back pressed up against Jack and moving her hips with his like a pro. “Well I’ll be damned,” Evelyn sipped her drink. “Would you look at that.”

Alex was pouting, which made Evelyn grin. “Is someone jealous, Gaskarth?” She teased.

“No.” He snapped. Evelyn’s grin widened.

He glanced at them again. Jack had his hands on her waist now, both of them pressed into each other so there was no space between their bodies. Leila’s bony hips were as fluid in motion as any other move she made dancing ballet, but not nearly as classy. And she seemed to be quite enjoying herself. Watching her hips roll in sync with Jack’s, Alex’s childish pout became a scowl. Evelyn laughed.

“Oh you don’t like that at all, do you?” She teased, finding it hilarious. Alex grumbled something and took a large gulp of his drink. Evelyn cleared her throat and spoke seriously. “Alex, you know it doesn’t mean anything.” She sighed.

“Oh, that doesn’t mean anything?” He whined shrilly, stabbing a hand in the direction of the bright dress and its tipsy inhabitant. “If I tried anything like that, she’d be on the next fucking plane to California. Fuck, to Russia—as far as she could get.” He snapped, crossing his arms.

Evelyn rolled her eyes “Bullshit.” She said. “That’s bullshit and you know it.” Alex huffed, still angry. “Alex, look. You’re jealous—you are, you really are; it’s not a bad thing. You see her with Jack and you don’t like it, I get it. It’s actually kind of cute.” Alex made a disgusted face at her. “Well, it’s about fucking time, isn’t it? You’ve been in love with each other for how long, like, since the fall of the Roman Empire? Since the dinosaurs?”

“Stop it,” He whined, making it sound like “stahp it”.

“Alex, god damn it, man up!” Evelyn snapped. He looked at her now, not angry anymore. “You care about her. You always have, but it’s different now. Don’t try and tell me otherwise,” She put a hand up as Alex opened his mouth. He closed it. “It’s different now to you and to her. She’s my best fucking friend, you think I don’t know?” Alex heaved a sigh. “You care about her. But you need to man the fuck up and do something about it, or you’re going to lose her.”

Alex applauded loudly, frowning. “You done now, Meryl Streep?” Evelyn scoffed and called him a twat. “Whatever, Evelyn! Even if you’re right,” She raised her eyebrows condescendingly. “I—what am I supposed to do? Yeah, you’re right that things are different, but…but that makes it so much harder! What am I supposed to do?” He wasn’t looking for an answer, Evelyn knew. She gestured to the dance floor and gave him a hard stare.

Alex groaned and put his head on the table, a cheek pressed against the surface as he looked at them again. Jack was not being careful with his hands at all, and Leila didn’t protest a bit. They were as close as could be, both drunkenly smirking, bodies in sync with the music. Occasionally Jack would whisper something in her ear and she’d laugh again, that crinkle faced laugh, clearly enjoying every second she was spending. And then Jack really started. He must’ve forgotten it was Leila, because how else could he do that? He nibbled her ear lobe and began sloppily sucking on her neck, Leila cracking up the whole time.

“Okay, no,” Alex stumbled to stand up from his chair. “No, no, no. This is not happening.”

Evelyn’s face was horrified and disgusted at the same time. “Thank God, or I’d be killing him, too. He must be trashed.”

“He’s drunk, she’s drunk, and…and…” Leila was finding everything hilarious as Jack kissed along her neck. “Nope.” Alex said simply.

“You’re drunk too,” Evelyn pointed out.

“So’re you,” He shrugged. “Unimportant.” He stumbled over to them as quickly as he could. “Hello,” He said, peeling Leila out of Jack’s arms. She was still giggling.

“Oh, hey dude,” Jack smiled at him. Alex blinked. He wasn’t going to yell—Jack was too drunk to understand anyway—but he wasn’t going to act like nothing was wrong.

“Uh, Jack, I think Kelsey Reed is looking for you,” Alex lied, jerking his head in another direction. “Way over there.”

“Sweet!” And he staggered away. Alex didn’t even know if that girl was here, just that Jack had a huge crush on her and would definitely leave if he thought Kelsey were here.

“Hellooooo darling,” Leila sang, slurring. She smiled at him.

“Hi Drunky,” He replied. She cackled a loud laugh. “Seriously, uh, do you have a napkin or something?” He looked at her and tried to hide his disgust. Leila, puzzled, handed him a paper napkin from a nearby end table. He patted it along her neck and she laughed more.

“You’re so silly!” She exclaimed, swaying a bit in her tall, platform heels.

“And you,” He tapped her nose. “Are wasted.” She squealed happily, singing “Oh, yes I am!” and throwing her arms around him. “How about you dance with me instead.” He suggested, pulling her off.

“Only if you kiss me like Jack does,” She was smirking, eyes hazy. Alex cringed.

“No.” He said flatly. Leila pouted. “Jack is even more drunk than you and he’s also a total asshole, so,” He looked at her blankly. “No.”

“That’s not nice.” Leila said airily, sipping the drink she held. Alex took it from her and she scowled.

“Well, neither is him acting like that to you.” He looked for a nearby trash bag and dropped Leila’s cup into it. She didn’t even notice.

“I thought it was nice.” She murmured with another smirk.

Alex stared at her evenly. “You’re doing this to make me angry, aren’t you?” Her smirk evolved and became impish and toothy.

“Is it working?” She fluttered her eyelashes.

“A little,” He admitted, locking his arms around her waist. “You’re a very flirty drunk you know that?”

“Mhmm,” Leila murmured, nuzzling her head into his chest.

“Well—we should, uhm. We should go. I—I mean—not like that!” She laughed again. “Just, you’re very drunk, and you’re going to get yourself in trouble.”

She looked up at him and smiled another devilish smile. “I could get myself in trouble with you, too.”

God, she was so drunk. She’d be beyond embarrassed if she knew what she was saying. But Alex couldn’t help himself. “Yeah, you could. Definitely.”

Leila tilted her head and looked at him, working her hands onto the bare skin of his hips under his shirt where his jeans sat low. “But the question is,” She murmured. Drunk, drunk, drunk, she was so drunk. Alex knew it. “Will I?”

Her breath was a Febreeze of alcohol and she held his stare evenly. She was so, so drunk! But she looked as beautiful as ever, sexy even, and he could feel her skin on his skin and simply could not be held accountable for his actions.

“Yeah,” He said again. “I think you will. Definitely.”