Gin and Juice

“You’re gonna get it now, Danielle Nicole Paterson,” Someone growled from behind me. Whoever it was quickly wound their arms around me and lifted me off the ground. I instantly recognized their laugh.

“James Owen Sullivan, put me down, dammit!” I screamed at one of my oldest friends.

“I don’t wanna!” he laughed. “I couldn’t hug you all day and now I’m never letting you go!” He tightened his grip on me, forcing all the air out of my lungs.

“Jimmy, put her down. We need her. You can squeeze her to death after the video is done.” Matt said, chugging back a beer.

“Well, if you say so,” Jimmy replied, dropping me on my ass.

I glared at him and got up with the help of Val and Leanna. As soon as I got up, Matt tackled me and threw me over his shoulder.

“Ha! Now I have the Danni!”

I just slumped over his shoulder and admitted defeat. “Seriously, guys, don’t any of you love me anymore?”

“Of course we do, that’s why we’re giving you a hard time,” Matt responded. Even though I couldn’t see his face, I knew his dimples were shining through. He started talking shop to the guys, leaving me dangling there.

After catching my breath and analyzing the situation, I quickly flipped out of his grasp and landed flat-footed on the banister rail.

Gena let out a low whistle. “Damn, girl, when the fuck did you do that?”

I jumped down and shrugged. “It was in a piece I did last year.”

Everyone shared odd glances.

“What? I’m a professional dancer now. How else do you think I got this job?”

They shrugged and carried on their conversation. Gena slipped in right next to me. “How did you do it?” she whispered.

I looked at her. “Do what?”

“Move like that! Girl, you gotta hook me up.”

I laughed. “It’s all about knowing your situation and where your body is.”

“That was amazing.”

“That was nothing. You should she the way she moves on the dance floor. It’s unreal.” Val said, coming up to my other side.

“It was just the basic tango step- not really that hard.”

Val dropped her jaw. “What about that last lift? Hell, that guy wouldn’t even let me do it. He told me just to do a split in the air and he brought me straight down.”

“Whoa, what?”

“You’ll see what I’m talking about tomorrow. It’s incredible.”

I just shook my head and looked around. It was just like old times. The guys were all nursing beers and the girls were talking amongst themselves. It was only then that I noticed something was different.

“Whoa, wait up, where’s Wendt and who the fuck is that blonde short shit?”

Everyone laughed at me. “Danni, you remember Johnny from school, right?” Zacky asked with a smirk.

I walked up to the semi-familiar guy and looked at him closely. After examining him for a good while, I finally recognized him. “You’re that punk Jimmy, Brian, and I gave hell, aren’t you?”

He looked down sheepishly. “Yea, that’s me.”

“Sweet, this day is just getting better by the minute. Well, seeing as how it’s nearing three in the morning and I have to dance in six hours, I’m gonna crash in my bed. See you guys later.”

“Wait! I’ll walk with you. This house is creepy at night.” Gena said before quickly kissing Zacky and slipping next to me.

Shrugging, I walked on.

She linked elbows with me. “You know, Zacky told me what happened…why you left and all.” She said after we were a good distance from the guys.

“Gena, please don’t. It was a mistake.”

“I know, and that’s why I didn’t attack you. I knew that you loved Brian with all your heart, and, well, Zacky was the first one to get to you.”

“Thanks, Gena, that means a lot to me.”

She hugged me from the side. “No problem. I’ll see you in a few hours.”