Page 5

Everyone had to cajole me into having fun, even Chloe and now Peter. Well, tonight I will show them. We got to the table, and Peter released go of my hand, but not before everyone else at the table turned to look at me.
A blonde guy who seemed a little familiar jumped up and hit Peter on the back.
“Peter, my man, you’ve been avoiding me. You won’t answer my call. Is she the reason?” the blonde gentleman remarked as he reached out his hand for me to shake.
“No, I’m just a friend. My name is Ava, and it’s nice to meet you,” I said.
“Tyler and I are this bastard’s best friends. Please sit down, lovely lady.”
Tyler sat down next to a gorgeous girl with black hair. She was certainly his lover since she grabbed onto his arm. I sat next to him, and Peter sat next to me on the other side. There was a redhead girl next to Peter who looked like she couldn’t wait to bite into his apple.
“These are Tessa and Sierra,” Tyler began, pointing to the girl next to him and the redhead next to Peter. “This is Ava.”
They both nodded their heads. Tessa turned to me and remarked, “I really like your shoes.” There was an uneasy quiet before she did.
The ice was broken after that, and the conversation started to flow. Even Sierra, who only had eyes for Peter, chatted to me. I was shocked that I felt at ease with them. I was laughing and cracking jokes, and when they went to get drinks, I ended up buying a gin and tonic. I had never drunk anything other than a glass of wine with supper before, but I was having a good time.
I knew the small amount of alcohol I drank had affected my brain when I stood up without being prompted and dragged Peter out of his seat and away from the conversation he was having with Tyler.
I said, “Come on, let’s dance,” and I did a little shimmy and led Peter down the stairs to the dance floor. He merely grinned and did what I told him to do.
I took us to the middle of the dance floor, where there were other people dancing all around us. The music playing was one I didn’t recognize, but the beat was incredibly appealing.
Peter moved his hand away from mine and put both of his hands on my waist.
He leaned down and whispered in my ear, “I’m having fun.”
I shook my head; yes, and I really meant it.
Peter twisted me around so that my back was against his chest. His hands were still on my waist, and he put his head in the crook of my neck.
The way we were dancing didn’t seem very friendly, but I was having too much fun to notice. Peter proceeded to move us to the rhythm, and I don’t know what happened, but I started to grind back into him.
His hot breath on my neck made me feel like I wasn’t the girl who had trouble with her weight for one night. I was the girl out with a boyfriend, dancing the night away. Peter pressed himself closer to me, and I didn’t even know how it was possible because I was sure that not even air could get past us.
I felt Peter’s lips on my neck, and I trembled. I hoped he believed it was because I was chilly and not because it felt so amazing.
Peter gently pulled me aside, and I was completely in the groove.
He enquired, “Do you want to go get something to drink?” and his voice sounded weird.
I felt a little rejected. When he thought I wasn’t looking, I watched him straighten the front of his pants and grinned to myself. Maybe he wasn’t really rejecting me.
I turned to face the bar and saw Peter directly behind me. This inebriated guy fell right in front of me when I was just a few feet from the bar.
“Hey, watch where you’re going. What’s with these fat chicks taking up space?” he murmured.
Before I knew it, Peter had shoved me aside and was striking the intoxicated guy in the face over and over again.
“Peter!” I screamed as Tyler came out of nowhere and grabbed him off the person who was now on the floor. Peter somehow managed to kick the guy in the stomach before Tyler pushed him towards me.
“Man, calm down,” Tyler remarked. Peter turned to me and tugged my arm.
He said, “Let’s go.” “I’ll talk to you later, Tyler,” he added. I was still a little bewildered. One minute, I was dancing, and the next, I was in the thick of a fight. I wasn’t even aware that Peter could hear the loud music.
He took us outside and to his car, then he slumped against it and slid to the ground. I plopped down next to him on the ground without even thinking about what I was wearing.
When I looked up at his face, I remarked, “Oh, Peter, your lip is bleeding.”
He stroked it softly with his palm and growled. He held his head in his hand.
“I just wanted you to have fun. I can’t believe I ruined it,” he whispered into his palm.
I responded, “I didn’t even know you heard.” Then I pushed him with my shoulder and added, “It was so hot how you defended my honor in there.”
He glanced up and smiled, but then he recalled his lips. “I’m glad you think I’m hot. I just couldn’t help myself. I feel bad for what I did to you the first time we met now that I saw someone being mean to you.”
We sat still and listened to each other’s breathing. Who would have thought Peter would be such a kind person and a fantastic friend?
I said softly, “I’m glad I met you.”
“Not as happy as I am,” he added even more quietly.
Peter remarked, “I’ll see you on Monday,” as I shut the door to his automobile. I nodded yes and proceeded to the front door. I looked around and saw that he was still looking, so I waved before unlocking my front door and going inside.
I didn’t have to worry about getting in trouble for being home late since my parents were on a business trip. Even if they had been there, they wouldn’t have known what to do because I never went out and broke my curfew.
I didn’t bother turning on any lights because I knew how to go about in the dark. I dragged myself up the stairs and into my room. I had a great time tonight, even though it didn’t end on a good note. The talk I had with Peter beside his car was a nice touch. I didn’t really like him in that sense, but I was about to jump over a steep precipice and didn’t know what was on the other side. Even if I wanted to come back, I couldn’t.
I went into my room and yawned while raising my hand. I was so sleepy. I turned back to switch on the lights in my room and shouted. Chloe was on my bed with her laptop.
“Hey you, how was your night?” she enquired.
I shouted, “How dare you try to talk to me normally after you scared me to death?” I put my hand over my heart and said, “You said you were leaving after I left. What are you doing here?”
“I chose to stay. So I ask again, how was your night? Did you have fun?” she said.
I merely shrugged and took off my clothing.
“It was fine.”
“Come on, give a little,” Chloe urged.