Chapter Twenty Three

Gina called me and urged me to get ready. She said she was going to pick me up in 15 and drive me to her place. The place, that now, she and Nicholas share. I told her that I was waiting for Dan to call me, that he texted me he landed, but she just ignored it, it told me she'll be here in soon.

"Ok, what's the rush? "I asked while getting on her scooter.

"You are not going to believe this?"

"Believe what," I was putting on the pink helmet.

"It's a freaking small world, "she started laughing.

"No, it's actually not, there are…."

"Do you know, who the friend is, who's picking your friend Dan, up?"

"No."

"Nicholas!" She said smiling, "Small world, huh?"

"No?!!! Wow, small world indeed."

When Dan arrived with Nicholas, they had a little surprise coming. We head under the sofas and waited for them to arrive.

"Thanks man, for letting me stay here."

"No problem, dude, anytime."

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAA!" Gina and I screamed and jumped out of hiding places.

Now, let me tell describe to you the reactions these two boys had.

The first one, Nicholas, jumped back, and made a sound, that could only be described as, a gorilla yelling. He then, in one swift motion, grabbed a lamp, at the nearby table, and was making a motion of throwing it at us.

The other one, Dan, jumped as well, and screamed like a little girl. But we don't judge. He, in a, equally fast motion man to the nearby chair, and climbed on top of it.

"No, no, it's just us!" Gina screamed defensively at Nicholas, to stop him from throwing that lamp on us. He did. Thankfully.

Gina and I started laughing uncontrollably, while the boys looked at us, like they were about to strangle us.

"I'm so sorry…," I managed between laughing and trying to catch my breath, "We were…only…trying…to surprise you…."

"Yeah, we are so…sorry… but, the look on… your faces," Gina was battling the same problem.

"…and the look…on your faces," I continued.

"Ok, ok, we get it," Nicholas put the lamp down, and walked over to Gina to kiss her.

"Yeah, you had your fun," Dan was getting off his chair.

I managed to get my laugh under control, "I'm sorry Dan, I don't think I can understand you, when you talk in that deep voice?"

"Yeah, yeah," he walked over to me, and hugged me tight, and I hugged him even tighter. Then, after he released me, I introduced him to Gina, "Dan, this is my best friend, and partner in crime Gina. Gina this is my newly made, incredible friend for forever Dan."

"Hi, heard so much about you, and what are the odds, that my boyfriend is one of your friends?" She smiled at Dan.

"Likewise. And exactly, what are the odds. Now, I hear you wanted to take me somewhere?"

"Yes, clubbing," Gina's face lit with excitement.

"It's a gay club, right?"

And then fell with disappointment, "How did you know?"

"Yeah, I might have told him," Nicholas chimed in, and earned a nice smack in the chest.

"How about we eat something first, then we can go and get crazy."

"Good idea," I added, feeling my stomach getting hungry.

We had some toasts and lemonade. And yes, I know it's not lunch food, but, that was the only thing they had in the kitchen. Neither, of them was a big cook.

"You know who's a great cook?" I said as we Dan, Gina, and I were getting into an uber. Nicholas stayed back at their place, saying he was too tired to go out.

"Who?"

"Paolo."

"Who's Paolo?" Gina looked at me like I was crazy.

"He's an Italian chef. He has this great cooking show on…"

"On channel 24, yeah I know, I watched him all the time, before bed," Dan interrupted me, "He's incredible…. Those little things he makes…."

"Yeah, yeah!" I high fived him excitingly. Why? Because of our love for Paolo.

"You two are crazy," she shook her head off, "Ok, we're here," she added five minutes later.

We paid the driver, and made our way in, after passing the security.

It was crazy in there. Good crazy.

Oldies as music, and lights. So many colorful lights. The place was on fire. We made our way through the crowd, in a dancing motion. When we spotted, a free table, we rushed to it, in fear someone else would take it. That's how full the place was.

"I'll have a martini," Dan told the bartender.

"I'll have vodka soda," Gina answered, and the waiter looked at me.

"I'll have a nonalcoholic drink. What's that drink called, Paloma something?" I looked at Dan, who laughed and told the bartender the name.

My body was moving to the beat. I couldn't wait for the drinks to come, so I rushed to the dance floor. I asked Dan and Gina to come, but they said that they need the drinks first, and they'll join me in a few minutes.

So, I made my way through the crowd, and found a spot that looked like a perfect spot for me. Not to claustrophobic, and not to empty, and I started to dance, letting the beat take me places. I of course had to do a couple of funny movies, I mean the music was from the 70s, and the 80s, so I had to honor them. It's your obligation to do the cabbage patch, or the running man, or the pendulum, or the snake.

Speaking of the snake, I thought I saw Lydia in the crowd. No, I was seeing things.

I wasn't.

Lydia was making her way inside the crowd, with another two friends behind her.

Does anyone find this familiar. And, again, stereotypical. The queen L with her little workers behind her.

I turned around, in hope she won't notice me, but it was all in vain, since I heard her yell over the music, "Jessica!"

I turned back around. Oh, crap.

She approached me, with her model walk, while her two friends followed her close behind. I think she is a little too old for this. Or maybe, for her, it was true what they say? The high school never leaves you.

"Jessica," she now stood a foot away from me.

"Lydia," I answered in the same way."

"Aren't you a little young for this kind of clubs?"

I looked at her, confused, "Um, I'm 18, so technically I'm not, and when is the right age for sexuality again?"

"Oh, so you're gay?" She exclaimed happily. I think it's quite a skill to be so annoying and to piss everyone off.

"Not that it's any of your business, but no. And, I were, I don't Zach would've kissed me the way he did that night?"

I didn't think it's possible for a person to change their face color this fast. I was expecting steam to come out her ears, at any point now.

"You little…"

"Hi there," I heard Dan from behind me. He must have noticed her, and since he, unlike Gina, knew what Lydia looked like, came over to help me out.

I mentally noted, to thank him later, right after 'battle of the bitches' ends.

"You look familiar," Lydia noted.

"I worked at the bar, in Bali."

"Oh, yeah, yeah, I remember you. I guess you people know each other?"

"YOU PEOPLE?" I knew what she was referring. You poor people. I was pissed and getting in her face, right about to punch her.

"Ok, ok," Dan stood between us, and nicely began to push me, and remove me from the, scene that might have happened.

This was the second time, someone had to intervene between Lydia and me. I was ready to punch her, and start I fight. I didn't care.

She smiled in the back and waved at me.

That bitch! I will smack her; I promise you that. I am someone who always tried to talk it out, tries nicely with words. But, since she, with her whole brain, had a IQ level of serious, wasn't a person to be had a conversation, I knew that smacking was something she would understand.

"Ok, ok, calm down," Dan kept telling me, while pulling me away and to our table. Gina who was in the toilet at the time, just returned to Dan repeating to me to, calm down.

I was already hot and sweaty from the dancing and didn't need this. I was starting to feel ill. My body was already exhausted.

"Guys, I think I need to go home. I'm hot, tired, and pissed off. You stay and have fun."

"What, no, what's going on, what did I miss? Damn bladder!"

"I cannot let you go home alone?" Dan insisted on going with me.

"No, we planned this, and you're going to have fun. I will feel way worse if you didn't stay here with Gina. Besides, I'm not going to be alone, I'll have my uber driver with me," I joked.

"OK, will someone tell me what's going on? And no one's living you alone Jessica."

"He'll tell you all about it, and both of you are staying. I've danced enough. Sick one here in case you've forgotten?"

Gina made a sad face, "Ok, I'm texting the uber this address. Call us as soon as you get home."

"I will," I said, and made my way out of the crown and out of the club, leaving Dan in the background explaining to Gina what had just happened.

I didn't wait for the uber long. I needed the fresh air. It calmed me down, a bit. Once he arrived, and I gave him my address, I sat back, and closed my eyes, trying to calm down my mind.

My purse started to vibrate.

My phone. Who's calling me at 1am?

Zachary.

My heart skipped a beat.

"Hello?" I answered weakly.

"I know you are 18, but I thought you were much more mature than kids your age?"

What is this man talking about, and why was he attacking me?

"What are you talking about?"

"I just heard about your incident in the club?"

Lydia. That…

I pursed my lips angrily, "And, what did the precious Lydia tell you? What's the lie?"

"She said you acted like a little brat, and almost punched her? Was that a lie?" His voice was monotone and gave away no emotion. I knew he was angry, but he wasn't showing it.

"The part about wanting to punch her, isn't. But the part about me being a little brat, is. She was provoking me!"

"Blaming someone else, is what a child would do."

It was clear to me, from that moment, that he wasn't going to believe me, and that he was on her side. Those kinds of people watch one's backs. And, by those people, yes, I meant, rich. So, whatever I said, had no meaning to him, and that hurt way too much.

"Fine, I was being childish."

Now, it was time to hurt him back, and put oil on the fire.

"You know what I don't get? How could you defend her? She slept with your brother, for crying out loud, and you keep defending her, AND … having sex with her?! Where is your freaking backbone, Zachary?!" I yelled at him, causing my uber driver to turn around, and me to mouth an apology to him.

Silence.

Then he spoke angrily, "How do you know that? Who told you that?"

I clapped back, "I'm not telling," and pressed the red button.

He said I was a child, so I acted like one.

I turned off the phone and waited for the uber to get to my house. I needed a shower to calm down, and I needed to sleep. My mind, my body, everything was exhausted.

My heart, especially. Why didn't he believe me? Did he not care about me at all? Did I read his actions all wrong? Was he just being nice to me? Was it just a doctor-patient relationship we had?

No. A doctor doesn't kiss his patient like that. He was drunk, yes, but that kiss… It was everything. Just thinking, and reliving that kiss in my head, made a little spark in my stomach.

If it were all wrong, how could I feel like this? How could it be wrong when it felt so right? When HE felt so right?!

The driver dropped me off, and before I entered my house, I paid him, and apologized again. He just smiled and nodded, saying "You kids these days."

He was right.

I was a child. Zachary was 11 years older than me. He was a grown, mature man. At least you'd think that. Why would he want anything to do with a kid, especially a kid who's in the situation she is? No one, sane, would start something with me if they knew how long…. Stop it.

Ugh… I need to stop thinking. Enough thinking, for today. All I need now, was a shower and a warm bed. I hope Gina and Dan are having a good time, and I also hope they are getting along. I love them. Both, of them. I smiled, just thinking about them. I'll call them tomorrow, or I'll text them now.

I looked at the phone and saw that It was turned off. Right, I forgot about that. Tomorrow.