Grammy always said you can't have a smile without a little pain, and she was right.
Because of that pain, I can appreciate the smiles I have a little more.
I swallow the lump in my throat, and look at my clock. Six. I need to get ready.
I type a message to Alec telling him to be here at eight-thirty, and cross my room, pulling my wardrobe doors open. Rows of dresses I love stare back at me, and instead of the usual tight outfit I'd pick, I pull out a white baggy dress that cinches at the waist with a thick brown belt. I grab a pair of brown heels, and set the outfit out on my bed.
I look at it and sigh, wishing I was curling up in front of the tele with Alec instead. I'm eighteen, I should be wanting to go out, and I should be excited. I guess I'm either odd, or I just did an awful lot of growing up this summer.
Chapter Three
ALEXIS
I take Alec's hand as we pass through the door of Red just after nine. The name isn't very inventive since the whole club is red and black, but hey, who am I to judge? Music pounds into me, and I take a deep breath, pulling Alec towards the bar.
“Busy,” he says into my ear.
“Always is,” I shout in reply. “Red is the place to be at the weekend.”
He nods, looking around. Joe, my favourite bartender, leans over to me.
“Finally legal, Lexy?” He grins.
“Finally!” I laugh.
“And who’s that?” he asks appreciatively, running his eyes over Alec's figure. Alec looks and double-takes.
I giggle. “That's Alec, my boyfriend, so back off, Joe.” I wink.
He sighs dramatically. “Always the good ones!”
“One day you'll find yourself a hot piece of summin' summin', J, I'm sure of it!”
“For that sentence, honey bun, first drinks on the house.” He leans forward and puts his mouth by my ear. “That, and if I give you a free one, Mr. Hunky there will hang around a little longer.”
I laugh, and slap his arm. “You're terrible.”
“You love it, Lexy. What are you having?”
“Pint of Carlsberg and a Malibu and cranberry juice, please.”
He winks and turns.
“Um.” Alec coughs. “Who was that?”
“Joe,” I tell him. “The best and g*yest bartender the city of London has ever seen. Don't ever ask him for a cocktail. He mixes a mean one.”
Two glasses are put in front of us, and after a salute, Joe turns to serve another customer. Alec blinks at the pint.
“Shit. That was fast.”
“Told ya.” I raise my eyebrows, and have some of the drink. Cheeky sod made it a double.
“Lexy!” Jayna's voice screams over the music.
“Hey!” I turn to her with a fake smile. “How are you?”
She hugs me. “I missed you! You should have come and seen me before now.”
You could come and see me, you know.
“I've been busy, sorry! I had to help Alec and Jen settle in.”
“Mmph.” She looks at Alec, running her tongue across her lips in what she thinks is a seductive move. She thinks wrong. “This is Alec?”
If I was a dog, my hackles would be up right about now. “Yep. Alec, this is Jayna. Jayna, Alec.”
“Nice to meet you.” Alec smiles tightly at her.
“Polite? I don't do polite!” Jayna shrieks, and throws her arms around Alec's neck, rubbing her body against him. His eyes widen, and he gently extracts her from him.
“Apparently,” he says dryly, stepping to me and wrapping an arm around my waist.
I control the smug smile wanting to form on my lips. Jayna purses hers.
“I hope you have time to give me a birthday dance later,” she flirts shamelessly.
“It's not likely,” he says politely. “But I'll keep it in mind.”
“Stop f**kin' harassin' my sister and her guy, Jayna,” Bing yells. Bing? “Go find yourself another poor shit to annoy.”
She turns to him, and flicks her hair, pouting. “What about you, Bing? Are you free?”
“About as a free as a guy in jail for life.”
She huffs, and looks at me. “We're in the corner. Come over soon.”
I nod, knowing it's unlikely, and watch her leave. I exhale deeply when she's out of sight.
“Wow. That's your best friend?” Alec asks in surprise.
“Was,” I reply. “She was.”
“She's about as friendly as a f**kin' piranha,” Jen quips, stepping from behind Bing.
Jen?
“Is there some kind of party going down I don't know about that? What are you doing here?” I look between my brother and Jen.
“I thought you could do with a little moral support. I was right.” Jen glances in the direction Jayna left in. “And I brought Bing with me.”
“I was going out anyway, but she rang the house, and wangled her way into coming with me to see you,” Bing says tightly.
I smile. “Thanks, guys.”
Alec presses his lips to my temple, and I sigh. “Okay, Princess?” he asks.
I nod. “Yeah. I knew it would be bad when I saw her, but wow. Just wow.” I shake my head. “Whatever. I'm not going over to see her. Let's have this drink and go home.”
“Oh hell no! Hell to the fricking no!” Jen exclaims. “I got all dressed up to come party with you, you are not bailing on me! Who needs that pig nosed, well, pig? You and I will take London by storm. Come on. Drink up. We're gonna get us some shots and do this tonight. Let our hair down before uni.”
I open my mouth and close it again.
“Do it,” Bing orders.
I smile wryly. “Since when did you get off telling me what to do?”
“Since your boyfriend is being eyed up by half the girls in this club and has no idea how to deal with a city girl besides you. These girls are vultures.”
“Oh, and I suppose you're the perfect person to show him, right?” Jen raises her eyebrows at Bing, and gets Joe's attention.
“Don't start, Jennifer!”
“I'm not starting anything, Samuel. Four squashed frogs,” she adds to Joe. “I'm merely saying I don't think you're the best person to teach him to fend off girls. You tend to attract them instead of repelling them.”
“So you're saying I'm a chick magnet?” Bing smirks.
Jen hands me a shot glass, and clinks hers against mine. We both down it and she hands me the other one. We down those, putting the glasses on the bar.
“No,” she replies to Bing, grabbing my hand. “I'm calling you a whore magnet!”