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Betty completely ignored the line and was greeted by the bouncer with a hug. The large man with the unruly beard unhooked the rope and let us pass before hooking it back. I kept a straight face, even though I couldn’t help but wonder what kind of life Betty was living now.
She was a mystery to me.
It had always bothered me how she gave up on the band and left us. We were getting ready to sign the contract when she decided it wasn’t for her, and went back to Texas. From what Steven said, she got a job at the diner and that was it. There didn’t seem to be anything back here for her, so why did she leave us right when things were about to get good? I thought she might be scared, but she looked anything but like a scared little girl now.
She looked like a woman in charge of her own destiny.
I don’t think the rest of the band thought about it as much as I did. I’d gotten used to her being around that summer. She was always up for listening to whatever I was working on and gave helpful suggestions. Her voice was mesmerizing; I wonder if she still sings. Betty also had the heart of a songwriter herself. Two of our biggest hits were thanks to her, and nobody in the world knew. All because she left.
We walked up a set of dark stairs that opened into a colorful smokey room. Music played with a beat that could be felt across the wooden floor. Bodies danced in the center of the room; they danced like they didn’t have a care in the world. A bar stretched out across the entire back wall, stools across almost all of it. Shelves with neon lights scattered across the reflective back wall with anything you could want to drink.
How did Betty find a place like this? She was sweet, young, and innocent. It only made me want to keep a closer eye on her. The only reason I’d been happy about her going back to Texas was so I could protect her from the city, but it seemed she found her way there, anyway.
Betty Robertson wasn’t the same little girl I remembered. Worse, she had me thinking about her in ways I never had before. Dangerous. Still, I followed closely behind her as the others spread out. Steven, Howard, and Dorothy all headed to the bar. But not Betty.
Betty went straight to the dance floor, her hips naturally moving to the beat of the song playing. A strange man greeted her then passed her something. I was too late to notice exactly what it was before she put it in her mouth, then continued to move to the music.
I found an empty table near the dance floor and took a seat. It was close enough to monitor her, but far enough away to not look like it. Moments later, the others were sitting down with me. Howard slid a beer across the table to me; I nodded in thanks.
“What’s wrong?” Steven waved his hand in front of me.
I looked around the table, unaware of how much time had passed. My beer went nearly untouched. Howard and Dorothy had both left the table at some point. I’d been too focused on Betty to notice anything or anyone else.
“Trying to come up with a plan for new songs.” It wasn’t a complete lie, it was always at the back of my mind. The reason we’d come back to Texas for the summer.
“It’ll all work out.” Steven stood up. “I’m going to grab a cab and disappear for a day or two.”
“Ah, that’s right!” I teased. “I forgot June moved to Austin earlier this year.”
June was Steven’s high school sweetheart, they’d been in an on and off relationship since we left Texas.
“Yeah, I know. Keep an eye on Betty for me.”
I nodded. I watched him briefly as he left before returning my focus to Betty. I quickly downed the rest of my beer, then headed to the dance floor where she was currently dancing with another stranger. It may not be what he meant, but I was going to make sure every man in here knew to keep their hands off.
That’s when the dangerous thought entered my mind again. I wanted Betty, but that was a line I couldn’t cross. Not to mention I wasn’t good enough for her, nobody was. She’d always been sweet and pure, a fucking ray of sunshine. Right now, she was tripping on something, and I would not let anyone take advantage of that.
CHAPTER FIVE
BETTY
There’s something about that little pill, a calm that fades the edges of darkness. It’s euphoric and light and one of the reasons I love coming to The Roof. There’s always someone here with something to help me pretend my life is what I wish it were. I can relax and feel good at the moment.
Every now and then, someone dances with me. They find others to dance with when they realize I’m only here to dance and be in the moment. Nothing else matters. My hips sway to the tune and my arms stay up and out. I’m weightless in an ever-expanding sea of consciousness.
It wasn’t until I felt a small rush of air, lifting the tiny hairs on my arms slightly, that I noticed someone else joining the dance floor. Gone were the strangers occasionally thinking I would dance with them and then go home with them. A pair of blue eyes stared into my soul as he crowded me. I couldn’t look away.
I dared myself to look away from his gaze, to be the same sweet girl I was three years ago, shy and sheltered. However, time goes on and we all change, we have to. There’s an edge to him that wasn’t there before. A darkness to his aura that reeled me in. It’s all too tempting to reveal the crush I’d had on him for as long as I could remember.
There were dates and kisses with boys in the past, but nobody could compete with Dean Scott. The first boy to make me feel something. The only one I could picture when I touched myself at night. I may be mostly innocent, but my thoughts were anything but pure.
I was always the good girl, but tonight, I wanted to take a little risk. My left hand moved to his, lacing our fingers together so his hand cupped around mine. It was the perfect way of keeping him close as I turned my back to him and continued to move to the music.
At some point, I felt his body relax against mine and move with me. I felt lighter than I had in a while. If it weren’t for Dean keeping a hand on me, I think I would’ve floated away. Our hands released, but he kept a hand at my waist. His fingers splayed out across my front and kept me pressed against him.
I’m not sure how much time passed as we danced. Whatever made Dean approach and stick next to me, I didn’t want to question it. All I wanted to do was stay in this moment. If I could capture this and replay it for forever, I think I would. I didn’t want to ever wake up from this dream where there was a slight chance he thought of me as more than his best friend’s little sister.
“Betty,” he whispered into my ear. “Let’s go.”
