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Jenny rolled her eyes. "Are you kidding me! That's the least of my worries. I'll go home with you guys."
I finally found my voice, feeling like an invalid as they talked over my head. "I'm okay," I croaked. They looked at me, looking skeptical. I willed my legs to unfold themselves until I was standing, bracing my hands against the wall behind me.
"Really, I'm okay," I said in a stronger voice, feeling my walls finally erecting themselves. Better late than never. I turned to Jenny. "The last thing I want to do is ruin your birthday. Please stay." I then looked at Simon. "You too. The crowd is going to riot if you don't get back on stage."
Simon frowned, creasing his forehead. "Fuck the crowd. I'm going with you." The look on his face brooked no argument. And I had to admit that despite my protests, I felt immensely better with him around. Simon made me feel safer, more grounded, as if he kept me in the real world. I wondered at this feeling, considering he was the subject of one of my visions.
"Okay," I relented. I turned to Sarah. "Please stay then." I held up my hand as Sarah opened her mouth to protest. "Please. It's bad enough that I freaked out for no reason. I don't want to mess up Jenny's birthday any more than I already have."
"You haven't messed up my birthday!"
I took a deep breath and looked at Jenny and then turned back to Sarah, speaking to both of them. "Seriously. I'm going to feel a hundred times worse if you leave. I think maybe I just drank too much."
Sarah snorted in disbelief at my statement. She knew me well enough to know that this had something to do with my visions. I glared at her, not wanting her to give anything away. Simon's gaze flitted from Sarah to me, narrowing his eyes and looking as if he was trying to figure out the unspoken communication between us.
"Sarah," I warned. I said a lot with that one word, asking her to keep quiet and not make a bigger deal out of this than necessary. She searched my face silently and I could see the debate inside her head. She then sighed. "Fine. But I'm not staying out late."
"We don't need to stay," Jenny protested and Sarah interrupted her. She knew I didn't need everyone fawning over me, asking me what was wrong. If Jenny and Sarah left, then most likely Grant and Marcus would leave too. They would crowd over me, concerned and probing, asking what was wrong. I couldn't take that now.
"Let's stay. We're just going to make Caitlin feel worse." She pasted on a smile that I knew was fake. "Besides, we still have plenty of birthday to celebrate."
Jenny relented with a sigh. "Fine." She looked at me. "But I'm coming over tomorrow to make sure you're okay."
I gave her a weak smile. "I'll make breakfast."
"Sarah, stay with her for a sec," Simon commanded. "I'm just going to go in and grab our coats and tell the guys I'm leaving."
Sarah arched a brow at his order but just nodded. Simon looked at me and his face gentled. "I'll be right back."
Jenny gave me a hug, then she and Simon walked back into the bar. Simon stopped to say a few words to Charlie. Charlie glanced at me and nodded his head.
"Spill," Sarah said after the door had swung shut behind them. I glanced at Charlie who was standing a few feet away. He was watching us but was too far away to hear Sarah's low voice.
I breathed in deeply. "That blonde. The one that Jenny was calling over. It was her."
Sarah exhaled noisily. "That's what I thought. But I've never seen you react this badly."
I gave her a helpless look. "It was different this time. I didn't feel her pain and sadness when I saw her. I just felt fear. Like she was coming after me."
Sarah considered my words. "Maybe it's good that I'm staying. I'll talk to her, find out about her." She gave me a small smile. "So you're letting Simon take you home, huh."
I smiled in return, glad to have the conversation shift to something normal. "Don't read too much into it. I'm just letting him be a friend."
"Mmmhmm," Sarah answered giving me a sly look.
I was saved from having to say anything more when Simon came back outside, wearing his green coat and holding my black one in his hands.
"Turn around," he ordered as he held my coat open and helped me slip my arms inside. This commanding side of him was new to me. I wasn't sure if I liked it or not. However, I was in no condition to care at the moment, happy that someone seemed to be taking charge.
Sarah hugged me. "I'll be home in a couple of hours." She gave me a meaningful look. "I'll dig around."
"Dig around what?" Simon said, looking intently at Sarah. I made a face at Sarah behind Simon's back, willing her to stop talking.
"Oh," Sarah said, looking chastened as she shot me a look and then looked back at Simon. "I'll just dig around to see if anyone is upset that you guys aren't playing anymore."
I rolled my eyes at her weak excuse. Simon studied her, not seeming to buy her story. He glanced back at me and I gave him a bland smile. "Let's go. I'm freezing."
That seemed to shake Simon into action. He guided me towards the sidewalk as Sarah shot me an apologetic look and scampered back inside.
