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“Yeah, I’m sure. Thanks, Gregory,” I said and got out of the car.
I looked at the two-level loft with massive windows through which I could spot my friends having wild fun, and suddenly, all the confidence in me faded away. I took a deep breath as the overwhelming feeling of anxiety rushed over my body. I forced myself to smile and somehow moved forward.
“MELANIE!” SCARLETT SPOTTED me from afar and, squeezing between some people I’d never seen before, greeted me with a hug. “I was worried you wouldn’t come.”
Unlike me, Scarlett was a life-of-the-party girl who adored being the center of attention. Taking a sip of her martini, she scanned my face with her extraordinary emerald eyes, perfectly matching her fair, freckled complexion and wavy hair dyed a copper shade of red.
“Haven’t you seen my text?” I arched my eyebrow, smiling.
“Oh, God, no.” She giggled, struggling to swallow the sip she’d just taken, her cheeks flushed. She was tipsy, no doubt. “Sorry. I don’t even know where my phone is.”
Scarlett grabbed me by my elbow and led me to an enormous living room. There was an open drink bar, a leather couch by the see-through glass wall, and at least three hundred square feet of space in the middle where some people were dancing. The room was dim, with a few colorful flashing lights glistening against the ceiling giving the club vibe to this place. I glanced across the area, searching for Theo. I spotted him drinking his whiskey. He seemed immersed in thought, not paying much attention to people cheerfully laughing around him. Among others, Mike, who was overly gesticulating while enthusiastically telling something, and Audrey, one of my friends. She stood by Theo’s right arm, cooing at him. Scarlett quickly picked up on my mood as I involuntarily clenched my jaw, watching my so-called friend hitting on my man.
“You’re not jealous of Audrey, are you?” Scar said, biting on her lower lip teasingly while a sarcastic smirk formed on her face. She grabbed a drink from a bar countertop behind us and fetched it for me.
“I’m not,” I said dryly, drinking the martini she handed me in one go. My eyes were still on Audrey, whispering something into Theo’s ear, and a playful smile appeared on his face.
What did she tell him that he suddenly looks so amused?
“You know that Theo is head over heels for you, Mel.” Scarlett nudged my elbow.
“I know. It’s just… I don’t trust Audrey.”
Scar chuckled softly as if what I said was funny. But I hadn’t felt like laughing. I was anxious because I’d had a bad feeling haunting me that night. And in most cases, my female intuition was pretty reliable.
“Well, why don’t you just go over there and get your man?” my ruby-haired friend asked, but I didn’t even have to answer. It took her only one glance at me, and she knew. “Oh, you two fought?”
She must’ve noticed the distress on my face.
“Yeah,” I sighed, casting my eyes downward to the ground.
“You guys have been fighting a lot lately.” Her gaze was penetrating me. “Wanna talk about it?”
“Nope,” I said shortly and looked up to face her. From the corner of my eye, I noticed Theo was now looking in my direction.
His gaze lingering on my skin made my stomach clench. My heart was telling me to go over and kiss him to end our infantile quarrel. But then, something stopped me, urging, it was him who should make the first move. And that something, whatever it was, won. I turned on my heels and headed to the backyard. As I was squeezing through the crowd of people, I heard two random dudes shouting to one another, obnoxiously checking me out from head to toe.
“Have you seen Melanie Atwood?” A pale-skinned guy with sunflower-blonde hair leaned toward his friend before gulping his beer.
“Who wouldn’t notice that ass, bro?” the friend scoffed. “Fucking hot!”
And I knew Theo heard them too because when I fleetingly peeked in his direction, he was glaring at me with the kind of gaze I knew far too well. He was seething with jealousy.
I STOOD ON THE PORCH, deep into my thoughts with my eyes glued to the starry sky. Chilly air was sweeping across my cheeks, causing goose bumps on my body.
“I’m sorry for earlier,” I heard a familiar voice whispering in my ear as warm hands slid around my waist from behind. I didn’t even have to turn to know who it was. I knew the scent of sandalwood with a hint of geranium hitting my nose by heart. I turned to face Theo. He looked like a lost puppy begging me to help him find his way back home.
“I’m sorry, Melanie. I acted like a dick earlier today,” he said with an apologetic tone.
“You did act like a dick.” I smirked, gazing into his coffee-colored eyes. The moonlight illuminated his wavy, fair hair, ideally done in a tapered way. But even his gorgeous face wouldn’t make up for his behavior earlier today. I still had in mind how he left me in that gross storage room looking like a five-year-old baby that hadn’t got the toy he desperately wanted. That was one trait that I genuinely hated about Theo. Whenever he didn’t get what he wanted, he would just sulk.
“Can I make it up to you somehow?” he said, caressing my cheek with his thumb.
“Well… I might forgive you if you kiss me now.” I smiled at him, and his face lightened up. I couldn’t be mad at him for too long. It just didn’t sit right with me. I wasn’t the one to hold the grudge, even if, at times, I should have.
He slowly leaned in, sliding his hand at the back of my neck. His warm lips gently brushed over mine. “You look so hot tonight. I couldn’t take my eyes off you,” he whispered against my lips, our breaths mingling before closing the tiny gap with a kiss.
“Hey, lovebirds!” Mike’s raspy voice broke in our tender moment. “Get a room!” he joked, showing off his white teeth beautifully contrasting his ebony complexion. One of his dark dreadlocks fell onto his forehead as he took a few deep gulps of his beer.
