Chapter Two

THE nightclub was fully packed as usual on a Friday night as the two girls got inside, when they saw Connie walking away with that guy they decided to go ahead without her. Loud noise of the music and people could be heard a kilometer or so away. 

The girls had their share of fun on the dancing floor when they finally noticed Connie sitting by the bar on her own. They went over to  chat with her a bit but she never disclosed anything about the incident outside, her mind was still busy trying to process why that guy had picked her among all those other people.

Screaming Emma tried to pull her to the dancing floor, ‘Come on lets go dancing, I love that song.’ 

‘Let me sit for a while, go ahead with Trish I will join you later.’ Connie said with a huge grin on her face.

After her confrontation with Nick the joy of dancing was gone from her she decided rather to be a spectator.  As she was sitting by the bar a half-drunk guy came to join her chatting non-end. She suddenly  noticed Nick scanning the dance floor, her heart started beating fast wondering if he had come back to add more insult to the injury he had caused. Glad that the drunkard guy next to her was cover, she decided to keep her eyes on him ready to run should she see him coming her way. 

The guy stopped in front of Trish and he whispered something in her ear that made her laugh before they started dancing. I don’t believe this, could they have made a connection that brief moment they met outside?  Connie thought to herself and a few minutes later the song ended and he left, she watched him as he disappeared to the private lounge. 

She couldn’t shake the disappointment she felt that he had disappeared she had silently hoped he will come after her but it turned out this time around was not about his brother. Turning to the drunkard guy she noticed he had slumped over the counter, she shook her head laughing but soon that laughter turned to tears, she had no idea why but she felt good letting them out.

 It was getting late as Connie noticed so she decided to alert her friends and as she turned she saw Nick back in action on the dance floor and this time he was dancing with Emma. Puzzled Connie did not understand what was going on. Nick was having some form of communication about Emma with a bouncer across the room using his hand and head and the bouncer who obviously understood the message conveyed nodded his head before walking away. Connie became incensed, she couldn’t wait for the song to finish to go to the dance floor because at the back of her mind she knew whatever it was did not look good. 

Not wanting to wait to be wrong or right she decided as per their agreement earlier that it was time to go home. As soon as she saw Nick heading upstairs to the private lounge she quickly gathered hers and her friends’ belongings and headed to the dancing floor. Grabbing them both by their elbows she dragged them off the floor and all the way outside.

‘What do you think you are doing Connie?’ Emma cried in disgust as she pulled her hand from Connie’s grasp.

Trish simply snatched her hand away.

‘Do you have any idea what time it is you girls, It’s already 1.15am way past the time we agreed to leave. In case you have forgotten I have a curfew and I am supposed to be attending a party at Trish’s place. We better go now or we will be in trouble’’. Connie retorted. She didn’t want to tell them the real reason behind her fears. All the while she was looking sideways.

‘Going home at this hour you got to be joking! Unlike you, we were having fun while you were slumbered on that bar stool all night. Anyway, I can’t blame you this is the price I have to pay for bringing first timers to the club. Sometimes you’re so naive it irritates, you even blew away that handsome. How about you Trish, are you also ready to go home because of curfew?’ Emma asked completely ignoring what Connie had said.

Connie’s stomach churned at the mention of Nick and she tried to protest but quickly Emma held her hand to shut her up rather turning her attention to Trish instead.

‘I knew that guy was hot the moment he walked to us, I can still feel his arms around me as if we are still dancing.’ With eyes closed Trish began to imitate people dancing

‘You know where to find him if you still want to feel those arms around you, come on, forget about curfew lets enjoy ourselves.’ Emma murmured as she held Trish by the shoulders, caressing her lightly.

Jerking up from her daydreaming Trish spoke this time in a more serious tone ‘Oh how I would love to hang out with you Emma but like Connie my parents will be worried its already way past my curfew too. Unlike you, I also had to lie that I am attending a party. Come on, we had enough fun for today, let’s go home’, Trish said as she put on her jacket that Connie handed her.

‘Since I didn’t lie to my parents and they know I am out clubbing with you guys I have nothing to worry about I feel sorry for you but you can go ahead without me. It’s my first night out after all those weeks of exams so I plan to stick around for a few more minutes and I promise you afterwards I will go home. I will say goodnight to your secret admirer for you Connie If I bump into him’ Emma spoke as she walked back into the club shrugging her shoulders.

Connie was too furious to say anything and Trish pretended not to have heard anything as she started to walk ahead of her friend to hail a taxi. She was glad that even though Nick had embarrassed her at first he rectified it by that dance, that should mean something, she thought to herself smiling.

Connie stood there waiting for the taxi with her friend in silence boiling with anger, the night had turned out to be a bad night for her. First it was Nick and now her friends were treating her like a complete stranger all because of a guy who they knew nothing about. She didn’t know how to bring up to her friends all the lame accusations he rained on her with this rotten attitude they were showing her. 

‘Stop speaking to yourself. Seriously do you think any harm will befall her when there are a lot of people around? Do not worry, she will definitely go home after a while as you can see you were the one sitting by the bar and she is as sober as a day and besides its not her first time here like us so please rid yourself of that worried look.’ Trish spoke in a loud voice that made even those who were near to momentarily turn their heads to them.

Not wanting the attention Trish was drawing, Connie simply nodded her head and just then a taxi pulled over. They both got into the taxi and Connie was hardly paying attention to Trish’s words. Trish’s home was the first stop on the way and biding her goodnight she was glad to ride the rest of the way in silence, she needed a moment to gather her thoughts.

As she walked into the house Connie was greeted by the dead silence and she was glad that her step-father had not waited up for her, after her ordeal tonight, she was not ready for any confrontations with him. Tip toeing she headed upstairs to her bedroom but suddenly a voice in the dark startled her and she almost tripped on the stairs.