Page 37 of The Bloke

With VIP, it was a skip-the-line pass for all group members. When I reached the main doors, I saw Chyler speaking to the bouncer and pointing at me. He nodded as I approached and removed the rope that separated the two lines leading inside.

“Youhaveto see the booth that Jessie got us!” Chyler squealed excitedly as she grabbed my hand and dragged me inside the club. She already sounded a couple of drinks, or shots, deep.Good for her.

Once inside the doors, Chyler pulled me to a sharp left, running down a long corridor. At the end was a set of stairs leading to the second and third levels of the club. We veered off to the right once we reached the second level, and she then proceeded down to the far end of the balcony, where I saw Jessie in a prominent corner VIP booth, big enough for at least twelve people.

“This is so unnecessary…” I joked as Chyler fell into the plush black leather seating and picked up her drink from the low-lying, glossy black table. “But I love it!”

The leather sofa fit seamlessly into the corner, where six people could comfortably sit on the left and another six on the right. There were only three of us.

“How did you manage to swing this?” I asked Jessie. I could only imagine how much a twelve-person VIP booth would cost to reserve, not including the alcohol.

“Don’t worry about it; I have my industry connections.” Jessie winked, picking up her glass and signaling for the waiter. “Sit, stay, have a drink, party!” She commanded, patting the spot next to her, and I shrugged, plopping my butt down into the booth.

“What can I get you, ma’am?” A young male waiter stopped before our booth and handed me a drink menu. “Malibu Cherry Coke,” I ordered. “Oh, with extra cherries, please!”

“Be right back.” He smiled, leaving for the bar.

The music was loud, but not enough that we couldn’t communicate sitting next to each other.

“Who’s spinning tonight?” I quizzed Jessie as she sucked down her drink.

“Don’t know, don’t care.” She shrugged with a playful laugh.

Like me, she didn’t care to come here but managed to pull out all the stops for Chyler with this booth.

The waiter returned, handing me my drink, and I waved him back just before he left.

“Can we actually get six pink starburst shots as well?” I asked, and he nodded, leaving our booth again to grab the shots.

I had every intention of getting fucked up tonight. I wanted my mind blank, numb, and free from all distractions aside from my two friends.

Chyler glanced at me over Jessie, her eyes flicking to her and back to me a few times. I shook my head, mouthing the word ‘no’ as my eyes flared wide. I haven’t told Jessie about my situation and didn’t plan to. That stayed between Chyler and me, and it would move with her to Minnesota. I didn’t need any more hands in the pot of my fucked up life.

Her eyes then flicked to the hand holding my drink, and I choked on my long sip, realizing that I was still wearing thewedding ring.Fuck.I quickly switched hands on my drink and casually wedged my left under my thigh. I couldn’t take it off in front of her; it would be too obvious, but now I had to always be aware of my left hand.

Our waiter delivered the pink starburst shots to our table, and the three of us took them together, celebrating Chyler and our last night as just the three of us.

I finished the rest of my drink and ordered another shortly after, my buzz for the evening beginning to make itself known. I was feeling good, but I wanted to feel better.

A remix of “The Bad Touch” by Bloodhound Gang started playing, and both Jessie and Chyler jumped up from their seats. Jessie grabbed my hand, dragging me with them.

“Come on, girl! Time to dance!” She squealed as we speed walked in our heels to the end of the balcony and down the stairs to the dance floor.

The nightclub was crowded, filled to the brim with bodies. I preferred it on the second level, though, as there were fewer people to push through to move around. I grunted and glared daggers at several people who collided with me as Jessie pulled me through the sea of dancing drunks.

Relax, Sienna… have fun.

Breathe.

Chyler stopped in an open spot, and we all moved to the music, grinding up against each other and screaming the lyrics as loudly as we could. I loosened up as the song played, the anger and frustration of the day dissolving into bubbly laughter.

I managed to slip my ring into my purse when Jessie stepped away from the booth earlier to use the restroom. I was thankful for the opportunity. I wasn’t planning on explaining it to her at any point this evening.

An arm curled around my waist, and someone’s hips pressed up against my ass, grinding into it. My heart started to race, andI looked over my shoulder and saw a random man with short dark hair grinning at me. I could hear Chyler and Jessie’s playful laughter over the music and shifted my attention to see them grinding up against men of their own.

I could feel the sweat starting to bead down my hairline and back from dancing in the tight crowd, and my accelerated heart rate wasn’t helping.

I needed to cool down before I passed out.

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