Chapter 2 Prince Charming - Adam & The Ants

Prince Charming - Adam & The Ants

“I need to know what the plan is here.” she said digging though her large unorganized purse the one thing he actually let her bring finding little bits and bobs to spice up her stupidly professional looking blouse and pencil skirt. “I look like a banker in a bad way… ah ha!” she exclaimed finding a zip lock baggy of jewelry from her purse putting in dangly ear rings and adding a statement necklace before undoing several buttons on her blouse. Sure she might have been pushing it a little teetering on the line of sexy and slutty but if they were going to make her drink she was damn well going to look good while doing it.

Kris parked near Max’s house but they didn’t go inside instead walking past it bound for the club called Diesel. “I’ve been here before. When one of the girl at work had her bachlorette.” Sarah explained as they walked along her heels clicking on the sidewalk. She was on board now. Sure she had things to do at home like laundry and work out and call her family but it didn’t matter so much at the moment. If a couple of shots would make them respect her then she’d have to do it.

He was silent as she walked. Most people would have found this awkward but to Sarah it was nice. Kris was a comfortable quiet. She always had envy for people who could enjoy silence. She hadn’t been able to do it till she started to work psych. While at her last job she spent the majority of her time listening to people. In listening she had to grow comfortable with herself and learning that it was ok not to say anything. There wasn’t anything out there that said she had to respond to everything. This also swung the other way. In doing so much listening at work she sometimes needed to vent so for the chosen few she shared her deepest thoughts with it seemed like she did more talking now than ever.

The club wasn’t exactly packed but it was far from empty that Thursday evening. Once Kris led her to the VIP section a great cheer erupted. She smiled giving everyone a wave. “Hi everyone. So I’m here what do you want me to do?” She didn’t have a chance to ask anymore question as a huge tray of half tequila and half vodka shots was brought out and sat in front of her. “No medical emergencies from here on out guys. Drunk nursing is a bad idea.” she said bending down taking a tequila shot in each hand forcing them down like a champ. The guys cheered and clapped for her as she took a silly bow before taking a seat with the group. Kris has disappeared for the moment but that was ok. She couldn’t expect him to stick by her side every second of the night. Though it wouldn’t be a bad thing if that had been the case.

It was funny to dance with people you barely knew. Everyone had a style. Some people were touch feely like J.Staal and Max who had no problem grinding against her putting their hands on her between shots. Others kept their distance like Sid who was reluctantly pushed onto the dance floor for a go with her. She cam back after dancing with nearly the whole group who had come out with them. She took a seat fanning herself. She had only been sitting for a few seconds before a bottle of water appeared in front of her face as Kris took a seat at her side.

“You’re brilliant. Seriously amazing.” she said her smile wide and her eyes a little glassy thanks to the several shots she had ingested really having lost count due to the alcohol. He just nodded with a little shrug before sitting down next to her.

“Oh no you don’t!” Max yelled pointing at Kris. “You will dance.” he said pulling a resistant Letang to his feet followed by pulling Sarah up giving them a light shove toward the dance floor. “So I take it we’re dancing.” she said tucking her hair back his actions a mirror for hers. “Yes.” he said kind of dragging his feet as they moved to the dance floor. He was an ok dancer though it was obvious he was avoiding touching her. “It’s ok.” she said taking his hand and turning into him holding his one hand to her hip. Her other hand found his as she lightly guided the dancing doing her best to make it look like he was leading. The guys watching cheered and whistled for them a moment before turning back to their drinks. From this close she could smell him and it was quite the intoxicating scent of soap from his shower and just enough of some cologne to make her want to come closer to investigate. The song changed though and she turned back to face him wrapping her arms around him in a hug.

“Sorry if I embarrassed you.” she said letting go of him as they headed back to the table so she could actually have a drink of the water he had given her.

“It’s ok. They always do that to me.” She nodded remembering hearing something about that before.

Back at the table people kept encouraging her to drink which she did her best to cut with water but it wasn’t going to well. “Ok, ok guys I gotta stop. I already can’t walk out of here on my own but I’d rather not get sick on top of it.” she said her words a bit slurred as she felt the room wobble around her. It felt like even the slightest movement was the spin of the tilt-o-whirl traveling carnival ride. Thankfully they let her go for a bit before everyone started to get going. She enjoyed sitting and watching them in her drunken state. She knew she was laughing to loud and would have no idea some of the things she was saying by morning but she could tell they cared about one another. They had the common goal of winning together when the season started but it was easy to see everyone was friends as well as team mates. Even Kris was laughing with the group which she was happy to see. She had started to think that he was having a bad time.

“We’re all going to head home.” Max said as most of the other guys had excused themselves. “Kris is still going to be your escort but we wanted you to know you are in. Not only did you drink like a champ but you didn’t do anything stupid.” she figured stupid was code for hit on them like a total slut bag whore but that could have just been the alcohol clouding her mind. “Tanger is the best. That’s why he gets to take you.” Kris just shrugged again offering his hand to help her up. She took it stumbling on her heels a second steadying herself. He didn’t give her a second chance to walk though as he bent down picking her up on his should being mindful of her skirt.

“When you get home let me know if this shoulder is ok. It’s my job you know.” she said shouting over the music while laughing at the absurdity of it all. He carried her back to the car not letting her attempt to walk. When she had trouble with her seatbelt helped her with that too. “You’re to nice.” she said turning in her seat to face him once they were on their way. She watched as they drove. He wasn’t heading in the direction of her home not that she had idea if he knew where she lived. “Where are we going? Is this another part of it?” she asked suddenly skeptical of him a bit of her wits coming back to her.

“No. We’re going home. You are drunk and no one wants you to die.” well it was sweet but in her drunken state she went pouty on him. “I can take care of myself just fine.” she knew she sounded like a child but thanks to the alcohol she didn’t care.

The ride to his apartment was long enough for her to just start falling asleep as the car was parked. “I’m still mad at you for not taking me home.” she grumbled as he picked her up from the car seat being a bit more gentle with her this time now that there wasn’t anyone to watch. He carefully sat her down on her feet by his door so he could fish his keys from his pocket. She leaned against the wall watching him open the door. He took her hand at the wrist leading her in. She looked around noting the standard furniture that most guys seemed to have. A sofa a big tv and a smallish table and chairs set that seemed to be more for playing cards than for eating food at. His place was nice and even in her drunken state she could see that it seemed to be pretty clean.

“You can stay in the guest room.” he said leading the way taking her wrist again.

“I can walk on my own. I’m drunk yes but I’m good not in the heels.” she said showing him she could do a decent straight line. A cop would arrest her seeing that attempt at a line but it showed she was stable enough to walk on her own. He nodded showing her the way.

“There are supplies in the restroom.” he said pointing to the small bathroom just across the hall. “I have my own.” he said pointing down to his room. He held up his hand though signaling for her to wait a moment. He swiftly moved down the hall returning with a small pile of close for her. Sweats and a t-shirt that she was extremely thankful for. “The schedule tomorrow, late start all even you.” he ran a hand though his hair shrugging. “Take you home in the morning for clothes then back to work.” she nodded chewing on the inside of her lip. “Merci pour tout.” she said breaking out her extremely rusty French from high school and college. She knew French was his first language and thought she’d be nice. It made sense in her drunken brain at least. He smiled lowering his head as if he was trying to shyly hide. “Seriously thanks.” she said again kind of stumbling till her back his the door frame of the guest room. It didn’t hurt but she felt like an idiot. “I’ll just go to bed now.” she said pointing into the bedroom shaking her head at herself. “Good night Kris.” she said giving him a stupid little wave.

“Bonne nuit.” he said telling her good night. He watched her a second as she headed into the bathroom to brush her teeth and change. Once he had done the same he returned to check on her finding her curled up on the bed rather than under the blankets. Getting into the closet he took out a spare covering her up brushing her hair from her face.

“Thanks.” she mumbled sounding more like a grateful child than the woman she was. He gave a little smile before clicking off the main light leaving a lamp on for in the hall for her and the door open before he went to bed himself.