Part 44 (2/2)
”Do this with me,” Nick said as he swung his arms wildly at his sides, kicked his feet forward, and back while in place. He did the silly dance with a goofy smile on his face.
I threw my head back and laughed. ”There is no way I'm doing that!”
”Get over here,” he demanded as he grabbed my hand and swung me into his arms. He and I laughed aloud.
Nick was taller than I was, and he was only eleven years old. He looked like a das.h.i.+ng prince dressed up in a suit with his hair slicked back. We both felt a bit under-dressed compared to the other guests we saw. Nick wore a pair of brown, cotton-blend slacks and a matching jacket. He sported a gold and black striped necktie to compliment. I was wearing a short, black, pleated skirt and a black spaghetti strap top to match. I wore no jewelry except the silver chandelier earrings that I had found under my bed.
When the music stopped, Nick and I held onto each other while laughing hysterically. The people around us probably thought we were drunk from the way we were dancing and making funny faces at each other. It only made us laugh harder.
”I need something to drink,” Nick said hoa.r.s.ely.
”We danced a little too hard out there.” I kept laughing.
”Come on! Let's see if we can get a drink without an I.D.”
”Nick,” I said, as he dragged me along. ”Wait.” I couldn't stop laughing. ”I have to catch my breath.”
Nick stopped in his place and put a hand on my shoulder to rest.
”You think they'll give us something to drink?” Nick spoke hoa.r.s.ely because he was almost out of breath.
”No. I'm not letting you get alcohol. Stay here.” I said.
I walked over to the bar and asked for a cup of ginger ale and a cup of cola. The bartender told me he'd be with me in a moment as he placed drinks on top of a waiter's tray. The waiter waited patiently as the bartender tended to him.
I didn't see Mom approach until she began to speak.
”Kristen, where is your jacket? I thought you were going to keep it over your arms.”
I rolled my eyes and turned towards her.
”The man took it at the door when we came in.”
”You should probably get it back,” she said.
”Why?”
”It's not appropriate to have your arms showing like that. It's too much skin.”
”So I guess you don't like what Lexus is wearing, then,” I sarcastically replied. ”She's showing way more skin than me. I think she looks nice.”
”You know what this is about. Don't argue with me. Get your jacket back from the doorman and put it on.”
”I don't want to,” I told her, ”I like it like this.”
”You are embarra.s.sing me,” she said.
”I'm sorry I'm not like Lexus, Mom. I'm sorry that I can't be perfect enough for you to show off. I'm sorry that you can't compare yourself to your friends and come out on top. But this is me, Mom.” I showed my bare arms to her with my wrists turned up and my scars exposed. ”I'm not going to stand here and be uncomfortable and hot in that jacket all night. And if Lexus' mom or any of your friends have anything to say about the scars on my wrists, then you tell them to shut up and go to h.e.l.l.”
Mom bit down on her tongue and angrily stormed away.
The bartender finally came over to me when Mom walked away. ”I'm sorry, sweetie,” he said with a fake smile that begged for money. ”I didn't mean to keep you waiting. What drink would you like me to make for you? Was it ginger ale and a cola?”
”A cup of ginger ale,” I said, ”and a cup of rum and cola!”
”Sure thing,” he said with a flirtatious wink.
When he returned with the drinks, he smiled and said, ”The bar is paid for, but if you'd like to leave a tip, that's fine.” He tapped his fingers on a jar that was sitting on the counter top. The jar had black marker writing on it. It read: PLEASE HELP THE PO'.
I smiled back at the bartender and said, ”I'll get back to you on that.”
As I walked away, I watched to see if he'd give me a dirty look, but he just kept on smiling. He moved on to the next woman waiting at the bar, who could have been Vanna White's twin sister.
Nick rushed up to me and tried to grab the rum and cola out of my hand.
”No, baby,” I told him. ”This one is yours.” I handed him the ginger ale.
Nick frowned into the cup before he took it and drank it up in only three gulps.
”You were thirsty,” I said.
He put his nose close to my cup. He said, ”What are you drinking?”
”Just cola,” I said. I s.n.a.t.c.hed the cup away from his nose.
”Smells like something else,” he said.
”I'm going to the ladies' room.”
”Can I come?”
”Shoo! Be gone!” I playfully said as I walked away from him.
Nick laughed. ”That's okay. I wanted go look for James.”
I didn't look back as he strolled off in the opposite direction, snapping his fingers. Nick was full of life and seemingly high spirited tonight. I turned around when I was sure he wasn't following me, and I saw him running over to James. James was sitting at a table full of young girls. That will keep Nick occupied while I go drink this in secret, I thought to myself.
I laughed as I turned around and continued walking. I wasn't sure where I was going. I found myself outside of the event room. Wandering down the s.p.a.cious halls of the Marriott Marquis, I was amazed at how tall the walls were. They were distinguished in design and extravagantly lavished in multicultural-looking art. I admired the regal decor from the paintings on the wall to the million-dollar carpeting on the floor. My tour down the hall dead-ended at a large, gla.s.s view-port. The gla.s.s was so flawless and clear that the door was barely noticeable. I stretched my free hand out and pushed at the door, and it opened gracefully. I stepped out onto the terrace and looked out at the city. The lights on the Marquis twinkled and s.h.i.+ned brighter than the stars in the cloudless night sky.
I sipped on the rum and cola slowly. It was mostly rum with what tasted like just a splash of cola. I laughed to myself as I remembered the way Nick and I had been dancing on the dance floor. We must have looked insane compared to the older and more mature people out there.
Then I thought about how gorgeous Lexus looked, and how attractive she and John looked together. Their individual beauty complimented the both of them together as a couple. No one could rightfully say that Lexus was more beautiful than John was or that John was more alluring than Lexus. When everyone looked at them, they saw an enamoring couple.
I smiled at the lights that began to blur. I was getting drunk from the rum. Letting the warmness seep into my chest, I took another sip. I blushed, thinking of John and Lexus finally married. My thoughts were taken over by the alcohol, and I thought about being married to John. Sadness filled my heart, and despair crept into my mind. What if it had been different? What if Jack had been here and hadn't ruined us? Would I be different? Would John have liked me more? Would he have kissed me that day when we'd flown the kite?
The cup only had one gulp left inside. I quickly drank the last of the rum and cola. When I swallowed, the alcohol went down my throat the wrong way, and I started to choke. I coughed to catch my breath. I felt as if I'd never breathe again. It was taking so long to get those tiny trickles out of my throat. Suddenly a hand was rubbing my back gently, and a kind voice was calling out my name.
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