By The Beach ✔

Part 9. Night Out

"I'M LEAVING MY KEY CARD HERE since you got yours."

Dini looked up from the shoes she was choosing between and nodded her head stating that she had heard me. "Shoes... should I go red or black?" she asked, showing me the two pairs of heeled wedges she was holding.

"Red. They go better with that dress" I told her, zipping up my boots and standing up, frowning down at myself "Why did I let you talk me into packing a dress?" I looked into the mirror hanging on the wall as I grabbed the straightening iron I had plugged up a minute ago and did a quick straighten on my hair.

She rolled her eyes at me "Because, you look good in dresses whether or not you like to admit it," she told me, looking at me through the mirror with a smile "I bet even Sawyer would think so too."

I froze mid-straighten on my short bangs as I looked at her through the mirror "Why did you say that?" I questioned, hoping Zeke hadn't told her about our brief conversation from earlier.

Dinah shrugged as she zipped up her wristlet and fluffed her hair in the mirror behind me, I rolled my eyes at her as she shrugged.

"Oh, no reason. Only because he cannot take his eyes off of you."

I set down the straightener and turned around to face my cousin, a look of 'yeah right' on my face as I turned off the straightening iron and grabbed my Crossbody from the bed. Dini stomped her foot and crossed her arms.

"Elizabeth. Believe it or not, there are guys out there other than Will. Forget about the asshole and jump on the Sawyer train. If he didn't have his eyes on you, trust me when I say I done would have gotten hold of that boy."

I just stared at her for a second with a look of disgust which made her laugh. "I think I need to bleach my ears now after hearing you say that," I told her as we walked to the door and she held it open for me.

She sighed, "Lily, not all men are... Idiotic morons, okay? There are still some out there with smarts and manners." She let the door close and we took off down the hall to the elevator.

As we rode down, I couldn't help but wonder if I should take her and Zeke's advice, or if I should lock them up in a mental institution together.

I guess I'll figure that out while I drink at the bar.

***

Upbeat music that is nerve-wracking, check.

Annoying females, check.

Man-whores that check women out as soon as they walk in, check.

Flashing lights that cause a headache, check.

Yup, I'm in hell, I thought as I finished my drink.

Two margaritas in and I was already ready to get back to the hotel, my mood just wasn't in it tonight. I looked towards the dance floor where Dinah was dancing with a wannabe cowboy; you know the kind, cowboy hat, and matching boots, large belt-buckle with the flannel tucked in, he probably even tried the accent all southerners had just to see if it worked. And apparently, it was working on my drunk cousin it made me roll my eyes and finish off my drink.

As I waved to the bartender and pointed at my glass, she nodded and gave me a thumb up to which I smiled as I felt someone sit down beside me.

"Are you from Tennessee? Because baby, you are the only ten I see" some guy slurred beside me over the flood of music as I didn't even bother to look over at him, I rolled my eyes.

"That is the tenth pick up line tonight and so far, it is the lamest and most used one" I commented as the woman handed me a margarita, I smiled and thanked her as the guy stood up from the chair and moved onto a redhead five chairs over.

I almost laughed when I heard him use the same pick-up line and the woman punched him, sending him flying onto his ass.

Go, girl. I thought as I took a drink out of the glass and looked back over to where Dini should be.

She was gone.

I cursed silently to myself as I stood from the chair, grabbing my drink, I walked towards the patio outside thinking she might have gone out there.

The cool night air hit my face as I looked around for Dini, a chill went straight up my back and hit my legs as I wrapped my arms around myself. Two couples sat on the patio making out which only caused even more annoyance for me.

Damn this romance shit, I thought as my phone buzzed. I picked it up out of my purse and swiped at the screen to unlock it.

Dini: Just letting you know that I won't be coming back to the hotel tonight, tell Doug that I will be back in the morning. Xoxo, Dini.

And she even put a winky face, I thought annoyed as I put my phone back in my purse and sat down the glass on a lonely table before walking off the patio steps and hitting the sidewalk.

Might as well enjoy the nightlife on the way back to the hotel, I thought, thankful that it wasn't a far walk.

As if dealing with wolf whistles from men weren't enough, my heel broke on the walk which resulted in me walking barefoot back to the hotel and limping a bit from wearing the boots a little longer than expected.

Damn it, Dini, when she comes back tomorrow I am going to give her hell. Better yet, I might make her stay with Doug just to piss her off.

I entered the almost ghost-like hotel and walked down the silent hallway to the elevator; I pressed the button and waited on it while holding my heeled boots in my right hand and my purse in the other.

A family of three walked by, and I smiled at the family with a wave. The little boy started to wave back when the mom caught his hand.

"Don't wave, Henry. Prostitutes are not our friends" I heard the woman tell her son, with an evil eye towards me.

Wha-What?! Prostitute!

I glared at the woman and flipped her the middle finger as they walked off earning a gasp from the woman. Her husband, meanwhile, was checking me out to which I snarled my nose and hopped into the elevator.

As I waited for my floor number, I looked down at the dress I was wearing and realized something ...

Damn, she was right; I do look like a hooker. I groaned and put a hand to my head as the doors opened on my floor and I stepped out into the carpeted hall, thankful it wasn't sand or a concrete sidewalk for once tonight.

I walked down the hall and reached our door; I put my hand in my purse searching for my key card. My hand came in contact with a wallet, lip balm, and tic-tacs.

When I moved the wallet out and looked in the purse, that was when I realized that I didn't bring my key card with me because Dini had hers. I slapped a hand to my head and stomped my foot on the floor.

"Son of a bitch," if only the woman downstairs could have heard that, she probably would have thought I was a poor influence on kids.

Jokes on her! I'm a future first-grade teacher, I rolled my eyes as I sunk into the wall beside the door and looked up at the sky. I think my future class will be smarter than me at this point.

Now, what do I do?