ᴀ ɴɪɢʜᴛ ɪɴ ᴘᴀʀᴀᴅɪꜱᴇ | 𝘓𝘰𝘶 𝘹 𝘋𝘦𝘣𝘣𝘪𝘦

nineteen

Ａ ＮＩＧＨＴ ＩＮ ＰＡＲＡＤＩＳＥ

ᴅᴇʙʙɪᴇ ᴅᴀɴᴄᴇᴅ ᴀɴᴅ laughed with the strangers around her. No, she wasn't drunk. But the liquor seemed to slowly creep its way into her consciousness. It was fun that, for once in a while, she could enjoy the wild unfolding exuberance of a party. Tammy annually brings people together into this paradise, as if giving them the freedom to be their chaotic selves, even if it is just for a night. One night. Both Debbie and Lou stopped attending the grand party, 5 years ago. Intentionally avoiding each other. And to their surprise, by the time they finally decided to show up, a lot could actually happen. Debbie could not count how many times she'd cursed herself for shamelessly wanting to embezzle glances at Lou from across the room. The woman was sitting on a couch, her eyes traveling through millions of thoughts. It seemed like the world around her had no cacophonies.

It felt like a sinful thought to think if the blonde was thinking about their little interaction like her silly brain does. How could she not? Her girlfriend for 7 years—scratch that, even worse, her ex-fiancé, who left her with no closure, suddenly, after 5 years, appears in front of her—and all they could do best was an awkward small talk. They were like two strangers again, meeting for the first time. She could not be more eager to know what's inside Lou's mind. But Debbie knew too well that now was not the time to talk. Was there ever a time, and will there ever be? She looked away immediately.

Tamie's wicked smile from somewhere in the room sure made Debbie wonder if her friend was happy to prove a point, but she was determined not to let it get to her. She danced in the wilderness, laughed louder, and drank more, trying to convince herself that everything was just going to be fine. A lie.

"You are so hot... do you wanna get out of here and go somewhere else?" At no time, Debbie might have indulged herself with the thoughts taking shape in her cognition that she forgot about the gentleman she was dancing with until he whispered in her ear. Subtly, she faced the man once again and smiled.

"I would very much like to decline the offer." The man's face quickly changed as irritation and humiliation washed over his face. Debbie could only keep her smile, and she watched as he walked out, leaving her with the other guests, getting lost in the music. The bittersweet taste of liquor lingered on the tip of her tongue. Such a dick.

Lou was once again alone. She felt like she was soaking in the sea of unfamiliar faces, and the California coast's relentless roar only added to her sense of isolation. Isolated and drowned by her thoughts, just like the woman she had been watching all throughout the night.

The beach bungalow glowed with lights that reflected off the sea, providing as the lone source of light against the midnight Ocean Coast highway. The nightly mist got colder, but Lou barely noticed. All she could see was Debbie. Who seemed preoccupied dancing and giggling on the dance floor. Her eyes kept her guarded, and she couldn't discern whether it was happiness she was feeling seeing the brunette getting lost as if that smile was all she needed all these years. Or hurt, that Debbie's smile could mean she got over her completely. It was a selfish thought.

No one was expecting the music to shift from a topsy-turvy to a sudden, mellow tune, leaving everyone to halt. Some complained—furrowed brows etched their faces—and some were confused, but the party continued anyway. Everyone who decided to stay at the center swayed with the music, steady and calm. Like drunken souls surrendering their wilderness.

"It worked!" Tammy winked at the DJ. The bloke just smiled. She knew she had to at least do something to hold control over the party. From the top, she could see Debbie's baffled expression, targeting her exactly. The woman could only shrug her shoulders and wink.