Hey Sarge

Chapter 3 : Where to go (Part two)

(A/N : It's finally here! hope you enjoy!  Kisses, Al.)

"No, Lyds. I don't want to go!"

"Come on, Pip! You need to get out! And this is a perfect opportunity! A dance club, a bar, and cute outfits. So, get your head out of the textbook and lets GO!"

Pip knew that she didn't have a choice. She'd have to go to a nightclub with her roommate, Lydia and a few other college friends.

Today had been just a long day in general. She had four of her courses in the morning, then she needed to go grocery shopping, go to therapy, then make a stop at Marshall's because her umbrella broke and there was a downpour outside. She also got a text from Naomi, which was nice. She wanted to make plans tonight but Pip needed to see if she had time. But it seemed like she wouldn't make it now. Lydia would never stop.

"Fine, let's go." Pip stood up and walked towards Lydia but her roommate had a confused face on.

"What do you mean, you need to get ready."

"I am ready"

"No, you're not." she said pointing at Pip, up and down

She looked down at her outfit. A pair of old high top converse, some black leggings, and a David Bowie shirt. She thought she looked fine but her roommate thought otherwise. This led Lydia to drag Pip by the arm over to her closet and started throwing clothes everywhere.

"God Pip, you really need some more party clothes instead of all these geeky graphic tees and hoodies."

"Oh come on, I know you get a kick out of my 'talk nerdy' shirt."

"I do, but that's because it's geeky cute, not geeky ew."

Lydia kept throwing all of Pip's clothes out her closet until she found something shocking.

"Pip...I've known you for more than a year now and you've had the audacity to never show me this?"

Pip's face sat in fear.

What did she find? It's not a hoodie with blood on it? Was it? No, she would've washed all her clothes endlessly since anything had happened. But what if-

Pip's thoughts got interrupted by Lydia squealing and turning around with a red mini dress with a mesh layer of laced flowers. She'd bought it for a homecoming but she decided not to wear it in the end but it was so beautiful that she had shame in throwing it out. So she kept it. But she always imagined wearing it on a nice date with...well, someone now.

"No."

"Why not! It's perfect! You'll look gorgeous! Come on!"

And then suddenly, she realized that she was pushed into the bathroom with the dress in hand.

It couldn't hurt that much, could it?

—

She was wrong. It could hurt. And it hurt like an arrow, pricing her heart. She had gotten dragged to this club by Lydia and now she stands against a wall, drinking a vodka tonic.

He'd been on her mind all week.

She wanted to drown him out. Make him a stranger. But at the same time she longed for him to be there with her.

The music was thumped so aggressively but Pip had somehow faded it out. Pip could fade everything out except for him and the neon lights. The neon lights were too aggressive. They would paint her face in odd undertones and blind her eyes, every once in a while.

Pip should have just stayed in the dorm. Or at least see if she could've still made plans with Naomi. God! That would have been the perfect excuse!

Pip had texted Naomi in the subway on the way to the club, saying that she'd been forced against her will to go. Naomi had asked where the club was to see if she could maybe join them but it was way too far of a trip for her.

And now she's here. In the corner of a nightbar, all alone, in a lover stained dress, with her second vodka tonic. With the little lime hanging on the edge. She named it Jerry. Jerry the lime.

"Pip!"

Pip snapped out of her thought to see Lydia, waltzing over to her.

"Come here! We're doing shots!"

Lydia pointed to some college friends and a tray of tequila shots.

"I don't know, I think I might dip."

"Noooooo! We just got here! And we came here to have fun, didn't we? Now come on!"

Lydia pulled Pip by the arm and sat her and herself down on two empty bar stools near their friends. They all grabbed a glass; Pip hesitating before Lydia shoved one in her hand, and all drank on three.

It burned in her throat, kind of like the feeling of ripping off duct tape. But instead of it masking her face, it covered her windpipes. But she kind of liked it. It hurt so good.

So she took another.

And another.

And another, and another. And now, she was in the middle of the dance floor, dancing to a remix of a Tove Lo song.

Everyone looked shiny but foggy, with all the neon lights, Dancing. She even saw Jerry dancing in the corner, next to her abandoned cocktail.

Everything slipped away. She didn't care if it slipped, not tonight. Tonight was her night, to dance in a short dress, to drink until she puked over someone's shoes, to forget about the Ravi shaped hole in her heart and in the entrance of the club.

Wait. Ravi?

Pip froze. She starred. It was him.

No.

That's not possible.

Ravi can't be here. Ravi's supposed to be home, Ravi's supposed to be far away, Ravi's supposed to be safe.

Pip's mind raced at a hundred miles. He was there. In a white button up with the first two buttons undone, a pair of jeans, and his Adidas. His jawline had slightly gotten sharper and his hair had grown too, maybe two inches longer. but one thing stayed the same. His golden eyes, those god damn, golden eyes. Which had just caught her.

This wasn't happening. Maybe this was a dream. Maybe she was hallucinating. And then he started walking towards her.

No.

No.

No!

Ravi's supposed to stay away!

She's gotta stay away.