metulji - jan peteh

Street Dancing

'I promise my name's not ACTUALLY nobody.' I finally said. Even though it had been at least an hour since I'd made that comment, and we'd obviously been through a few more topics since, I just needed to set it straight.

Jan's smile appeared again. 'You've already stressed that at least... 3 times?'

I had tried to sober up since we'd started talking, not wanting to give a bad first impression, but, despite my efforts, I was too far gone to make decent conversation. He didn't seem to mind, it looked like he found me quite funny - I hadn't seen that glare he'd given me when I bumped into him at all since, and his tone was very light-hearted and carefree. He felt safe to be around.

'How are you getting home?' he asked. Even though I knew better than to assume he was going to try and take me back to his place, I must've let my inner thoughts slip, as he very hastily followed the question up with some suggestions.

'Taxi? You're far too drunk to be walking.'

'I don't even know how to get a taxi.' I said, nervously laughing slightly, but it was definitely not a joke. I'd been relying on Ocean to be the responsible one tonight, and look where that had gotten me. I messed with my nails, hoping he wouldn't press me on it or think I was a fool, which he didn't. Instead, his brow knitted together, the pensive look appearing again, and he pulled out his phone. Before I had a chance to object, he'd given Uber his location and told me he'd pay.

'Ten minutes. Come on, let's wait outside.'

I was wary about standing up given what had happened last time, but I brought myself to my feet pretty easily. Jan had ensured that I had no more alcohol, only water (and had acted very overbearing when people had offered to buy me more, just to scare them off). When I let go of the bar, I wobbled slightly, bringing Jan to alarm, and he rushed to support me with a strong arm around my back.

That just made me feel even more dizzy.

-o-

We did make it outside eventually, people had moved straight out of our way as we approached them (clearly not wanting to argue with the tall, bearded man who was escorting me). He had a deep, focused look on his face when I looked up, which had probably made him look even more intimidating to everyone else. Since he was very evidently distracted, I took the opportunity to lean in closer to him, resting myself in the crux of his shoulder. He didn't seem to notice, but his face warmed up slightly - maybe an unconscious reaction, but still a reaction nontheless.

Reaching outside was a shock to my system. Obviously I had come dressed for the weather, expecting I would be barhopping all night with Sanjay and Ocean, but the quick transition from the sweaty, sauna-like bar to a cold British night was still surprising to my body. It was dark, too, and my blurred vision was obstructed even more by the lack of light. We walked slowly, Jan reminding me each time there was a step, or a crack in the paving. Eventually, we came to a bench positioned not too far from where the road hit the pedestrian area, and I practically fell straight onto it as I tried to sit down. Jan retrieved his phone from his pocket and his expression changed.

'Fuck, it's been delayed.'

'How long?' I was secretly insanely happy - I didn't actually want to leave yet, the only reason I was doing so was because of Jan. A few more minutes with him would bring something positive to what had been such an awful night. I tried to keep my smile to myself, but it fell through my head and crashed onto my face.

'15 minutes. You look awfully happy for someone so cold.'

Despite knowing that yes, I was definitely cold, I hadn't even noticed my shivers until now. I attempted to hide them from him. I clearly wasn't doing a very good job, as Jan laughed.

'You need something to warm up.'

'No more drinks, please.' I practically begged. My stomach was full of rum and whatever else the people in the bar had bought for me, and I was sure that anything else on top of it would ignite it and I would literally explode.

'No, I was thinking more..' He started to dance around. I giggled a little, covering my mouth with my hands to mask my rosy cheeks. He offered me both of his hands, smiling down. 'Dance with me?'

If we weren't both drunk, this would've been a perfect first date.

We waltzed around the street, almost knocking into a few lampposts as he spun me under his arm time and time again, but we laughed it off and carried on. I couldn't feel sick around him; everything went away. I even forgot about Ocean and Sanjay, allowing me to have some time to focus on my own joy, without a care in the world to interrupt it. Even though my cheeks were sore, my jaw begging for me to drop the smile, I couldn't.

If I'm honest, men hadn't been too great to me. Man after man had done the bare minimum and then left when they were satisfied that they'd broken my heart enough. I had never known what it had felt like to be danced with, to get lost in someone's eyes without need for words. Yes, I wasn't in the right mind, but my gut was confident that Jan wasn't here to hurt me, to take anything from me that I didn't want to give.

After a few more almost-collisions with walls, nearly toppling over the uneven pavement, and a couple of breaks to catch our breath, he took the back of my head into his hand and tilted it upwards, gently lifting my leg. I might as well have been in a ballroom. Sure, I was actually in the middle of a Liverpool street with passers-by wolf-whistling or giving us really strange looks, but the moment felt so full and real.

Jan held me there for a few seconds, my heart-rate rising in anticipation. Yet nothing happened.

I could guess from the sudden distant look on his face, the way he stared off into the distance unlike how he had stared intently at me a few seconds ago, that this was the end of the night.

He lifted me, noticeably more abrupt than before, and lead me back to the bench. He sat for a few moments in silence. I suddenly doubted myself, all of my trust issues overpowering me, almost believing that he was about to say that there was no taxi. That this wasn't the real him.

Again, nothing happened.

'I'm sorry.' he grumbled lowly, turning to face me. His eyes were filled with repentance and upset. 'I've never had-'

He was cut off by the roar of an engine further up the road,

'Shit. I think that's yours.'

He checked his phone and I watched as he fell deeper into the bench, frustrated that he didn't have time to explain himself. Knowing that we were about to part, he hastily pulled a pen from his pocket and used his teeth to rip a receipt in half, jotting something down from his phone. Once he was done and had read it over, he handed it to me.

It was just a piece of paper full of numbers.

'Maths? Really?' I questioned. Surely not? There was no way that he had spent this whole night with me to top it off with some homework.

'Don't tell me you don't know what a phone number is either.' he laughed, and then suddenly became serious when he saw that I was deadpan.

'It's a phone number, Lilia.' he stated.

'Yours?'

'No, the taxi man's.'

My face fell further.

'Of course it's mine, Lilia.'

My cheeks flushed when he said my name. He was just so gorgeous - the way he fixed his hair when he spoke, the warm smile he gave to show he was listening - that I couldn't contain my excitement when he spoke exclusively to me.

A horn sounded in the distance, spoiling the moment, and I knew it was time to go. I stood, practically fell into him, and then turned off towards the car.

'Lilia?'

I turned back.

'Call me when you're home safe.'

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hi guys!! just wanted to say that the next chapter will be a Jan POV, so stay tuned! thanks for all the views, it means the world 🫶