Rayne and Alex

Chapter 5

Rayne 

I wasn't planning on going to a party. But my best friend, Jennifer, had told me that there was a huge party happening at a fancy hotel. She told me I had no choice and my presence at the party was compulsory. The second I walk through the hotel doors, I'm attacked by blaring music and bright strobe lights. I can't make out the words to the song that's playing and I'm sure no one else can, but they're all probably either too smashed or too high to care.

I try to find my friend through the crowd of dancing people, but I know there's no point. Jenn is a small, five-one, strawberry blonde bombshell. She was either in the middle of the dancefloor, attracting all possible attention, or off somewhere hooking up with a stranger. Many people are fooled by Jenn's small frame, but she was anything but innocent. The girl could take you to hell and back with the bat of an eyelash. Jenn was scary when she wanted to be.

Jenn and I used to go to parties together all the time. Both of our parents weren't big on the actual parenting part of having children. When we were just fourteen, we were already drinking and smoking and doing things most fifteen year olds shouldn't have been. I can see now that it was weird, to be so young and doing such adult things, but at the time it didn't feel like it. Now I look back and tell myself I was stupid, but I can't say that I've changed at all.

I try looking for Jenn for a few minutes but give up. I know I'm not going to find her in the mass of screaming, dancing people. Instead, I make my way over to the bar and order a few shots of tequila. When I order my third one, I decide I'm going to dance so I grab the glass and turn to go to the dancefloor. I don't make it far before I crash into someone. My drink slips out of my hand and I stumble in my heels, but luckily two hands grab onto my waist so I don't fall.

"I'm so, so sorry," I say with wide eyes. I look up and freeze when I see the guy from the pharmacy.

He smiles at me, showing off perfectly straight, white teeth. "It's okay," he shrugs. "Payback for earlier," he gestures toward his shirt where there's a big splash of my drink.

I put a hand to my mouth as I laugh, "Yeah, I guess so. Still, I'm sorry."

He surprises me when he puts a firm, but gentle, hand on my arm when he speaks to me, "Let me buy you a drink. To make up for this one," he motions to his shirt again.

I feel my cheeks heat, "I can't believe I did that. You don't have to get me drink." As much as I'd really like him too, I'm just too embarrassed.

He smiles again and I notice that he has a dimple on his left cheek, "One drink."

Before I can say no, he drags me over to the bar and situates me on a stool. I sit quietly as he orders whiskey for himself and tequila for me. He turns his body to me when the bartender leaves, giving me his full attention.

"Are you here alone?" He asks me. Genuine curiosity seeps through his voice.

I shake my head and sip on my drink, "My friend was supposed to meet with me, but I haven't seen her."

"Pretty girls like you shouldn't be alone," he leans in as if to tell me a secret so I lean in too. "Someone could steal you away and she wouldn't even know."

I lean away and use my hair to cover my blushing face. When my face cools down, I look to him and whisper, "Now we wouldn't want that now would we?"

He chuckles and brushes my hair out of my face to put it behind my ear. Tonight I straightened most of it but curled it at the tips. "No we wouldn't." He pauses and then speaks again, "You know, I never got your name."

I smile again. The guy doesn't even have to try and he's got me full of smiles. "Rayne," I tell him. "My name's Rayne."