The Trench

Chapter 5 - Club Charisma

Once everyone gets their drinks we head over to one of the tables, we agreed to get drunk before any of us decided to make a fool of ourselves on the dance floor. I asked Mae where her incredible dance moves were and she pointed towards her martini glass with a laugh. The leather chairs were incredibly comfortable and we all sat around and sipped our alcohol. Well, with the exception of Kane who is drinking a Mountain Dew. Pansy.

"So where are you from?" Austin leans in towards me and asks over the music.

"Missouri, or as we call it: Misery." I laugh and take another swig of my drink.

"Really?" Mae looks a bit surprised, "Did you move here just for your Marine Biology degree?"

"Actually I did, it's hard to study the ocean from a hayfield I'm afraid." I laugh again and Austin nods along. "I've never been anywhere like this before."

All eyes turn and look at me like I just grew another head.

"You mean nowhere like Maine, or like a club?" Mae leaned forward in her seat in confusion and folded her arms on the table.

"What did you do on weekends, knit?" Kane asks. I can't tell if he's joking or not since he never smiles.

"Nah, I bet she went cow tipping. Isn't that what country folks do?" Mae said with an awful southern twang impression and grinned at me.

I lost my shit and started laughing hysterically, when I looked up at Mae she was laughing too but in an uncomfortable way and I realized she wasn't fucking kidding.

"Oh you weren't kidding, sorry." I clear my throat before diving in.

"Well, it's not a real thing. Actually, it's almost impossible. If you think about it do you really think someone could sneak up on a fifteen hundred pound cow and push it over? Even if you got three men to push, you think that cow is going to stand there and take it? Firstly, when cows are standing they're in a restful state, not fully sleeping. They know you're there. Secondly, chances are there's a bull in that field. If you go after one you better make sure you can run faster than him."

I sit there after my little speech while the other three think it over. I always seem to give this speech because almost everyone thinks it's a legit past time or some shit. Everyone's tried it in their high school years but no one I've ever known was actually successful. It is kinda fun to try though when you're drunk, makes for some interesting memories.

Kane shrugs after a while. "The science does make sense if you think about it."

Mae puts her finger to her chin in mock thought.

"Well I guess you learn something new everyday, useful or otherwise. But I didn't come here to learn about cows." She glances at us with a mischievous grin on her face before yelling "WHO WANTS SHOTS!"

-

Two blurry hours later I'm on the dance floor with Austin. Or Professor Michaels, I don't even know what to call him outside of class so I try to avoid the name formalities. Mae went to get another drink and I have no idea where Kane went, I lost sight of him about an hour ago. Last time I checked he was on his phone over in the sitting area but as I look over he's gone.

I actually can't dance well, but here I am with Austin who is actually pretty incredible. He dances like he walks, with confidence. The kind of confidence that makes heads turn while clearing his path.

He is either too drunk to care about my bad dancing, or he just doesn't want to crush my spirit. At first I felt a little awkward dancing with him, however after a few more glasses of courage I didn't seem to mind as much anymore.

As I'm swaying to the music I glance sideways as Austin moves closer to me and my breath catches in my throat. He looks amazing even in a plain white t-shirt and jeans; although I think he would look better with those off...

No, stop it.

As he closes in he puts his hands on my waist and turns me to look at him. I trip over my own feet and fall into him, I try to catch myself and he grabs me by my wrists and places them on his chest. My heart skips a beat as I run my hands over his shirt, feeling the muscles and hot skin beneath it; the picture of him standing in those sweatpants comes to mind as I remember what's under this shirt. I know I shouldn't be acting this way, I know I shouldn't let him get to me like this.

I can't help it.

"You look beautiful tonight." He leans in and whispers in my ear so I can hear him over the throbbing music. His lips brushing my skin sent electric through me and goose bumps littered my skin, I take one hand and rub it up my arm trying to get rid of them incase he notices. But I have a hunch he knows what he's doing.

"You look pretty handsome yourself, professor." I say, lack of confidence evident in my quiet voice.

He pulls back and gives me an odd look, something between concerned and amused, before laughing. I start laughing too, his is so contagious and we're having such a good time. It does seem a bit ridiculous to be out drinking and dancing with my teacher I think again, but I decide to let us worry about that later. He doesn't seem to care, so neither should I. Right?

"I'd like you get to know you better; outside of the classroom." He says as he absentmindedly twirls a strand of my long hair with his fingers.

I think over his words for a second and his eyes meet mine, waiting for a response.

"I think we could arrange that, I do know where you live after all." I tease, my stomach turning in knots at the thought of a date. He releases a breath and seems to be relieved, almost as if he was waiting for rejection.

"It's a date." He grins at me as he leans his head in and draws one arm around to my back bringing me back to his chest. He brings his fingers on his other hand to my chin and runs his thumb along the underside of my lower lip while nibbling his bottom lip again. This sends sparks through me so intense; if they were real I would be worried about my drink catching fire.

"Uhm, Riley?" Kane's voice sounds behind me, hesitant.

Are you fucking kidding me right now?

I turn around and give Kane a glare that would give anyone a hint to come back later. But not Kane, Kane apparently doesn't pick up on social cues.

"I saw Mae go into the bathroom earlier, and I haven't seen her come out yet. Can you go check on her?" My irritation melts as I see his worried expression, hands twiddling in front of him as he bounces on the balls of his feet anxiously.

"Yeah, I'll go find her." I saw softly and I turn and look at Austin "I'll be right back." I force my feet to move away from him. I shouldn't be doing this, I can feel myself wanting to be closer to him, drawing me closer to him and I can't. If something happened between us would I get expelled? Would he lose his job? Everything we both worked hard for could be gone with the carelessness of just a few nights.

I shake my head clear of my thoughts and wade my way through the pool of people towards the back of the club where the restrooms are. Some girl elbows me in the boob and I have to tell myself to walk away, do not start anything, and just find Mae. I hear her issue a drunken apology behind me as I keep winding through the crowd.

I get to the bathroom door and push it open, letting it swing shut behind me. I blink rapidly a few times trying to let my eyes adjust to the bright lighting compared to the bars main room as I scan for Mae. There's a line of black stalls to the right and I hear a mumbling noise coming from the very end, when I get to the last stall I see one nude heel peaking out from under the door.

"Mae, hun, are you okay?" I pull the door open and see Mae on the floor, leaning against her palm, and her elbow on the rim of the toilet bowl. I chuckle to myself and decide whether I want to take a picture so she can remember this moment tomorrow. What are friends for, if not for embarrassment?

I decide against it and crouch down beside her. I pull her hair back and take the ponytail holder off my wrist to tie her hair up in a messy bun. I hear her mutter something along the lines of a 'thank you'.