CHAOTIC HEARTS

TWO

A STRING OF COLORFUL words resonated past my lips as I wobbled in my heels towards the restroom. The alcohol pulsed through my veins, a wave of dizziness washing over my vision as I rubbed my eyelids. Without a sense of direction, I swayed back and forth, watching helplessly at the brown contact drained down the sink. "Today is not my fucking day," I grumbled at my mismatched eyes, feeling twice as insecure as I had when entering the club.

My legs moved on its own accord until I found myself in the middle of the dance floor, swaying my hips to the rhythm of the beat as my head whipped in harmony. A grin overtook my lips upon noticing the attention I was attracting. "Need company?" a slurred voice asked, his fingers sliding down my body.

"Not from you," I yelled back, using the tip of my heel to dig into his foot as I took a step away innocently. And with a wave of my fingers, I smiled, "Move along!" I giggled, my eyes following the drunken stranger limp away, not without giving me the finger aggressively.

I continued to dance on my own, and often, casually on others. The alcohol had finally settled, and I felt lighter. I felt alive, confident, and fearless. My eyes were the least of my concerns.

Out of the corner of my vision, I noticed the alluring man stepping into the VIP room with a female clinging onto him possessively. With his futile attempts of freeing himself, in my recklessness, I stumbled past the crowds, veering towards the pair.

His voice was smooth, and the only thing I thought was that I could listen to him all day. Filled with unspoken irritation, I praised him for his patience. In a sultry manner, I leaned onto his right arm, tugging at the sleeve of his dress shirt, drawing his undivided attention. In exasperation, he tossed a dry glance at me, only to hitch his breath upon seeing me. "Hi, baby," I slurred, leaning in to kiss the corner of his mouth gently. "I have been looking for you everywhere!" I licked my lips, frowning to take a glimpse at the blonde female who was too close for comfort. "Do you mind taking your hands off him? This man is off-limits," my smile was threatening and cold, daring her to answer with a snide remark.

A drunk Laelia was an aggressive and violent Laelia. When the woman refused to acknowledge it, I took a dangerous step towards her, pushing her shoulder away. And despite standing a few inches taller, part of me inched for a fight. It was one of the many reasons why I strayed far from alcohol. "You've got a pretty face, love, so move along before I ruin it," fear roused through her persona when realizing how deadly serious I was.

With hesitation, she took a last glance at the man before hurrying away to find her next victim, cynically glaring at me in the process.

Turning, I faced the man, his appearance shadowed by the dim lights. I made out his defined jaw and sharp cheekbones, feeling the intense aura of danger that radiated off. He had qualities that would make a girl stop in their tracks to admire. "You're welcome, stranger,"

He gazed longingly at me, or something in specific, "Your eyes," he breathed slowly.

"Don't remind me," I covered my eye in embarrassment, "It's weird, I know,"

His eyes were a mesmerizing shade of grey that made me feel lost. It reminded me of ashes and smoke. When the lights flashed momentarily, I had absorbed every last detail. Like a polished shade of silver, they held such distress that I couldn't help but want to hug him. "They're cool," he assured lightly. "Come sit," he patted the seat next to him as I tripped forward. "What's your name, beautiful?"

I pondered for a moment, laughing, "No idea, I can't remember," with my confession, I rubbed my temples shyly. My eyes felt heavy, and I laid down with my legs propped onto the strangers. "You remind me of someone I used to know," the words escaped before I could think. "He once gave me a pendant that meant forever. One day, he got up and left without telling me."

The man remained quiet but continued to listen. I peeked my eyes open to find him lost in thought. "He seems like an asshole," said the stranger finally.

"I waited three years for him," I scoffed softly, uncertain of why I was telling him this. Perhaps I had grown fed up with bottling it all in. "I really hoped he would come back."

But he never laughed or came off as judgemental. "Would you still wait for him?"

"No, not anymore," I answered immediately, "I wonder how he's doing all the time. He was a mess without me during high school,"

Tapping my leg along with the beat of the music, he hummed, "Would you want to see him?"

"No, he left for a reason," I murmured, "He's become another memory to me, quite possibly my favourite," pushing myself into a sitting position, I noticed how irritated he looked, clenching and unclenching his fists. Deep in his thoughts, he leaned forward to pop the lid of an expensive bottle of brandy. "Are you okay?"

Disappointment surged in him, taking a long swig, "I have a lot of my mind,"

I kneeled on the couch, inching towards him. With a smirk, I leaned closer, "I'll make you forget," and before he could reply, my hands wrapped around him, pulling his lips to mine. His response was instant, and his touch was blazing. The way his tongue danced made me lose all rationality, and time seemed to waver. My fingers ran through his hair, tugging when he moved down my jaw, peppering wet kisses along my neck. He was like a drug, and I wanted it all.

His hands cupped my waist, trailing further and further, lifting me onto his lap. I hummed in excitement, tilting my head to give him more access. His tongue swirled and sucked while my hands travel down his abdominal in admiration.

Snapped out of my trance when I heard the familiar laugh, I pulled away to see the strawberry blonde by the entrance, "Simone!" I waved, her eyes darting in my direction with a mischievous grin.

"Fuck's sake," he cursed, a hint of an accent showing through, "Fucking tease," the man added, looking uncomfortably at his dress pants.

I burst into laughter, patting his chest apologetically, "Sorry, love," and with a shrug, I pulled myself off him as I swayed to Simone happily. "How was foreign sex?" I whispered in her ear.

"Mindblowing," sighed Simone dreamily. "I never thought I'd see the day where you got hammered,"

Simone wrapped my coat around me, leading me into the chilly night, lifting me ever so slightly into the backseat of the taxi. "I won a drinking contest," I bragged lazily.

She scowled, "I can't believe I missed it," crossing her arms childishly after clicking my seatbelt in, she flicked my hair away from my cheeks, "Tell me what happened while I was gone,"

And I continued to speak of my night without another thought of the stranger.