lost time - gxg

three

Icy wind hits me, shivers playing up and down my spine like a xylophone. I pull out my phone, cold fingers typing and sending a quick 'im outside' text to Kaz. I shove it back into my pocket, cuddling myself into my jacket.

The club seems small, urban, trendy, the type of place where the dress code isn't misogynistic at it's roots. Massive lights and posters are slapped over the walls. There's secruity men and women adorning high vis jackets, club promoters handing out cards and drunk people screaming at the top of their lungs as they leave the club.

Anyone that knows me, knows that this is my own personal hell, so why and how the fuck am I here?

However, I cleverly bought back up, a girl by the name of Claire. My thought process behind inviting her was clear, I didn't want to be alone. And if I was going to suffer, at least I knew someone would suffer with me.

"So, who's the gal again?" Claire asks, hooking her arm around mine.

I breathe out a cold cloud of air, "Kaz. We're old friends." It's the truth, just half of it.

She lets out an 'ohhh'. Inching closer to me. "D'ya think she'll like me?"

"Maybe." I reply, "I haven't seen her in so long, she might not even like me." I let out a tense laugh.

She elbows me delicately, forcing me to look at her incredulously, "You're really nervous, ain't you?"

"First of all, OW." I moan, rubbing the rib she asualted. "Second of all, elbowing me doesn't help the feeling of anxiousness disappear."

She laughs, flicking her red hair behind her shoulder, her sickly sweet perfume wafting up my nose. "Well, stop being nervous."

"I'm cured." I offer the taller girl a smile, she rolls her emerald eyes in response.

Claire and I had met in our University gardening group. She was the tall and beautiful red-head from Ireland that everyone fancied. Me included.

A moment passes, and stumbling out of the club comes three women, and a man connected to Kaz's hand. This must be the fiance.

The brown eyed girl sees me, gifting me with a not so subtle once over. Claire's eyes immediately dart to mine, as if she saw what I just saw, but I ignore it.

"You came." Kaz begins, her voice slightly slurring.

"I did."

"Not busy on new year's Eve?" She clicks her heels toward me, the man at her side. He's tall, with dark, long hair and an even longer beard.

I shrug, "Same as always."

They reach us, Kaz's eyes shift between mine and Claire's.

"This is Claire," I point to the red-head, before pointing to Kaz. "And Claire, this is Kazmiera."

The brown eyed girl rolls her eyes, "Just Kaz is fine."

"You are gorgeous." Is the first words that leave Claire's mouth. My eyes close in a moment of awkwardness.

Kaz plasters on a pageant smile,"Thank you, so are you." She reaches forward, shaking Claire's hand. "Your accent is beautiful, where are you from?"

Claire smiles, "Dublin."

Kaz's friends give a chorus of 'awws', before introducing themselves as Sophie, Kim and June. Names I won't remember by the end of the night.

And then the man comes forward towering over us.

"This is Mark." Kaz introduces him.

"Her fiance." He finishes, his steely eyes glued to mine.

Mark is a giant, brute of a man. He's handsome, objectively speaking, sort of like a chiseled Greek god.