A Baby By Bestie

5: Dating

"How come you didn't tell me that Rick is back?" Samantha sat on a stool beside me at our usual chill spot, Club Nirvana. The bar was lively as usual on a Friday night just before nine pm when the real party starts.

I shrugged my shoulders and sips at the ghastly tasting liquid in the glass that I held. "Oh, my bad. Rick's back." I couldn't sound less ecstatic.

Sam gave me a flat look in return before she rolled her eyes. "What's with you today?"

"It's night, actually." I took another sip and gagged. "Okay, I'm so done with this thing. I need a real drink."

"I see you're very moody." She said before prying the glass of amber liquid from my hand. "And you missed therapy yesterday. What happened?"

"You know, I should stop drinking anyway if I plan to get pregnant." I totally ignored her question. I came here for fun, and maybe a one night stand that may potentially knock me up. That sounds like the absolute worst idea in the history of worst ideas.

I saw when Sam sigh rather than hear her. I'm pretty sure it would've been audible if it weren't for the loud Pop music that was blaring from the speakers. "So we're playing that game again? When is this going to get old?"

"I did not come here for a lecture!" I almost screamed.

"Okay, fine!" She fired back, "what are you planning to do here? You don't do hook-ups."

I scoffed. Whatever. "Well there's a first time for everything."

"I don't like this, Ariadne."

"Why not? You don't think I can take some strange guy home tonight and hopefully he's drunk enough to have unprotected sex with me?" The whole sentence tasted funny on my mouth. Or was it the aftertaste of the horrible excuse of a drink that I was hating?

Samantha's mouth hung open for a little while, just like it did when I told her I want to get pregnant the other day. She then placed down her glass on the bar counter and grabbed my hands in hers then stared me in the eyes. "You do know that pregnancy isn't the only thing out there to be protected against, right?"

I hung my head, a cold sinking feeling chased away the burn from the liquor inside my stomach. "I know that. You don't need to give me 'the talk' I've learned enough of that from mother."

"I'm glad you do. So be careful. Picking up a random isn't just dangerous. Think about the type of person. At least get to know the guy before deciding if you want his baby." She was making a lot of sense and I did not like it.

"I guess you're right." I said begrudgingly. She usually is. "So what do you suggest I do?"

"What about you get to know one or two guys before choosing a partner? Go out with them sometimes and see where things go from there." Sam offered, a bright smile on her lips, trying hard to hide her obvious attempt to talk me into dating.

"No. You know how I feel about dating." I replied coolly.

"I didn't exactly say dating-"

"But that's really what it is." I was starting to get frustrated but I wasn't sure if it was Samantha the cause or me.

She rolled her eyes again which was also starting to get on my nerves. "What's so wrong with dating anyway?"

"Everything! You start 'getting to know them' then you actually start liking them and after that you start feeling all these cheesy, mushy feelings. And then comes jealousy and attachment and clinginess and missing them when they're not around. And you know what's worst? When they finally leave." I felt the prick of tears in my eyes and I quickly blinked them away and yelled at the bartender for some shots of anything.

"What if it's with someone you know?"

"I'm not going out with Steven, or Jackson or what's his face with the pitbull puppy!" I was close to blowing up.

Samantha shook her head in disapproval. I wasn't sure if it was because of my refusal to date or how I was reacting to her advice. "Not even Rick?"

I got two tiny shot glass filled with tequila and downed them one after another, instantly regretted it. I coughed a little and the tears spilled out for a whole nother reason. "I'm going to pee." I shouted at Sam before I got up and swayed towards where I remembered the bathroom was.

I returned to find Samantha talking to the very person who I ended the conversation on. Rick. He was talking animatedly to her while half leaning on a tall red head who seemed to just stand there staring into her cup. I wanted to duck into the crowd of dancing bodies when the spotted me and Rick was way too eager to wave me over. I forced on a smile and swallowed the nervousness that suddenly washed over me, then made my way towards the trio.

"Hi Ari! I missed you. Have you been avoiding me?" Up close, he looked and sounded drunk as hell.

The yes was on the tip of my tongue before I changed my mind. "No. Not at all. I was just really busy." Besides, the contract signing isn't until next week. A little over two days actually.

"Oh, that's a good thing then." He's definitely wasted.

"Who's your friend?" I couldn't help asking. Not sure why though. I just needed to know.

"My friend?" He sort of trailed off and then look around the busy room before he focused on little miss pretty and petite. "Oh, Ari. This is..." He stared up at the girl, who was about an inch or two taller than him but made worst due to his bad, tipsy posture.

She laughed shyly and swatted his shoulder playfully. "I'm Monica. We're still getting acquainted."

Rick was obviously not in the shape to introduce anyone so I decided not to put him on the spot. "Ariadne."

"Oh, you're the famous Ari. I mean I know the company but Rick talks so much about you, it's hard to forget." Gee... I bet that made her feel like the other woman. "It's nice to finally meet you."

I wish I could say the same. "Likewise." I smiled back. I really needed to get out of here.