Chasing Calls
Trust
INDIANA'S POV - NIGHT OF JULY 25TH 2011
The red plastic cup I clutched at in between my hands tightly was the same colour as the skirt I wore – a small coincidence I dare no body else seemed to have noticed. Club Royale was the kind of place that could turn women against the morals and men back into boys – having the power to change the world’s wildest dreams into tragedies. Although we’d gotten in at close to half past 9; it wasn’t until a game of flip cup and time seemingly running short that I actually began to feel comfortable – began to feel a little alive, began to become; me.
Gusts of cigarette smoke and cheap-labelled vodka began to fill the air although for the most part, I could and only wanted to smell the perfume I was wearing. Every song that played one after the other sounded like broken records on repeat – the same dance tracks mixed and contorted unto an inch of their lyrical lives. Louis and Liam were both busy wasting time and pain away in the ‘smokers area’ after what could only be called an intense round of beer pong; an ‘extra curricular activity’, they both felt they excelled in; I on the other had had spent part of my night trying to convince Erica to gain enough confidence to come out of hiding in the bathrooms.
“I just don’t get it.”
Was that the cue as best friend I had been waiting for to jump in and save the day or was I meant to let her lull on the fact and perception for just a little bit longer? Taking another sip of the mixer I’d poured out of the glass the bartender had served up into the red cup I was holding in hopes that if I spilt or dropped anything I’d be safe – a deep breath was exhaled, my lungs clearing with empathy towards the dirty blonde who’d pushed her way out of the cubicle and was now with a hand on each side of the wash basins.
“Don’t get what E?”, I asked half shrugging my shoulders. When Erica’s self esteem went down, she wasn’t the kind of person you wanted around. Not to say I didn’t appreciate her or feel for her, I just wished she either said a little more or kept the feeling to just herself.
“Why everyone else has something and I don’t”, she explained pushing the skin over her cheek bones higher.
“Like what? A boyfriend?”, I scoffed with an induced laugh.
Catching a glimpse of her near naked hazel eyes in the mirror reflection I was also gazing into, I sighed, only remembering how inadequate she felt although I didn’t understand why. A rub with my hand against her back, between the shoulder blades in small, intricate circles seemed to make her physically feel better – a smile had at least jumped on her face.
“Honestly; you don’t want one”, I tried cheering her up, “I mean, Louis is nothing but trouble and the shit he gets himself into is just going to you know; end bad some day.”
A look of remorse yet bliss screened across her face and when offered out, she took my hand without second thought.
“Speaking of boys, let’s head out and find where ours are shall we?”
Pushing through a crowd of self loathing and drug consumed women – many of whom I didn’t recognize the faces of onto the main floor of Royales; I spotted from the corner of my eye two red shirts which just screamed ‘double trouble’.
“Indi-baby! Over here.”
It was like two clicks of his fingers could result in anything he wanted. I had followed Louis voice in the direction it had travelled from – dragging Erica over as if she was just another part of me. Quickly dropping her hand as she settled down beside Liam and the bar, I felt Louis fingers pick at my sides – the cotton of my shirt rising and falling playfully with the help of every breath I took.
“You know we haven’t danced all night..”, Louis pointed out, his voice subtle and faint; leaning in to whisper as if it was our jobs to keep some kind of secret safe.
“You haven’t been around to”, I pointed out, a part of me disappointed; another part of me thankful as I didn’t want any attention drawn on the dance floor.
“We could change that”, he pointed out, eyes glowing bright as our hips began to sway without want or intent. As my eyes began to shut, and without intent; I became one with what was going on around me, a familiar scent arose catching my attention.
“Harry..”
No thought process, no purpose, no deliberation could have led to what happened next. Letting go of my intimacy with Louis, I turned quickly, pulling my best friend into a warm embrace only we understood. Life as we knew it was coming to an end – hopefully no more late nights, hopefully no more study sessions, hopefully no more childish curiosity.
Harry’s arms reciprocated the gestures I gave along with a brief yet warm acknowledgement of those around him.
“You made it”, I finally let out, the corners of my lips turning up as I realized not only was he here but somewhere between the bathrooms and bar I’d lost my drink.
“I kind of promised didn’t I?”, he stated with a smirk.
“Well I’m glad you kept your part of the deal.”
Between our own conversation and the start of some kind of rowdy response, the two of us were pushed from where we were standing, down a flight of stars and face first onto the dance floor. A series of groans and irks as she struggled to stumble to our hands and knees, the quick offering of Harry’s own hands as I tried to make it to my feet.
“What the hell--.”
“Don’t fucking try to make a move on her – you got it?”
“Liam, bro relax.”
“Not with this fuck around..”
It didn’t take much to get Liam annoyed or agitated; and with a couple of drinks in him and some herb which is what I’m assuming had occupied the boys in the smokers area for some time – he was easily fractious.
I tried to make sense of all that was going on quickly between scrambling up and being tossed out of Royale within seconds – standing on the sidewalk, cold and confused having been forced from the club.
“What the fuck? What happened?”, I asked for what felt like the millionth time yet I knew was the first. I wanted, no I needed answers quickly. Someone would give them to me; dead or alive, I got what I wanted.
“Liam got a little defensive that’s all”, I heard Louis voice pipe up. By the time I’d focused my concentration on them, the blood running down Liam’s face had begun to pool on the ground.
“Fuck Li..”
“Indiana, I’m fine.”
It was if without looking at me and before I could even finish my sentence and know what I was feeling; experiencing. But why?
“Some guy groped me”, Erica explained coy, “Liam stepped in for me.”
I guess I’d spent a little too much time invested in Harry to realize. Unsure of what I should do or offer, I suggested catching a cab to the closest hospital – a doctor would have been able to solve this problem. That is if there was any at all.
“Nonsense, we can drive. Save the cash”, Liam protested.
“Liam you’re not driving.”
“Then Louis can drive.”
“No.”
“Babe..”
“Louis, NO.”
Standing my ground on what a stupid idea this was with both boys filled with liquor and god knows what else; the plan they’d hatched duplicate inside their minds had bad news written all over it. Trying my best to argue my point of sanity – Louis and Liam both assured me things would be fine.
“Indi, we need to get him to a hospital.”
“I know that Louis, but you’re both not fit to drive.”
“Indiana, please don’t argue with me.”
“Louis..”
“Just trust me.”
Oh, had I heard that line a million and one times over before.
“Harry”, Louis let out with a snap of his fingers, bringing the younger man over without haste, “Make sure the girls get home safe tonight.”
Rummaging through his pockets for Liam’s car keys; the moment Louis pulled them out, jingling them away in the wind I felt a cold shivering wave wash over me. Arms wrapping around myself to try and keep warm, I noticed Louis throw an arm around Liam to lead him away.
“Lou..”
“I’ll call you when we get to the hospital.”
“Louis..”
“Indiana, trust me.”
“LOUIS……”
The red plastic cup I clutched at in between my hands tightly was the same colour as the skirt I wore – a small coincidence I dare no body else seemed to have noticed. Club Royale was the kind of place that could turn women against the morals and men back into boys – having the power to change the world’s wildest dreams into tragedies. Although we’d gotten in at close to half past 9; it wasn’t until a game of flip cup and time seemingly running short that I actually began to feel comfortable – began to feel a little alive, began to become; me.
Gusts of cigarette smoke and cheap-labelled vodka began to fill the air although for the most part, I could and only wanted to smell the perfume I was wearing. Every song that played one after the other sounded like broken records on repeat – the same dance tracks mixed and contorted unto an inch of their lyrical lives. Louis and Liam were both busy wasting time and pain away in the ‘smokers area’ after what could only be called an intense round of beer pong; an ‘extra curricular activity’, they both felt they excelled in; I on the other had had spent part of my night trying to convince Erica to gain enough confidence to come out of hiding in the bathrooms.
“I just don’t get it.”
Was that the cue as best friend I had been waiting for to jump in and save the day or was I meant to let her lull on the fact and perception for just a little bit longer? Taking another sip of the mixer I’d poured out of the glass the bartender had served up into the red cup I was holding in hopes that if I spilt or dropped anything I’d be safe – a deep breath was exhaled, my lungs clearing with empathy towards the dirty blonde who’d pushed her way out of the cubicle and was now with a hand on each side of the wash basins.
“Don’t get what E?”, I asked half shrugging my shoulders. When Erica’s self esteem went down, she wasn’t the kind of person you wanted around. Not to say I didn’t appreciate her or feel for her, I just wished she either said a little more or kept the feeling to just herself.
“Why everyone else has something and I don’t”, she explained pushing the skin over her cheek bones higher.
“Like what? A boyfriend?”, I scoffed with an induced laugh.
Catching a glimpse of her near naked hazel eyes in the mirror reflection I was also gazing into, I sighed, only remembering how inadequate she felt although I didn’t understand why. A rub with my hand against her back, between the shoulder blades in small, intricate circles seemed to make her physically feel better – a smile had at least jumped on her face.
“Honestly; you don’t want one”, I tried cheering her up, “I mean, Louis is nothing but trouble and the shit he gets himself into is just going to you know; end bad some day.”
A look of remorse yet bliss screened across her face and when offered out, she took my hand without second thought.
“Speaking of boys, let’s head out and find where ours are shall we?”
Pushing through a crowd of self loathing and drug consumed women – many of whom I didn’t recognize the faces of onto the main floor of Royales; I spotted from the corner of my eye two red shirts which just screamed ‘double trouble’.
“Indi-baby! Over here.”
It was like two clicks of his fingers could result in anything he wanted. I had followed Louis voice in the direction it had travelled from – dragging Erica over as if she was just another part of me. Quickly dropping her hand as she settled down beside Liam and the bar, I felt Louis fingers pick at my sides – the cotton of my shirt rising and falling playfully with the help of every breath I took.
“You know we haven’t danced all night..”, Louis pointed out, his voice subtle and faint; leaning in to whisper as if it was our jobs to keep some kind of secret safe.
“You haven’t been around to”, I pointed out, a part of me disappointed; another part of me thankful as I didn’t want any attention drawn on the dance floor.
“We could change that”, he pointed out, eyes glowing bright as our hips began to sway without want or intent. As my eyes began to shut, and without intent; I became one with what was going on around me, a familiar scent arose catching my attention.
“Harry..”
No thought process, no purpose, no deliberation could have led to what happened next. Letting go of my intimacy with Louis, I turned quickly, pulling my best friend into a warm embrace only we understood. Life as we knew it was coming to an end – hopefully no more late nights, hopefully no more study sessions, hopefully no more childish curiosity.
Harry’s arms reciprocated the gestures I gave along with a brief yet warm acknowledgement of those around him.
“You made it”, I finally let out, the corners of my lips turning up as I realized not only was he here but somewhere between the bathrooms and bar I’d lost my drink.
“I kind of promised didn’t I?”, he stated with a smirk.
“Well I’m glad you kept your part of the deal.”
Between our own conversation and the start of some kind of rowdy response, the two of us were pushed from where we were standing, down a flight of stars and face first onto the dance floor. A series of groans and irks as she struggled to stumble to our hands and knees, the quick offering of Harry’s own hands as I tried to make it to my feet.
“What the hell--.”
“Don’t fucking try to make a move on her – you got it?”
“Liam, bro relax.”
“Not with this fuck around..”
It didn’t take much to get Liam annoyed or agitated; and with a couple of drinks in him and some herb which is what I’m assuming had occupied the boys in the smokers area for some time – he was easily fractious.
I tried to make sense of all that was going on quickly between scrambling up and being tossed out of Royale within seconds – standing on the sidewalk, cold and confused having been forced from the club.
“What the fuck? What happened?”, I asked for what felt like the millionth time yet I knew was the first. I wanted, no I needed answers quickly. Someone would give them to me; dead or alive, I got what I wanted.
“Liam got a little defensive that’s all”, I heard Louis voice pipe up. By the time I’d focused my concentration on them, the blood running down Liam’s face had begun to pool on the ground.
“Fuck Li..”
“Indiana, I’m fine.”
It was if without looking at me and before I could even finish my sentence and know what I was feeling; experiencing. But why?
“Some guy groped me”, Erica explained coy, “Liam stepped in for me.”
I guess I’d spent a little too much time invested in Harry to realize. Unsure of what I should do or offer, I suggested catching a cab to the closest hospital – a doctor would have been able to solve this problem. That is if there was any at all.
“Nonsense, we can drive. Save the cash”, Liam protested.
“Liam you’re not driving.”
“Then Louis can drive.”
“No.”
“Babe..”
“Louis, NO.”
Standing my ground on what a stupid idea this was with both boys filled with liquor and god knows what else; the plan they’d hatched duplicate inside their minds had bad news written all over it. Trying my best to argue my point of sanity – Louis and Liam both assured me things would be fine.
“Indi, we need to get him to a hospital.”
“I know that Louis, but you’re both not fit to drive.”
“Indiana, please don’t argue with me.”
“Louis..”
“Just trust me.”
Oh, had I heard that line a million and one times over before.
“Harry”, Louis let out with a snap of his fingers, bringing the younger man over without haste, “Make sure the girls get home safe tonight.”
Rummaging through his pockets for Liam’s car keys; the moment Louis pulled them out, jingling them away in the wind I felt a cold shivering wave wash over me. Arms wrapping around myself to try and keep warm, I noticed Louis throw an arm around Liam to lead him away.
“Lou..”
“I’ll call you when we get to the hospital.”
“Louis..”
“Indiana, trust me.”
“LOUIS……”
Notes
Hopefully you're all getting more of a feel for where this story's heading. I promise, we'll get to the fun/exciting/drama soon :) Let me know what you think xo
Update soon!
8/12/14