We walk through the doors, and the club music is booming. There’s already a crowd of familiar faces that aren’t familiar because I know them personally. They are all A-list celebs. Some are guests of theirs; others got in because they have connections. As we near the VIP section, I see Stella, a white tight sparkling dress with a slit up the side, thin straps that show her cleavage at the bust, and her skin looks angelic. Her hair is pulled out of her face, lips red, and she is laughing with fucking Jens. I furrow my brows as they inch closer, looking at someone's phone to take a picture. That should be me. We’re dating— fake dating. Fuck I need more alcohol.
I cross to the bar and order three shots. Tito is hovering beside me, definitely not in support of this choice, but I don’t fucking care. I take three in one go, and he pulls me away from the bar a second later.
“Let’s say hi to Stella.” He pats my back, and I whip my arm away from him, pushing through the crowd and stomping up the steps of the VIP section. Stella’s eyes light up when she sees me, but I know it’s just for show, so I take a seat at the end of the large sectional, and a couple of girls from the movie sit around me. I’m not really listening to them; I can’t really tell what the fuck is happening as they talk to me. All I see every time I glance up is Stella talking with Jens, her friends closing in a circle, cutting me out.
Whatever. I don’t fucking care. Don’t even know where Tito is now either. These girls keep laughing. I think their hands are on my legs and chest, complimenting my style or something, but I just keep searching for Stella. But the next thing I see when I look up is not her. It’s Jens who’s furrowing his brows, hands on his hips, looking like he wants to pick a fight.
I stand to my feet and shove the girls off me as I do.
“What the fuck, man?” He spews.
“What?”
“You’re supposed to be with Stella, and you’re over here flirting with my cast-mates like you’re on The Bachelor.”
“Might as well be,” I mumble, and he cocks his head which rests on his incredibly large neck. Damn, it’s big. I’m staring at it now.
“What did you just say?” He pushes my shoulder with his meaty hand like I’m supposed to just let him. I square up with him, eyes narrowed into his.
“I’m not flirting with anyone. Maybe you should mind your own fucking business.” I push him back, and his eyes go wide.
“Oh? You seriously think you can take me?
“Wow, you are really in the mood to fight.” I scoff, and he punches me in the gut. I groan, crumple over a bit.
“Come on,” I grunt. “That’s all you got? I’m fucking Stella. Surely, you have more—“ he grabs my shoulder and knees me in the chin. Okay, now the guy’s pissing me off. I stand up and throw a hard punch to his annoyingly cut cheekbone, and I think I hurt myself more than him. He swings another punch, and I duck.
“Stop!” Stella is screaming at us now, pulling on my arm and weaseling her way between us.
“Stop!” She screams over the music, and Jens steps away.
“Pussy.” I spit at him, and he’s gearing to jump at me when Brandt, Grey, and Presley surround him, and I let out a laugh. Stella pushes me back further from him, and my eyes meet with her fury.
“I would ask you what the fuck you’re doing, but I figured you out now.” She grits through her teeth.
“Oh?” I raise my brows, instantly to defend myself from the intensity of her anger.
“You’re just scared.” She lowers her brows, grimacing at me as I snap my head back in disbelief.
“Excuse me?”
“You fucking heard me, Antonio!”
“Bullshit. I'm not scared.”
“Oh? Then why do you pull away every time you show me the slightest bit of attention? How about how you slip away from responsibility because you’re too scared to admit that, deep down, you’re afraid of failing.”
I swallow the annoying knot in my throat, trying to hold back the wave of anger washing over me like a tidal wave, scraping my body along the sand before spitting me out on the shore. I'm losing it now. Fuming back at her.
“You know what’s so fucking rich, Stella?” She crinkles her nose as I spew her name like a curse. “You’re on this high-horse like you’re better than everyone else, but you’re the epitome of selfishness.”
“I’m selfish?!”
“Yeah, thanks for admitting that.” I grin, and she bares her teeth in detest.
“Fuck you.”
“Fuck you too.” I spit back as Tito’s arms wrap around mine, dragging me away through the crowd. The last thing I see are the tears beginning to well in Stella's abnormally gorgeous eyes that I never wanted to hurt or be the reason for their sadness.
Why the fuck am I so screwed up? So, fucking horrible?