I chuckled at the thought.
“Is this outfit too much?” I asked.
“No, it’s lovely,” Polly said.
I smiled into the full-length mirror at my outfit. My stiletto-heeled black ankle boots were a necessity, as they were about the only thing I could wear for a long time. Years of ballet training and now my feet were not my best asset, making me prefer to keep them covered, especially as I hadn’t had a pedicure for some time.
“You look great and I love that lace top. Where is it from?” Polly asked.
I look down at my black see-through top with angel sleeves. “Just the High Street, nowhere fancy.”
Polly smiled. “It’s lovely, but you know I can see your bra?”
I lifted one shoulder, smirked and gave my long hair a comb, trying not to brush away the bouncy curls Polly gave me earlier. I took one last look in the mirror, and I sighed at seeing what looked back at me. With my honey blonde hair, mascara on my eyes and pink lipstick on my mouth, I looked so much like my mother tonight. Everything about me, apart from my father’s amber coloured eyes.
“Are you ready?” Polly asked.
“Ready.”
“Now let’s celebrate your birthday. The pub is only a short walk.”
I nodded at Polly. She held out her elbow, and we set off arm in arm to walk the short distance from the dorms to the Clockhouse pub.
Once inside, she pointed to an empty booth. “You take a seat over there. What would you like to drink?” she shouted as patrons danced and sang, some holding their drinks above their heads as they bounced along to the music.
“Surprise me,” I yelled over the booming song. I wasn’t a connoisseur, I only had the odd glass of wine with my parents on special occasions.
Not that I wanted to admit it.
Swaying from side to side as I headed from the bar to the booth, dodging revellers singing along to the song. I dragged down the hem of my skirt, stopped and looked around at all the students. On one side, most were dancing and singing to the chorus of anOasissong. Nearer to the booth and to the bar, people stood around the tall tables and talked.
Tonight was nineties music night; each week a different decade and regardless of the old songs, students were laughing and singing, having a great time.
I sat and shimmied my way into the corner.
“Vodka cranberry,” Polly said into my ear when she plonked the crimson coloured drink in a tall glass in front of me.
I took a sip. “Mmm, nice.” The tangy fruit lingered on my tongue. This drink was going to go down easily.
“The guys will be here soon,” Polly said. “I sent a text to my friend and told him to bring Jack,” Polly said. “Your new temporary boyfriend,” she finished.
But it was only ten minutes later that Carter and two friends walked into the bar. I’d already felt him getting closer to me, I knew he had a similar sense to me as he looked around and it was like he knew I was here. I leaned back as he glanced at the booth I sat in. Crossing my fingers that being in the dark corner hid me well.
“The gods are in. Watch the girls flock.” Polly nodded toward Carter and his friends. “There’s one missing though.”
I laughed. “Why do you call them that?”
“You’ll see.”
I hid and watched Carter cosying up to several girls and waited for him to kiss at least one, but he didn’t kiss any, but he sure enjoyed the attention. Then my eyes drifted to my left to see over six feet of blond as he swaggered into the pub, sliding his mobile in his back pocket. Mr Tattoo, wore faded black jeans that hugged his arse and solid thighs, a tight black sweater with the sleeves pushed just below the elbow.
He sauntered to the bar and my eyes lingered over his muscular back, much wider than Carter’s. He picked up an amber coloured drink in a tumbler, before he peered around the bar and then walked casually toward the other guys.
He seemed so different to his friends, while Carter and a friend were dark and one fair-haired. Mr Tattoo was much blonder, much wider, but it wasn’t just in looks, he was definitely different.
Moodier…
“That’s Kane,” Polly said. “All the girls swoon over him. He’s a pussy magnet.”