“Have fun,” Mia said with a wink, and I nodded at her.
“If there's anything, call me.”
She rolled her eyes. “Of course, Mum.”
My jaw dropped, but Mia was already running enthusiastically toward her group of friends.
“Did she just call me...” I just laughed, shook my head and walked toward the club entrance.
The security men grumpily demanded my ID, and I thanked God as I passed the arguing high school group. But when I finally entered the crowded club, I realized – for the first time in a while – what it meant to feel alone.
Everywhere people were dancing together to Dynamite by Taio Cruz, the seating areas were filled with laughing groups of friends, there was laughter around the edges of the dance floors and the long bar was crowded. The situation was no different on the second floor.
Sighing, I started moving, but I didn't get far because I bumped into someone.
“I'm sorry, I...” I began, but I paused when I realized it was Emely. Nash's twin sister.
If she was here, then...
“Damn it, do you always have to be where my brother is?” she snapped at me and I flinched.
“Nash is here?” I asked, trying not to panic and rush outside immediately. I knew his family owned the club, but I hadn't assumed...
I should have fucking known.
Emely was swearing something I didn't understand.
I forgot about Nash for a second and looked at the girl I'd never managed to get through to. Not in middle school, and not when I'd been with her brother.
“Why don't you like me?” I dared to ask for the first time. “I've never done anything to you.”
She looked at me for a moment, and I detected the usual tension with which she went about her daily life.
“You changed my brother.”
I stared at her, speechless.
What she said was true. But did she know the whole truth? Had Nash ever told her what kind of point he had found himself in back then?
“And I'll never forgive you for that,” she added. Then she turned away and disappeared into the crowd.
And now, Nash was back in my head.
I had a choice. I could be reasonable and leave the club or...
“Mady!” a voice squeaked loudly and I spun around.
Kelly Hepburn was standing behind me. One of the girls Vivienna spent her time with. She seemed like she had been drinking a lot, because her pink devil horns were sitting at a strange angle, and she almost tripped over a guy, but just managed to hold on to my shoulders. I eyed the pink sparkly dress, which definitely stood out amongst all the dark costumes and if Nash was really around, he would have spotted me by now at the latest.
“Vi!” Kelly yelled loudly back behind her, and the two other girls turned to me. “I found the Sunshine Girl!”
I sighed, because the fact that Kelly was talking to me at all was only due to the alcohol.
I was expecting anything when Vivienna in her white angel of death costume and Amber in her black one approached me...and forced myself to smile.
The two of them hated me as much as everyone else since the Nash thing, but right now they seemed changed.
I knew appearances were deceptive, at least with Amber, because her smile disappeared within seconds and was replaced by the usual suspicious look.
“Mady,” Vivienna chirped in surprise. “You? At a club?”
She seemed to have forgotten all the parties we'd had together at my house when my parents and Ezra had been on a weekend trip.
“Where are your friends?” Amber asked in a suspicious tone before sipping her drink. She looked down at me like something was wrong, and I knew she wanted to turn away.
“Amber, don't be like that... It's Halloween.” Vivienna came to me unexpectedly and pulled me under her arm as if nothing had ever changed between us. “And we should all have fun, right?”
Kelly giggled with excitement and Vivienna smiled at me.
How much had they drunk already?
“We've reserved a VIP area!” Vivienna yelled to me over the loud music. “Feel invited!”
I felt like I was in the wrong movie. Vivienna had spent the last few years judging me for my relationship with Nash, just like Grace. Now she wanted me to celebrate with her?
Before I could say anything, the girls had already dragged me up the wide staircase.
In the corner of my eye, I recognized Amber tipping back her drink, cursing. She was definitely not in the mood for me.
