One Step Too
Far
Chapter 5: What I Won’t Do For Love - Again
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“It’s better to take two steps forward and one step back, then to
take one step foward and two steps back.”
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Another day, another night. Another night, another try on getting into a club.
Charlie always worried for aproxometly forty-five minutes before a party. He thought through all the things that could go wrong, and then he tried his best to find solutions for every possible problem.
Then he let it go for a while, until the next morning, when he had to locate his players and pray that no one had been lost on the way.
The time in between that, he usually didn’t put a lot of effort into keeping track on every one. What was the point? The team had twenty-four players, and at least ten of those players went out every weekend.
Charlie was glad that the younger players; Travis, Sarah, Nish, Derek, Dmitri, Marcus and Erik for example, didn’t feel the need to go out yet. Charlie was less glad that a few of the younger players, Fred, Cecilia and Julie for example, went out anyway. Cecilia was the youngest of them all, and Fred obviously didn’t know when to stop drinking. Julie on the other hand behaved very well compared to the other two.
Even if she was currently pissed at Portman.
“You know, it’s not worth being mad at someone as clueless as Portman,” Charlie pointed out to her. “He might be a bit thick, but I don’t think he meant to make you angry. You have a chip on your shoulder.”
“Please, of all the people here, I’m the least fierceful one. Connie is practically choking Guy over there. Isn’t that kind of an urgent problem to solve, Captain?”
Julie nodded over to the other members of the team that had tagged along to the club. Everyone was standing outside, waiting for a chance to get in. A common problem they dealt with every weekend.
“We should be able to get in here,” Charlie promised. “Just wait, the bouncers are usually more eager to accept bribes when Fred gets here. I wish I was rich. How does it feel to be rich, Jules?”
“Like normal, I’d say. How does it feel to be poor?” Julie replied and rolled her eyes. “How much money do they usually get for letting us in anyway?”
Charlie shrugged. “When Dan and Roger make the calls it’s usually less then when those other two guys are here. I don’t know, luckily enough, I’m not the one paying.”
“I thought Fred’s Dad owned the place. Or is that just the other ten night-clubs we go to?” Julie asked. “I heard there was some new band at The Tag Club tonight, maybe we can go there?”
Julie jumped up and down, trying to get warm. “Look, Julie, you know how hard it is to get into that club. They don’t care who Fred is, and they don’t allow people in there if they’re younger then 23. Which make things hard for us to get in, when we lack eight years. Some of us aren’t even fifteen, right?” Charlie teased.
“I’m older then most people,” Julie said.
“You turned fourteen one month ago. Wow, you’re almost a grown-up. At least I’m fifteen.”
“Fourteen. You turn fifteen next month. Don’t you think I know what you’re trying to pull? Go ask Fred if we can leave, please,” Julie begged. “I’ll be forever grateful to you, Charlie.”
Just when Charlie was about to answer, he noticed how worked up the rest of his players were. “Maybe you’re right. Being here is only frustrating. Ask him yourself, by the way.”
“He doesn’t like me,” Julie frowned. “And I think he’s an idiot. Plus, and this is just my opinion, his girlfriend is probably the most annoying person on earth. I’ve never met anyone in worse shape then her. Her brother was hot, though. Her boyfriend is not.”
“Okay, so you think he’s an idiot, and he thinks you’re... he thinks bad about you too,” Charlie sighed. “I’ll go tell him, and you owe me a favor.”
Julie gave him a content smile, while pushing him into the opposite direction.
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Adam tapped Jesse on the shoulder. “What’s up with people? Am I the only sane one here?”
Jesse gazed at him for a second. “That’s a theoretical question, isn’t it? I’m not actually supposed to answer, because there are no right answer,” Jesse concluded and laughed. “Don’t you think I know your little tricks, huh?”
“Well, you all behave like lunatics. Especially Guy and Connie, what’s their problem?”
“Don’t you know about the latest arguement? Connie is mad because Guy didn’t think it was that big of a deal that Fred went behind Charlie’s back. In a normal world, Connie would’ve been mad at Fred, but unfortunately, we live in Los Angeles.”
The conversation got interrupted by Julie. She went up to them and grabbed their arms. “Let’s go, we’re getting inside.”
“How?” Jesse wanted to know. “I specifically heard the bouncer threatening to call the police if we got anywhere near him again. What’s the plan? You’re not going to break any laws, are you?”
“No. We’re sneaking in. Look at those people by the curb. They will definitely get in. When those imbecill bouncers look the other way, we sneak in. Easy, huh?”
“Did you come up with that plan by yourself?” Adam asked. “Because your last plan to get us in here wasn’t too effective. We almost got killed.”
“Baby.”
Adam rolled his eyes and let Julie drag him over to the door. Charlie pointed at the bouncers. “When they look away, we sneak in. Everybody’s clear with that? Guy, are you listening?”
Guy nodded. They all turned their attention to the door, waiting for the chance to come. First they awaited the small company of people who moved towards the door, disregarding the long line of people waiting. After that they impatiently moved around the corner to be closer to the entrence.
“Get in there, now!” Charlie ordered them and waved them in behind the fence. A few other people, still standing in the hopeless line, took the opportunity to sneak in at the same time, causing chaos in the line. The two bouncers quickly shoved the door closed and pushed people back out into the street.
Charlie was one of the lucky people making it inside, but he realized at the same time that he’d lost several people in the process. Julie didn’t seem too worried, she quickly disappeared into the crowded room.
“I think I’ll go see that she won’t get into trouble,” Portman said, but Charlie grabbed his arm before he got away.
“I have a feeling you’re on your way to the nearest bar. Please don’t make me hurt you.”
“Please, you’re half my size, Charlie. Come up with a better threat next time. But I will try to keep Julie out of trouble. That’s my specialty. Go find the others, and we’ll meet up later. I can take care of the young ones.”
Charlie gave him a doubtful look, but decided to do as Portman had suggested anyway. “I’ll be very angry if you lose any of my players.”
“Sure,” Portman said with a distracted tone in his voice. “I’ll see you later too.”
Charlie went back out the door, and Portman pushed his way through to get to Julie. She was leaning against the wall, talking to Jesse. “She annoying?” Portman asked when he got up to them.
“I’m used to it by now,” Jesse smiled. “Actually, she’s telling me about this band performing here tonight. It sounds pretty interesting.”
“Cool, music,” Portman said. “I like music.”
“How chocking,” Julie replied. “I’m almost surprised. Anyway, about the band; I heard that they were supposed to perform here tonight, but I don’t know who they are. But it could be nice to expand the musical horizon beyond the usual MTV-videos. Right?”
“I guess you have some sort of point. Where are the rest of the children? I think I saw Cecilia and Fred getting in.”
“Like I care,” Julie muttered. “They’re probably somewhere sucking on each other’s faces. That’s nasty.”
“Yeah, and that’s coming from the virgin of the team,” Portman said. “But I do believe that you’re a natural blonde.”
Julie went passed him. “Thank you.”
Portman looked at Jesse. “Didn’t she get that it was an insult, or what?”
“You gave her a compliment, and I don’t think she actually meant ‘thank you’,” Jesse pointed out. “I’m going to find something to drink. Don’t get lost.”
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Dear Diary, or something. I’m not on a ‘Dear Diary’ mood right now.
I just got back from home, where I spent the last weeks of summer. It was almost not painful at all. My Dad worked during my entire stay, and Mom was busy with her gardening. Okay, that wasn’t all she did, she pestered me about behaving well when her preachous friends and their daughters came to visit as well. I usually think that the girls on the team are pretty lame, but the people I met during these weeks were hopeless.
Yes, I admitt it, I missed the Ducks. And compared to the girls my Mom wants me to socialize with (yes, she used that word), Connie and Sarah don’t look so bad. Cecilia still do, but that’s a whole other story.
I would prefere Connie’s company any day instead of having to smile and be polite all damn day. Well, I never had a problem with Connie in the first place, she’s nice and sweet, two things that makes her annoying in a good way.
Anyway, I am not upbeat because of Connie and the lack of my Mom. I’m upbeat because I met the most wonderful guy today.
Fine, fine, fine. I didn’t ACTUALLY meet him, but I saw him from a distance. I usually don’t get interested in a guy in the sort of way that makes me go head over wheels for him, but I did today. I could do anything just to get to see him again. Just to know his name.
Portman said I didn’t have a chance in hell to get involved with a guy like that. There are no marriage or wedding in my plan, I just want to see him again. Maybe kiss him, if I ever get that far, which I usually do.
Who is he to call me ‘the virgin of the team’? Like he’s some sort of innocent little creature, huh? I bet I’m more innocent then most of the girls on the team. All... four of us, whatever. If you don’t count Connie and Sarah, since they actually are virgins. That’s almost more pathetic then to not be a virgin. There is no middle thing, either you are pathetic, or you aren’t. I haven’t really figured out what I am yet.
I can say this much, though; if I still was a virgin, my latest crush would definitely get the honor of being my first.
Saying that might’ve been a bit pathetic.
I don’t chase guys, they have to chase me. I’m not as gullable as I was when I was younger. Actually, my improvement has happened this last six months. I dated Scott, and that went to hell. I got into the worst fight ever with Fred, and he thinks I’m a slut. What does that make him; a male whore? At least I was attracted to Scott at one point. I just find Fred utterly annoying. Scott never cheated on me, and Fred cheated on Cecilia with that little bimbo Becky.
Nope, I don’t like that guy a bit. And I dislike everything about Scott. Portman is driving me insane, and Charlie is trying to be all big-brotherly on me. Leave me alone!
My plan, so far, is to get to know my latest objection of attraction. Because, God, he was hot!
Adam says my plans usually don’t go very well, but he’s wrong. I got us into the club, right? Most of us.
What other people say and do is none of my business, and I don’t care about it. All I care about right now is to get into The Tag Club again, without anyone ruining my fun. And then I’ll get what I want, like I always do.
Hopefully.
End of diary.
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