That couldn�t be him.
She looked closer, squinting her eyes, trying to see beyond the thick mist and strobe lights of the sultry club. She rose from her seat and took a step closer to the man that held her attention. She put her untouched drink down on the table and stared even harder, still not being able to make him out. She warily walked onto the dance floor and dodged numerous gyrating bodies. A few hands reached out, trying to pull her into the throng of dancers in the middle of the stuffy room. A couple succeeded, pulling her into them, but she soon evaded the congregation. Once on the other side of the bunch, she set her gaze back on him.
Her toes curled in her blue spiked heels.
It was him.
*******
He giggled.
He couldn�t remember a time when he�d giggled so much. But these girls�he took a pause in the midst of his stream of consciousness to giggle again�these girls were just so�talented.
His eyes rolled in the back of his head when another one [her name wasn�t important] licked some salt off his damp neck. The heat from the dancers mixed with the heat from the girls mixed with the heat from his sweater was making him sweat. He couldn�t remember a time when he�d perspired so much. He thought for a moment. He ripped the sweater away from his body.
He shook his head when what seemed to be the fifth girl popped a maraschino cherry into his mouth. His gag reflex started when it hit his tongue. He hated those things. Despite his discomfort with the offensive red�thing in his mouth, the cherry girl kissed him hungrily. The salt girl joined in and nibbled on his earlobe. He giggled into Cherry�s lips. Nevermind, he thought to himself, he loved maraschino cherries.
Salt twirled a finger on his thigh, causing another giggle to rise from his throat. Salt smiled when she saw his reaction. She twirled another finger around his bellybutton. He giggled even harder.
Cherry pulled away and smacked her lips.
�If you want me to keep kissing you, you need to stop giggling.�
He suppressed his smile in an attempt to stop giggling. Salt ran her tongue up his neck and lifted his white undershirt to run her finger up his back eliciting giggles from both of them.
Cherry smacked her lips and walked away, heading for the dance floor.
*******
She saw her coming.
She didn�t bother to get out of the way.
Cherry ran right into her, pushing her down to the floor. Cherry smacked her lips for a third time and rolled her eyes as she continued toward the center of the club. She rose to her knees after Cherry stepped over her.
She brushed herself off and turned to face him again.
Their eyes locked.
*******
He pushed Salt, along with the rest of them away. He attempting to stand from his barstool but fell back down.
He swallowed.
Hard.
*******
She walked to him.
Keeping his eyes the entire time.
Her breathing sped up.
Her palms sweat.
Her teeth ground.
Her ears rang, the reverberating of the music giving her a headache. She reached the barstool next to his.
She sat and let out a shaky breath.
*******
He swallowed.
Hard.
*******
She searched his eyes.
She had no idea what she was looking for, but she searched nonetheless.
They were gorgeous.
Even now. Even after the hate she�d seen out of them. The hate directed at her.
She closed her eyes and tried to get her thoughts straight.
She opened her mouth.
Words came out.
*******
He swallowed.
Really hard.
*******
�This is you.�
Nod.
�This. Is you.�
Nod.
�When did this. Become you.�
Head shake. Shrug.
�I don�t like you.�
Nod.
�I miss you.�
Head shake.
She took in a deep breath. She searched his eyes again, hoping to find some morsel of who he used to be.
He teeth clenched when she saw none.
He giggled.
Bile came up in her throat.
�Goodbye.�
He nodded and looked down at his sweater on the floor. He frowned and reached over to get it. Even in his drunken state, he managed to get back up. With the sweater.
But when he returned, she was gone. He whipped his head from side to side, searching the corners of the room. Searching for any sign of her.
None.
He sighed.
Then he giggled.
And looked for another maraschino cherry.
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