Game On (Game On 1)

“Rat-arsed?” Will repeated, sheer confusion on his face. “I know some of your weird English phrases make sense but … rat-arsed? Unless you grow pointy teeth and a long tail when you’re drunk?”

Freya began to giggle and I said, “Let’s leave the dissection of that term for later. I’m thirsty, William!”

Getting all dressed up and hitting the town had helped me push my melancholy to the back of my mind. Freya was right – us getting together was a rare event and it was only right that we made the most of it. I would worry about Radleigh if and when I next saw him.

That time was just a few hours later. Radleigh, Bree, Miguel, Jude, Cody, and Bryce all arrived together. Will, Freya and I had moved closer to the dance floor by then. Not too many people took up the tables there, due to the fact that they either wanted to be dancing, therefore not sitting down, or they wanted to talk, so they stayed at the other end of the room. Miguel and Bree were the first to join us. The others took seats nearby, so we were all in fairly close proximity.

Radleigh was, as usual, sitting with Bryce and Cody, and I tried not to take too much notice of him. It wasn't easy though. When he hadn't been there, not thinking about him was just about possible. But he was so close. I tried not to feel the ache that washed over me at being so near, but so far from him. I needed a distraction.

Sensing my mood, Bree came to my rescue. She took my hand and dragged me to the dance floor.

“No moping,” she said firmly. “You're supposed to be doing that thing.”

“What thing?”

“That thing where you pretend nothing is bothering you.”

“Oh,” I said, knowingly. “That thing!”

“Uh-huh. So what do you say we find you some nice guy to dance with?”

Laughing I said, “I don't think a man is what I need.”

Not just any man, anyway.

“I need to keep dancing,” I told her. “With my friends, not strange men.”

“There are no poles in here,” she complained, looking around just in case she’d missed them.

“No poles,” I confirmed. “There is a karaoke bar upstairs though.”

Bree's eyes widened. “Karaoke? Really?”

Her enthusiasm could only mean bad things. “I love karaoke!”

“I bet you do.” I giggled.

“Please, please, please, please can we go up there?” she begged, squeezing my hand and jumping up and down.

“Do you sing?” I asked.

“Not well, but that's not the point! It's fun!”

I had to agree. Karaoke was something I’d done in my youth as an extra way of attracting men. Apparently, nothing makes a man more horny than a girl singing suggestive songs. The added bonus of heading up to the karaoke bar was that Radleigh wouldn't be there.

“Okay,” I agreed. “Let's go!”

We told Freya and Will where we were going, picked up our drinks, and made our way up the stairs. Because it was getting late, most people were drunk enough to sing things they never would have attempted sober. As we entered the room a woman was wailing out a horrific version of a classic rock song but everyone was up dancing and singing along.

Bree squealed excitedly. “I want to sing!”

“You're on your own,” I told her. “I’m not singing tonight.”

“Oh yes you are,” she said, dragging me along to a vacant table to study the available choice of songs. “We'll sing together!”

“Bree, come on!” I wailed. “Don't make me! I promise to cheer up!”

Fixing me with puppy dog eyes, she smiled. It was impossible to resist her when she slipped into cutesy mode.