Honestly, I thought that when we got back to our group that he would put space between us, I didn’t have him pegged as a touchy kind of guy, but he’s proving me wrong and again, I’m enjoying it. I’m loving these little titbits I’m learning about him.
The portable toilets have been lined up with the right side being for the ladies and the left for the men and two grate separators create a queueing area that’s getting quiet as the rave is starting to wind down. It’s almost four in the morning, and most of the people left are either on something or too out of sorts to take on the two-hundred plus steps it took to get down here.
“God, I’m glad I went with these, my feet would’ve been dead by now!” Fleur wriggles her Doc Martens and cringes when she realises her frilly socks are filthy. “I guess it’s a sign of a good night.” Shrugging, she shakes her head and goes back to her step and shuffle to the music. Her messy waved bob has gone lax from the humid heat in the place and the strands sway about her face wildly.
It’s one of the things I love about Fleur, she likes a drink, but her sobriety level doesn’t affect her good time.
“Yeah, I’m glad I listened to Christopher because barefoot isn’t an option down here and the heels I was wearing were like bondage vices.” Arabella tilts her head back onto Christopher’s chest and smiles at him. Together they look like one of those illustrations you get in the opposites books.
“Oh yeah, because Mum and I hadn’t told you before he called to remind you about practical footwear.” Her brother, Casper, ruffles her hair and when she kicks at him and misses, she flips him the bird.
Arabella’s normally very well put together. Not a strand of her hair is amiss, but tonight her neat hair is crimping at the roots with frizz, making her look younger.
“If you weren’t the resident dickhead, I’d listen to you.”
“Ohooooo,” he teases her before taking a swig of his water. His dark hair and dark eyes glimmer with mischief and his broad chest wracks with his laughter.
Casper Gladstone isn’t exactly what you would expect from an elite schooled individual, let alone the son of a Deputy Prime Minister. But, he and Christopher have been friends since their days at boarding school and even though Casper signed up for military service after he finished his degree, they are inseparable now that he’s back from Syria.
“Defend my honour!” Slapping Christopher on the shoulder, Arabella gives him the stink eye, even though all he does is try to keep a straight face in vain as he replies, “I’m not getting involved.”
“Useless!” she huffs, her chuckle making it obvious that she’s joking.
“Are you sure you want to use these toilets? There’s a Golden Arches down the road that’s open twenty-four hours, we can grab sustenance too.” Taking in my grimace, Christopher adds, “There’s a BK for you.”
“God, Burger King sounds so good.” My stomach rumbles at the mention of food, and water immediately pools in my mouth.
“You don’t eat McDonalds?” Leo asks, peering down at me.
“I like their fries, but burgers have to be from BK. No one does burgers like them, not even fancy places.” I’m about to go into all the reasons why, when his face softens and the warmest smile spreads across his lips. I’m not sure why he’s looking at me like that, with some kind of wonder, but it’s making me fill up with the most wonderful fluttery butterflies. Inside I feel like a peak summer’s day, so hot that I might bake. “What?”
Shaking his head, the wonder on his face morphs into awe, and he looks so different. Not in a physical beauty kind of way, there’s so much light behind his eyes that they look foamy green, like tropical sea waves. I want to bathe in their light forever.
“Nothing,” he says after a beat, his voice is so soft that it’s almost inaudible over the music.
“Are you coming or what?” Popping our bubble, Fleur pokes my arm as she asks and when I’m about to go, Leo pulls me back.
I think he might kiss me in front of everyone, but instead his hand strokes down my back to the top of my butt as, he says, “Don’t be too long.”
“Are we back to bossy again?”
“Always.”
Laughing I manage pull away from him. “I’ll be right back.”
Forcing myself not to look back I go through the small maze of grates to get to the loos. And they are as bad as I expected them to be. The floor is slippery with spilled drinks, the air is pungent with souring alcohol and stale pee. It’s gross and I’m almost tempted to turn back and hold my bladder until we find somewhere better.
However, I’ve spent the night holding it and refusing to leave Leo, and now I’m so desperate that I can overlook the conditions.
“So,” Fleur starts, as she takes a good look at the toilet she’s in, door wide open, as I stand outside. “You and Leo look cosy.”
“Do we?” I tease her.
“If you play that evasive crap on me, I’m going to kidney jab you!” she grits, pinching her nose with a disgusted grimace.
“God, people are dirty. Can you pass me some of those hand tissues?” Poking her head out of her stall, Arabella asks, and then as I grab a wad of the tissues and hand them to her, she adds, “You look cute together.”
My insides twist and pull at this because this is the first time anyone has referred to Leo and me as together, and even though we haven’t exactly said we’re a thing, he did say he wanted to keep me, so…