“Yeah, when you had your fist in his throat. Your girl was smart standing in like that,” Vance adds, complimenting me.
“Did you just compliment her?” Ava looks up at him, blinking slowly. “I’m so proud of you. You’re becoming less of an asshole every day.”
“Yeah, yeah, shut up and give me that mouth,” he growls, leaning down, his lips descending on hers. For some reason, I can’t look away, even though I know I should. Vance kisses with a longing, a hunger that can only be sedated by Ava. It’s evident he loves her, not only in the way he speaks but the way he looks at her, watches her.
Clark seeing me watching leans down, his mouth at the shell of my ear. “You know it’s rude to watch people kiss, right?”
For a moment I’m so embarrassed, my whole head heats up, not just my cheek. The saliva in my mouth turns to cement, but somehow, I’m still able to speak. “Someday I hope I can kiss someone like that, with that much need, love, and compassion.”
“Someday?”
“Well yeah, I’m not…I don’t think I’m ready to kiss like that, but I hope to be someday.”
“You don’t give yourself enough credit, Em. I bet you could kiss like that. I bet you could handle it. The kiss we shared last week was not that far off, you know?”
The reminder of that kiss releases an entire zoo of butterflies into my belly. Our kiss was sweet and gentle, magical even, but not full of need and passion. It was nothing like the kiss I just witnessed.
Licking my dry lips, I feel the urge to take a drink. Vance pulls away reluctantly, his hold on her tight. They’re both breathing hard, their gazes so hot even I can feel beads of sweat forming against my brow.
“Uhhh…Sorry,” Ava mutters, her cheeks tinting pink when she realizes Clark and I have been staring at them this whole time. “I need to go pee, want to come with me?” Ava asks, looking between Jules and me.
“I’m good right now,” Jules says, cuddling into Remington’s side.
A no forms on my tongue, but I stop myself seconds before I speak. I had planned on staying by Clark’s side the whole night, but after standing up to Paul like I did, I feel renewed, confident. I should keep this going, step out of my comfort zone.
Plus, I’m just going to the bathroom. What could possibly happen in those few minutes of being away?
“Yeah sure, I’ve got to go anyway,” I answer, giving Clark’s hand a gentle squeeze. His hazel eyes flash with nervousness, but he lets go of my hand despite whatever emotion he’s feeling. Stepping away from him, I notice Ava’s outstretched hand, it’s like she understands me, sees me. With a soft smile, I take it, letting her guide me to the bathroom which is around the corner and down the hall. It’s easy to tell which door is the bathroom because there’s a mile-long line outside it. Girls of every shape and size laughing and drinking while they wait to use the restroom. It’s strange, the strangest thing I’ve ever seen.
“I totally wish I was a guy right now. I could just whip it out and piss anywhere I want,” Ava jokes.
I’m standing as close to her as I can without being on top of her when a body crashes into mine. I feel the cold liquid seeping into the fabric of my blouse before I even turn to look and see what happened.
“Ooops, I thought this was a trash can.” A voice I’ve heard one other time filtered into my ears. I turned around to confirm that it was, in fact, the crazy chick that had shown up at Clark’s on my first day here. The one that said he had to fuck her.
“Apologize,” Ava sneers, stepping forward, attempting to shove her body between us. Sarah’s cold gaze cut to Ava’s and I can tell with one look that these two have history.
“Well, well, shitty seeing you here. I’m assuming your manwhore of a boyfriend is here too?” Sarah snickers then turned her attention back to me. With a shit-eating grin, she tips her glass forward once more, dousing the entire front of my shirt with red liquid. I shiver as my shirt absorbs more of the cold beverage.
“You bitch,” Ava snarls, shoving at Sarah’s shoulders. I’m a mute, just standing there, frozen in time, not that there’s anything I want to say to this horrible person. I have nothing to say. In fact, right then and there I would have much rather turned around and walked away to find Clark, but Ava isn’t having it.
“Do not touch me.” Sarah’s lips curled, her heeled foot stomping against the floor. She goes from looking like a vixen to the devil in five seconds flat. The people around us start to whisper, pulling out their cell phones, their eyes on the three of us, burning into my flesh.