Chapter 54: Looney "And here's another," the waiter said as he set two more glasses in front of us. They clinked on the metallic table and I stared at the drink's yellow coloring. A curled lemon peel was artistically placed on the rim, as if someone had forgotten to throw it away after eating. I flicked it off. I watched the waiter take our empty glasses before he walked away. I felt sad to see those go. We were in a club, where Chad had reserved a table under his father's name. The bar's heavy lights flashed neon colors and the noise reached a deafening peak. I yelled into Austin's ears, pointing at the waiter and our retreating cocktail glasses, "They were empty." I felt empty. Austin raised our new glasses and offered one to me, "But these are full." We clinked glasses and drank our next round. Austin and I had advanced into a new stage of drinks we didn't even recognize. Mine had a lemon twist and I didn't hear what Austin's had. "Is that flavorless?" I asked him. But I realized that he was already talking to a girl. She was wearing a shimmery black dress and must've shimmered over to our table. "One down," I said to my glass. It's down to my cocktail and me. I wonder if Austin liked that girl. I've never met a cocktail I didn't like. Meanwhile, Cearra was on the dance floor with Oma. They really hit it off this evening. Unlike me, she had sailed into the group dynamic. I don't know why I couldn't be as smooth as Cearra. I don't know why I couldn't be as accepted. I stared down at my cartoon t-shirt. "You didn't help," I told it. ** Luke is handsome, we all know that. Does it get tired being that handsome? I bet it does. He probably measures his abs every day and feels sad when people don't complement him. No, I'm not sour since this drink isn't a whisky sour. Yes, I'm bitter because he neglected me. Now Luke walked towards me, peeling away from the crowd on the dance floor like the lemon peel next to my drink. He was wearing a blue t-shirt that matched his eyes. No one had complained to him about his t-shirt. With his back to the packed dance floor, he ran a hand through his hair and asked, "Where have you been?" "Here," I replied bluntly. "You should've joined us," he said, keeping the charming act up. He saw my cocktail glass and his expression changed. He reached out for it. I let him take my drink but watched him with a hawk's gaze. If he has more than a sip... He tasted it, "Amaretto sour. You're mixing drinks." "Is that condensation in your voice?" I think I meant condescension. "Millie, you did not start the night with this. Are you keeping track?" "Oh, so it's Millie now," I said, disapprovingly. It's all fun and games when he calls me Minnie but call me Millie and it's suddenly doomsday. He put the drink on the table. "Are you drunk?" "No." "You're drunk, Millie." "You're drunk." "I haven't been drinking," he said. "Neither have I." "That's a lie." "You're a lie." "OK," he offered his hand to me, which I did not accept. Then he came by and wrapped his arm around my waist, "Here, let's get up. Are you hungry?" I nodded. ** We walked across the street and the cooler air did a good job at removing some of the fog in my mind. My ear drums were vibrating, even though the sound of the music was distant now. Luke bought us fast food at a place nearby. He also bought three bottles of water and made sure I drank one before we returned to the club. "Are you going to eat this?" Luke asked, pointing at the takeaway bag in my hand. I gasped in shock. "What?" he asked, and repeated, "Are you going to eat this?" "Ohh," I exhaled, relaxing, "I thought you asked 'are you going to eat me.'" He stared at me with no comment. We returned to the club. There was still a long line of people waiting to get in, though it was moving fairly quickly. Luke walked straight by it, pulling me along. I told the people in the line, "Party's over. The police is here," I said, pointing at Luke who was pulling me along, "So everyone can go home." "I'm not the police. I'm just trying to take care of you," he said, stopping in front of the bouncer. We already had the bracelets to enter, so we had skipped the line. I showed my bracelet to the bouncer when he wasn't looking. Luke gave me a look to stop playing around. Since when did he get so boring? I held onto my paper take-out bag as Luke spoke to the man. They exchanged words and the bouncer let us in. I kept a serious face to the bouncer and to Luke and then waved at my new friends in the line. They didn't wave back. Here we go again. Back into the lion's den. Music, lights, sweaty bodies. "I'm telling the others that we're going home," Luke yelled over the music. "To the US?" "To Chad's villa," Luke said, "Please don't walk away from me. I don't want you to get lost." "I've been lost since we landed on this vacation," I spat facts. "What?" Luke asked over the loud music, "I can't hear you." "I'M LOST!" I yelled out. "No, you're with me," he answered, holding onto my hand as we started to weave through the crowd. ** "Lukey," I cooed as he navigated us through the crowd. "Minnie, that's not a nickname we're using," he reminded me, turning around so he faced me properly. "You get to call me Minnie and I can't call you Looney?" I asked, though I meant to say Lukey. Oops.