Chapter 17 Between Truth and Tequila
The Vortex was a massive club that catered mostly to the city's middle class, offering a huge drink menu at prices that didn't break the bank. Irvin had managed to get them all inside without a hitch and immediately headed for the bar. Even though his father owned the place, Irvin still had to pay for the rounds; he couldn’t risk people finding out the boss’s underage son was drinking there.
The room was dark, lit only by the rhythmic flashes of light from the dance floor. The group headed up to a VIP booth that muffled the thumping music. It was a private little world, complete with a pool table, a couch, a TV, and its own bar. Bellatrix found it odd that Irvin had bothered with the main bar downstairs. She hadn't even wanted any alcohol, but Irvin hadn't listened. He’d simply decided she’d like a Lemon Drop Martini and vanished into the crowd.
Bellatrix settled onto the couch, and Alonso sat down beside her. The two other girls in their group wandered off to find "dates," while the other guys started a game of pool.
"I’m sorry you got dragged into this," Bellatrix whispered to Alonso.
He was leaning forward, elbows on his knees. He looked back at her with a small smile. "Don’t worry about it. Honestly, I’m glad I came. Mayzie would have lost it if she knew you were here alone with this crowd."
"So, you’re just here as a favor to Mayzie?" Bellatrix leaned back, folding her arms. "You could have at least lied and said you were worried about me."
Alonso chuckled and gave her a wink. "I would have been worried about you."
Bellatrix stuck her tongue out at him, making him laugh. The conversation trailed off, and Bellatrix's thoughts drifted back to Mayzie. She’d been bothered all night by things the other girls had said. Would Mayzie really have cared if she came here? And why did Mayzie think she couldn’t look after herself? She wasn't some helpless puppy that needed constant protection.
"Here’s your Lemon Drop Martini," Irvin said, setting a glass down in front of her. "And your beer," he added, handing one to Alonso.
"You carried all these up yourself?" Alonso asked.
"No, a waitress did. I just had her leave them on the table," Irvin grinned, sliding into the seat next to Bellatrix. "Where’d the girls go?"
"Looking for dates," Alonso replied before taking a sip.
Bellatrix stared at the pale, citrusy drink. It was served in a martini glass, its frosted rim coated in a thick layer of sugar, with a twist of lemon resting delicately on the edge.
"You're not actually going to drink that, are you?" Alonso asked once Irvin stood up to go get himself a drink.
"I don't want his money to go to waste, but..."
"He forced it on you. Who cares?" Alonso teased.
"I know, but I can still hear my mom's voice telling me not to waste things."
Alonso laughed. "Well, don't look at me. I can’t stand citrusy drinks. I don't really like citrus stuff."
"Probably why you’re crushing on Mayzie," Bellatrix remarked.
Alonso choked on his beer. "You just made the beer come out of my nose!" he sputtered, coughing.
Bellatrix giggled. "People only react like that when something is true."
He wiped his face and looked at her seriously. "I told you earlier, I don’t think of her that way."
"Hey! Dark-haired girl!" a voice called out from behind them.
Alonso saw Bellatrix's eyes go wide. He couldn't tell if she was excited or horrified. She slowly turned to see Blake and Gustav, followed by a large group of men and women, piling into the booth. Bellatrix immediately grabbed her drink and took a gulp as Blake sat down right next to her.
"Hey! Didn't expect to see you here," Blake said, taking Irvin's earlier spot.
"Yeah," Bellatrix mumbled into her glass.
"Hey, it's the guy from the café!" Blake said, reaching out to Alonso. "Café guy!"
Alonso shook his hand, watching as Bellatrix kept sipping her drink, clearly trying to look busy.
"You two dating?" Blake asked point-blank.
"Yes," Alonso answered before Bellatrix could even move the glass from her lips.
Blake's face fell slightly. "That’s too bad. I was hoping to have you for myself." He looked at Alonso with a grin. "Well, she isn’t married yet. Watch your back. I’ll swoop in the second you make a mistake."
They both expected him to leave, but he stayed put, smiling at Blake.
"So you're just waiting for me to mess up tonight?" Alonso asked.
Blake laughed. "I’m waiting for whenever it happens. Besides, most of the girls here tonight are a mess, and I like sitting next to the pretty ones." He looked at Bellatrix. "I guess you're out of luck."
"I need another drink," Bellatrix muttered.
"I’ll get it." Blake snatched her glass and headed for the private bar.
Bellatrix didn’t say anything to Alonso about his "dating" lie — she didn't want Blake to overhear — but she hoped she could talk to Mayzie before Blake did. This was exactly the kind of thing that would upset Mayzie if it wasn't explained right. Then again, she wasn't even sure how Mayzie really felt about Alonso.
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Two hours passed. Bellatrix had finished several Lemon Drop Martinis just to keep Blake busy at the bar. It was a losing battle, though; because he was the one getting the drinks, she was stuck thanking him all night. By the time they left, she was in no state to go home. Her mother would have a heart attack if she stumbled into smelling like a distillery.
Alonso seemed more composed despite his beers. He helped her along the sidewalk, holding her up. Their group had splintered off throughout the night — some had hooked up, while others had gotten into dramatic arguments over boys. Blake hadn't left Bellatrix's side once, even ignoring other girls to stay with her. She knew Alonso was only sticking around to keep Blake at bay, and she felt guilty that he’d spent his night babysitting her.
"I'm sorry," she mumbled, leaning heavily on him.
"For what?" Alonso asked, just as she lost her footing and sent them both stumbling into a nearby fence.
"Oh! I'm sorry! I lost my balance!"
He grinned, steadying her. "It's okay. No harm done. Now, what were you sorry about?"
"That you had to watch over me because of Blake. I should have been strong like Mayzie and just told him off. I should handle my own problems. She’s always telling me to do that, but whenever something actually happens..." She trailed off into a mumble.
"You shouldn't compare yourself to her," Alonso said gently. "She’s a different person. In this world, some people are the ones others rely on, and some people are the ones who need to rely on. There’s no shame in either, and sometimes we switch places." He put his arm around her shoulder to keep her steady.
"Mayzie never switches," Bellatrix sighed. "My mom is going to kill me."
"No, she won't. I'll let you into Mayzie's place if she isn't back yet. You can call your mom and tell her you're staying the night." Alonso cleared his throat. "Though we should probably get you sobered up before you call her."
"Good idea." Bellatrix looked around, realizing they were already on Mayzie's street. "How long have you been planning this?"
"Since your first sip. Mayzie told me how strict your parents are. I knew you’d need a hideout."
She giggled. "I feel like a criminal on the run."
"Pretty much."
She looked up at him and smiled. "You're a really nice guy, Alonso."
"Thanks."
"Have you ever actually asked Mayzie how she feels about you?"
Alonso was quiet for a long moment. "No, but I have a pretty good idea."
"Yeah?"
"I’m just a brother to her. Nothing more." He looked down at Bellatrix. Even though she was drunk, she was speaking clearly, even if her thoughts were a bit scattered.
"You’ll never know unless you ask."
"I told her I asked you out the day I walked you home from work," Alonso admitted.
"What? You never asked me out," Bellatrix said, looking confused. "Right?"
Alonso grinned. "No, I didn't. I just wanted to see if she'd react. She was totally fine with it. Then, when I told her we should be together, she thought I was joking."
"Of course she did! You told her you asked me out! That basically told her you liked me. Asking her out right after that makes it sound like she’s your second choice!" Bellatrix smacked her forehead. "Gah! That was so dumb! I thought you were smarter than that!"
Alonso started laughing so hard he had to stop walking to catch his breath.
"What's so funny?"
"I'm not laughing because it's funny. I'm laughing because I'm embarrassed," he wheezed. "And you're shouting this for the whole neighborhood to hear. I hope Mayzie isn't home, or she definitely heard that."
Bellatrix quickly covered her mouth. "I'm so sorry!"
He shook his head, still smiling, and kept walking.
"That's a weird way to handle being embarrassed, Alonso."
"It’s what I’ve always done. It makes people think I'm not bothered by things."
Bellatrix sighed. "You know... Mayzie wouldn't have laughed if she thought you were serious."
Alonso swallowed hard. "I know. But that’s the point. She couldn’t even imagine me being serious. To her, the idea of us together was literally a joke."
Bellatrix stopped dead in her tracks. "Don't say that! You don't know! Maybe she wanted you to be serious, but she was afraid that if she said yes, you would laugh at her!"
"Why are you so worked up about this?" Alonso asked, putting his hands on her shoulders. "I just have to accept she sees me as a brother. If that's all I can get, I'll take it. Besides, she has all these rich guys chasing her. Why would she look at a guy like me who’s broke?"
Bellatrix shoved him back against the fence. "You’re a great guy! You’re just stupid, and you put yourself down too much! You’re kind and thoughtful and amazing! What more could a girl want?"
"How about the fact that I can't even afford a date? All my money goes to my family or just surviving!" Alonso shouted back.
"Then make do with what you have! Any girl who deserves you wouldn't care!"
"No girl would do that!"
"I would!" Bellatrix barked.
Alonso started to snap back, but the words hit him. His shoulders slumped and his head dropped. "No, you wouldn't. You’d be okay with it for a while, but eventually, you’d want a guy with money. Someone who could buy you a lot of things."
"I’ve liked you since the day we met! That’s why I’ve been so awkward around you this whole time!"
He looked up, shocked. "Don't say that."
"If you want Mayzie, that’s fine. I’ll even help you get her," she said, her voice dropping to a whisper. "I won't stand in your way."
"Bella... I had no idea."
"Of course not. I did exactly what Mayzie does; I hid it all from my friends." Bellatrix looked at the ground.
Alonso's hands moved from her shoulders to her cheeks, gently tilting her face up to his. "I'm sorry I said anything."
Bellatrix shook her head. "I shouldn't have pushed it. I'm sorry too."
They stood there, locked in each other’s gaze. For a second, Bellatrix thought he might actually kiss her. Suddenly, a car horn blared behind them. They both jumped as a Mercedes-Benz pulled up. Blake's face appeared in the window, grinning as he held up a cell phone.
"You dropped this at the club!" he yelled.
Bellatrix hurried over and took it from him.
"Mayzie called," Blake added, his expression turning serious. "She’s in the hospital. You guys want a lift?"
Bellatrix looked at Alonso, but he was already running around to the other side of the car. She scrambled in after him, seeing the mask of pure worry settle over his face.