Unstuck (14 page)

“You look….. stunning, Alice,” he put his hands on my waist and I felt … something, It was not awkward or uncomfortable it was…different.

“Thank you, disappointed it’s not slutty Alice?” I said trying to make a joke out of it. He took my hand and spun me around

“Nope, would not have expected any other thing from you,” he smiled and I have no idea why but my phobia toward displays of affection vanished and I hugged him.

“Thank you, Patrick,”

“You are more than welcome, Pepper,” He gave another sweet smile “Want a drink?” he asked and I nodded; I was ready to party. We walked out to the tent and towards the bar.

“What can I get you?” the barman asked

“Have no idea, what are you having?” I asked Patrick “Scotch please,” he said

“I want something sweet,” I said to the barman

“May I suggest you some of the Halloween specials?” I nodded “We have the Ghost in the Graveyard. Black vodka, crème de cocoa and vanilla ice cream. Could be a good start,” “you had me at vanilla Ice cream,” I said and turned to look at Patrick “I didn’t know you could have Ice cream AND alcohol at the same time,” “One Scotch and one Ghost in the Graveyard,” said the barman putting both drinks on the bar. My drink was black with literally a scoop of ice cream in the middle. I drank it and it was delicious! “I just hope its name doesn’t have anything to do with the effect the drink may have on me,” I said giving another sip.

“It’s a sweet drink, you may want to slow… oh, ok, drink it all,” said Patrick while I drank it all in hopes of reaching the ice cream. I think that is the point of the drink, fight to get to the ice cream while getting shit faced in the process.

“What else do you have?” I asked the barman.

“The Party has officially begun,” I heard Brian’s voice and turned to see him in the middle of the garden. He was dressed as the Mad Hatter but all in black.

“Look at you two, all coordinated,” Said Patrick and heard a hint of anger? Was he annoyed? “And you are wrong my friend. Our Alice in here has already begun the party,” Said Patrick looking at me

“Oh!!! You are Alice,” said Brian picking me by the waist and spinning me around “we are perfect for each other. Aren’t we Patrick?” I didn’t see Patrick’s face I was more worried about not throwing up the Ghost in the Graveyard after spinning around.

“What are you drinking?” asked Brian going to the bar.

“Well, Patrick is having Scotch, boring. And me, I already had a Ghost in the Graveyard and was about to hear another suggestion from my friend here,” I said motioning to the barman.

“Well, you could have another Ghost or a Trick-or-tini,” he said smiling “You know what I don’t even want to know what’s in it; I want it,” I was excited indeed “It has banana liqueur,” said the barman

“Sold,” Of course it was delicious. Who knew fruity cocktails would be so amazingly tasty. I didn’t.

Seven

Two hours later the party was in full swing and I was drunk. Not falling-down-on-my-face-throw-up-in-the-bushes-drunk but I was too hyper, happy and excited for my own good. Or so I thought.

“You are hilarious when you are drunk,” I heard Brian tell me while we were both trying to grab a caramel covered apple.

“How do you think they make black caramel?” I asked him as I analyzed the apple that was indeed covered in black caramel.

“Hello, Alice, Sugar,” I felt a pair of hands around my waist and saw Brian’s face. He was not happy that a stranger was grabbing me but it wasn’t a stranger

“Nick,” I said putting my arms around his neck. I had to stand on the tip of my toes to reach him, he is so tall.

“Of course,” I said nodding putting my hands in his arms and looking at his costume. He was going as Jack Sparrow.  “Look, Brian,” I said finally looking at him, “this is Nick, my best friend. Nick, this is Brian, my boss’ best friend.” I giggled because really that was not the best way to describe either Patrick or Brian but that was the easiest way to say since my brain was not in full capacity. I saw them shaking hands while I kept on giggling. Apparently alcohol induced giggling fits.

“Sugar?” Nick asked as he grabbed me by the shoulders trying to look me in the eye, I could still focus so, of course, I just giggled. “Are you drunk?” he was smiling wide. I nodded but then I realized I had to stop because that made me really dizzy.

“You are drunk!” he gave me a hug and whispered in ‘happy birthday’ in my ear. “What have you been drinking?” he asked and I could tell he was ready to party.

“The whole bar?” said Brian laughing out loud, quite drunk as well.

Nick laughed, “well, my friend, if you are responsible for her being drunk, I have the utmost respect for you,” Brian laughed again and grabbed his stomach. I was seriously afraid he was going to pee on himself but I couldn’t let him know, because I was in the middle of a giggling fit.

“He is my drinking partner,” I said while putting my arms around Brian’s shoulder and he grabbed my waist “But Patrick is responsible for the drinking and partying part,” I said looking at Brian, suddenly he didn’t seem unattractive and I really tried to tell my brain that flirting with Patrick’s best friend and co-worker was a bad idea but I think my brain was already thinking about having another Trick-or-Tini.

“Wel,l I have to meet Patrick then,” said Nick sending me a weird look that might had two meanings a) what the fuck are you doing? Or b) I really need to use the bathroom. I had no interest on finding out which one was accurate.

“I heard my name,” I heard Patrick’s voice and I tried to disentangle myself from Brian’s arms but didn’t succeed, maybe I didn’t try enough.

“I see you are having fun there, Brian,” said Patrick with a horrible tone. “I’m Patrick,” he said extending his hand to Nick.

“Oh, Patrick,” I finally jumped out of Brian’s arms and went to him “This is Nick!!” I said jumping up and down while they shook hands. Who knew alcohol drinks would turn me into a 15 year old.

“Hi Nick,” said Patrick trying to contain his laughter.

“Thank you for showing her that having fun is ok,” Nick said while both of them saw me still jumping up and down.

“I’m not sure she will remember that tomorrow,” he said but by then I was already tackling Stacy who happened to be walking by.

“Hey girl, what are you drinking?” I asked snatching Stacy’s drink from her hand and taking a sip, “That’s called Berry Scary or something spooky like that,” she said, trying to gain some balance by holding on to my shoulders, she was drunk. We’d had a round, or five, of shots earlier that night. “It has vodka and cherry juice in it….” I definitely had to taste it.

“Oh Sweet Lord, this is delicious,” I said and it was, it really was.

“Oh wow! Lucinda, where are you from? You have a bit of an accent,” said Patrick looking truly amused.

“Why Boss, I’m from Georgia,” I smiled and took a bow while Stacy was laughing hysterically.

“Aww, a peach,” I heard Brian said while he put his arms around my waist, “Can’t believe I didn’t know where you were from,” said Patrick giving me a look that would have killed me or maybe, just maybe, he was cursing Brian who was standing right behind me.

“Well, I can’t believe you are sober, even Nick is drunk and he just got here,” I said sounding offended or at least trying to.

“I’m not drinking tonight,” he said in a dry tone.

“Because it’s your house,” I said pretty confident I had the right answer. “No, because I want to be sober when I’m holding your hair up while you puke,” he smiled and I smiled back, feeling warm inside. It could be that Patrick wanted to take care of me or the fact that I had eaten too many black caramel apples.

“Who’s Jack Sparrow?” Stacy asked.

“Oh, if my mother saw me, where the hell are my manners,” I said taking Brian’s arms from around my waist and taking Stacy’s hands.

“Sugar, if your mother saw you she would be weeping and asking God what had she done to deserve a daughter like you,” I had to laugh at what Nick said, he described my mother perfectly and he never met her before.

“True. Anyway, Jack Sparrow, this is Harley Quinn,” I said shoving Stacy in front of him. Yes, Stacy was dressed as Harley Quinn, with a black and red bodysuit and two fluffy pig tails that made her look dangerous “ Or...” I continued, “Nick this is Stacy, Stacy this is Nick. He is good for one night stands nothing more,” I said the last part to Stacy trying to whisper but really, I am sure I was yelling. God, the embarrassment… but the night was about to get more interesting.

Suddenly I felt Patrick’s hand on my elbow; he set me apart and smiled, he had a warm smile but I knew, even in my stupor, that he wanted to tell me something important I just wished I could focus a bit more, I was beginning to see double and that was new for me, this whole night was a new experience for me.

“Pepper,” he said putting his hands on my shoulders and looking me in the eye, “tonight is for you to have fun, to experience life like you haven’t, ever. There’s no mistake you could make tonight that would change whatever you and I have, you get that?” I nodded, but truly I had no idea what he was saying “Just, please, don’t get knocked up, please,” He was smiling and that part I did get.

“Patrick!!” I said pushing his shoulder and he laughed out loud “I thought you were being serious,” He just nodded and handed me another drink that I was pretty sure was a Liquefied Ghost. I wouldn’t be able to forget anything that had vanilla syrup and soda combined, the vodka was just a little plus on the side. “Go have fun,” He kissed my cheek and then my forehead.

“Want to dance?” Brian asked and dragged me to the dance floor.

“So, how’s your night going so far?” Brian asked  while we both danced well, I felt like I was making the best moves ever; in my mind I was pretty impressed with myself but looking back at the whole thing I am sure I probably looked like I was having a seizure.

“It’s amazing,” I said while jumping or shaking or something similar. “I...” I paused to think “I never thought I could find people that cared enough to do all of this for me,” I said, waving my hand around. I had stopped dancing and I felt emotional. Shit! I didn’t want to cry; I refused to be a cliché.

“Lucy,” said Brian getting closer, “you are an amazing woman, how could we not be head over hills for you.” Wow! Feelings, I needed to avoid the waterfalls. I was drunk, and it was stupid and unreasonable to do what I did but…. I kissed Brian. Maybe he kissed me, I don’t know and I never asked anyone if they could fill me in but we kissed. I was not feeling all hot inside, I was not having special feelings for him; I was drunk.

I kissed him and I knew, even then, that it was a horrible kiss. I could clearly feel that it was a sloppy, all tongue and almost no lip kiss. It was a drunken kiss, but feeling the human interaction, feeling that with someone I knew made it worthwhile. It made it worthwhile while it lasted.

“Wow, that’s new,” I said once we pulled apart.

“Yeah,” said Brian while we kept bouncing to the music. Really, who keeps on dancing after jumpin on someone else’s mouth the way we did to each other.

“So, should we talk about this?” I asked.

“I say no,” said Brian and I nodded still dancing.

“Want to kiss again?” I asked and then there we were again kissing.

We must have spent the rest of the night kissing and heavily making out against a tomb stone near the pool house. I was 10 steps away from my house, maybe 50 steps from my bed, counting the stairs, but I didn’t want to invite Brian in. There were several reasons why…. Actually I only had three: I was still too drunk and I didn’t know how to have sex while drunk. It was a real fear, a drunken fear but very real at the moment. The second reason was that even in my state there was a voice in the back of my head screaming HE IS PATRICK’S BEST FRIEND! And it was giving me a headache. And the third reason,  In between kisses, grabbing each other asses and some other bits that really, I am not about to mention, Patrick kept on popping up in my head. It was distracting and a bit creepy.

“Brian,” I said coming out for air. He didn't listen, and kept kissing my neck while my legs were around his waist. “Brian,” I said louder. Nope, he was very into it. “Brian!!” I said grabbing his hair and pulling it back.

“What, babe?” Babe? Were we on a babe basis now? “I don’t feel so good,” I said, putting my legs on the floor.

“Want some water? Coffee?” he asked with a worried look. I nodded. He held my hand and took me to the bar. I sat on a stool while he went looking for something to give to me, still a bit too intoxicated, he kept on stumbling and I was giggling. From where I was, I could clearly see Nick and Stacy making out as well. I warned her about him and I was not to do it again because by then I was pretty sure that it was moving around. that made me feel sick.