Chapter Seventeen

I didn't want to be here.

I really didn't want to be here.

And yet, here I was, sitting in the middle of a strip club, surrounded by guys who were wolf-whistling at women scantily clad in dancewear. This place felt like the exact opposite of literally anywhere I'd enjoy being, and a part of me thought about dashing through the front door whenever another group of guys walked in.

But I couldn't leave, because I'd promised Clarissa that I'd stay at this bachelor party for at least an hour or two. She'd told me that she wanted me to get to know Trent better, even though I suspected that what she really wanted me to do was spy on her husband-to-be, making sure he didn't partake in anything too shady before their big day.

Sky was here, too, hanging out with Eddie somewhere to my left. It was hard to see them through the darkness of the club, though, so while I was able to hear their voices and laughs, I wasn't able to make out any facial expressions.

"Would you like a dance, sweetheart?" A dancer in a neon green bra, complete with a neon green thong stood right in front of me.

"Uh, no thanks," I replied as I fished for a twenty-dollar bill. I handed it over to the dancer and nodded. "But thank you for the offer?"

"Aw, thanks, baby." She smiled down at me and stuffed the bill into her bra. "You look a little down. Did your girlfriend break up with you or something?" She paused before she corrected herself. "Sorry. Not girlfriend. Boyfriend, right?"

"I don't have a boyfriend," I answered.

"I know, sweetie. I'm saying that's the problem." She chuckled a little and then went on. "Did you want to talk about it?"

"Would that be a good idea?" I asked. "I mean, wouldn't you rather spend your time on the other guys?"

"Fuck no. The rest of these guys are creeps." She scoffed. "My favorite kind of clientele are gay guys who come in here for... let me guess... a bachelor party?"

"Is there another way to leave the club? Without being seen?" I whispered. "Please, please, tell me there's a way out."

"Sorry, baby. The only way out is through the front door." She sighed. "Unless you get hired on as a dancer, then you could use the back entrance that all the girls use."

"How long do you think it would take for me to get hired on as a dancer?"

"Raven! Get your ass over here!" Eddie shouted. "We're about to do body shots!"

"Save me," I mouthed to the dancer.

"I'm sorry," she mouthed back, giving me an empathetic pat on the shoulder.

I stood up from my seat and headed over to where Eddie, Sky, and Trent were.

"Raven! Thanks for finally joining us in the V.I.P." Eddie smirked. "You done asking that girl for her number?"

I was flustered by his suggestion. "I wasn't -- Eddie, you know that I'm..."

"You ready, boys?" Another dancer, this one wearing a neon yellow set of underwear beamed over at us as she approached the group.

"I was born ready, baby!" Eddie excitedly clapped.

The woman shifted down toward the table in front of us, lying down on her back. Just then, I noticed that she was holding a few shot glasses in her hand. She proceeded to place one right in the center of her belly button, and then another one between her upper thighs, and lastly, she placed one between her lips.

Eddie immediately grabbed for a bottle of vodka and poured a shot into each of the glasses on the dancer's body. He then bent down toward her, slipping the shot glass that rested in her belly button into his mouth, easily throwing back the shot.

"Whoo!" he yelled. When he was done with his celebrating, he nudged his cousin in the arm. "Sky! Big man! It's your turn!"

"Oh, uh..." Sky shot a look over at me before he looked back at Eddie. "Not tonight, man. Sorry."

Eddie scoffed. "Come on, Sky! Trent can't do any because he's getting married soon. Raven won't do any because he's... a friend of Dorothy."

A friend of Dorothy?

What year was he living in? 1946?

"We're the only eligible guys left, man! Which means that you have to drink! It's the law!" he shouted and then started to chant. "It's the law! It's the law! It's the law!"

"It's still a no from me, Eddie. Sorry." Sky stood firm in his original answer.

I smiled to myself, happy to see that he wasn't willing to play along with his stubborn cousin. I had a feeling that he was refusing Eddie for my sake, which made me feel like he was finally respecting our relationship--

Relationship?

Could I even call it that? We still didn't have a label. Sky was still in the closet.

And I was still wary of getting too attached to yet another straight guy.

Just then, Trent yelled to the rest of the group. "Holy shit! Are they really playing this song right now?"

"Whoa, I haven't heard this song since high school..." Eddie remarked as he looked up at the ceiling. "I still remember the dance, though! Sky! Raven! Get in line behind us, and then we'll form a circle!"

"I have a headache," I lied, already turning back toward the entrance. "I think I should head home early."

I loved Clarissa, I really did, but there were some lines that I just wouldn't cross. And one of those lines involved dancing with a bunch of straight guys at a strip club.

"Your loss!" Eddie called out after me.

"See you guys at the wedding!" I replied, my feet still heading toward the door.

* * *

"That sounds like a nightmare." Briar made a face as he offered me a shot of tequila. "I'm surprised you lasted as long as you did in a club like that."

"I don't mind strip clubs," Laurel said cheerfully. "I think they can be a lot of fun, if you go with the right group."

"Yeah, you would say that. I think you like anything, as long as there's dancing involved." Briar grinned.

Laurel pouted and reached for the shot of tequila that Briar was holding out for me. "Not everyone hates fun, Briar."

I smiled over at them both from the far end of the couch. The two had been roommates for about two years, and currently their petty bickering was a creature comfort. I'd come over to their apartment as soon as I'd left the strip club, feeling a little desperate for something more familiar.

"Are you two still hooking up?" Laurel asked as he sipped at his drink.

"Yeah," I answered. "But... I don't know. He still hasn't told anyone about us. I've been trying to give him more time, but..."

"Maybe you should dump him?" Briar suggested.

"No! Raven, do not dump him!" Laurel gasped dramatically. "That's the worst thing you could do!" He moved closer to me on the couch before he continued. "Listen, when I saw you two at Neon City, I swear to god, I saw actual sparks. Sparks! How could you give up on something like that?"

"I just don't know, Laurel. How long am I supposed to wait for him to make up his mind about what he wants?" I sighed. "I keep waiting for him to claim me, just once, around someone he actually cares about and it just... never happens."

"Not yet," Laurel clarified. "But it will."

"How do you know?"

"Because the sparks never lie." He grinned. "Just give him a little more time, okay? Sky is smart. He'll figure out what he's supposed to do."

"And if he doesn't, you're always welcome to cry on the couch," Briar commented. "You can also help yourself to some of the tequila in the cabinet, but only if he really breaks your heart."

"He's not going to break Raven's heart," Laurel said confidently .

"Oh, so you're a psychic now?" Briar smirked. "Quick, tell me what number I'm thinking of."

"Jerk!" Laurel playfully threw one of the couch cushions, which Briar expertly ducked.

And in the middle of their friendly fire, I felt my phone buzz.

Sky.

He'd sent me a text, asking if he could come over tonight.

I quickly shot off a response, letting him know that I wouldn't be sleeping at my apartment tonight, since I was crashing with a friend.

I just couldn't see him right now. I didn't know if I'd be able to handle it. I was getting so tired of being nothing to him, no matter how much I enjoyed our time together. And I didn't want to get any closer to him, either, not if he was just going to hurt me in the end.

"Can I crash here tonight?" I asked, looking up from my phone.

Briar shrugged. "Sure."

"Anytime you want," Laurel beamed.

And I was grateful to know where I stood with at least a few people in my life.