Remember me

Chapter 3

Mia

After a couple of dances with Marley on the makeshift patio dance floor, I come inside to find water when I feel an arm slip around my waist.

"Hey baby" Cole whispers into my ear. The vodka on his breath makes me shutter. I take a deep breath, my distress, swallowing the rising memory and turn to face him with a small smile. "Hey Cole"

He pulls me over to the counter stool and plops me onto his lap.
"How long have you been here? I've missed you."

He nuzzles his face into my hair, nibbling on my ear and kissing my neck.

I clear my throat, "Not long, Marley wanted me to dance with her. I was just coming to grab some water."

"You should be dancing with me" Cole says.

"Jealous?"

"Always." He continues kissing down my neck, and his hand is moving up my waist towards the edge of my breast now. I'm wondering how I can get him to back off a little without hurting his feelings when I hear a whistle. I glance up and Cole's baseball buddies are looking at us grinning. Cole chuckles, his hand grazing my chest over my shirt.

"Cole" I say, pushing his hand down an inch.

"Hmmm?" He says, moving his hand back up. I push it back down.

"Come on Cole, people are staring."

"Let them stare. They know you're mine, Mia."

I pull away gently and peck him on the lips. "I needed water, remember?
"I'll be back in a few okay?"

He stands up and releases me, scowling. "Sure, whatever." He walks away, grabbing a vodka bottle as he goes.

Great.

I grab a water bottle from the cooler and hurry outside to try to find Marley. I spot her on the dance floor again but this time she is with Liam. I stop short, leaning against the door frame to watch them.

Marley and Liam have been flirting on and off for years, but they've been tiptoeing around their crush on one another just as long. Marley throws her head back laughing at something Liam whispered into her ear and I smile. Marley really is the greatest friend and I love to see her happy.

I push through the crowd a little to get to the outskirts.  The September heat is still scorching, and all these people standing so close together is making it almost unbearable.

As I'm scanning the yard for a free space I see a guy standing in the corner. Something about him makes me stop short. He's leaning again a patio post staring at the crowd. He's not talking to anyone, or looking at his phone, he's just watching. He looks...lonely. Maybe even a little angry.

He turns his face in my direction and I widen my eyes. There's something vaguely familiar. No not vaguely. Definitely familiar. He's tall, but not skinny like most high school boys. His shoulders are broad and his arms are muscular. I look at his sandy hair, cut short, and get another jolt of recognition. At that second he looks up directly into my eyes.

Bright, blue eyes, staring back at me.

Eyes I could never, ever forget.

Nick.

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Like there's a teather connecting us I'm suddenly standing beside him, not even remembering making the decision to walk over. He's not looking at me anymore so I clear my throat to gain his attention. Did he not see me?

He still doesn't acknowledge me. Tentatively I reach out and put my hand on his shoulder.

"Hey..Um.. Nick?"

He looks over his shoulder and down at me. Slowly, hesitantly, like he doesn't want to acknowledge that I'm there. I pause, staring for a second when our eyes meet for a second time.
I take a deep breath.

"Nick?
... Remember me?"