In Love With An Angel (a. butler)

Twenty-Three

I felt them staring at me as I held my belly and my laughter grew. In all honesty, I didn't know why everything was so funny. I was sure I had finally lost it. Austin squinted his eyes at me.

"Rose, are you alright?" Ellie asked leaning closer to me on the couch. I nodded my head but then found it much more fun to shake. I began nodding and shaking to the beat of Kyle 'IMissMe' as it began to play over the speakers.

"She's really drunk" Viviana said as if she were surprised.

I opened my eyes wide. "No. I'm fine, I promise. I wanna see the game" I said jerking upright. I had to keep composure. I was actually intrigued to see Austin in this state. Pretending. As he always does. I wanted to watch him play this stupid game and I wanted to see how he does it. How he keeps everything off his mind.

Luca reached over the table setting up the last cup in the form of a pyramid. There were two on each end. Austin continued to stare at me. He was giving me the same look he would give Marina when I was there and she said something or he said something and they were trying to keep me out of the loop. The 'speaking without words' thing. Yet I had no idea what he was trying to say. I rolled my eyes instead.

I was beginning to feel annoyed. How dare he show up here? And give me this look as if he were disapproving my actions. He's not so great himself. Oh who am I kidding? He's amazing.

NO. No..he's rude. And wrong, and confusing and hot and cold and hot..

I was brought back to the moment by the sound of Sabrina's yelling.

"Nice one Luca!" she said

I peeked over trying to see what was so nice. I watched as Luca raised his arm in the air to throw a small white ball into one of the cups on Austin's end. It hit directly in the center cup. Austin nodded his head. He grabbed the cup and began drinking slowly. He didn't even react to the taste. It was as if he were drinking fresh water.

"Your turn" Luca said smugly.

That was the last and final turn that Austin had engaged in. Each shot was perfect and it left Luca to drink back to back. The crowd reacted with joy and shock. I noticed Luca beginning to get a little frustrated. Ellie crossed her arms over her chest. After claiming the first round was just luck the second one seemed to take a different toll. Austin was fifty for fifty with each shot. I gazed at him closely.

The game ended as quickly as it had began. It baffled me. The way he went about the night. It didn't seem to bother him that half of the people in the room didn't want anything to do with him. Did he really only show for me?

Well it is my birthday..let's not let things go to our head.

After the game, the evening was wrapping itself up. A few of the others had left making the crowd less and less. Ellie had attempted to water me down but I only drunk half the cup. It flowed through me like a running faucet. I found myself going to the bathroom more than usual.

I slouched on the couch watching a few more people leave out the front door. The cushion aside me caved as I noticed Austin coming to sit beside me. I blinked at him trying to focus on the blue that were his eyes now.

"You should probably be heading home soon" he said

"You can't tell me what to do" I snapped back.

"It was more like a suggestion."

I leaned closer to him. "I'm fine"

"I don't think you are."

"What do you care?" I said "You've been telling me to stay away but now you show up."