Warm Rain

Chapter 34 - Birthday Boy

I'm panicking... why am I panicking?

We all piled in the taxi that picked us up at the resort. I was nervous because I hadn't had the chance to pre-drink. I wanted to feel a little looser when I got into town. I was feeling incredibly anxious. I looked at my phone, it was 7:41 pm. Apparently, everyone was meeting at 7:00 so there should be a lot of people there already.

The taxi had a mixture of everyone's scents flowing around. My perfume, Stella's perfume, Nick and Caden's cologne. I'd done my makeup, curled my hair, and wore the green dress I'd bought earlier today. I felt dressed up but I didn't feel in the mood.

We got to town and the taxi dropped us outside the Wagon Wheel. We got out and I took a deep breath, scared to go in. Why am I scared to see him? It feels like my heart is in my stomach...

"This bar looks so nice," Stella said as we crowded outside. The bar looked modern mixed with a very traditional style. There was a massive wheel on the outside just above the name of the bar. 'Wagon Wheel'. There were dark wood panels up the walls and large windows.

Stella grabbed my hand pulling me inside. It was busy already, the bar was packed and almost all the tables were taken. We pushed through the crowd till we got to the back. I started to recognize people from the resort. Mauricio, Taylor, Emmett, Kaley then there was Spud and his friends too. They greeted us as we joined them at the tables. Logan was nowhere in sight.

"Where's the birthday boy?" Stella asked around.

"Somewhere?" Mauricio yelled, "He's got about three girls hanging off his arms already."

I gipped at the thought. Of course, he'd be getting loads of attention tonight. I don't want that to hurt me but it does. I need a drink. But the bars are packed, I need something to calm me, there's all these people around, I'm feeling really anxious tonight.

"Stella!" I called to her across the table. She was talking to Taylor and Emmett. "I'm gonna go outside for a cigarette."

She nodded her head and I got up to go out. There was a courtyard out the back, continuing a very horse stable-y, wagon wheel theme. Warm colored string lights hung overhead, there were booths with brown fabric, more wooden panels walls, and massive barrels as tables. It was just as busy here as it was inside. Today was super busy. I got out my vape and leaned against the wall. I didn't recognize anyone around. You could slightly hear the music past all the chatter a cooling guitar was playing western tunes.

I don't think I'll stay here long. I'm not in the mood. I know I haven't drunk yet, there's just something wrong about being here for Logan's birthday. I guess the truth is that I still like him and it's hard to have to push myself away again especially when I used to have him. Then seeing all these people who are here for him for his birthday they have no idea what he's done and it feels wrong. I know everyone has their secrets but Logan... who is he? That woman in the shop only had nice things to say about him. But she might not know him well if she only sees him in the shop. Everyone has nice things to say about him, but Murphy.

I hate that I still think of him all the time. Why can't I think about anything else? I inhaled the vape and breathed out closing my eyes briefly.

I watched as more people walked out into the courtyard. More people I didn't recognize. Then I saw him. He stepped out and noticed me straight away. I'm nervous. Why does he do this to me? His eyes were bright at first when he looked at me, but they quickly dimmed. He started walking toward me. He looked at my dress and blinked slowly, I prepared myself not knowing what he was going to say. A few people came up to him, wishing him a happy birthday. They brought his attention away from me. I took another drag. Two girls called his name, one was pulling at his arm.