"So... who are you with?" The burly security guard steps forward, barring your way.
"I'm with the band," you say, your voice loaded with suggestiveness, and it doesn't go unnoticed.
He raises an eyebrow, taking in your too-tight dress and cherry red...
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I wouldn't consider myself to be a jealous person but there's no other explanation for the bitter, grating feeling building inside me as I watch Van's eyes light up at the sudden appearance of the mystery girl.
"Course you're not interrupting anything love!" Van laughs, and I bristle at the fact that this statement contradicts the fact that he was literally just trying to convince me to sneak off with him. His intentions were in no way innocent, but you'd think they were the way he's now looking at the girl with the adoring eyes of a puppy dog.
"Ahh good," she giggles, lips twisting into a mischievous smile. "I never know with you!"
"What yer trying to say?" Van chuckles back.
"Nothing that hasn't been said a million times before! You're usually up to no good McCann!"
Then she winks at him like they're old friends sharing a private joke, which is probably exactly what they are. This is excruciating. I'm frozen in place for a second, arms laden down with water bottles, watching them flirt like I'm not even there at all.
I clear my throat pointedly. "Don't mind me, I'll just be hard at work whilst you two have a cosy chat!"
Two heads swivel around to face me in an instant and I maintain my sullen pout. I'm cringing on the inside, loathe to show Van that I'm in any way bothered by him showing another female the same flirty attention that he lavishes on me, but I just can't help it. The girl is pretty, much prettier than I realised now I'm in such close quarters. In fact not just pretty but gorgeous, striking almond-shaped hazel eyes and plush lips slicked in pink gloss, dirty blonde hair that falls in choppy waves around her shoulders. She seems older, carrying herself with a quiet confidence that makes me think that she's comfortable in her own skin, radiating a timeless kind of appeal that doesn't need provocative clothing or overtly suggestive behaviour to garner attention. I shift where I stand, uncharacteristically self-conscious.
"You must be Arabella," she says, eyes glowing and grin stretched wide, a little teasing. "I've heard a lot about you."
"Oh yeah?"
I'm trying to size her up whilst giving nothing away, trying to determine whether the mischievousness radiating off her is friendly or something else. I'm usually quite a good judge of character but girls are so much harder to work out than boys. Especially girls like this, the sort who can command the attention of all in the room without even breaking a sweat.
"Yeah, and I'd say you've made quite an impression on the lads." She grins, running a tongue over her pearly white teeth, then she reaches over and gives Van a hefty shove. "Especially this one!"
"Oi!" Van huffs, shooting her a glare that's more playful than poisonous. "Don't tell her that, she already gets special treatment as it is!"
The girl ignores him pointedly, attention now fully on me. "You know you shouldn't let Van work you too hard... he'll have you running round like his personal slave if you're not careful. Here, I'll take these, they look heavy."
