LOCK UP - Lando Norris [BOOK 2]

21

"Seriously, Ev. I cannot handle another Gimlet" Charles slurs as I approach back to our position on the dance floor, a fresh Gimlet in each hand. 

"One more?" I give him the puppy dog eyes in hopes it will convince him. 

"You said that, about 4 of these ago." He chuckles and I shrug innocently, however he takes it anyway. 

Holding my glass in one hand and using the other to sway aimlessly around as we sway to the music, the bodies surrounding us grinding and bumping to one another, yet everyone somehow moves with ease. 

The sounds of glasses clinking, shot glasses being slammed down on the bar and the vibrations of the music radiating through my entire body. Glimpses of Charles face illuminate as the fluorescent party lights flash shots of colour through the entire place. 

My eyes fall on his as his dancing comes to a slower sway, not matching the upbeat thump of the tempo. The corners of his lips curved permanently upward, yet he doesn't look smug, he looks almost proud. 

"What?" I shout over the music. 

He moves closer to me, gripping me lightly on the forearm and leaning down to my ear. "You look really happy". 

Moving back slowly from me, yet still keeping in close proximity, I let a genuine smile spread across my face, "I am" I confess. 

He moves closer in, this time his hand rests on my left hip, his fingers meeting with the bare skin of my hipbone, sending a shock of electricity through my veins. "I like seeing you happy" 

A passing by waiter takes our empty glasses from us and disappears into the crowd, collecting bottles and cups from other flailing hands. 

Charles hand hasn't been removed from my side, and as I allow myself to steady my pace, I can feel his thumb tighten before softly grazing my skin. 

Allowing alcohol to give me courage, and slightly less morals, I turn my body toward Charles and allow my arms to snake around his neck, as he brings both his hands around my waist. A position that completely contradicts to the soundtrack playing behind us. 

He over exaggerates out hips swaying side to side with the music and I know from the outside, this looks completely ridiculous, but right now, I didn't care. I felt so happy and free in this very moment, in these four walls. 

My hand falls back as I let out a loud chuckle at our current foolishness as my arms fold tighter around his neck, forcing our bodies to be closer together. As my head returns to it's usual position, I come face to face with this absolute carbon copy of the perfect guy. The face of someone who has always been so present, so caring and so understanding of everything I am. The arms of him, currently surrounding me, which have always been so protective, so gentle and so captivating, suddenly feel different as they hold me against him. 

I allow my head to rest upon his, our eyes meeting underneath our gazes, our breaths tangling between us, the smell of our mixed cocktails intoxicating me further. My eyes dart to his lips as I watch his tongue feather out to lubricate them, allowing them to glisten beneath the club lights. 

Adjusting my hands so I can entangle my hands in the back of his hair, I close my eyes and try and rid the memory of another, allowing the pads of my fingertips to brush over his scalp. 

But, no matter how much I try and get rid of the memory, it seems to overtake me further, and when I open my eyes, they deceive me, and suddenly I'm face to face with the man who continues to wound the heart he possess, his blue eyes piercing into mine, the freckle to my right of his nose, one of my favourite spots to kiss. I glance down to his lips, the way they curve down sharply at the philtrum, more prominent when he smiles. 

I close my eyes, trying to intake a wave of his scent, one of my favourite parts, and I cant find it. My eyes flutter open, coming face to face with the one it cannot be. 

"Fuck sake" I groan, detaching myself from Charles, a worried look overtaking him. 

"Hey, Evelyn, what's wrong?" he asks. 

"I just... I need to, I'm sorry" I stutter as I remove myself from his grip and head for the front door. 

As soon as I'm hit with the night air, I realise how equally drunk, and naive I am. 

"Evelyn!" I hear Charles shout as he exits the restaurant. 

I can feel the tears brimming in my eyes, I'm so frustrated and lost and confused, and I hate it. 

"Evelyn" he repeats again as he catches up to me. 

"Charles, I'm sorry" I begin to explain, in a raised sense of voice, he stares at me confused. "I am so fucking sorry and I can't even explain it" my arms wailing around out of control yet fuelled by my emotions. "I'm just so sorry. You are, perfect, and warm and kind and loving and attentive and everything, and I just" 

His face softens as his lips relax from their tightened position. "Ev, you don't have to explain" 

"Oh, but I do" I cut in. 

"Come on, Ev. Let's get you home" he tries to encourage. 

"No, I don't want to go home, I just..." 

"Evelyn, please, we can talk about this later, tomorrow even" he suggests in frustration. 

"Charles, I don't want you to.." 

He cuts me off, "Ev, please can we just.."

"Charles, I am not good for you", I shout,  "And I keep making this worse, and I feel like I'm leading you on, but I'm not meaning too" I feel a tear drop land on my hand and I don't even know when I started crying. Bringing my hand up to my cheeks and they are drenched in my frustration. 

"No, Evelyn" Charles hands fall heavy on my shoulder as he directs me up to his line of vision, "He is no good for you, he keeps make this worse and you're not leading me on. I'm not stupid, I know you're in love with him. I've know that forever. Do I want to be with you? Of course I do, you've known that for as long as I've known you. But I'm not going to let it happen whilst you're dedicated to someone else. I'm not mad at your for it. Please, don't ever assume I'm mad at you for it. I know for certain one day we'll have our moment, I know we'll get our chance. I just have to wait until you're finished with that arsehole" he spits it out all at once before turning his back on me, his hands running through his head and walking into the distance.