Fragments

6.9

6.9

I brush past Smokey, ignoring his request to walk me back and down my drink so I can hand him the empty glass. Like a switch, my fear turns to anger. Anger towards myself for coming here, for trusting Reesa, for believing that I could do this.

"Not friends after all?"

I pause and turn towards the guy who made a comment earlier, now abandoned by the girl who was attached to his mouth. I'm fuming. I'm pissed. I'm overwhelmed.

"Fuck off."

He laughs at my retort and shrugs. I think he expects me to move on, to continue storming out of this disgusting place, but his smirk triggers something in my head.

"Wait." I take a step towards him, eyes narrowed. "I know you."

I watch as the gears move, trying to place my face in his memory. When he has it, he smacks his leg and laughs, shocked.

"Piper?"

"Does Adam know you hang out here, Lionel?" He shrugs for a response and I turn, ready to leave. "I need to go find him."

"Wait, Piper." He stands up to grab my wrist and pulls me gently back. The movement makes my head swirl, dizzy. "He's here?" When I nod he drops his hand. "Take me to him?"

When we exit the back into the dark club, everything feels foreign. The music is loud, the bass reverberating in my chest as we navigate the crowd of people. I was gone longer than I thought – people are starting to leave, creating gaps of space where earlier I couldn't even move.

I spot Adam leaning against a wall, his eyes down. He doesn't see us approach and I realize he's nursing a drink. His fingers curl around the glass tighter then they need to.

"Worried?"

He looks up at the sound of my voice. "Seriously? I thought you got kidnapped or something."

"I brought you a gift." I step aside to let Lionel get closer and the two give quick hellos. "Can we get out of here? I need to ask a favor."

"Sure." Adam slides an arm around my shoulders and the other around Lionel's. With a smile on his face he loses his drink and leads us outside into the cold. I get out from under Adam to zip up my coat and look up at the sky. Big, fluffy snowflakes land on my cheeks and get caught in my eyelashes. The beauty is mesmerizing. It takes me a few moments of staring at the swirling snowflakes to realize that Adam and Lionel are already half a block away, calling to me to catch up.

I start jogging towards them, slipping on the slush as I hurry to reach them. It only takes one clumsy step and suddenly I'm tumbling, the falling snow blurring as my vision fails to focus. I brace for impact but the ground is much softer then I expect it to be. In fact, I don't even hit the ground at all.

"Careful now." Lionel holds me steady until I catch my breath and step away from him. They start to walk again, following a path in the night that I'm unfamiliar with. Nervously I grab Adams wrist, pulling him back to me.

"The favor," I say when he turns to look at me. "I need somewhere to stay tonight."

"My place." Lionel's already a few steps away from us, talking to me over his shoulder.

Adam shrugs. "It's where I'm staying. Slumber party?"

I weigh my options.

"Okay." I take a breath and fall into step with Adam. "Slumber party."