Why Me?

Dinner & Much More

The car comes to a halt in front of a crowded Chinese restaurant. Octavia parked behind the two 4WD the boys came in. They must already be inside the restaurant because we could not see any of them around or still in the car.

We exited the car and went into the Chinese place, with Octavia first and I followed behind Anna. They came to a stop in front of a long table but I couldn't see anything. I turned around and observed the people around me. There were couples, families and friends dining in the restaurant.

My thoughts traveled over to my dad. How he'd make a sarcastic comment about this place how he'd try making me laugh every time I felt down, how we were so close like two peas in a pod, but yet we weren't.

I felt a tear roll down my face. I quickly wiped it away and turned back around before anyone noticed my little break down.
When I was finally facing the right way, I noticed that Octavia and Anna were no longer in front of me. I looked around me and couldn't see any familiar faces. I began to walk around, watching all around me to see if u could spot anyone.

I stopped in front of a staircase that had a large male standing beside it.
"Excuse me", I said as i walked up to the man. "Did a large group of men and two women come this way?", I asked him.
He nods, "Yes they did. Im guessing your Danielle. So just go up the stairs, follow the hall and to your right there will be a private room were they are stationed", he requires me.
I thank him and begin on the directions he gave me.

I find the room and walk in side. Octavia and Anna are the first ones I see who are sitting at a bar, with two handsome bartenders. I spot  most of the sitting on couches around a poker table and a big flat screen tv that shows the football game on tonight. At another table in a corner is Corey and his two wing men and two other men I've never seen before.

As I go and make my way over to the bar. My eyes meet Corey's and a goofy grin appears on his face. I inwardly gage as he calls my name, gesturing for me to go over to him. I notice that I also have captured the two strange mens attention and they eye me as I make my way over.

"Dani, I was just talking about you to Mr Harpers and his son Quinn", Corey says and I take a look at the two men before me. Quinn was a good looking bloke around my age, with dark brown nearly black hair, brown eyes and olive skin and his father was a much older version of him.

I nod in gesture at them and keep looking at Quinn because he seems very familiar to me. Then it clicked. He had dated one of my old friends back in high school.

"Quinn? Quinn Harpers?" I ask slightly shocked.
"Dani? Dani Jennings?" Quinn says with equal shock. He stands up and engulfs me in a big bear hug. I cuddle into his chest for a few seconds before pulling back and looking him up and down.
"You look amazing", he breaths, looking me up and down.
"You don't look to bad yourself Quinn", I reply and smile at him. 

"And you two know each other how...?" Corey asks looking bewildered.
"He used to date one of my best friends back in high school, and back than I was overweight and had shorter hair." I inform him as Quinn sits back down.
Corey nods and looks between me and Quinn once more before turning his attention on the papers before him "Now that introductions are over. Dani you can go hang out with Octavia, whilst I do some business", he says and looks up at me.
"Sure thing Corey", I say and add "Nice seeing you again Quinn", I nod and smile at them, before I head over to the bar.

I plop down on a bar stool next to Anna and right across from one of the handsome bartenders. "What can I get for you?" He asks.
"One sex on the beach please", I give little chuckle.
"Coming right up", he grins.
I watch him make the drink before he serves it to me and I read his name tag. "Thanks Dion", I smile and hop off the stool going over to the pool table, where a few guys chatted about to play a round.

"Can I play?" I ask leaning on the table.
"Sure you can partner with Tommy" one of the guys say and point to a man with brown hair and a muscular build.
I nod and grab a stick.
I play 3 rounds before leaving and going back to the bar. 
I take a seat at the far end away from everyone and order some tequila shots.
I push those down without a problem and then order a glass or vodka and coke. After finishing it I start feeling tipsy. My mind going a little hazy and eerie.
I order a scotch and leave the bar going over to the music system. I put in Animals by Martin Garrix and spot Octavia. I finish my drink, putting the glass down and grabbing her arm.

"Dance with me", I tell her also tipsy state. I drag her onto the makeshift dance floor and we start moving out bodies to the beat and shaking our hips. Halfway through the song I stop and take off my jacket and walk over to the table Corey still sits at with an amused expression as he watches his sister and I dance. This makes me aware of that most of the men are amused by our performance making me smile and skip over to him.

"Her Corey, could you hold onto my jacket? Thanks", I say to him and go back over to where a trying to twerk Octavia is.
I start dancing again, doing old disco moves until Do It Like A Dude by Jessie J came on. I did a dance routine to this song at my old dance company. I let go of my body, letting the music surround me and letting my body remember and move to the dance.

As the song finishes, I do my last move and open my eyes, going still and regaining my breath. I look around me seeing that everyone, even the bartenders were looking at me with a slightly shocked expression and some wore smiles and others with clear surprise.

"What?" I unintentionally snap.
"That was amazing. Your dance was amazing", Octavia said with a big grin plastered on her face.
"Ehh, it was alright I guess. Thought I told you I used to dance", I shrug.
"Yeah but I didn't think like that though. Who did you dance for?", she asks.
"Australian Nation Hip Hip Academy and Theresa Wang's Dance Society", I answer. 
"You mean two of the top dance clubs in Australia?" She asks shocked.
"Yeah, so?" I shrug again.
"Why'd you quiet?"
"You wanna know why?" I raise an eyebrow. And see Corey and a few others move next to her.
"Yes Dani. We wanna know why" Corey's voice says.
I take a few steps closer to them as I feel my emotions battle with each other.
"I quite because dad and I went broke. I worked as well as danced 24/7 to help dad pay for rent and mortgage because he was tryna pay you off Corey. We could no longer afford my tuitions, my costumes, all because of you. And you know what?! It obviously wasn't worth it. Dad told me he was paying off all the bills that kept pilling up and I got suspicious  because I knew they weren't that expansive and that many. I brought a grand home every month for him and save $50 for myself. I worked 2 different jobs. I wasted all that money just for him to get killed. If I kept that money, I would be in England or America right now signed to a global dance company. But no I'm stuck here with the people who killed my father." I finish, as I felt tears fall rapidly down my face. I escape the room and rush to the bathrooms and lock myself in a cubical.