LA to The Bay

Chapter 36: Las Vegas (7)

Studio 54, MGM Grand, Las Vegas

I stagger down the stairs, away from the upper tier, and run towards the podium. She's crying. Please not again. I know that's what you're thinking. But oh no, not this time, Naïve Niamh is not going to publicly wear her heart on her sleeve ever again. She's going to play them at their own game instead.

'Duncan.' I grab at his trouser leg from where I am standing at the bottom of the podium.

'Are you okay? You look upset.' He leans down to speak to me.

'Can you go get me another one of those drinks please?'

'But they're really strong.' Great, so he's back to being Mr Prohibition dreary pants I see.

'I'll give you the money.' I beg.

'Okay, but just one more. We've got a long journey tomorrow so you don't want to feel sick again.'

Just one more? You have got to be kidding me? I'm already as ruined as they come so I may as well enjoy myself in the dark depths of drunken annihilation whilst I'm at it.

'Thanks.' I grasp the glass from him when he finally returns from the bar.

'Where are you going?' He sounds upset. Is it rude to just walk away from the person who just bought me a drink? I don't mean to be rude, it's nothing personal, I just want to go for a walk, go meet some new people, just like Louis told me to do.

Right, so just who am I going to meet? Eeny, meeny, miny, moe, which of you will cure my woe? And I do a big twirl round and point at...you!

There he is, the man I have selected. He has your typical clean cut but still a bit of a player look about him, all sleeked back black hair, wearing black trousers, white shirt and the biggest chunky link metal necklace you ever saw. Eew. I would never normally accept such a bling accessory, be it on a man or a woman, but I'm keeping an open mind right now. I slink over to where the guy is chatting with his friend.

'Hi, I'm Niamh.' I interrupt their conversation, and thrust my hand in front of him. He's quite a bit broader than I had thought, like he might make a habit of some serious work out sessions, the type of guy that would normally intimidate the hell out of me, and likely a reason why I always end up running after skinny dweebs instead; because they're safe. But that's why I've picked him; I'm fed up with being safe.

'Tom.' He holds his own, much larger, hand out, gabbing mine and shaking it hard. Wow, so strong.

'So are you like an American Footballer?' I bat my eyes at him, 'because your muscles are so big.' I can't believe I am actually saying this, and touching at his biceps too.

'What other sort of football is there?' His voice is so deep.

'Erm, I don't know, like football football?' It sounds like a normal question to ask, but now I'm wondering if said something ridiculously stupid?

'Oh, you mean like soccer?' Do I? 'Soccer's for wimps, so yeah I play football.'

'Great.' I grin at him widely, like he just explained to me to the theory of relativity or something.

'So do you want to dance?' I cut straight to the point, already having had enough of this nonsense chit chat.

'Sure thing I do.' He grins eagerly.

As we make our way on to the dance floor Daft Punk's "One More Time" is echoing around me. The song is familiar, having previously annoyed the hell out of me when it played endlessly on the duke box during this last hellish year of Sixth Form, but now, in this mega club with the crowds really hamming it up and swinging to the rhythm, I'm starting to appreciate its appeal.

"Music got me feeling so free..." the words repeat on me, as Tom pulls me in to his body, and I can't think of any other words which could be more true to my life right now, for in this moment I really am free, and I'm having my own decisions and actions validated by this hunk of man who is now slobbering all over me, which of course is exactly what I wanted him to do.

His tongue is moving way too forcefully for my liking and our teeth keep clashing but that doesn't matter because we're having a good time together, being free, celebrating, and the most important thing is that he's in to me. As opposed to those other little pricks.

'Niamh, what do you think you're doing?' A hand grabs at my shoulder, pulling me backwards.

'What the hell do you thinking you're doing man? Can't you see we're together here?' Tom growls as I'm pulled away from him.

'Yes, just what do think you are doing?' I stare at Harry, who has suddenly appeared out of the shadows, like he thinks he's Batman or something. Has he been watching me all this time or did he just happen to be walking passed and think "hey I'm pretty bored right now so why not ruin another evening for Niamh of course."?

'What do I think I'm doing?' He is laughing. What the hell has he got to be laughing about? 'I think we need to ask what you're doing instead Niamh?'

I quickly realise that his laughter is merely covering for anger, since his nostrils are flaring and he's pacing backwards and forwards, and doing that annoying thing of running his hand through his hair repeatedly.

'She never told me she had a boyfriend, man.'

Tom holds his hands up in defense, apparently worried that Harry might be about to hit him or something. Not that I can understand why he would be so nervous, the guy could floor Harry with his little finger.

'He's not my boyfriend.' I scream at Tom, increasingly annoyed at having to explain to yet another person that there isn't any sort of relationship between Harry and I, not even a friendly one.

'Then what's the dude's problem?' He regains his confidence, now puffing his chest out and ready to fight.

'I tell you what's my problem. It's you – dude!' Harry answers back sarcastically and I can't believe that this is happening, that they're actually about to start hitting each other, and seemingly just because I happened to kiss someone. Because I'm the only person in the world who isn't allowed to kiss someone apparently.

Authors note: I uploaded the video to the Daft Punk song the chapter talks about. It is so slow to start but if you skip to 3 mins and imagine yourself in da club then I really hope that music got ya feeling so free man!