Reminiscing

Subtle Kisses

Nancy POV~

"No more drinks." I slapped Valerie's hand as she tried to reach for her fifth shot.

"Why not?" She obnoxiously whined.

"We literally just got here and you're such a lightweight. Drowning yourself in alcohol isn't fun. Go out and dance." I yelled over the music.

She smacked her lips and turned her back on me. I saw her as she openly approached a guy and began to dance with him. I saw the arrogant smirk on the guy's face as he slipped his hand around her waist. He mouthed something to his groupie and they all began to laugh and high five each other.

Valerie, you couldn't have chosen a more obvious douche, I thought to myself.

I asked the bartender for a non-alcoholic drink and I took a seat on a bar stool. I needed to be sober in order to watch out for Valerie and to drive ourselves back home safely.

"Do you want some drinks?" I heard someone asking over the music.

I glanced to my side and I saw a man grinning at me. "Does it look like I want drinks?"

"I don't know. It looks like you want many things from where I'm standing." He raised his hands up in a surrendering motion.

"Go f-ck yourself, because I'm not interested." I brushed him off.

He scowled, clearly not pleased at the fact that I just turned him down. He briskly turned around and left.

I continued to sip at my drink and looking out for Valerie.

"Hey. Can I join you?"

I rolled my eyes and faced the woman that had approached me. She looked decent. Not my type, but she clearly kept herself well.

"Go ahead." I shrugged.

"I had my eyes on you for a few minutes. I was too intimidated to approach you, but after seeing you turn down that man, I gained the courage to come near." She explained.

"That's understandable. I always scare people away."

"What?" The woman asked.

I shrugged it off and the woman smiled. I offered her a drink out of politeness and she accepted. She mentioned her name but I didn't pay much attention to it. It wasn't like I was interested in her or anything.

A few songs later we danced and then I excused myself to the restroom. In reality, I was ditching her. She seemed too clingy and I wasn't looking for anything at the moment. Not even a one night stand.

When I returned to my spot I realized I had forgotten about Valerie.

I scanned the area but she wasn't anywhere near the place I had last seen her.

I hurriedly pushed myself towards the crowd and I had my eyes out for her. I looked, reached and called out for her but the results were futile.

I began to panic as the worst case scenarios played in my head.

She could have easily been drugged and once unconscious dragged out of here. The guy and his groupie could have taken her. She could be long gone by now or she could have been lured in by a psychopathic person.

I took my phone out and dialed her number.

I knew it was useless considering the club was too loud for her to hear it. She was probably too wasted to even answer for that matter. I didn't put too much consideration to all the negativism though and so I continued calling her. After the fourth call, she picked up.

"Where are you?" I yelled into the phone.

I covered my ear and tried my best to concentrate on her response.

She mumbled something and I was only able to make out the word bathroom.

I ended the call and rushed towards the club's bathrooms. 

Once I pushed myself inside I pounded the stalls and called Valerie's name. To my relief, her muffled voice was heard from the last stall and I rushed towards it.

There, I found an exhausted Valerie sitting on the floor and her head resting on the wall.

"What happened? Are you okay?" I instantly asked.

"Not really. I took a drink from a guy. I then began to feel spiked so I rushed here and forced myself to puke it all out."

I clenched my jaw in anger. I clearly told her not to receive any drinks from anyone but me. This was the last time I brought her clubbing, that's for sure.

"Come. You need fresh air." I helped her up.

"Wait, I need a drink. To rinse the foul taste." She meekly explained.

After leaving the bathrooms we heading towards the bar and I got her two water bottles. After that, we stepped outside the building. There were a few steps so we decided to sit there for a moment.

Valerie then rinsed her mouth and drank water afterward. She then rested her head on my shoulder and sighed.

"Are you mad?"

I scoffed and laughed humorlessly. "What do you think?"

"I think you're beyond mad."

"Good guess."

"It is not my fault." Valerie hissed.

"So it's mine? I clearly told you not to accept drinks from anyone but me."

"Well I saw you with that woman and I —" she abruptly stopped talking and closed her mouth.

I tilted my head in order to face her. "You what Val?"

"I felt like doing something."

"Doing what?"

"This."

She lifted her head and kissed me ever so softly.

I sat there stupidly in complete and utter shock. I couldn't even finish processing the fact that Valerie just kissed me. I don't even think she realized what she had done. She was probably too drunk to understand or even remember it by tomorrow.

"I'm sorry," Valerie whispered.

I saw the fear in her eyes and how worried she appeared to be. I wondered what had her feeling so frightened. Either way, I wasn't going to judge her or yell at her for what she did. She wasn't sober and fully conscious of what she did. Or maybe she was, who knows.

I kissed her forehead softly and shushed her. "It's okay Val, don't worry."

Valerie sighed and rested her head on my shoulder again.

I placed another reassuring kiss on her head and I told Valerie that we should head home. It was extremely late and I was exhausted. I helped Valerie up and we started the search for my car.

All I needed right now was my bed and a good night's rest.

And Desirée.

And Candice.

But that could wait.

°°°