After Hours

Chapter 11

Since I don't have a big variety of clothing and there isn't enough time to go shopping, Jasmine lets me borrow an outfit. I wear a white crop top with a blue skirt and come black heels. Jasmine curls my hair then begins doing her own as I start on my makeup. By the time we leave the house, both of us look stunning. Franklin drives us into the city where Jasmine directs him to a club. She takes a few pictures of us and I smile awkwardly before looking away. The club is unlike any other I have been to. While there is music playing, people don't really dance - they only seem to be here to socialize which is why we aren't as dressed up as usual, I assume. Overall, the place seems to have a cool and relaxed vibe.

Jasmine leads me up to the VIP section where she stops at the bar to get us drinks. Carrying our glasses, we make our way to a couch where a few guys are sitting. One looks slightly familiar but I can't figure out where I've seen him before. Sitting on the arms of the couch are a few girls but Jasmine walks right by them and sits on the couch. "Sit," she demands.

I sit beside her, feeling completely out of place. To my right is a guy who I can feel staring at me but I try my best not to look at him. I sip on my drink timidly, trying not to gain any attention. Maybe this wasn't the best idea. "This is Dominic and that is Benjamin," Jasmine says before leaning forward to see the guy beside me. "And that's Zachary."

"Zach," he says sternly. "What's your name?"

"Emery," I say glancing at him with a nervous smile.

"Well drink up, Emery. You two have a lot of catching up to do," he says, taking a drink of his beer.

I sit in silence, listening to their conversation until my drink is empty. "I'm going to get a drink. I'll be right back," I tell Jasmine before standing up.

Zach stands as well. "I'll buy."

He places his hand at the small of my back, leading me to the bar. Waving the bartender over, he orders our drinks. I twist the very end of my hair between my fingers as we wait. "Are you a model too?" he asks.

I look at him in disbelief. "No."

He shakes his head. "Don't look at me like that. You certainly have the body for it. You're cute too."

"My boyfriend thinks so too," I say, taking two of the drinks that the bartender sets in front of us.

Handing Jasmine her drink, I sit beside her and continue to drink, growing more comfortable as time passes. After a few more drinks, I begin to really loosen up and even join in on their conversation. Zach returns to his place beside me and I had completely forgotten about him until now. "So what do you all do for a living?" I ask.

"I am a photographer," Dominic says.

"And I am a model," Benjamin says.

"I can see why," I say, looking him over appreciatively.

They laugh and I mentally discipline myself for drinking more than I should have. "I'm an actor," Zach says.

I raise an eyebrow, turning to him. "Are you just starting out because I have never seen you in a movie before?"

"Ouch," Jasmine says, laughing.

Zach frowns. "I began almost two years ago."

"I'll believe it when I see it," I say, intending to piss him off.

"I don't have to prove anything to you," he says. "They've been to two movie premieres and Dominic has even been on set with me."

"You're still trying to prove it," I chuckle.

He shakes his head. "I feel bad for the poor guy who is stuck with you."

I raise an eyebrow. "Why? Because he has a cute girlfriend with a nice body to come home to?"

He rolls his eyes. "Keep telling yourself that."

"I don't have to, you did."

Jasmine laughs. "You two are unbelievable. Someone go get us more drinks."

After a few more rounds of drinks, another person joins our group. Dominic walks around, taking pictures of the club and the people in it. The newest addition to our group happens to be a comedian so I practically beg him to put on a little show for us. "So, a few years ago I was going through a divorce. My ex and I both wanted custody of our kid. When we went to court, she used the bullshit line that the kids were a part of her because she carried them for nine months and gave birth to them," he says. "When the judge asked for my argument, I asked When you put coins into a vending machine, who does the product belong to?"

Everyone begins laughing and I laugh so hard that I hold my stomach and fall back against the couch where Zach's arm is. I turn to him with a smile playing on my lips. "Did you hear that?"

He stares back at me in amusement. "Yes, I did."

Jasmine who was standing up is pushed back, falling across our laps. We begin laughing again as Dominic photographs the moment. When she gets sits up, she looks at Zach as if she's remembered something. "Did you ever get your new bike?"

"Yeah," he nods. "Want to see it?"

Jasmine stands before pulling me up. Dominic joins the three of us as we walk downstairs to the street where there's a nice black bike parked. "Shiny," I mumble.

"Get on," Zach says, slipping his hands in his pockets.

My eyes widen. "Are you crazy?"

"He didn't say drive it. Just get on so I can get a picture," Dominic says.

"Yeah," Jasmine says excitedly.

Sighing, I hold my skirt to the best of my abilities as I climb onto the bike. After fixing my skirt, I lean forward slightly and hold the bars. Turning to the camera with a seductive smile on my face.

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