The Replacement Boyfriend

Chapter 14

Tace

Cassidy, Ahana and Yu Na seemed to have no problem dancing to the loud beats of the music that was playing in Club Escape. We had just spent fifteen minutes drinking our own bottles of beer before they rushed onto the dance floor to get their boogie on. Of course, Jax had decided to be the designated driver and was sipping on a can of soda, watching us intently as we drank the alcohol of our choices. I watched them dance while waiting at the bar with the guys. Zayne had already moved on to hard liquor as soon as he was done with his beer and part of me felt protective about him, wanting to tell him to slow down but I felt like I shouldn't have to restrict him when he wasn't my boyfriend.

"Why aren't you dancing with them?" Asher leaned in close to ask and I raised an eyebrow at him, shooting the same question right back at him.

"I need to be drunk to dance," he admitted and I felt relieved that someone felt the same way as I did. "Or at least buzzed. I don't feel anything right now."

I nodded, agreeing with him completely. "Shots?"

He gave me a look of gratitude and then asked for six shots of vodka.

"Six?" I questioned him, trying not to sound as mortified as I felt. "Is Zayne-" I started but noticed that he was half-way through his quarter of rum.

Asher followed my gaze and then looked back at me, shaking his head slowly. "Didn't know he was so much of a drinker," he said, trying to sound like a parent who was disappointed in their child even though he had gotten us three shots each. "Maybe it's because you guys fought."

"We did not fight," I groaned. Great! He had told Asher about it. "It's more complicated than it sounds."

"He kind of told me all about the pretend relationship you had with his twin and all," Asher confessed, giving me an apologetic smile. "I mean, I'm not taking his side but I get why he kept it from you. His brother had never asked him for anything before so he kind of had to-"

"You can shut up now," I sighed and picked up one of the shot glasses. I raised it up toward him and waited for him to do the same before we clinked our glasses together and downed the burning liquid. I had to bite my tongue down to keep my mouth from salivating and I felt the heat travel down my throat and through my body. The feeling was new to me since I had never had hard liquor neat before.

"Don't stop!" Asher exclaimed, shoving another shot glass into my hand. Before I could even tell him to slow down for me, he clinked his glass against mine and downed the second shot so I copied him, doing the same even though I knew I was going to regret it later.

I watched Zayne as he stared at the sea of people on the dance floor, his drink in his hand and a strained look on his face as if he was contemplating life. Then he dug his phone out of his pocket and it lit up with unread messages. He set his glass on the bar counter and went through the messages, typing back replies and a part of me wanted to know who he was texting but the other half of me decided that it was none of my business. I looked to Jax and found that he was already watching me. He smiled when our eyes met and I forced a smile back, thinking that if I didn't have Zayne to turn to, I still had Jax and Cassidy.

"I don't think I can drink another," I leaned close to Asher when he handed me my last shot. He rolled his eyes at me before downing his.

"Trust me, you'll thank me once you start dancing," he told me, bringing the shot glass to my lips. "Drink up, baby."

I downed the last shot and fought the urge to gag or shake my head like a baby who had just tasted a sour lemon. Then before I could even think about what to do next, Asher took my hand and dragged me onto the dance floor. I caught Zayne's eye just before I disappeared into the sea of sweaty dancers. Asher didn't let go of my hand until we found our friends which I was grateful for because I would have gotten lost otherwise.