All Areas Accessed - Sequel to Access All Areas

Chapter Forty

I'm having fun.

Flirtatious and carefree fun.

There have been so many times recently, where I wondered whether I'd ever smile or laugh ever again. But I am smiling and I am laughing.

Myself and Clara have been slowly getting drunk together, and bumping and grinding on the dance floor like we're shooting one of my sexy music videos. Both of us have been dancing our cares away, whilst exhibiting our true love for one another. I never thought it possible to feel this way about someone. I never thought I'd meet someone who would ever make me feel this way, but Clara thankfully has. Without her, I don't know what I would have done when Maci died.

I used to think that my fame always made me invincible. It doesn't. It honestly doesn't. But with love in your heart, that can pull you through some truly awful shit. With Clara's love, I am being pulled through that truly awful shit. And I don't think a more beautiful soul could do all of that pulling. I know I am drunk, but I'm happily drunk on her love as well. I'm drunk on how lucky I am to have fallen in love with Clara. I'm just enjoyably drunk. Wanting to cool off a little and get in another round of drinks for us, I proudly wrap my arm firmly around Clara's waist and lead her with me towards the illuminated bar. With the bar in my very steely sight, we hotly weave our way through all the other hot revellers here, until a familiar face rudely intercepts us. "Well hello there, stranger."

"Gabriela." I roughly retort, completely repelled by her distasteful presence.

With her not even acknowledging Clara, she thrusts her fake and grotesque breasts brazenly upwards. "I was so sorry to hear about your sister." She seductively wails, annoying the shit out of me even more. Gabriela is a desperate cling-on. A celebrity leech and is also a very drunk and very regretful one night thing of mine from many years ago. I've slept around, I know, but Gabriela was one of my rarest of cringeworthy regrets. I've always practiced safe sex, but I still shudder at the thought of being anywhere near that leech.

Gabriela has no dignity, no loyalty and certainly no real friends. She is always trying to sell her sleazy stories to the highest bidder and I can only wince at knowing how she always manages to squirm her way into these VIP parties.

Annoyed at how she persistently keeps on ignoring Clara, I squeeze my girls waist to let her know that I know that she is beautifully still there. "If you don't mind, Gabriela." I look away from the latino skank, focusing only on where I am wanting to go—the bar.

Just as I eagerly sidestep her, she thrusts her breasts and a business card in my direction. "Here's my number again, just in case you no longer have it."

Clara tenses against me. I tense against her.

Is this chick for real?

Is she really?

There is so much wrong in this scenario. So much wrong.

I'm angry. Disappointed and beyond angry. Gabriela has not only used the death of my sister to come and talk to me, she has behaved disrespectfully towards Clara and then had the careless audacity to offer me her number. No, I'm not having that. I'm not having that at all. "I'm too drunk to be polite, Gabriela." My stare on her is now a murderous one. "Instead of disrespecting my girlfriend, why don't you go and find someone else who might be stupidly interested in having some meaningless sex with you?"

Gabriela soon skulks off in her ridiculous high heels; humiliated and embarrassed. The skank really has thick skin, so her humiliation and embarrassment will soon wear off, I'm sure. My anger though...yeah, that's not going anytime soon.

I was having fun.

I was with Clara, having some fun.

Why do people think that they have the right to step into my life?

Why do they think that it's okay to invade my time?

When I look at my girl, she looks a little bewildered back at me. "I'm sorry about her, Clara." Is all I can expel from my agitated throat.

Smiling my way, she is quick to say. "I'm fine, Rhys."

But I'm not convinced. "I really am sorry. She's a long time from my past. I feel awful." I also feel like I want to smash something up. I want to bellow. I want to punch something really hard. I just want to rewind. The night has turned right on its head. Right on its shitty head.

Clara is really trying to make me feel better, admirably so. "We both have a past, Rhys. I don't care about all of the Gabriela's that I might bump into along the way. I know that you love me now, I only care about that."

If ever there was a time that I felt less deserving of Clara—this would be that time. I regret Gabriela. I regret all of the immature sleeping around and the childish not giving a damn. I regret it all. "I do love you, more than anyone or anything in this world."

Clara reaches for my hands that hang uncomfortably still down by my sides, staring back at me with spheres of teal adulation. "And I love you." Now she smiles, beautifully smiles. "Let's get those drinks." She's wanting me to relax, wanting me to start enjoying myself again.

So I tell her what I know she wants to hear. "Okay." But the dark cloud is returning and I think only vodka and JD will keep it at bay.