Behind the Mic (Liam Payne fanfic)

Chapter Twelve

I found Louis quickly, as he was in the middle of a huge dance circle, absolutely killing it. He was dancing so hard I thought he'd get whiplash. He saw me in the crowd, cheering him on, and mimed throwing a lasso at me. I rolled my eyes but decided to play along. As he pretended to pull me closer to him, I scooted towards him to the beat and he grabbed my hips and started dancing with me. I laughed about how bad he was with partner dancing and took the lead. I had been in a swing dancing club to meet people my freshman year of college, so I remembered a few fun moves. I swung him around a few times and dipped him and everyone went crazy. He took my hand and bowed with me like we were on Dancing with the Stars. We laughed and the circle closed in around us as the song changed to one I actually recognized by Maroon 5. It was on the radios in Ubers all the time, so I knew the chorus. I sang along and jumped up and down in the mosh pit. Soon I was sweaty and wanted to get out, so I weaseled through everyone and bumped into Taylor Swift. Literally, ran into her.

"Oh, I'm sorry!" She said, clutching her cat.

"No, no, that was me, I'm sorry."

"Do I know you?" She asked me. Before I could answer, her face lit up. "Rose! Liam's date." I nodded. "How are you enjoying the party?"

"I'm loving it, thank you very much." She beamed.

"Of course! Have you had any cake? Are the drinks good? Isn't Bernardo just the best bartender?"

"I actually haven't had a mixed drink yet." She gasped and grabbed my hand pulling me towards the bar.

"You've got to let him make you something. It's almost magic, you tell him what you like, and he makes the perfect drink for you. It's incredible." She plopped me down on the bar and Bernardo came over to me. He was a tall, lanky brown man that reminded me of Riley, the way he towered over and looked like he knew he was in charge. When I ordered my wine earlier, I hadn't given him much thought, but now he looked a little intimidating. Someone called Taylor's name behind us and she waved at them enthusiastically. "Oh, Rose, will you hold my cat real quick? I'll be right back." She shoved him in my arms and ran off.

"She must trust you if she's leaving her cat with you," Bernardo said, leaning across the bar to talk to me.

"What's his name? No one has said it. It's either him or her cat."

"I don't think he has a name," Bernardo laughed. It was a good laugh, it was comforting. "What can I get you? Another white wine?"

"You remember?"

"You're the only one here who's ordered something with an alcohol content of less than 40%."

"Taylor and Louis Tomlinson swear by your mixed drinks. Figured I'd try them out."

"What would you like? Warm? Relaxing? Cooling? Invigorating?"

"Oh, there are so many options. How about..." I thought for a minute. The cat purred in my arms. He was so sweet. Bernardo was waiting patiently, and the music switched to Midnight Memories. I thought of how Liam was leaving soon. "Something bittersweet."

"One negroni, coming right up," Bernardo smiled, and got to work making my drink. I wasn't sure what a negroni was, but when he grabbed the gin and an orange, I sighed in relief. I liked most gin drinks, and I love oranges. He handed me my drink with one big ice cube and an orange peel and I thanked him. I held the drink on one hand and the cat carefully in the other and walked back towards the kitchen, looking for Taylor to give the cat back. I didn't see her anywhere, but I did see Liam throwing things away in the kitchen.

"Hey," I greeted him. He smiled at me then saw the cat.

"Why do you have Taylor's cat?"

"She just handed him to me and walked away. I don't know where she is to give it back." Liam petted the cat's head and it purred against me. "Oh, I love it when they purr." I said, snuggling it closer.