Detour

9: Stranger Magnet

I can't say I'm having a hangover for the last two days Astrid was here, but man, Astrid, back when we were five, is a strong willed girl as the girls I knew in Scotland. But remembering how she carried her burnt and bald doll, approaching me as she's crying on the streets, gave me a nightmare for as long as I can remember. Now, I'm having a nightmare in something different.

"I'm grateful you passed by As." We both head for the door after having treats and staying indoor for the whole day, both reminiscing the past, even though I'm still a little shocked about what happened earlier. But nevertheless, I'm grateful for knowing such trivias about her like, yeah, her brother is Cole, my neighbor. Ooh, welcome to Amsterdam Jess, you're finally lost.

Minutes passed but nobody of us uttered anything or do so until I found her scribbling her own fingers, and...fidgeting?

"Are you...are you okay?" I asked her because maybe she's just holding back some memories and she still wants to come back inside. Am I being rude again?—

"Truth is,..." She's biting her nails.

"We could still come in for—"

"I'm not really just passing by Jess—I'm grateful to see you too Jess, God I am, but I really came here,..." She held my hand and I just smiled, "To find my brother." She trailed off. "I've told you about how I'm trying to find him b-but I just don't want to give you problems or anything," she paused, hesitating, "I don't have something right now, but, ugh." She covered her face.

"I don't understand what's really going on As." My brows creased, "If you need someone to talk to, we can just go back inside. I'm not rushing to let you go just yet." I chuckled a bit.

She faced me with fear in her eyes. "I just lost him again." I see unshed tears. "Ugh, this is so not right."

"What's not right?"

"I'm here to get my brother back but all I ever did was to push him away again." She wiped her tears in one swift move. "I'm sorry if I only came here to cry—"

"No. It's alright. I understand." I smiled and hugged her. This felt familiar, wherein all you have to do is cry just because you want to make things right but you'll just end up making it worst. Well, isn't this touching for your part every night Jess. "I'm here As. Just like old days." I know how I've lost someone and I miss him so much right now. Ugh. "What do you want me to do?"

"WHOOO! TAKE ONE MORE SHOT JESS! ONE MORE SHOT!" She shouted as she gulped one shot down. Music's blaring in both eardrums, light's making my head spin and there, in my left elbow, Astrid making a headbang in full swing.

This is her plan. Plan 101, get her brother back.

I took one more shot and ask me how many colors I saw before I took the drink. Maybe five, but now, all I see is one—one hell of a rainbow. My head's spinning again. Shit.

"Whoo! Atta girl! I miss this!" She keeps on shouting.

This is a nightmare. I never signed up for this. Never.

I saw her jumping up and down in place just like a kangaroo. If I only knew she'll end up like a wild animal in this place called Zoo, I should not have trusted her treasure map.

No connection because i'm about to go drunk tonight.

"So, what's gonna happen now As?" After ten minutes of staying at my door talking on how to get her brother back, with mostly me, just nodding in agreement, we went to the bar. I'm new here and so is she. Cole isn't, so the plan is to call him and let his brotherly love take care the miserabilism of Astrid the Great, and tada! Problem solved.

It's a little confusing for me on how it's gonna be solved but, I trust Astrid. Yeah.

"He'll come! I called him already!" She said that every thirty minutes.

"Hey! Astrid where are you going?" The first time she went apart from me is when she wanted to pee. This time, I'm not sure with her just waving her hand and disappearing in the dancefloor. I'm so screwed!

I went to the crowd and regretted later on. I hated the bar. Aside from being forced to shrink myself in this dress and shrink again myself in that crowd, it's a total nightmare.

But you need to find Astrid.

Groaning, I pushed myself in the sea of people, smelling the stink of alcohol mixing with sweat. "Astrid! Hey! Come back now! Cole's gonna be here any moment!" Where the hell are you? "Astrid—oops. Sorry." I apologized after I stepped on someone's foot that made them break their kiss from making out. "Astrid, you know I don't have his number and we're both alien here," I continue to shout in case she's just here somewhere else. "I don't even know how to find my way home—"

"Hi. I'm David." I was surprised when a guy with long, blonde hair took my hand and shook it that caused me to pull away that instant.

"Sorry, I don't talk to strangers." I inwardly slap my forehead in that statement. "Umm...I need to find my friend." I forced a smile and turned my body around.

He's kinda hot but he's totally drunk right now. Geez.

"I can help you find her—"

Didn't knew he followed me. "Look, I appreciate the offer but I can do it. Thank you." I saw his lips smirked and his eyes are somewhat burning. Oh I hope it doesn't mean anything. "Yeah. See ya." Or never again.

I quickly pushed myself to leave and fasten my pace. This time, I'm eager to get out of this place when my head made contact with something hard and a little pointy.

"Oww." I touched my head a little and I felt my arms being held. I panicked a little bit because I thought I already escaped from that David. "What do you want?" I shouted but never lift my gaze.

"Where do you think you're going—"

I snapped and I lift my head as a string of curses went out my mouth, "What the fuck—Cole." My eyes widened and my pulse suddenly beating so fast as I blink my eyes in front of Cole. Surprised. "I didn't see you there." You're dead Jess. "I—I was heading to—"

"Wow! I thought I'd never catch you."

I followed Cole's gaze as he looked behind my back and shot his eyebrow back at me. Yup, probably the drunk David. Perfect. Thanks for the interruption David but I got someone who can kick your butt.

I inwardly rolled my eyes. This is messy.

I looked at Cole, "I can explain—"

"Beautiful, I told you—" his words died as he saw Cole's hand in my arm. Okay. "Cole! I never thought I'd see you here." He went closer to us but stopped when Cole faced us to him, with Cole standing 6 feet beside me with all his glory in a black shirt and denim coat.

He let go of my arm slowly, eyes piercing in the sight of David. "David, leave her alone." Never seen him this serious. Man, he's intimidating!

For once, I shut up because 1) I can't tell David to shoo when I'm scared of him a while ago. 2) I shut up because I haven't found Astrid and Cole's gonna kill me even though I barely know him.
You know, stranger danger.

"Cole, my buddy, I saw her first—"

"David you're drunk—"

He went closer to me, "Cole fuck that. She's mine." He grabbed my arm—

"No, fuck you." Cole took David's hand from my arm and dropped it harshly. He glanced at my body and I shivered a little. "Back off David, she's a lesbian."

What. The. Fuck?