NANNY FOR MENDES.

Sixty-seven

We finally arrive to the club. It's fancy, but nice. It was dark, with a disco ball hanging from the ceiling.
We take a booth. I sit next to Shawn on the edge of the booth; Noah sits next to Shawn; Aaliyah sits next to Noah on the other edge of the booth.

A waitress comes to take our drinks. I don't really drink, so I don't know.

"What will you take, babe?"

"Whatever you'll take." I shrug.

He orders a bottle of red wine for the four of us.

"How have you been, sis?" Shawn asks Aaliyah.

"I've been fine. How have you been?"

"Very good." He smiles and looks at me. I flush.

"And how have you been, Noah?" Aaliyah asks Noah. She takes him off-guard. He didn't expect her to ask him.

"I've been.....busy, I guess."

The waitress then comes with our bottle and four glasses.

"Thanks." I tell her.

She opens the bottle and pours some in each glass.

"Can we please not get drunk? I don't wanna have to drag anybody to the car or drive, for that matter." I warn them.

"Sure." Shawn says. "I don't like getting drunk."

"I can't promise you anything." Noah shrugs.

I roll my eyes.

"I'm the same as Shawn." Aaliyah says.

"Cheers!" We all say in unison, clicking our glasses.
*************************************************
I'm on my second glass when I see her....
What is Christina doing her? What the hell? We make eye contact; she's in the bar, across from ours.

Shawn tenses next to me. I look at him; he's looking at her. He feels uncomfortable.

Wait a minute. A guy comes to stand next to Christina. Wait.....what?! Please don't let it be him. Please don't let it be him.

Oh, my God. No, no, no, no. NO. This can't be possible. This can't be happening. No fucking way in hell. His back is to me. When he turns around, I'll make sure. There's hope it isn't him.

He turns around......it's.....him. I'm not gonna cry. You're not gonna cry, Sophia.

Maybe it isn't what I think it is. Maybe. But he looks.....intimate with her.

He and I make eye contact; he freezes. And then, he sees Shawn and it all makes sense to him.

"Shawn." I whisper.

"Yeah, I know."

"Who's that guy with her?"

"The guy she left me for."

Thank God it's dark or Shawn could see the blood drain out of my whole body.

"Shawn......this guy......is......Adam."

"WHAT?!"

"What the hell?!" Noah says.

"Let's leave, Soph. I don't want you to—"