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Living in the country had its benefits, but it made driving to the city more of a chore than a pleasure. Heading down a four-lane highway, the cane fields eventually gave way to lights and buildings. It took her roughly forty-five minutes to get to the downtown area where the majority of the clubs and bars were located. Driving up and down the narrow streets, she circled around several times until she found a parking spot. During the day, parking down there wasn’t an issue. There weren’t many offices or shops in this part of town. It only came alive at night, at which point parking became a commodity.

  Half the battle was over. Now all she needed to do was find the club. Claire pretty much only liked one club; it was just a matter of remembering where it was. Wandering down the street, Elizabeth took her time, examining every venue. The streets were growing more crowded with every passing second, which was making her feel increasingly annoyed.

  There were teenagers everywhere, flooding the streets and the bars. In Louisiana the legal age to enter a bar was eighteen, so the high school seniors were out in droves. Elizabeth hated the young kids. They were rude, noisy, and tended to act like idiots. By the time she found the club and got in, she was flustered and ready to go home.

  The venue was dimly lit. There were strobe lights scanning the dance floor and a few lights by the bar area, but other than that it was pretty dark. Her friends had chosen a table at the back of the club. It was secluded and barely fit in the corner. Striding up to the table, the conversation took a short pause. She received the usual hugs and high-fives from her friends and, pulling out the last bar stool, took a seat at the table.

  They’d all had a few drinks already and the empty bottles were being collected neatly in the center of the table. Shifting in the tall chair, its joints squeaked under her weight. The worn leather was uncomfortable, but it wasn’t horrible. A layer of smoke hid the ceiling from view and the smell of alcohol permeated the air. The air conditioner was on and running on full blast, but with the main door open as well as the windows by the bar, it was struggling to keep the humidity and the heat out.

  The music was loud and not only hurt Elizabeth’s ears but made it nearly impossible to hear what her friends were talking about. In between the base, she was able to catch bits and pieces of the conversation. It sounded like Nicole was having relationship issues again, but that wasn’t anything new.

  She’d only known Nicole for two years, but since then she’d had roughly seven different boyfriends that Elizabeth knew about. She was extremely book smart and average in the looks department, but when it came to relationships she was clueless.

  Sitting across from her was Claire. Claire had a European look about her. She was into fashion, probably a little too much, and spent roughly half her salary every year on shoes and purses. She had a can-do attitude, which was always an enduring quality in Elizabeth’s book. She’d met Claire in college and they’d been pretty good friends ever since.

  Lastly there was Rachel. She’d known Rachel for a very long time. Too long. They had attended the same high school and ended up going to the same college afterwards. She didn’t particularly care for Rachel, but never found it worth voicing her opinion. Rachel was a philosophy major and always put her two cents in about everything, whether it was welcome or not.

  Elizabeth wasn’t really sure how they all started hanging out together, but it seemed to work. Leaning over the table, she tried to listen into their conversation. It was too hard to jump straight in, so she tended to remain silent until her opinion was sought.

  “What do you mean it’s not a big deal?” Claire said. “Of course it’s a big deal. I wouldn’t put up with that for a second.”

  “That’s why you’re single,” Nicole replied.

  “Excuse me?”

  “Claire’s right,” Rachel said. “That isn’t behavior you should condone. But at the same time, love isn’t finding the perfect person. It’s seeing an imperfect person perfectly.”

  “Thank you, Rachel,” Nicole said. “See, Claire? I’m right in forgiving him.”

  Rolling her eyes, Claire slammed her fist on the table, causing the bottles to clank together. “No, you’re not! Dump his ass like a bad habit and get it over with already! If he did it once, he’ll do it again!”

  “That’s not really fair,” Rachel said. “People do change. If Nicole shows him how distraught she is and talks to him about it, then they can work on fixing their relationship.”

  “Oh my God, I can’t believe you two…”

  Growing bored with the usual banter; Elizabeth turned around in her chair and scanned the club silently. Catching sight of the bar, she opted to leave her friends for a drink. Sliding off her perch silently, she maneuvered her way to the crowded bar. Squeezing between two men, she waited for the bar tender to make her way back around.

  “What can I get you?”

  “Um, how about an amaretto Coke?”

  “Comin’ up.”

  The bartender was a young girl with long dark hair. She was extremely thin and somehow had still found pants that looked too small for her. The men standing at the bar didn’t seem to mind that her ass had to be glued to the denim covering it, though. She probably got really good tips.

  Skillfully the bartender slid Elizabeth her drink and moved on to take the next order. Pulling the wallet out of her back pocket, she placed a twenty on the bar top and leaned against the bar to wait for her change. Staring at the back wall, her eyes scanned the assortment of bottles lining the open shelves. The bar was situated near the front of the club by the open windows. The humidity was higher there than at the back of the bar and she could feel the moisture seeping into her jeans, effectively plastering them to her legs.

  “Look at the hottie at the end of the bar. Damn, girl! I’d like to get me some of that.” Elizabeth jumped when she heard Claire’s voice, nearly spilling her drink. Grinning ear to ear, Claire beamed at Elizabeth, proud of the reaction she had gotten. Glaring at her friend, Elizabeth took another sip of her drink. Scanning the bar, she searched for the person Claire was talking about.

  Sitting at the end of the bar, surrounded by an assortment of women, was a face she’d never forget. His blond hair and icy blue eyes were forever engrained in her memory. He had a beer in his hand and was staring in their direction casually, completely ignoring the fan club spooning around him.

  “He’s looking at you. You should go talk to him.”

  Choking, Elizabeth had to force her drink to stay down. “Are you kidding me? He’s way out of my league.” Glancing back at the man, Elizabeth continued, “Besides, he has his hands full.”

  Taking another sip of her drink, Elizabeth glared at Claire, who had a dumb grin plastered to her face. The bartender finally came back around to take Claire’s order. Staring into the dark liquid that filled her cup, Elizabeth struggled not to look at the end of the bar. Her foot bounced in rhythm with the music and, biting her bottom lip, she decided that she couldn’t take it anymore.

  Casually glancing at the end of the bar, she noticed that the man’s eyes were still locked on her. It was creepy. Something about him made her extremely uneasy, yet she was somehow drawn to him and found it difficult to look away. It was like he was calling to her, tempting her closer to him.

  The sound of coins hitting the bar snapped her back into reality. The bartender had gotten around to getting her change. Stuffing the money in her pocket, she left a dollar on the counter. Claire had her drink now as well, so pushing through the crowd, they headed back to the table.

  Nicole and Rachel were still debating relationship dos and don’ts. Elizabeth just wasn’t in the mood for it. Sensing her exasperation, Claire grabbed her arm and pulled her away from their friends and onto the dance floor. Elizabeth didn’t feel like dancing either, but Claire could be very convincing. She was fun and spunky and had curves in all the right places. Elizabeth preferred the company of m
en, but still could appreciate the beauty in a woman and had no issues with looking.

  Claire could dance and knew it. She exuded confidence and without hesitation plastered herself to Elizabeth. Butting up against her friend, Claire swayed and grinded to the beat of the music. The strobe lights were intense, accentuating the good and hiding the bad, while the music fueled their souls. Elizabeth quickly found a good rhythm and was soon engulfed in the moment.

  After only a few minutes she was feeling better than ever. The dancing relaxed her and she was finally enjoying herself. With Claire’s provocative dancing, however, they were drawing a little more attention than she cared for. She wasn’t sure who the men were or where they had come from, but the girls soon had dancing partners. They were sandwiched between the guys, but it didn’t matter as long as the music kept playing.

  After a few songs, Elizabeth was sweaty and her glass was dry. Leaving Claire, she pushed her way through the crowd back to the bar. Finally making it to the counter, she placed her empty glass on the marred wood. A soft hand touched her lower back. One of the guys had followed her off the dance floor. Leaning close, he breathed into her ear, “What are you drinking?”

  “Amaretto Coke.”

  They waited patiently for the bartender to reach them. The noise was deafening and, listening to the music, Elizabeth tapped her foot to the beat. Looking back at the end of the bar, she locked eyes again with the blond bombshell. The woman next to him was whispering something in his ear, but he didn’t seem to notice. Time slowed. The beams from the strobe light passed over him, painting his skin different colors. She was frozen. His eyes pierced into her soul, holding her in place.

  “Here ya go.”

  Blinking, her body relaxed all at one. Smiling at the man next to her, she took the drink. “Thank you.”

  Placing a hand on her shoulder, they squeezed their way back onto the dance floor. Finding Claire in the mass was difficult, but eventually they found each other. The second Elizabeth was able to squeeze back next to her; Claire pulled her close, placing her butt in Elizabeth’s lap. Grinning like a Cheshire cat, she took another swig of her beer. Grabbing Elizabeth’s free hand, she placed it on her thigh. She was absolutely crazy but undeniably fun.

  They remained plastered to each other through the rest of the song. The dance floor was getting too crowded, however, and Claire’s drink had run out. Squeezing their way off the dance floor, Elizabeth was stopped at the edge of the mass. The man she had been dancing with had her arm. Smiling, he leaned close to her ear. “Can I get your number?”

  She didn’t have any intentions of dating. She was too busy and was a little weary about meeting people in bars. Shrugging her shoulders, she finally agreed. “Yeah. Um, here…” Typing the number into his phone, she explained, “I stay pretty busy, so if I don’t answer, don’t be offended.”

  Handing the phone back to him, he offered, “Let me give you my number. Call me when you get a chance.”

  Nodding, she agreed and handed her phone over to him. He was done in a few seconds. Waving goodbye, Elizabeth caught up with Claire at the bar. She was still waiting for another beer. The club was getting too crowded for Elizabeth’s taste. She didn’t like having to wait or having to work to get to where she wanted to go. Downing the rest of her drink, she placed the empty glass on the bar top.

  “Who do you think he is?”

  Picking the cherry out of the glass, Elizabeth chewed on it methodically, glancing back at the end of the bar. The gorgeous man was still there but now had his hands full, literally. Sitting in his lap was an attractive woman who apparently played her cards right. Shrugging her shoulders, Elizabeth responded, “Who cares? He’s out of our league. Besides, he’s probably a snob.”

  “D’you get that guy’s number?

  “Yeah, why?”

  Grabbing her beer from the bar tender, Claire handed the woman a five. “Keep the change.” Turning back towards Elizabeth she continued, “Just curious. I got his friend’s number. They’re cute, ya know?” Shrugging her shoulders Elizabeth didn’t answer. They weren’t bad looking. She just wasn’t ready to get back into the dating scene yet.

  They sat at the bar until Claire finished her drink. It was getting late. Yawning, they made their way back to their friends. Their seats were now occupied by two young men who were attempting to charm their way into Rachel’s and Nicole’s beds. Claire was less amused than Elizabeth by this turn in events. Positioning herself between the boys and her friends, Claire tried to convince the girls it was time to leave.

  “Alright, guys, let’s call it a night. Come on, you can stay at my place.”

  Rachel didn’t argue. She was sick to her stomach and bed sounded like an appealing prospect. Nicole, however, was ready to strip right there. “Why don’t y’all go on ahead? I’m gonna stay here.”

  Glaring at her, Claire persisted, “No. Come on, Nicole, we’re going home. You’re drunk. You already have a boyfriend, remember?”

  “Yeah, that cheating bastard,” Nicole said. “What do I care? He cheated on me so I’m gonna stay here and have some fun.”

  Falling into one of the guys’ laps, she kissed him sloppily. He appeared to be just as drunk as her, however, and had no complaints about her slobbering all over him. Pulling Nicole back to her feet, Claire persisted, “Come on, we’re leaving now. Let’s go. Say goodbye.”

  Mumbling under her breath, Nicole stumbled towards the door with her friends. The boys she’d been flirting with followed them the whole way.

  “Hey, we can take her home. Let her stay. She’ll be fine.”

  “Thanks,” Claire said, “but no thanks. She’s comin’ with us.” They seemed innocent enough, but it was better not to take the risk.

  “We’ll get her home safe, promise.”

  Positioning herself between the boys and Nicole, Elizabeth finally intervened. “We said no, now get lost.”

  Glaring at Elizabeth, they didn’t care for her tone. The outside air knocked some sense into Nicole, however, and reluctantly she agreed with her friends. “No they’re right. It’s been great, guys… give me your number and we can… have some fun tomorrow.”

  Smirking, the boys quickly scribbled their numbers down on a piece of paper and handed it to her. Smiling crookedly, she stuffed the paper into her pocket. Leaning on Claire, she stumbled around and allowed Claire to lead her towards the car. Staying a few steps behind them, Elizabeth brought up the rear. Rachel was shaky but able to walk on her own, which was preferable. Elizabeth didn’t want anyone leaning on her. Keeping her hands stuffed in her pockets, she continued to look over her shoulder for a few minutes, just to make sure the boys weren’t following them.

  Claire’s car was parked a good bit away from her own. She had gotten Rachel and Nicole to pitch in a few dollars and paid to park close to the venue. Opening the door, Elizabeth helped Rachel into the car while Claire struggled with Nicole. Closing the door, she leaned on the roof of the vehicle. Peering over it, she shook her head.

  The streetlight flickered overhead and Claire let out a long yawn. Waving her keys around she said, “You want me to drive you to your car?”

  “Nah, that’s okay. You’ve got your hands full and I’m not too far from here.”

  Nodding, she gave Elizabeth a limp wave. Sliding into her car, she had it on and thrown in reverse in only a few seconds. Backing up, Elizabeth waved to her one more time then turning, headed back towards the busy downtown streets. Her car was parked a few blocks away but the area was well lit and the streets were lined with people still hopping from bar to bar, so walking alone at night didn’t seem like that scary of a prospect. Stuffing her hands in her pockets, she kept her eyes open and tried to appear alert. Putting on a brave face, she made eye contact with everyone she passed. Perhaps she was being a little paranoid, but she wanted to get home in one piece.

  By the time she rea
ched her car, her body was stiff. She had her keys out and ready, and quickly climbed into the car, locking the doors behind her. Taking a deep breath, she poked around the steering wheel, trying to get the key into the ignition. Bending over, she turned the overhead light on and finally stuck the key in the hole. Straightening, she turned the key, but something across the street caught her attention.

  Standing under a light post was a man. He was leaning casually against the wooden pole behind him with his hands stuffed in his trench coat’s pockets. An old fashioned hat covered his head, shielding his face from the flickering light above. Throwing the car into drive, Elizabeth sped out of the parking lot. He never moved a muscle or gave any inclination that he had even noticed the car.

  Shuddering, she tried to relax her shoulders. He had to be dying in that coat. It was only the middle of April, but in Louisiana, all that meant was that it wasn’t quite as hot as it could be. Turning the radio up, she sang and bounced in the seat. Her head swayed from side to side, but she soon stopped, and so did her singing.

  Standing at the corner of the next intersection was the man cloaked in black. It had to be him; no one else would be stupid enough to wear a trench coat in this heat. Shaking it off, she sped down the street. Glancing in the rear view mirror, she saw that no one was there. Singing softly, she continued down the road only to see him again a few minutes later walking down the sidewalk.

  Swallowing, the muscles in her back tightened. Her heart was racing, pounding against the inside of her chest. Slowing her breathing she tried to think about how many drinks she’d had. She only remembered having two, and it didn’t taste like there was that much alcohol in them.

  Pulling up to the next intersection, she slowed to a stop. There was no one around but the light was red. Staring straight ahead, she gripped the wheel tightly while her leg twitched nervously under the dash. Taking a deep breath, she glanced out driver-side window. The man was there, leaning against a light post. His hands were still stuffed in his pockets and the brim of his hat covered his face in a dark shadow.

  The light turned green. Stepping on the accelerator, she glanced back at the road just in time. Slamming on the breaks, she barely stopped. Another car flew through the intersection, barely missing her. The smell of burnt rubber infused the air. Her nerves were shot. Her leg was twitching uncontrollably now and so were her hands. Her heart was racing and she was having issues breathing.

  Stepping on the accelerator again, she glanced back in the rearview mirror. The man was gone. She was seeing things; there was no other explanation for it. She was tired and the alcohol was getting to her. Staying under the speed limit, she hunched over the wheel, concentrating on nothing but the road in front of her. Her leg twitched the whole way home and by the time she pulled into the driveway her back was rigid.

  Getting home didn’t ease her nerves, however. Locking the door behind her, she raced up the stairs to her bedroom, closing that door as well. Seeing her bed made her body relax slightly, although her leg was nowhere near done twitching yet. Changing into pajamas, she lied in bed thinking she wouldn’t get a wink of sleep that night, but she was wrong.

  Chapter 3

  “Something’s happened.”

  “Is she alright?”

  “Yes, it’s her friend.”

  “Was it an accident?”

  “….”

  “I see. You know what to do.”

  “Yes, sir.”