THE CLUB (PART 1)

Jade entered the noisy and dimly lit club with her hips swaying to the music and her hair flowing behind her.

All around, people were grinding against each other, drinks were being passed around.

Matt could hear pieces of conversations that other people were having while following Jade to where she had spotted Nicole and Jason.

"Hey guys!" Jade squealed as soon as she was in their ear shot.

She hugged both of them and stood back with a grin still plastered to her face.

"You'll know Matt. Matt you know Nicole and Jason." She said.

Matt smiled at the couple sitting on the sofa.

Millbrooke was a small town so it was not very difficult to be faintly acquainted with most of the people living there.

When Matt had been dating Jade they had often gone on dinners together. Jason was among the first friends he had made after just shifting to town.

"Hey Matt!" Nicole said from her place on the sofa while Jason got up to give him a half hug.

Before the conversation could be continued any further Matt heard Jade speak, "They're here!"

Her smile had become a little more forced.

Matt turned around to see who had come.

Pushing through the grinding, sweating bodies of the people on the dance floor were four people who Matt had never meet before.

But he recognised two people, from all the photos in Jade's apartment.

It was Julia and Alec her friends.

But why did their arrival change Jade's mood for the worse instead of the other way round?

...................

Emma followed Julia and Steve into the lights and loud music of the club. Alec had his hand on her waist.

She couldn't be more out of place. And there was no way that she could feel more happy.

The day had been great. She had picked up a great dress for herself with help from Julia and Susan. And the aquamarine colour looked stunning on her.

She had gelled quite well with her soon to be in- laws if she said so herself.

And to make everything even better, Alec had said that he was going to go ring shopping.

She felt like breaking out into a victory dance.

Everything was falling into place. Just like her mother had told her it would.

They found Jade standing near a table which was a little away from the dance floor.

"Hello!" Julia exclaimed as they reached the table. She hugged both the women and the taller man before holding her hand out to the other guy.

"Hi, I'm Julia. Well Juliana Ashby. You must be Matthew Damon." Julia said.

"Yes. But please call me Matt."

The guy was handsome and spoke in a friendly way. Emma immediately took a liking to him.

Jade did all the introductions and all of them sat down. Matt had been introduced as her date for tonight, much to Emma's surprise.

"Emma you look lovely today." Jade said with a genuine smile once all of them had settled down.

Emma wanted to narrow her eyes. Why was she being so sweet? But instead she smiled, "Thanks! And so are you."

"Oh! Thank you!" Jade smiled back.

Jason took everyone's drink orders and headed towards the bar. Julia and Matt declined since they were driving while Jade ordered a martini for herself.

After the orders were placed, Jason and Steve excused themselves with their respective wives to join the other couples on the dance floor.

Emma was laughing at something Matt said when Jade got up and tapped her on her shoulder.

"Can I talk to you for a second?" She whispered into Emma's ears.

Emma was confused but still nodded.

They walked out of the club away from all of the noise leaving Alec to wonder what was going on, with only Matt for company.

Jade had been avoiding looking straight at him ever since they had come. But she didn't look disturbed or unhappy in any way.

He smiled awkwardly at Matt once but not a word was exchanged.

.................

Once they reached outside, the cool air a stark contrast as compared to the heat inside the club, Jade spoke up, "Look Emma I know we got off on the wrong foot. And I just wanted to say sorry incase I was rude that day."

"I should say sorry too." Emma said.

Emma had been taught from a very young age that it was important to be polite and sweet to everyone.

Her mother would have been horrified if she had been there to witness the way she had behaved with Jade both the days they had met.

Paula Burns had one rule, Be good with your friends but be better with your enemies.

"And if there was any misunderstanding on your part because of yesterday let me clarify, there's nothing going on between me and Alec. I promise."

Atleast nothing from his side, thought Jade.

It hurt her to lie but Jade still faced Emma with a bright smile on her face.

"Oh that's okay! Alec explained it to me." Emma said a little gleeful at the thought of the ring Alec had bought for her.

"I'm glad we could sort it out."

They started heading back in when Emma stopped and turned to Jade, "Are you dating Matt?" She asked.

"Uh... Not really. We were in a relationship but we broke up some days back. We still are really close friends."

"Just so you know, I think he's a great guy." Emma said, "And I got that impression pretty loud and clear even in the few minutes I spent in his company."

"I know." Jade's smile was genuine this time.

By the look on her face, it was clear to Emma that there was something more than friendship going on between Matt and Jade.

But she didn't comment on it.

This meant that there was really nothing between her and Alec. He had not been lying.

No that she thought about it she could be friends with Jade. She was not so bad.

They walked back into the club together.

And Emma was a happier than before, if that was possible.

......................

Jade was whisked away by Steve for a dance as soon as she came back into the club.

One dance lead to another and soon she was dancing with Jason.

Alec and Matt who had got fed up with the awkwardness were out of their seats themselves and on the dance floor.

Before long Jade was completely winded from all the dancing and moving.

A slow song came on just then. And in the midst of the confusion, Jade found herself in Alec's arms both of them swaying to the music.

"Hi!" He said.

"Hey!"

They drifted along with the music.

"I'm sorry about this afternoon." Alec said atlast.

"I'm sorry too." Jade replied. "I shouldn't have thrown you out like that."

"And I shouldn't have said those things. I didn't mean them."

They smiled at each other and for a second Jade almost felt like everything was back to normal.

She smiled and let her head fall into his shoulder.

"You look stunning." Alec said.

Jade's smile became bigger, "You don't look bad either. You clean up well Carter."

Jade couldn't see Alec's face but she could feel him smile.

Just as she was really drifting away with the music her mind went back to the conversation from that morning.

She straightened up a little and asked a surprised Alec, "What about Emma? Did you decide anything?"

Alec had been dreading this question ever since he walked into to the club to see Jade looking absolutely beautiful. Looking at her sit over there had brought up all his feelings for her again.

Even while dancing for a second it had almost been like they were a normal couple in love on a date. No baggage. No complication.

And if there had been no feelings in Jade's eyes for him when she had been smiling at him, he was surely hallucinating.

But one answer was going to spoil the whole thing.

"About that..." He started saying.

Jade had grown up with Alec. She knew when he was stalling and when he was lying.

And that moment his expression said pretty loud and clear that he was preparing himself to lie to her.

"Don't lie to me Alec. Just say it."

They had almost stopped moving.

"I.... Uh... I bought a ring." He said quickly.

Jade stopped moving completely. Her eyes became emotionless as he looked at him.

If there had been a flash of hurt on her face she covered it up too quickly, "I guess congratulations are in order."

"I've not yet proposed."

"You bought the ring that means you want to propose."

"Jade... I don't know." Alec said.

"I hope you'll have a happy life."

The song was over. Jade moved away from him and with one forced smile she walked back to the table leaving Alec alone on the dance floor.

She went to the bar and ordered herself tequila shots.

The two martinis since she had arrived had not done anything to numb her feelings.

He had bought the ring.

But he had not proposed.

He had bought the ring.

She kept chanting this in her head till the bartender placed the tray of small shot glasses filled with clear liquid.

She picked up the first one and gulped it down.

And waited for the alcohol to kick in.

He had bought the ring.

But he has not proposed as yet.

...................