"See brother," Delk shouts over the loud music of the club, slapping a rough hand against my back, "Aren't you glad you came out with us tonight? Better than you sulking in your room all weekend."

"I wasn't sulking."

His dark eyes squint over to me, "If you say so."

I can tell Delk has more to say, but I'm grateful that he doesn't get out another word before Murphy comes up behind us hollering, "Yeeee, yeee boys! I reckon it's time to order some drinks, what do ya' say?" All of our eyes cut over to the green-eyed ginger beside him as he asks, "Sis, what are you going to be having?"

"I'll have a gin and tonic," her raspy voice replies.

"Hmm," I tease, feeling comfortable enough to after the past week of getting to know her. Murphy has mentioned his sister in the past, but knowing his personality, I have to admit that I didn't think she would be as cool as she is. "I took you for more of a whiskey girl."

"Well, that's a bad guess on you because personally, I think whiskey tastes like ass," she grins.

Delk cuts into the conversation, keeping his eyes flirty as he gives Cara a look over, "And that's a bad thing?"

Cara and I laugh as we watch Murphy's eyes shoot open beside us, "Hey now," he reprimands, "That's my sister you're talking to!"

Now Delk is in his own fit of chuckles, and Cara keeps the charade going, quipping back, "I guess ass isn't such a bad thing." With those words, she reaches over me, her hand pushing off my back as she leans over the bartop and nods to the backside of one of the waitresses, "Not if it looks like that."

"Alright now," Murphy blurts out, putting an abrupt end to the joke going on between the three of us, his face turning a bright shade of red. "Now, I need to go wash my damn ears out."

"That ain't the only thing you need to wash," Delk antagonizes.

Murphy's jaw tightens, the color of his cheeks almost matching the color of his hair. He can certainly give more than he can take. He puffs up his chest, taking a step towards our friend, warning, "Delk, I swear to god I'm going to-"

His tough-guy act is put to an end and his words are silenced when Delk grabs a hold of him, putting him in a playful chokehold as his knuckles brush roughly against the top of his head, "What? What are you going to do, Chicken Legs? Let's see it!"

"Get off of me," our ginger friend fights back, swatting his arms away. Delk is gracious enough to release him, and Murphy runs his fingers through his hair in an attempt to regain his composure before straightening his back out. "I need a drink," he huffs, storming off to the other side of the bar.

Delk follows after him, leaving Cara and me alone as we settle into the black, waist-high stools lining the bartop. "So," she sings out, bringing the conversation back, "You wanna judge me on my alcohol preferences, so please enlighten me- What is it that you like to drink?"

"Oh, me?" I smile, "I don't drink."

"You don't drink? You're kidding."

"Nah," I say shortly, shrugging my shoulders, "Just not my cup of tea." I let my eyes drift around the club, not wanting her to pry more on the topic because truth be told I don't drink alcohol because I've seen the way it's made people in my past act; I want absolutely nothing to do with that. I already find myself not having control in enough aspects of my life, I wasn't going to let alcohol take more of it.

"Fair enough," she finally responds, "So you didn't come here to drink, so what'd you come for? A hookup?"

"God no," I scoff, "Let's just say I needed a distraction...and because Delk and that brother of yours wouldn't leave me the hell alone until I agreed to come out."

"Well, I hate to say it, Brodie but you're missing out. Nothing beats sex with a random chick that you shared a couple of drinks with at the bar." Her green eyes look past me, a sparkle to them as she nods to the dance floor behind us, "Like her. God, I would buy her as many drinks as she wanted."

Not caring to look, but too intrigued by her comment not to, I turn my head, following Cara's gaze. Ruffles of lavender dance around the girl lost in the music ahead of us, black curls swinging in the air behind her as the ringlets match the movements of her body. She turns enough for me to see her face and my stomach sinks as I recognize Lelani's bright smile.

I'm struck to silence, and Cara nudges back my awareness with her elbow, "Wouldn't you?"

At that moment, I see who Lelani's dancing with and my blood immediately boils with frustration, seeing the couple move their bodies together to the melody of the song blaring through the DJ speakers. Hammond's hand falls onto the small of her back, pulling her closer into him, sending another surge of anger rushing through me. The sight has me biting on the inside of my cheek in an effort to stifle it.

"You wanna dance?" I spit out, not taking my eyes off of the unbelievable image.

"Oh, Brodie," she laughs back, "I thought you'd get the small hints. I'm into girls."

"And?" I say, forcing my lips upward despite the heat I feel rising to my head, "It's just a dance. Just for fun."

Cara's stare lands back on Lelani, suddenly fitting the pieces together, "You know her, don't you?"

"Something like that," I mutter.

I watch her contemplate the idea of sharing a dance with me for a moment, but finally, she agrees, "You know what? Fine, we can go dance but are you sure you don't want something to drink first? You look a little...tense."

"Fuck it," I huff out, turning back to the bar and getting the waitress's attention, calling out, "Hey, can I get a shot of bourbon?"

I'm going to fucking need it tonight.

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It takes some considerable effort, but after I finally allow two shots of the musky liquor to sliver down my throat, I walk Cara out to the dance floor. We keep our distance from Lelani and Hammond, but through the cracks of swaying bodies around us, I can still see the two of them, lost in a moment together. I nod over to my partner, silently checking to make sure she's comfortable before I allow my hands to fall on her waist. The bass of the speakers playing around us shakes my entire chest, but it isn't loud enough to drown out the jumbled thoughts running through my head.

Why in the hell is she here with Hammond? Has she been talking to him this whole time- behind my back? Is that why she didn't want things to turn serious between the two of us?

Cara's fingers trickle to the back of my neck, pulling my ear up to her mouth as she confidently asks, "So you gonna tell me who she is now or?"

"She was my surfing instructor," I say, telling half of the truth.

"Mhmm," she hums back, "That look on your face tells me that she was a lot more than that."

"It doesn't matter, she's with him now," I mutter back, just as Lelani's eyes meet mine from across the room. She cuts her gaze over to Cara, who's grinding her hips against me and her lips drop the smile that was painted against them. Her jaw tenses, and her arms envelop Hammond's neck, pulling his face down closer to her while both of their movements quicken against each other. My teeth grit hard, and my chest aches with the thought of Lelani making the exceptions for Hammond that she refused to make with me. "Don't look back, but she sees us."

"Oh, does she?" Cara sings back, "How jealous are we trying to make her?"

My eyes go back to Lelani's, Hammond's back turned to me as the two of us lock stares. She reluctantly places her head against his chest in an obvious attempt to get a rise out of me- and dammit if she doesn't do just that.

"Very," I say plainly, knowing that this is petty behavior, but wanting her to feel the sting that she's so evidently making me feel. I let my fingers tangle into Cara's silky, auburn hair, synchronizing the swaying of my hips to hers as we ride out the ending bars of the song. From the distance Lelani shakes her head in disbelief and in a swift maneuver she brings Hammond's mouth down to her own, kissing him ardently.

I drop my hold against Cara, not able to stand another moment of the torture. "Oh, fuck this," I bite out, storming through the crowd and pushing my way outside. I don't dare look back as I push through the doors of the club, thankful for the cool wind that relieves the heat gathering in my cheeks and neck. My fingers furiously yank my phone from my pocket, pulling up the Lyft app so I can get my ass out of this place.

She kissed him. She actually fucking kissed him, right in front of me.

When I finally select a driver, I put my phone away, allowing my feet to pace against the black asphalt in an effort to calm my rising nerves. The doors shove open behind me, the commotion of the club inside conjuring my attention. Shades of purple and black permeate my vision as Lelani storms straight out of the entrance towards me. Her face looks as flushed as mine must be, and her voice sounds out, "Leaving so soon, huh?"

"Oh, whatever," I breathe out, "Don't even start with me."

"You tell me you're interested in me, but you clearly got over that quick, didn't you?"

"That's rich coming from you," I say, rolling my eyes, keeping my responses short, and replaying the image of Lelani's lips on Hammond's in my head.

"Stop rolling your eyes," she huffs, "You're the one who decided to end things, not me!"

"I ended things because I didn't want to see you hurt the way you were with your Dad that day. I ended things because I respect you, dammit."

"I don't need you to make decisions based on me. I'm capable of making decisions for myself," the wind around us becomes stronger, whipping her dark locks and dress along with it. "I'm so tired of men calling the shots for me!"

"Okay, I get that but you made the mutual decision to kiss me, then tell me you were off-limits to marines, proceeded to friendzone me, and then stand there tonight, knowing I was watching, and kiss Hammond! If you don't like me that's fine, but you doing that makes you hypocritical."

"I came with Hammond tonight to prove a point to Alana, nothing more. He was a distraction. He means nothing."

"He means nothing, but you sat there and kissed him?" I cut my eyes down to the pavement, racking my mind for the next words to say before mumbling out, "That kiss looked like something."

"Well, it wasn't," she snaps back. "You can't sit here and get mad at me for coming out with Hammond, when you're out with someone, too! Who's being hypocritical now?"

I scoff, knowing the truth behind my dance with Cara, "That's Murphy's sister, Lelani! She's here for the week visiting."

Lelani goes silent for a moment, her red-stained lips pursing together before finally speaking back out, "That doesn't change my point, you still came out with her."

"Lani, she's a damn lesbian for crying out loud! I only went out there to dance with her because I saw you with Hammond." Once again she goes quiet, cutting her eyes back to the doors she came from. Feeling bitter, I say, "Speaking of that prick, you might want to get back to him; wouldn't want to keep him waiting."

A look of hurt crosses her eyes, and she keeps her voice soft as she responds back, "I didn't really want to kiss him."

I have trouble believing that statement. "It didn't look that way."

"Well, I didn't."

The blue Kia Soul that I had been anticipating a ride from finally pulls into the parking lot, driving straight up to Lelani and me. While I feel grateful for an escape from this shitty night, I also can't deny how badly I didn't want to end our conversation; not like this, not under these circumstances.

Unfortunately, the only words I manage to whisper out in the moment are, "My ride's here."

"Fine then, just go." Lelani turns on her heel, heading back towards the club, and I go after her, stopping her with a gentle hand.

"What was I supposed to think after what I just saw in there, huh?" I ask lightly, keeping my voice low as I continue, "You are so fucking hard to understand."

"I don't know, Brodie! I don't know!"

"Well, I'm not going to continue standing here like a damn fool waiting for an answer." With that, I walk away, heading back towards the Lyft driver patiently waiting for me. I pull against the handle of the door, opening it, but uttering one last thing back to her before slipping inside the car, "Let me know when you figure one out."

I clamber into the seat, yanking the door shut and sighing out with frustration as the driver starts to pull away and Lelani's figure drowns out in the side-view mirror.

... If you ever figure an answer out.

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