Worth the Fight

by Beth Maria

“Okay, Emilia, you be Sporty Spice. Poppy, you be Posh Spice. Katie, you said you were Baby Spice. Lucy, you can be Ginger Spice, and I’ll be Scary Spice,” Zoe instructs us. “Restart the song, and we’ll all sing in the correct places!”

  I turn around and restart the song before getting back into line, ready to start singing.

  Zoe starts off singing, followed closely by Lucy before it’s my turn to start singing the first verse. I’m not embarrassed in the slightest. We’re all trying our hardest to sing and not to burst out laughing, and nearly failing because our singing is so bad!

  We all do our little dance moves, shimmying our asses and dancing like we wouldn’t be seen dead doing in public. In the confines of the bedroom is perfectly okay, but only if you’re drunk. That is exactly how we’re dancing – like nobody is watching us, and we’re having a blast.

  The song comes to a finish, and we all fall down onto the floor, out of breath and struggling to breathe.

  “I needed that,” I tell them when I can finally breathe again and my laughter has died down.

  “It’s good to see you loosen up. I didn’t think you were ever going to relax and have some fun tonight,” Zoe tells me.

  “I realized that my birthday only comes around once a year. I shouldn’t spend it moping around, thinking about the past. It was just what I needed.”

  “Well, I’m glad because the taxi will be here in a minute,” she replies. I turn to look at the other girls on the right side of me, and they’re all quiet, looking up at the ceiling.

  The buzzer goes off as if on cue. We all get up quickly, trying not to fall back over on our asses because of our shoes. I head toward the intercom, answering and letting the taxi driver know that we will be down in a minute, before grabbing my clutch and making sure that I have everything I need, especially my ID. I don’t know people in this town, and I’m definitely not using my last name to get in, though it will be on my ID. Fuck, it will be on my ID! I didn’t think about that before because I’ve yet to use it. No, no. Everything will be okay. Why would anybody let my father know where I am? Nobody knows me in this town. They don’t know that I’m related to Nico, the head of the mafia. Anybody could have the same last name as me, right?

  I don’t have time to dwell on it before Zoe is pushing me out of the door and shutting it behind her. I hope I have everything, especially my keys. A quick check tells me that I do, in fact, have my keys.

  All five of us girls make our way, not very quietly, down to the taxi.

  “Where to, ladies?” the taxi driver asks.

  Zoe’s up front, so she speaks. I don’t actually have a clue where we’re headed to tonight. They never told me, and I never asked.

  “To Pulse please. The next town over.”

  “NO!” I practically scream. Everybody turns to look at me, including the taxi driver.

  “Why not?” Lucy asks, confused.

  “Because, because…”

  What do I say? Because my father, who, by the way, is head of the mafia and may be looking for me, owns that club. Also, I was the manager, along with the guy who broke my heart, which was one of the reasons why I skipped out of town. Yeah, I think they may ask a lot of questions on that subject, questions that I’m not ready to answer yet, or possibly ever.

  What choice do I have except to go, unless I tell them the truth, and that definitely can’t happen.

  The rational part of my brain, which isn’t being affected by alcohol, is telling me that I should stay the hell away from Pulse. However, the alcohol induced part is asking me what harm could come of this? It wouldn’t hurt to see Phoenix one last time, would it?

  The alcohol induced side wins out. “No worries. Let’s go there then.”

  I’m silent on the journey there, listening to the chatter of the girls infiltrating my ears. I don’t really think I can speak right now. I don’t really know what to say. There are too many thoughts circulating around in my head right now.

  What will happen if I bump into him tonight? Will it be awkward, or will it be like usual – a lot of sexual tension? Maybe I should just get completely drunk and let fate take its course. If I’m drunk, I won’t really think about it, and yes, I’ll probably embarrass myself, but then I won’t be accountable for my actions because of the alcohol, right?

  Remember, it’s your birthday. It’s your day to have fun and let your hair down. Why are you worrying about bumping into Phoenix? Are you really going to let him ruin your night?

  The reasonable part of my brain argues with me, and it’s correct like usual. No, I’m not going to let Phoenix ruin my night. I’m going to go into that club, and I’m going to party, drink, and dance with my girls. I just have to do one thing first.

  Hey, hooker. I’m on my way to Pulse with a few girls from work to celebrate my birthday. Yes, I know that this is probably a really stupid idea, but hey, I’m only going to be twenty-two once. Meet me there? Xxx

  I text Maxine. I’ve missed her face so bad these past few months.

  I don’t have to wait long to find out my answer.

  Yes, it’s probably a really stupid idea, but I’m not going to have a go at you. I miss you, and I wouldn’t pass up the opportunity to see my bestie on her birthday. Meet you there in thirty. Love you xxx

  A smile graces my face.

  Text me when you’re here. Love you too xxx

  I put my cell phone back into my clutch before telling the girls that my best friend will be meeting us at the club. They say that they can’t wait to meet her. I’m sure they will get on like a house on fire. Maxine is pretty loveable.

  It’s not long before we’re pulling up to the curb and I’m staring at the bright white sign spelling Pulse. I can do this. I can do this. I repeat over and over again.

  “You ready?” Lucy asks me, the others already getting out of the taxi.

  Just the sight of her smiling face makes me put my worries to the back of my mind. I’m here with my girls, and I’m going to have fun. Maybe if I tell myself that enough, I may actually start to believe it?

  “You betcha!” I tell her, giving her a reassuring smile in return.

  Ah, Rick is tending to the door today. What I’m about to do is definitely not wise, but hey, neither is being in this town, let alone at the club my father owns. I guess I’m all about taking risks tonight. I, one hundred percent, blame the alcohol.

  The girls are already making their way to the back of the huge line, where I can’t actually see the end. They will thank me for this. I just hope it’s worth it.

  “Girls, stop!” I shout to them. They all stop and walk back over to me when I call them over.

  I saunter over to Rick, giving him a smile because I haven’t seen him in a while.

  “Hey, Rick. Can we get in?” I ask. The girls have all made their way to me and are watching the exchange.

  “Emilia, when did you get back?” He genuinely looks confused.

  “I’m not back. It’s my birthday, and my girls and I decided to come out for the night. So, can we get in?” I ask, getting back to the question at hand.

  “You don’t have to ask. You know you’re the manager. You’re father owns this place.” Great. I knew deep down he would bring it up, but a little part of me thought maybe he would just let me in without saying anything.

  Rick pulls the rope back, allowing us access into the club. “Have a good evening, Emilia, ladies.” I step into the club, the music hitting my ears as soon as the door opens, and the smell of alcohol and sweaty bodies along with cologne hits my nostrils all at once. Yup. I have not missed this place.

  “You did not tell me that your father owns this place. Heck, you didn’t tell me you were the manager. You have some serious explaining to do when I’m not so intoxicated!” Zoe whisper shouts into my ear.

  “I didn’t expect anything less,” I reply, giving her a half hearted smile. I hope this big secret won’t ruin our friendship. In just three months we’ve become really close. I’ve always struggled with
making friends, especially female friends, and now that I’ve had a taste and have a big group of friends, I don’t want to take a chance of losing it all.

  The group follows me to the bar, where I order a round of Sambuca shots for us. I speak to the bartender for a few minutes, asking how we’ve been, and I let him know that I will speak to him later, before passing out the drinks.

  “Holy shit! Tonight is going to be cheap if we get free drinks!” Katie shouts, holding her shot near her face.

  “AMEN!” we all shout at the same time before downing our shots and placing the glasses onto the bar. Jesus, that burns! Now I remember why I don’t like Sambuca.

  My cell vibrating in my clutch distracts me from the awful taste.

  I’m here xxx

  I look around for Maxine and spot her making her way over to me. I push off from the bar and run as best as I can in these shoes straight into her arms. She squeezes me back.

  Tears prick my eyes.

  “I’ve missed you so much!” Maxine whispers emotionally into my ear.

  “I’ve missed you too. I’m sorry!” I whisper back. I’m trying my hardest to keep the tears at bay right now. I don’t want to ruin my make-up. I need to change the subject. We can talk about this more later. Right now, I don’t want to ruin my good mood. “Come meet the girls.”

  Maxine nods. She grabs my hand when we let our vice like hug go, and I lead her toward the girls, who seem to have attracted the attention of a group of guys. They aren’t half bad looking either.

  “Hey, everybody, this is Maxine. Maxine, this is Zoe, Katie, Lucy, and Poppy.” I point to each of the girls.

  “Hey!” they all reply at once, except for Zoe who pulls Max into a hug. I didn’t expect anything else. She gave me my first hug after knowing me for all of five minutes. It’s what makes me love the woman. She’s not afraid to show her affection.

  Maxine laughs, hugging her back. The girls all take that as their cue to join in on the hug. I just stand back laughing at Maxine getting swallowed up. “We’ll have another round of shots plus one,” I tell the bartender over my shoulder, who nods his head before getting the drinks.

  “Here you go, ladies!” I shout, passing each of them a shot glass. “To a very messy night!” I toast.

  “TO A VERY MESSY NIGHT!” the girls all shout at once before downing the shot and smashing the glass down onto the bar. Every single one of them shudders, including me. I don’t think I’ll have anymore of that tonight.

  The song changes to Iggy Azalea feat Rita Ora’s new song, ‘Black Widow’. My body starts moving of its own accord. I heard this song last week, and I can’t seem to get enough of it!

  “I love this song! Let’s go dance,” Poppy screams, her hips bouncing in time to the tune.

  I don’t need to be told twice. Grabbing hold of Maxine’s hand, we all head onto the dance floor, the guys who were hanging around following. I dance with Max, getting right into our usual routine that we do when we go out together. We dance provocatively together for girls, but it doesn’t go unnoticed the way men look at us. Dylan always hated it when we danced like this because men would always try and approach Max.

  “Is Dylan here?” I ask.

  “Yeah, he’s around here somewhere. I think he went to find Phoenix.” Hearing his name sets my spine straight. I knew that he would be here. I just didn’t want to hear it being said out loud. It’s like the saying- out of sight, out of mind. I was happy thinking that.

  “Okay, cool.”

  Remember, don’t allow Phoenix to ruin your night. This is for you.

  It’s in that moment that I make a vow to myself. No more. I’m not going to think about it anymore. I push him to the back of my mind, focusing on the beat of the music and moving my body in time to it.

  I put my arms up in the air, still holding onto one of Maxine’s hands, my hips swaying and my eyes closed. I feel the music instead of just hearing it. It beats down on my heart, the words infiltrating through my mind.

  I open my eyes. Two of the guys have disappeared, while the other two are dancing with the twins. Zoe and Poppy are dancing together just like Maxine and me. I’m so happy right now. I’ve got an amazing set of friends, and I’m totally drunk. I’m never this soppy, but it feels so fucking good to let this side out for once!

  The song comes to an end, changing to ‘Crazy Stupid Love’ by Cheryl Cole. Fitting. This is a perfect song for my love life, or lack of. The alcohol from the shots is starting to go to my head, my eyes going a little blurry. However, I feel fantastic!

  I look around the floor, for what I don’t know. That’s when I spot it. The poles. I want a go!

  I let go of Maxine’s hand, pointing toward the now vacated poles that are calling my name, begging for me to dance on them.

  “Come with me?” I ask.

  Maxine follows my finger, her gaze landing on the offending object. She shakes her head adamantly. “Oh no. Nope, no way. Not going to happen.”

  “Please?” I pout, doing my best puppy dog eyes.

  “No, and stop pouting. I’m not drunk enough yet to make a fool of myself,” she shouts with finality.

  “Fine.” I turn around, finding the one other person who I know will go on it with me. “Zoe! Come on the poles with me?” I shout, giving her a huge smile.

  “Heck yes, woman!” I start off in the direction of the poles, Zoe, Poppy, Lucy, and Katie following and leaving behind heartbroken guys. I didn’t expect them all to follow, but I’m glad they did.

  Zoe and I go on one pole, and the other girls go on the other one. We don’t move right away; we just stare at each other as if conveying a secret message with each other. We walk around the pole a few times before grabbing onto it and leaning back. Then we start dancing around it. I don’t even care if I look stupid. I feel free, and I’m having a blast!

  I’m full on belly laughing at some of the moves that Zoe does, and she’s also laughing at me. I’m about to wrap my leg around the pole, but I lose my footing. I stumble, falling off the podium and straight into a pair of arms. I don’t even have time to think about the fact that I’m falling, or that I may land on the wooden floor like a pile of shit, because I don’t. I land in the confines of some very muscled arms that wrap around me, protecting me.

  I breathe a sigh of relief. I didn’t hurt myself. Then I remember that I just fell off of the podium. I. Fell. Off. The. Podium! I laugh, hard, my body shaking from laughing so hard, a stitch cramping my side and tears pricking my eyes.

  “Oh, God, Zoe, I’m so clumsy!” I shout up to the podium, my eyes watery from my tears.

  “Yes, you are, Emilia,” his hard, humorless voice stops my laughter straight away. I wipe my eyes to get rid of the tears blurring my vision. That’s when I see him and my good mood vanishes.

  I landed right into the pair of arms of the person who I didn’t want to bump into.

  Phoenix James.

  Chapter Thirteen

  “Phoenix?” I ask, still not one hundred percent sure that my mind isn’t playing tricks on me.

  “Yes, Emilia?” he replies in that same cold voice that he used weeks ago before we got closer. I don’t like that he’s using my full name either. It means he’s angry with me. What does he have to be angry with me about anyway? Before I left, I was the one who found him in his office with that tramp Cindy. He made his choice, and it wasn’t me, so I made mine and I left.

  I need to get out of his arms. I can’t cope with this close contact right now, especially with this amount of alcohol in my system. I squirm to no avail. My body just doesn’t want to cooperate with me right now, and I curse it letting me down in my time of need.

  “Put me down,” I command.

  I stare into his icy blues, my insides squirming under the close scrutiny that he’s giving me, not to mention the fact that he’s touching me after so long. “Please?” I whisper, having lost my fight before it’s even begun. I’ve missed him more than I cared to realize, and being this close to him i
s making me surrender to him and his demands that I’m sure are to follow.

  “No. You’re coming with me.” Phoenix turns, and I catch sight of Maxine and Dylan. Maxine has pity on her face, and Dylan is unreadable. It doesn’t take a genius to find out who told Phoenix that I was here.

  “Em, wait!” Phoenix stops in his tracks, and I turn my head in the direction of my name being shouted.

  Zoe is trying to get down from the podium, as are the other girls on the other podium. They rush over to me, though a little sloppily. I’d laugh if I weren’t so nervous. Zoe looks at my stoic face, hers turning questioning. Poppy, Lucy, and Katie are crowding around, openly ogling Phoenix. Yup, he has that kind of effect on women, the effect that makes all girls cream their panties with just one glance. I was that girl once upon a time.

  “Where do you think you’re taking her?” Zoe asks, squaring off to Phoenix. I try to stifle my laughter but fail miserably. She doesn’t have a clue who she’s talking too.

  “Excuse me?” Phoenix replies, shocked.

  “I said, where do you think you’re taking her?” Zoe repeats loudly but slower so that he can understand her. It makes me laugh harder. The girls don’t notice. They are too mesmerized by the beauty that is Phoenix James.

  “Emilia, tell this woman that you’re coming with me.” It’s a demand, which, under different circumstances, I would have told him to get lost; however, I seem to be under his spell right now, and there is absolutely nothing that I can do about it.

  “Do you know this man?” Zoe asks, both of her eyebrows raised in shock.

  “Yes, this is Phoenix.” I stress his name, hoping that she gets the hint. Thankfully she does.

  “Ooohhhh!” Then she shakes her head. “Oh no, sorry, but she can’t come with you right now. We were just leaving. We have some place to be, like, five minutes ago,” Zoe rambles. She’s making an excuse for me, bless her heart. What she doesn’t know is that I’m going to have to go with Phoenix whether she likes it or not. I just hope nobody alerts my father. That would just be the icing on top of the cake.