Wanna Bet?

by R. S Burnett

  “Where have you been? We have all been trying to ring you” he says pulling me into a hug but I trip so he ends up stopping me from hitting the floor with my face.

  “I went out. I have other friends you know. Look here’s one, his name is Adam and he’s my best friend” I laugh as he stands me up right again.

  “How much has she had?” he asks Adam

  “Not enough” I shout as an answer “We’re waiting for my bar dance time and then we’re going on a train” I tell him proudly.

  “Brooke you’re not doing a bar dance tonight, you can just about walk on the floor let alone dance on a bar that’s only a metre wide” he says sternly sounding like a father.

  I throw my arms around him “I didn’t have a daddy for lots of years, will you be my new one?” I step back and look him over, yes definitely daddy material “Yesss you’re my new daddy from now on. You’re not allowed to ground me though, although maybe you should. I’ve never been grounded before it could be fun” I giggle and grab my beer from the bar and hand Adam his. Lucy joins us on the other side of the bar and wraps one of my arms around her shoulders and hold me across my middle.

  “Oooh Lucy can be my new mom cos my real one’s a bitch and doesn’t like me …. No cos then you two would have to be married … let me think about this … Lucy is my big sister, I’ve always wanted one of them and Andrew can be my big brother, Tucker can be my dad and Mel can be my mom” I nod as I decide my new family. “And you” I turn to Adam “Can be the reason I get grounded” I giggle at him. “Come on, there’s someone I want you to meet”

  I lead Adam across the bar by the hand and we stop a few times so he can twirl me under his arm a few people make a tunnel out of their arms for us to duck under, stood at the end of it is Jess who is grinning and holding her arms out for me.

  “Hey Jessie!” I greet laughing at her giggling.

  “I love fun drunk Brooke?” she squeals laughing, I love Jess she can tell my mood just from looking at me.

  “Me too! Want to be fun drunk with us? This is Adam” I introduce.

  “Hey, I’m Jess” she smiles at him and pulls him into a hug too “What are we doing?” She asks me excited.

  “We are drinking beer, so we don’t get pass out drunk, drunk but you have to help me because I told Adam he could see my bar dance but Andrew says I’m not allowed to do it. Oh and Adams going to help me get grounded, you can help too”

  “Okay, to the bar!” she sings and grabs both of us by the hand and leads s back to the bar. “Are you going to serve us Brooke?” she asks laughing at my attempt to get over the bar, Adam finally takes pity on me and lifts me over it.

  “Of course, what would madam like?” I ask putting on a posh English accent.

  “SHOTS!” Adam and Jess shouts at the same time.

  I nod at them and gather some shot glasses whatever bottle I can find.

  Lucy and Will walk out of the office and make their way towards me.

  “Oppps, I think you’re in trouble” Mel laughs at me watching Will come closer.

  “Nope, watch and learn baby girl” I wink at her and then turn to Will as she and Adam take their shots.

  “Brooke, everything OKAY?” Will asks cautiously.

  “Everything is finally good. I’m happy for once Will. I might be drunk but look around you so is everyone else in here. I was thinking you know that I’d like to meet Tom again sometime now that I know he’s like my brother. I’d like to talk to him about our dad, if that’s OKAY with you?” I ask smiling my sweet girl smile that I know he can’t say no to.

  “That would be great Brooke, he talks to me about him but you knew him best. I’m glad you’re happy Brooke” he hugs me quickly and walks back into the office leaving Lucy to scowl after him.

  “And that is how it’s done” I grin at Jess and Adam who both ‘whoop’ and punch the air laughing. “You know you might as well join us” I grin at Lucy.

  “Body shots!” Jess tells Andrew as he also joins us at the bar.

  I don’t wait for anyone to confirm I clear an area on the bar and instruct her to lay on it, I se the shot up clumsily on her and Lucy puts the shot in between her breasts. A few of the customers crowd around to watch and I join in shouting “Do it” with them and point to Andrew.

  Cheers go up around us as he slams the shot down and then I clear the area for him and set him up for Jess. Lucy sets it up for me and Adam takes the shot. Andrew helps me down and Lucy sets Adam up for the shot, I straddle the bar in front of him.

  “Umm what are you doing?” Andrew asks watching me smiling.

  “A body shot” I answer slowly so he can understand.

  “Oh lord” Lucy sighs as Andrew picks up his mic. It’s then I realize the bands set has finished.

  “OKAY ladies and gentlemen are you ready to witness for a first time ever in the history of this club … Brooke who has always refused in the past is going to do a body shot off someone at last!” he announces to the club as more people start to gather around Lucy passes me a mic resigned and just shakes her head grinning at me.

  “What can I say? He’s a very convincing man my Adam” I say making a few people chuckle. “You’re a very lucky man my friend” I wink down at Adam.

  “You know you don’t have to be on the bar with him for this right Brooke?” Andrew laughs at my position.

  “Ahh but my way is so much more fun” I smile into my mix and wink at Andrew “watch and learn honey”.

  Keeping the mic in my one hand I get onto my hands an knees, placing them outside Adams legs, I crawl up to his stomach and lick the salt away moving up the bar as I go, I take the shot glass off his chest and throw it back, I suck the lime, not taking it from him mouth. When I’m done I sit back and straddle him. The crowd cheers.

  “So much more fun my way” I grin over at Andrew.

  “Uh, Brooke” Lucy nudges my arm with her shoulder from behind the bar.

  “What?” I look down at her then move my eyes to where she is looking and lock gazes with a not impressed looking Tucker.

  I lean forward getting back on my knees and put my hands on either side of Adams face “I think you just got me grounded” I whisper to him before I push myself up onto my hands so I’m hovering over him and then stand.

  Jess helps Adam off he bar and everyone watches me to see what I’m going to do next. I can see Jess saying something to Tucker and she looks as if she’s shouting but I can’t hear over the music.

  Andrew climbs up on the bar after me and we wait while the DJ lowers the music.

  “Whatcha gonna do Brooke?” he asks into his mic.

  I wrap my both hands around my mic and make my voice as pleading as possible “Brooke wants to dance” I pout at him

  “Brooke’s drunk” he shakes his head.

  “But … she’s fun drunk Brooke tonight” I announce making the crowd cheer and Jess shop talking to laugh at her words being shouted throughout the club.

  “I don’t think Brooke would be able to do it without falling off the bar” he says sadly

  “Brooke can do a lap dance, there only one place she can fall then … or one thing she can all on and that could be interesting” I laugh at the scene that plays out in my head.

  “Fun drunk Brooke is also loving” Andrew notes laughing.

  “She is” I sigh into the mic

  “Brooke is also talking about herself in the third person”

  “True, we sure are saying Brooke a lot. Let’s stop”

  “I don’t think you can” he laughs at me.

  “Are you going to spoil my night?” I ask disappointed in him. “You’re normally fun with me” I complain

  “Well it’s nearly the end of the night”

  “Not for me” I smile

  “And what are your plans?”

  “Well after here, we are going on a train”

  “Who’s we?”

  “Me and Adam … Where are you Adam ... Oh there you are” I wave at him. “We
ll you see we came here so he could see me do my bar dance and meet my friends have you seen them by the way because you lot aren’t being very welcoming. After here we are going on a train to a house party at the uni I went to so I can meet some of his friends that are there. I don’t know what happening after that, we haven’t figured out if we are going to crash down there or go back to mine yet”

  “That’s not going to happen Brooke” Andrew shakes his head at me.

  “Uh ... yes it is. It’s been decided, plans have been made, you don’t get a say in it anyway you can’t stop me you’re supposed to me my big brother, I thought big brothers were cool. What happened to you? You sound more like a grumpy dad and that’s not your job”

  “Think of me as an overprotective big brother then” he sighs.

  “How about we make a bet?” I ask and the crowd cheers.

  “What kind of bet?” he asks interested.

  I lower my mic and walk over to whisper the bet in his ear.

  “And if what happens either way?” he asks smirking at me.

  “If I do it you let me carry on with my night of having fun and leave me alone, if I can’t do it you can put a stop to my fun and I’ll go home. Alone”

  “You’re on. You wouldn’t be able to do that sober, let alone as drunk as you are right now”

  The crowd cheers and I turn to them gesturing them to be quiet. “Anyone got a condom? I ask about fifty hands go up but I take the one closest to me, I pick my beer up from the bar and down the rest of it.

  “OKAY you ready?” I shout into my mic.

  I open the condom, put it in my mouth and get down on my knees, placing the bottle on the bar in front of me I put my hands behind my back and silence fills the club as I slide the condom all the way onto the bottle using only my mouth.

  “Want to check it?” I grin up at Andrew he just shakes his head at me and jumps down from the bar defeated.

  I lean back and sit on the bar as Adam comes over to me. “We don’t have to stay, shall we just go now? I think we’re ruining some of your friends nights” he asks me keeping an eye on Andrew and Tucker.

  “Hey Jess, wanna come with us? We’re just going to leave now”

  “You can’t leave yet Brooke, I want to speak to you first” Lucy says to me pulling me down from the bar.

  “Give me two minutes” I call to Adam from behind the bar as I’m dragged into the office.

  “This isn’t about what Mel and I told you earlier is it?” she asks looking worried.

  “No, it’s not about what happened, don’t worry” I assure her.

  “Then what’s going on with you and Adam because I thought you and Tucker were sort of a thing?”

  “Me and Adam are just having some fun. As for Tucker and I, well when you find out what’s going on with us let me know because I haven’t got a clue anymore”

  “Just don’t do anything you’ll regret okay?”

  “I won’t regret a thing, don’t worry. I’ve spent so many years doing the right thing that one mistake is not going to end the world” I tell her as I leave the office and head back into the bar picking up two beers on my way through.

  “Hey, where’d Adam go?” I ask Jess when I don’t spot him where he was before I went into the office.

  “Umm … Tucker and Andrew went outside with him” she says nervously.

  I knew we shouldn’t have come here, I don’t know why I thought it would be okay. I never do anything fun and I thought all my friends would be happy that I’m finally letting my hair down, not all of them are apparently. I know Adam won’t be coming back in and I’m going to have a word with Andrew about getting rid of people I bring here. I could go follow him but I know I won’t get far before one of them drag me back here so I make the most of my time before they get back.

  “So what are we going to do for fun now?” Jess asks accepting the bottle I hand her.

  “I’m not sure … dance I suppose” I shrug at her and head off to the dance floor with her following behind me. The DJ plays my bar dance song as soon as he sees us enter the dance floor and me and Jess are grinding our way through it when I suddenly find myself airborne.

  “What the hell Tucker! Put me down” I scream kicking and punching him as he moves us through the bar.

  “What to tell me who the hell Adam is?” he demands as soon as he sets me on my feet when we are inside the office.

  “My friend” I snap “Or was until you got rid of him, which by the way you had no right to do”

  “Was you going to sleep with him?” his voice is quiet turning my anger up another notch.

  “Do you have a problem with that?” I ask staring him straight in the eye.

  “How would you feel if I slept with someone else?” he asks not looking away from my eyes.

  “Probably the same way I feel about you having sex with one of my best friends the day before you have sex with me right here in this office and then you having sex with another one of my best friend’s a few hours later” I shout and walk out of the office.

  I make my way through the bar with my head down, not talking to anyone and I don’t look up when Andrew puts his arm around me and walks me out to his car and then drives me home.

  We don’t speak at all until we are in my bedroom and both sat on my bed.

  “Why do people do things to hurt me?” I ask as I take my shoes off.

  “What do you mean?” he asks me softly helping with my shoes.

  “Every time I let someone in they do something to hurt me. Why?”

  “Who hurt you Brooke?”

  “A few people, I have no right to be upset but I can’t help it. It takes a lot for me to trust someone and let them in. I wonder why I bother sometimes”

  “I’m sure no one meant to hurt you”

  “I know but it still hurts all the same” I sigh and rest my head on his shoulder.

  “I’m sorry for getting rid of Adam” he says playing with my hair.

  “That’s okay, I don’t think I would have been able to go through with it anyway” I tell him through a yawn.

  “You sure did drink a lot, what was you thinking?”

  “I wasn’t, that was the point, to not have to think anymore”

  “Want me to stay the night?” he asks lowering us both so we are led down on the bed over the covers me curled into him.

  “I have nightmares, if you don’t mind that then I’d like you to stay please”

  “No problem” he pulls the cover up in front of me so I’m covered “Goodnight Brooke” he kisses my forehead.

  “N’night” I yawn and let the sleep take me.

  Chapter Twenty Five

  “I’m worried about you Brooke”

  I turn my attention back to Andrew, I hadn’t realized I’d drifted off somewhere there. He looks concerned. We’ve had a lovely day together today which is what I needed after last night. He spent the whole night with me, every time I woke up from a nightmare he would start talking to me about one of our nights at the club, replacing the bad memories with happier ones. We went out for breakfast and then walked around town, through the park and now we are having some food before my shift at the club.

  “Sorry, what did you say? I zoned out there for a minute” I admit added sugar to my cappuccino.

  “This is what I mean … I’m worried about you Brooke. It’s none of my business and you can tell me to butt out but … for the last few months you have been all over the place. I’ve seen you go from depressed to wanting to kill someone in less than two minutes. I’ve seen you cry then laugh, you have been through so many emotions I’m surprised you’re not worn out. You can’t keep doing it. You’ll end up having a breakdown”

  “Trust me I know” I run my hands down my face and rub my eyes. I know what he’s talking about and I know it’s only happened since Tucker moved back I also know that he knows that too but is kind enough to not say it. We are so up and down it’s hard to keep up, but we have always been like that. He makes
me happy but he brings back a lot of bad emotions and memories. When we are apart and I don’t know where he is I’m fine, but when we’re apart and I know he is not that far away my body craves him so much that I loose sleep and only he can stop it. I knew this is how it would be when I first saw him again at the club and that’s why I ignored him as best I could and treated him like any of the other men that I’m friends with, a bit of harmless flirting, some banter, I even took sleeping pills that worked. The problem is I no longer know if being with him is worth all this effort. I seem to be the only one on this rollercoaster, he jumped off a while back and I’m not sure if I want him to get back on it with me. “I think I know what I need to do, you’re right. I can’t keep going like this” I stand up from the table and collect my bags “meet me at the club; I’ll be a few hours late tonight. Please can you make sure everyone’s there.” I tell him as I search through my purse for my phone.

  “It’s going to be a good night?” he asks watching me curiously.

  “It’s going to be one I remember for a while, let’s make it an excellent one” I smile grabbing my phone and then head home.

  I walk into the club through the back entrance and go straight into the office to see Will. As soon as he sees me his expression goes from happy to surprise to concern as his takes in my casual outfit of jeans, converse and a plain black tee.

  “Everything okay Brooke?” he asks concerned.

  “Everything’s fine, I just wanted a word before I go out there” I explain and then tell him my plans.

  He takes the news rather well, he doesn’t like what I’m doing but isn’t that surprised which makes me think that maybe I have been more unstable than I thought.

  “Give me a knock before you do it okay, I’m assuming you’re going to wait until the end of the night?” he asks hopefully.

  “No I’m only staying for an hour or so but yeah I’ll knock the door for you” I say over my shoulder as I leave the office.

  Lucy’s behind the bar training the new girl Will hired to help out in the week.