Indigo (7 page)

I force my eyes to stay locked on hers, the strain of not checking out her body physically difficult when she walks around to stand in front of me. She’s a little bit taller with her heels, but I notice I still completely tower over her small frame. The thought turns me on. A lot.

I haven’t replied to her greeting and now she’s looking at me a bit hesitantly. Good going jackass. “Hey. You look…” Breathtaking. Incredible. Sexy beyond belief. “Nice.”

She gifts me with a genuine smile, but I internally curse myself for saying something so weak and unlike me. Usually I know just the right thing to say to women, and I hate that my charm chose to desert me in such a moment. “After you.” I hold open the car door, my body tensing at her close proximity when she passes by me to step in.

“Hey, hold up!”

The girls have just climbed into the backseat when Shawn and I look over to see John jogging across the parking lot towards the taxi. He’s a little out of breath when he reaches us. “Got room for one more?”

“Nope,” Shawn says, without remorse before I can. “Full house, tough luck dude.”

John’s expression falls. “C’mon, I’ll sit in the front. All the other taxis say they can’t get here for another 40 minutes and the club might be full by then.” He leans down into the passenger side window of the taxi. “Can you take 5? I’ll make it worth your while.”

Unable to turn down the bribe, the taxi driver agrees. “Fine by me if they can squeeze in back there.”

Shawn’s eyes meet mine over the top of the car, both of us simultaneously seeing the silver lining. We both lean into the backseat with a change of heart.

“Tell those lovely limbs of yours to make room,” Shawn says, eyeing Sabrina appreciatively. “We’ve all got to fit back here.”

“Indigo can sit on someone’s lap,” I hear Sabrina suggest.

I internally fist pump when I picture getting Indigo into that position, so when I see her climb onto Sabrina’s instead, I try not to let the extreme disappointment show on my face. Shawn and I both climb in and shut the doors as the taxi takes pulls off.

“Did you bring your fake ID?” Shawn asks. I can tell he is also a little deflated at the seating arrangement. 

When Sabrina shifts in an attempt to grab at her clutch, Indigo’s jean clad legs brush up against mine and I swear I feel some sort of fucking electric zap. What the hell is wrong with me?

“Sorry,” she says, and I can tell she’s feeling awkward in her precarious position.

“It’s fine,” I tell her, not feeling awkward at all. I resist the urge to grab her calves and put them over one of my legs so she’s more comfortable. “I’ve got plenty of room.”

“Check it out,” Sabrina says, and hands over her ID to Shawn. “My brother made it for me last year, works like a charm.”

“Wait, isn’t this club 18 and over?” Indigo cranes her neck to look back at her friend. “Why would you need a fake ID?”

“To get drinks of course,” Sabrina replies. “I’ll need to get one of those bracelet things at the door that says I’m 21.”

“Oh ok.” Indigo stiffens, but I’m the only one that seems to notice as I seem to be completely in tune with her body language. I wonder if she’s worried about getting in trouble. I also notice that she is keeping her head down, which bums me out because I’m dying for another chance to look at her up close. 

The taxi drops us off in front of the club and the four of us make our way to the back of the long line, while John wanders off toward the front. Good riddance. I saw him eyeing Indigo in the rearview mirror and it was seriously starting to piss me off. I shake him off and concentrate back on Indigo, who has been quiet up until now. She looks a little nervous, and I can tell she has something to say. I’m just about to ask her what it is when she blurts it out.

“I have a confession to make.”

We all turn to her, each of us with different expressions. Shawn looks worried, like she is about to reveal to us one of her dark secrets, Sabrina looks concerned, and I can feel the extremely curious look on my own face.

“What is it?” Sabrina asks, putting a comforting hand on her shoulder.

“I don’t…I haven’t…” she stutters, trying to get the words out. In the next moment, she tucks her hair behind her ear and visibly gathers herself. “I’ve never tried alcohol before.”

Her confession brings back the wave of protectiveness, but only because she thinks she should feel embarrassed about it. The news doesn’t surprise me considering her situation, but she looks self-conscious and I visibly frown. Sabrina releases a breath. “Is that all? You scared me. And who cares, you don’t have to drink if you don’t want.”

I see Indigo hesitate before saying, “Well…I think I’d like to try it, just one.”

Sabrina’s face lights up, and I can tell that was the answer she was hoping for. “That’s the spirit, we’ll get you a martini or a Cosmo, something with pizzazz to pop that cherry with a bang!”

Wanting to have a say, I enter the conversation before I can stop myself. “I don’t know, those are a little strong. Why not a simple glass of wine? Something sweet like a Pinot Grigio.”

Shawn shakes his head. “No. I say we go with a shot. That’s how I was introduced to alcohol, and it gets the worst out of it out the way right off the bat.” He swipes a hand through the air.

Indigo’s head swivels back and forth, looking at us as if we’re speaking a different language. “To be honest, I’ve always wanted to try champagne. You know, like they have in those pretty crystal glasses on New Year’s?”

“Then champagne you will get,” Sabrina says decisively. “We’ll all do a toast to celebrate!”

The lines moves forward and I use it as an excuse to take a step closer to Indigo, familiar feelings of impatience coursing through me. I feel like I know nothing about her and she already has me feeling way off kilter. I internally knock myself over the head. You just met her! Calm down Keats! “So, how do you like Fairbanks so far?”

“It’s a little strange to be back inside a classroom.” She shoots me a quick look as if she didn’t mean to tell me that, so I suppress the five or so questions that immediately shoot across my mind. “But so far so good, I’m very much looking forward to getting a chance to dance again, and learn a few new things. The instructors here are so accomplished.”

“Are you majoring fully in dance?” I ask, intrigued. I recognize the passion on her face.

She nods with a self-depreciating smile. “Yeah. I couldn’t major in anything else.”

Considering what happened earlier with my mom, her comment hits me square in the chest. If only it were that easy, to invest yourself completely in something just because you love it.

“How about you?” she asks. Her polite question brings my inner turmoil with my weakness to a boil.

I let out a frustrated sigh and run my hands over the back of my head. “After two years, I still don’t know yet.”

From my tone, I know she can obviously sense there’s a little something behind my indecision, but she lets me off the hook, probably out of courtesy since I did the same for her.

“I was 13 when I had my first drink,” I say, trying to put her more at ease and change the subject. “It was a great night, but a bad morning.”

She laughs. “13? That’s so young!”

“I know, but I was too impatient to wait until I was 21.”

She grins and I know she remembers that about me. “You’re interesting, you know that?”

I try not to let the huge fucking smile that’s fighting to break free take over my face. “Oh yeah? Why do you say that?”

“Well, you said you’re impatient, but you also said you like closely examining things, seeing how things work. It seems contradictory.”

Hm. I never thought about it that way. She has a point. “I just know what I want. And I like to take the fastest route to get it. But at the time, I like to get things right with my first attempt, so I have to make sure I’m going about things in the right way.”

“I see,” she turns away shyly, and I wonder if she realized I was talking about her.
Real subtle dumbass.

The lines moves forward and the oversized bouncer asks for our ID’s and five dollars for the cover.

I hand him a ten and try to discreetly gesture to Indigo over my shoulder, but she notices anyway.

“Kennedy, you don’t have to pay for me.”

I wave her off, and step to the side so she can precede me into the club. Then I see an opportunity. “Save me a dance and we’ll call it even.”

She bites her lip, and my eyes drop to her pink mouth. It’s a nervous gesture, but it still turns me on. “All right,” she agrees with obvious reluctance. She doesn’t sound excited which does deflate my ego a little bit, but I know that everything with this girl might be this way, hesitant, slow.

The air heats up about ten degrees once we step fully into the club. The music is loud, and the dance floor and bar is packed with students. Indigo stops abruptly and doesn’t move, and I nearly fall over her.

“Are you okay?” I lean down close so she can hear me.

When she turns her neck in my direction, I glance down at her sexy lips and watch her mouth the words. “Do you mind if we sit close to the door, or in a corner somewhere?”

“Yeah, sure.” I scan the room and to the left I see an empty table. “That one okay?”

She looks to where I’m pointing and nods, eagerly crossing in front of me to get there before anyone else. Frowning, I turn back to Shawn briefly to let him know, but he’s headed toward the bar with Sabrina. “We’re going to grab the drinks!” He shouts over the music, and I see a green neon bracelet on Sabrina’s wrist.

When I reach the table, I watch in confusion as Indigo drags one of two stools around, positioning it so its caddy cornered to the wall. Hopping up, she looks at me with a sheepish expression. “Sorry, I don’t like feeling like someone is behind me.”

Her honesty feels refreshing—because I knew exactly why she did it--and I lean in. “Don’t apologize.” I grab the other stool to save for Sabrina, and then clasp my hands on the table to give them something to do. A glass breaks off in the distance somewhere and I hear a howl of laughter. “To be honest, I’m not a huge fan of these places myself.”

“I’ve never really been...“ A small hand flutters in front of her face. “To a place like this. I wasn’t sure if I wanted to come, but, I’m glad I’m giving it a shot.”

I watch her closely, wondering what else she hasn’t done, and how much of that is because of what happened to her. “Well this is just a night of firsts for you, isn’t it?”

Her eyes are wide and glossy as she scans the room, before landing back on mine. “You have no idea.”

For the second time that night, her words hit me hard, and I almost give in and ask her tell me. The not knowing is beginning to nag at my sensibilities the more time I spend in her presence. I want to know her. And so far, she’s been fresh and real, not like all the other girls I’ve known, who play games to impress me. I can’t help but push for more.

“Where are you from?” Start with something easy.

Her eyes are on the table as she traces the grooves with her finger. “Connecticut, Fairfield county area.”

I watch her finger make its way across the table. “Oh yeah? What’s it like?”

She thinks for a moment, her hand moving to absently trace her scar. I wonder if she notices. I wonder if she knows I’m staring at her do it. “Beautiful,” she finally tells me. “I’ve always loved it. No distance seems too far to travel and the fall season is a sight to behold. Every beach is marked by a lighthouse, and everything old is haunted.”

I’m charmed by her description, and eager to hear more. “It sounds amazing. I’ve never been farther east than here.”

A weird but cute expression spreads across her features. “There’s a lot to see in Connecticut. Most people wouldn’t think so, but it’s one of the better states.” She pauses, then floors me when she says, “I’ve been to 48 states.”

Well, Fuck. I’m more than a little shocked and words get caught in my throat. I’m just about to respond, with what, I don’t know, but Shawn and Sabrina choose that moment to return to the table carrying four shots, and four tall glasses.

“They didn’t have any champagne,” Sabrina pouts, sending an apologetic look in Indigo’s direction. “I promise I’ll get you some soon so you can try it.”

“That’s okay,” Indigo replies. “Whatever you got will be fine.”

I feel myself frown. Suddenly, all I want to do is get her a bottle of fucking champagne.

“Shawn insisted we get the shots,” Sabrina continues, rolling her eyes playfully in his direction. “But it’s just fireball, one of the easiest shots to take. You up for it?”

Indigo nods and catches the small glass when it’s slid over to her.

“You don’t have to do it if you don’t want to,” I tell her, grabbing my own shot. Thinking of her being pressured puts a large knot in my chest.

“I want to,” she replies, and I smile a little at the determined look on her face.

Shawn is eyeing the girly shot with disdain, but then holds up the glass to the center of the table. “A toast,” he says.

“To firsts,” I declare, following suit, my eyes swinging to Indigo.

“To firsts,” the girls repeat.

We clink glasses, and as I take mine, I keep my gaze on Indigo, wanting a front row seat to this first.