Willmar eyed the bartender to fill in Phoenix's glass when she was done.
Truly, the girl did it.
The bartender refilled Phoenix's glass when she turned to look at the dance floor. It was crowded, but you could still see through.
Willmar held the glass to her after she was done scanning the dance floor.
"No," Phoenix protested. She didn't want to take another glass. The first one was nice. But... what was Willmar doing to her?
"Last one, then to the dance floor," Willmar reassured her that she was not going to refill it after she took the one in front of her.
Phoenix glared at her and gave in. She didn't like the taste of alcohol. Willmar knew that, and yet she still made her take it.
Phoenix regretted coming here. She gulped the contents down and stared at her friend, who was refilling her glass over and over again.
'How many has she taken already?'
The bottle was almost out.
"Come on!" Phoenix felt her body being pulled by Willmar. Then they were among the crowd.
Luckily, Willmar had taken her purse and given it to the bartender to keep an eye on it.
When she realised it, she was dancing. Willmar, as well, was in the spirit.
'How does she do it?'
'Is she not drunk?'
Both friends were swaying their hips from left to right. Unaware of the onlookers.
Though they were in the crowd, they were already prey.
*****
Perry sat on a couch up there in the VIP lounge, relaxed and watching the two ladies, who were busily dancing to the rhythm of the song.
He had seen them enter with one pulling the other with her. He had thought the one was being forced. But after drinking and getting to the dance floor, he changed his thoughts.
The one he wanted to see. The same person whom he had organised a ball for in two days.
He had left his family's house to meet with John after dinner. Of course, the old man didn't want him to leave.
He had to thank his mother for that!
John had also been confused as to why a ball was to be held in two days. Perry had no time to explain to him what he had in his mind.
He then commanded John to immediately send the invitation cards to the Williams first, before any of his formal invites.
He wanted to see the twins badly.
He wanted to go and rest. He was on his way to his house when he received a call. It was none other than Jude, Perry's one crazy friend.
Jude was known for his drinks and parties.
He would always be celebrating and partying.
He invited Perry out to 'All Night Long'. He was very familiar with the place.
It is one of the craziest clubs in the city.
Everything about it was okay. People seem to love it, most especially for its drinks and the kind of music played there.
If one went there and didn't dance, then that person did not drink.
No club had any rules in the city, but... this one had one. 'Drink and dance.' That was the rule.
He stared down, still his eyes on the two ladies dancing, specifically the one in the black skirt. After getting there, Jude had ditched him and gone after one of the workers.
.
.
.
Willmar and Phoenix danced without care. They were yet to discover the eyes of their predators. A few guys approached them to dance along.
Willmar didn't mind.
When the guys tried to make a move on her friend who was not aware of their presence, she would simply push them back.
Phoenix felt a hand around her waist. She wanted to push whoever it was. Then
Willmar's hands covered her ears whispering into one.
"I need to use the bathroom," she had said and went away leaving Phoenix there.
She wasn't bothered as the music took to her liking and continued to dance.
.
.
Phoenix stopped her movements after realising her friend's absence.
Willmar had kept long. She needed to find her.
Phoenix walked through the crowd without dancing.
She had loved it very much. She didn't even remember the last time she danced.
She no longer regretted coming here.
But she had to find her friend. Managing it through the crowd, she spotted her friend in one of the couches. And she wasn't alone.
'This girl.'
Phoenix walked almost to her friend with a smile on her face. She was out of the crowd. But she didn't reach there.
She hit somebody without looking. She was so focused on reaching her friend that she didn't watch out.
"Careful!"
She was expecting something mean or Vogue. But the person seemed to care about her.
She quickly looked up with a sad face as if not reaching out to her friend.
"Sorry, I didn't mean it." She apologised to the handsome face that was holding her in order not to fall.
When she hit the body, Phoenix had redrew her posture. She wasn't lucky again as she would have tripped over. But the person didn't want her to fall.
He had encircled her small waist with his arms and blocked her body from any attacks.
Phoenix's hands landed on his chest feeling his heartbeat.
It was so... gentle.
"Are you alright?" He asked with concern etched in his voice.
Phoenix stared into his brown eyes and could only nod.
"Oh mine!" Then she heard Willmar's voice.
"Baby are you alright?" The two people came out of each other's arms.
"It seems you are," Willmar said again after eyeing who the quiet saviour was.
A smile tugged at the corners of her lips.
"I shouldn't worry anymore. Since a pair of strong arms wouldn't let you fall." Willmar said with a giggle.
"Perry, meet my best friend Phoenix!" Willmar introduced her excitedly.
Phoenix looked at her with a "why" expression.
"Hi," she said shyly and stretched out her hand to him.
"Hello," Perry replied when he took her hand.
He stared at her and felt her hand.
"Phoenix, he is Perry Worcestershire. The CEO of Stylish. Meet him." Willmar introduced Perry again as if she had no idea who he was.
"Perry, my baby, I believe you have heard about her," Willmar commented looking at Perry.
"It seems you two have something to talk about. I will leave you to it." With that, she left leaving Phoenix there.
Phoenix had an unfathomable expression.
'Willmar, how do you want me to do this?'
She looked up at the guy and could only smile at him.