I don’t know what his problem is, I can understand being protective, but this is beyond that. And what gives him the right to yell at me like a child? I’m an adult, I can make my own decisions and my own mistakes. Not that I have any desire whatsoever to sleep with Brodie, but still. I am a strong, independent woman without any attachments. I can do what I want. Gah, men are so annoying.

As I was stomping off I could feel Nick’s eyes boring into my back, but I don’t care. He deserved it. 

“Hey, I’m sorry about Nick. He gets in moods sometimes and doesn’t realize what the hell he is saying until someone punches him or throws a drink in his face”, Brodie says as way of greeting. 

“Sorry to be acting like a creeper, I promise I won’t make your bones into wind-chimes or anything. I just know Nick and I know that this whole thing with Taylor is eating him up.”

So Taylor is the girl that dumped him, interesting. 

“It’s fine, although you are right about the drink thing, if they weren’t so expensive I would have thrown mine in his face and maybe have even punched him.” And it surprises me that I am telling the truth, Nick is no longer the “perfect” perfect person, he has his flaws. What sucks the most about that knowledge that instead of making me like him less and view him less as a god, it only makes me want to turn around and hug him.

“Well, how about this, when you are done with that one, the next one is on me. As a way of apologizing for how shitty your night has started.”

“I couldn’t ask that of you, its a nice offer, but it isn’t your fault that this night isn’t turning out like I had planned.”

“Well, then it is my way of making sure it ends the way you planned. Let’s go find this friend of yours and dance the night away, sound like a plan?” He asks, throwing in a grin for good measure. 

“Yea, you know what, I could definitely use some fun, and you haven’t done anything creepy.” I reply, adding my own grin in as I feel Nick start to hover around us. 

And with that, Brodie and I are in the search for Elizabeth. And where did we find her, in the VIP section dancing with Nick’s roommate, Alex.

“Oh my God, Zooey, you have to meet Alex. He is totally awesome. We were just talking about how much we have in common it is scary crazy.” She screams at me, I think she has had a few more drinks then me and it makes me worried.

“Elizabeth, sweetheart, how much have you had to drink?” I ask as nicely as possible trying not to sound too accusatory of either her or Alex.

“I’ve only had three”, she answers while holding up five fingers.

“She’s only had two, but she mentioned she came here with you earlier so if she got any worse I was going to have Nick and you come here.” Alex sounds so sincere and honest, there isn’t anything I can do but believe him.

“Holy hell, is she tanked?” Nick asks, coming up behind Brodie and I.

“NICK! How are you? I met Alex already, and let me tell you, you have an awesome roommate”, Elizabeth screams, even louder than when I walked in. 

“Did you see Zooey? Doesn’t she look hot? I told her that she is totally hot, but it isn’t the same thing when a girlfriend says it. Tell her she looks hot”, and with that yelled so the entire VIP section can hear, Elizabeth goes back to her version of dancing, twirling in a circle.

By this time I am so red, either from embarrassment or anger I can’t be sure, that I could feel the heat radiating off my face. Brodie doesn’t help matters.

“Well, aren’t you going to do what the girl said, tell Zooey she looks hot”, Brodie goads. I can see he is loving this whole exchange. 

After a few seconds go by I begin to realize that Nick isn’t going to say that, and the blush turns to one of shame. I knew this dress was a bad idea, I knew coming here was a bad idea, I knew nothing good could come from this night. Just as I am about to turn Nick grabs my arm holding me in place.

“You look hot in that dress Zooey.” And that is it. He turns and stomps away from me, the exact same way that I had done to him minutes before.

What am I suppose to read into that? The way he said it, he looked me right in the eye, like it was just the two of us. I think I felt it in the pit of my stomach, but why just walk off? I’m just beginning to contemplate it when all of a sudden Elizabeth screams, “OH MY GOD I LOVE THIS SONG!” and proceeds to drag me down to the dance floor. 

“Nick was totally giving you the eye up there,” Elizabeth calmly says to me while we are dancing our butt off to Katy Perry’s Firework.

“Oh my god, were you faking it up there? What are you up to?” I ask, beginning to grow suspicious of not only her, but of Alex as well.

“Nothing, I’m not up to anything. I just figured what better way to not have a guy want to buy you drinks when you already seem tanked enough to pass out.” Elizabeth answers, which would usually be enough to appease me since I know that is something she would probably think up, but since I also know when she is lying I don’t believe her for a second.

“You’re lying, what are you up to?” I ask, growing more worried by the minute.

“Fine, Alex and I were talking and we realized something. That Nick is perfect for you and you are perfect for Nick, and with the right prodding, you could be perfect together. And don’t lie to me, I saw him speak to you before he left. There is something there, whether you to idiots are smart enough to realize it or not.” And with that said, Elizabeth turns her back to me and continues to dance. 

“Oh no, you don’t get to say shit like that to me and then drop it like it is no big deal. What were you and Alex talking about that made you guys all of a sudden compare notes and realize that we are perfect together? You were by yourself for like thirty minutes.” Some times I really think that she is crazy, not the psycho crazy, but the crazy where you don’t know you are until it is too late and you are locked up in some asylum somewhere petting imaginary bunnies. I must have looked at her as such.

“What?! Alex just mentioned that since Nick has been hanging out with us, he has kinda distanced himself from some of his former friends and hasn’t brought a girl back to their place.” 

“And that is all it took for you to realize that we are meant to be?” See what I mean, crazy.

“Zooey, don’t you find it odd that the man changed his habits when he started hanging out with us? Don’t you find it odd that his “date” ditched him and he asked us to this thing? And don’t you find it odd that the entire time we have been dancing a blonde bimbo has been trying to get her hands on Nick and he has been ignoring her, choosing instead to stare at us?” 

As I turn around, trying for nonchalance, I realize she is right. Nick is staring at me while a blonde bimbo whispers things in her ear. To not appear like I am looking for him, I quickly turn back around and continue to dance with Elizabeth.

“That doesn’t mean anything, we had an argument earlier tonight, over you by the way, and then you go and make him tell me that I’m hot. He is probably thinking of a way to let me down easy since I’m sure he is assuming that I am planning our wedding and what our first born will be named. You’re crazy to think anything else,” and with that said, I hope the topic is dropped.

“Fine, but I’m telling you. That boy wants you, and I think he doesn’t know it, and if he does, he doesn’t know what to do with it since you are so different from previous girls. He can’t get you like he gets the other ones, you are a mystery. And I am betting by this time next year, you both are doing the humpty humpty.” 

I could talk to her until I am blue in the face, but I know it won’t do any good. I will just have to prove to her that there is nothing between Nick and I. That there never will be, it’s just impossible. And with that thought, I continue to dance, and try to ignore Nick’s eyes staring at me.