19

After the sun had set and we sat in silence for a while, Mandy suddenly got up and walked in front of me to the water, where she looked out to sea, lost in thought.

I didn't want to disturb her and thought she might need a moment to herself, so I took out my phone since I was curious.

Is there someone else more important than me ;-)

Either Irina was a stalker or she suspected it... I don't know...

For today, yes.

I texted back and then saw countless messages and missed calls from Jake.

Where are you?!

My stepdad freaked out , can I see you?

senan! I'm in a spanish club with some friends! Please come here!

Bugger me! Where are you?!

"Everything okay?" Mandy suddenly spoke to me and I immediately got up and nodded to her.

"I just need to make a quick call," I explained, walking away from her to dial Jake's number.

"Senan! My goodness ey!", he reported upset and I really had to concentrate to understand something with the loud music in the background.

"Sorry, I was away," I said loudly into my cell phone and heard him laugh out loud with relief.

"I thought I'd have to do another shitty hike in the woods! Come to »Space«, I'll wait."

"Jake, I can-"

Hung up...

Frustrated, I put the phone away and looked at Mandy, who seemed to be watching me curiously. Whenever Jake got hit by his stepfather again, I couldn't leave him alone because he was capable of anything again.

"Would you like to go dancing?" I asked Mandy as I ran towards her and immediately she looked at me with wide eyes and an open mouth.

"Have you seen what I'm wearing? Besides, I'm not even made up and-"

"Wow," I breathed immediately, taking a closer look at her face. She was really extremely pretty and even without any form of cosmetics.

"What is it?" she wanted to know with red cheeks and shyly avoided my gaze. I carefully put my hand on her chin and lifted her face slightly so that her blue eyes studied me intently.

"Have you ever seen what I look like?" I smiled and she smiled too.

"We both don't look healthy," she giggled and, grinning, I let go of her chin to take her hand in mine.

"We're just going in to check on my boyfriend, then I'll drive you home."

She hesitated briefly, but I simply pulled her by her hand back to my bike next to me to put my helmet on her and sit in front of her on my bike.

"And what if we can't even get in?" she asked through the helmet, sitting down behind me to claw her hands back into my sweater.

"I'm a Gallagher. I can get in anywhere," I replied, and had to think for a moment if that sounded ambiguous in any way, but quickly dismissed the thought and drove off to the weird club.

Since it wasn't far away, I parked at the side of the road after a short time and saw this really small-looking club, with many women in skimpy dresses and guys in leather jackets standing in front of it."Senan," Mandy said my name quietly, getting off my bike and immediately grabbing my arm. "I don't know if that's such a good idea."

She looked uncertainly at all the rigged chicks through the visor of her helmet, her eyes widening, but I just looked at her and didn't care at all about the rest. But I knew what women were like. They always had to compete with other women to see who was prettier and who had the best figure, but they were completely unaware that men didn't pay any attention to things like that. Of course you wanted to fuck someone who looked good, but that was just women for one night.

"You know, my brother always says that real beauty has nothing to do with looks," I tried to somehow calm her insecurities and lifted my helmet from her head, causing her tousled hair to stand out in all directions again.. .

Her look... This woman was really sugar...

"Aber-"

"Shhh," I interrupted her, blinking once before ruffling my hair with both hands so I looked as disheveled as she did.

"That doesn't count! You look even better than before with your messy hair," she suddenly said unexpectedly, and her cheeks blushed immediately, too, as if she couldn't believe what she had just admitted.

"But so are you," I told her, briefly reflecting on how fucked up it was that she was married and my therapist. I wasn't in love or anything. That was no longer possible with my broken heart, but kissing her would certainly have been a nice experience.

I dismissed that thought and grabbed her hand to walk past the line of people straight to the bouncer, who eyed me briefly. He apparently recognized me and opened the black door, through which I walked with Mandy behind me to get the smell of lemons straight up my nose.

Down a dark corridor the Spanish music grew louder and louder until we arrived in a huge room with dancing in the middle and drinking at the edge. The floor was black as was the high ceiling and the many colorful lights made it look really magical.

"Senan!" I heard someone yell and turned to my left where Jake was sitting at a table, grinning stupidly at me.

"Is that your boyfriend?" Mandy called out to me over the music and nodding, I pulled her over to Jake to push Mandy one of the bar stools, on which she gratefully took a seat.

"That's Mandy!" I called to Jake, who immediately smiled and gave the blonde his hand, which she shyly took.

"Jake!" he introduced himself to her. "What do you want to drink?!"

Mandy looked at me questioningly and leaned over to me.

"I don't have any money with me," she explained, and I had to shake my head, smiling.

"Just say what you want to drink!"

She glanced over at the bar thoughtfully, then turned back to Jake.

"What's that Tequila?!"

"Was that a question?" Jake replied and immediately Mandy straightened her shoulders, probably trying to appear more confident.

"No! I'd like some tequila, please," she called out to him, and with a wink, Jake got up and walked to the bar.

"Aren't you drinking?" she asked me and I immediately shook my head.

"I still want to bring you home safely," I explained and then took a quick look around the club. Actually, I would have liked to drink with this Spanish music and the good atmosphere, but at some point I had to slow down.

"So, here!" Jake drew my attention back and placed a full bottle of tequila right in front of Mandy's nose. In addition, a salt shaker and several small glasses.

"A quick shot would have been enough," Mandy said, a little shocked, and I was kind of looking forward to getting to know the tipsy Mandy, until Jake suddenly leaned in and whispered something in my ear.

"You could have mentioned that you're bringing a little one," he said and I looked at him questioningly while Mandy filled her first glass.

"Why? What's the problem?"

"Because the joy I'm here with are Irina and some of her friends," he said suddenly, and at that moment I felt a hand on my shoulder.