11

Everything was like last time. Only my companion, he was different. Again the loud music echoed through the huge dark room and again lights of all colors swung around me.

"What would you like to drink?" Ludwig asked, looking at me. I glanced back at the stage, but the beautiful dancer was apparently not there that night. "A tequila and a glass of champagne please," I turned to the blonde, who took off his jacket and then nodded to me. "I'll just order that. Find a table."

I watched him walk elegantly to the black counter, which was full of guys, and then walked over to the tables. I was really glad that there was one free right in front and I didn't have to look far, but it was only after I sat down on the chair and put our jackets on an empty seat that I noticed who was sitting three tables down.

Of course it had to happen that way. Chace and the man with no name. Chace's two friends, whose names I forgot, were also sitting with them, and when they all stared back at me at once, I tore my eyes away from them and nervously fiddled with the straws that were sitting in the middle of the table.

It felt like an eternity as I sat there and felt her eyes on me. There was no sign of Ludwig either, there were too many people on the dance floor between us and all of that made me even more nervous. Samuel and Ethan! Because of all the confusion in my head, I even remembered their names.

"Here." The blonde startled me and put our drinks on the table. I looked gratefully into his eyes and I was grateful not only for the drinks but also that he got me out of this awkward situation in which I felt like the prey of predators waiting for any sign of weakness.

"Tell me something about yourself." Ludwig sat down across from me and just looked amazing with the colorful lights surrounding him. "What would you like to know?" I asked him, downing the tequila in one gulp. "What do you like to do? Apart from spending time with me, of course.", he laughed and because of his good mood I was finally able to let go a little more.

"I like listening to music and dancing around the room." I grinned at him in embarrassment and immediately realized that he only had eyes for me. "Would you like to dance?" He relaxed back and looked over at the dance floor where a few girls were staring back at him, but he quickly turned back to me, beaming. I really would have liked to dance with him but it would have made me uncomfortable so I shook my head no and smiled kindly to make him feel good anyway.

"Another time then." He winked and took a sip of his drink. There was a silence between us where we just looked at each other and listened to the music that was anything but romantic. Only a woman's voice next to me tore me from the rigidity. "Ludwig. I'm glad to see you," the dancing beauty suddenly stood at our table and leaned her hands on it to look the blonde straight in the eye. "Marisa. May I introduce you to Chiara" he nodded over to me and my eyes met hers, who examined me critically and then looked over at Ludwig again.

"Did you..." She tilted her head close to his and began to whisper something in his ear, using her body skillfully and neither of them paid any more attention to me. I was so uncomfortable that I felt like sinking into the ground, so I decided to get out of the situation. "I'll get myself something to drink," I mumbled, but neither of them looked over at me.

Disappointed, I got up, drank the rest of my glass and walked across the dance floor to the bar. When I got there, there was still a seat next to a girl, on which I sat down and ordered two tequilas from the little waiter. "Hey! I know you," the girl suddenly mumbled next to me and I looked over at her confused. Only then did I realize that it was the brown-haired woman from the clothing store.

"Yeah, right," I replied, gently holding out my hand. "Chiara." She blinked several times and returned my gesture. "Malou. But everyone calls me Lou," she said, and at the same time the waiter put the tequilas in front of me. Actually, I wanted to gulp both of them straight away and be full as the sea, but I saw that there was an empty glass in front of Lou and then pushed a tequila in front of her.

"Ohhh thanks," she picked up the short one and, amused, lifted it towards me. "To us girls." She toasted me and I joined in her toast, which made her smile.

It must have been more than an hour that I didn't pay any attention to Ludwig or the other guys and enjoyed one drink after the other with Lou. I learned a lot about her. She had just turned 18 and lived here all her life. Her father was often away from home while her mother owned a farm and she worked in the clothing store.

There was such a relaxed vibe between us that I really forgot about everything else. Only when she excused herself in the toilet did I look curiously over to Ludwig's table, which to my astonishment was no longer there. I looked around the club in amazement, but I wouldn't have recognized him anyway because of the alcohol and the dark atmosphere, so I turned back to the bar and sipped on a cocktail that Lou said made people walk on clouds would dance.

"Don't forget these," Chace unexpectedly handed me my jacket. But he didn't look at me, on the contrary. He felt like he was forcing himself not to pay attention to me. I grabbed my jacket and murmured thanks under my breath, after which he just walked to the exit and disappeared through the curtain.

I didn't understand anything anymore. Where were Ludwig and the beauty? Why was Chace suddenly so dismissive?

Questions that tormented me and the alcohol didn't really allow me to think clearly about everything. So I just decided to keep drinking and tune out these narcissists who kept driving me insane with their secrets.