lovers!’ She didn’t give Melissa a choice, grabbing her by the hand and dragging her to the front, where another band had taken the stage.
‘Just one song. I have to work in the morning!’ Melissa said.
‘Work, shmirk!’ Beth dismissed her weak protest, and carried on regardless.
Beth was happy, which was nice to see because she’d been a bit down recently. Dale was taking her mind off things and they were having fun, so maybe another hour wouldn't hurt, Melissa thought. The girls danced together, becoming the centre of attention as always. If there was one thing Melissa and Beth did well, it was take over a room. With Melissa in her little dress causing men to almost pass out, and Beth in an equally short yellow dress, also looking stunning, it wasn't a surprise when several chat-up lines came their way. They usually wore more comfortable outfits, but they were out to impress tonight. One very drunk man was quite insistent that Beth danced with him, and his friend was finding it difficult to understand the word ‘no’ from Melissa. Neither advance was welcome. Luke was outside with Tom, and missed the entire incident, but the two guys’ faces were a picture when Toby and Dale appeared from nowhere and told them in no uncertain terms to back off. They practically wet themselves at the sight of Toby towering over them, and the girls found it hilarious. He was one of the nicest blokes you could ever meet, but with his bald head, ear piercings, and tattoos, he looked pretty formidable. He made Melissa look even tinier than she was, but he was very reassuring to have around.
‘Thanks, Toby,’ Melissa said, and gave him a friendly hug.
He smiled. ‘No problem. They needed telling, couple of idiots. I don't like that sort of thing anyway, but even less so when it’s my mate’s girlfriend.’ He was clearly very fired up, and had surprised himself by how quickly he’d become protective of these two girls. They had slotted into their group so quickly and effortlessly, and they were a lot of fun to have around. It didn’t feel like an intrusion as far as Toby was concerned, as it could easily have done.
‘Oh …’ Melissa wasn’t sure what to say. It had thrown her a little to be referred to as Luke's girlfriend.
‘That’s what you are, right?’ he said, smirking a little because she was blushing.
‘I-I don't know.’ She didn't actually know where things with Luke were going; she hadn’t really had a chance to think about it given that they had only met twenty-four hours earlier. It was true that the way they’d been getting on, it looked like it was going that way pretty quickly. If that’s what people already thought, she certainly wasn’t going to argue about it.
Toby laughed. ‘He hasn't shut up about you all fucking day! Melissa this, Melissa that. Melissa is so great, blah blah blah!’
She went even redder. ‘Shut up, you idiot!’ She was embarrassed, but very pleased at the same time.
‘It's true, I haven’t heard him talk about a girl like that in the time I’ve known him.’ he said, turning back to the bar to order more drinks. She smiled again.
Melissa turned down another drink, and decided to finally head home. Luke protested again, but she insisted that she had to go, and she’d already stayed out longer than she should have. The taxi driver wasn’t impressed at having to wait an extra ten minutes while they kissed each other goodnight, but they didn’t care.
‘I’ll speak to you tomorrow, if you can wait until then.’ Melissa joked. Finally, released from Luke’s hold, she got into the waiting taxi and apologised to the grumpy
‘Just one song. I have to work in the morning!’ Melissa said.
‘Work, shmirk!’ Beth dismissed her weak protest, and carried on regardless.
Beth was happy, which was nice to see because she’d been a bit down recently. Dale was taking her mind off things and they were having fun, so maybe another hour wouldn't hurt, Melissa thought. The girls danced together, becoming the centre of attention as always. If there was one thing Melissa and Beth did well, it was take over a room. With Melissa in her little dress causing men to almost pass out, and Beth in an equally short yellow dress, also looking stunning, it wasn't a surprise when several chat-up lines came their way. They usually wore more comfortable outfits, but they were out to impress tonight. One very drunk man was quite insistent that Beth danced with him, and his friend was finding it difficult to understand the word ‘no’ from Melissa. Neither advance was welcome. Luke was outside with Tom, and missed the entire incident, but the two guys’ faces were a picture when Toby and Dale appeared from nowhere and told them in no uncertain terms to back off. They practically wet themselves at the sight of Toby towering over them, and the girls found it hilarious. He was one of the nicest blokes you could ever meet, but with his bald head, ear piercings, and tattoos, he looked pretty formidable. He made Melissa look even tinier than she was, but he was very reassuring to have around.
‘Thanks, Toby,’ Melissa said, and gave him a friendly hug.
He smiled. ‘No problem. They needed telling, couple of idiots. I don't like that sort of thing anyway, but even less so when it’s my mate’s girlfriend.’ He was clearly very fired up, and had surprised himself by how quickly he’d become protective of these two girls. They had slotted into their group so quickly and effortlessly, and they were a lot of fun to have around. It didn’t feel like an intrusion as far as Toby was concerned, as it could easily have done.
‘Oh …’ Melissa wasn’t sure what to say. It had thrown her a little to be referred to as Luke's girlfriend.
‘That’s what you are, right?’ he said, smirking a little because she was blushing.
‘I-I don't know.’ She didn't actually know where things with Luke were going; she hadn’t really had a chance to think about it given that they had only met twenty-four hours earlier. It was true that the way they’d been getting on, it looked like it was going that way pretty quickly. If that’s what people already thought, she certainly wasn’t going to argue about it.
Toby laughed. ‘He hasn't shut up about you all fucking day! Melissa this, Melissa that. Melissa is so great, blah blah blah!’
She went even redder. ‘Shut up, you idiot!’ She was embarrassed, but very pleased at the same time.
‘It's true, I haven’t heard him talk about a girl like that in the time I’ve known him.’ he said, turning back to the bar to order more drinks. She smiled again.
Melissa turned down another drink, and decided to finally head home. Luke protested again, but she insisted that she had to go, and she’d already stayed out longer than she should have. The taxi driver wasn’t impressed at having to wait an extra ten minutes while they kissed each other goodnight, but they didn’t care.
‘I’ll speak to you tomorrow, if you can wait until then.’ Melissa joked. Finally, released from Luke’s hold, she got into the waiting taxi and apologised to the grumpy
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