Dance of a Lifetime Page 8

  "Nothing, dear heart. Just discussing some of the jackals I'll have to fend off tonight."

  Warren smirked. "Did you grow your claws to slash 'em, or did we leave that to Jess?"

  "You watch your tongue, Prep Boy. I've been known to bite them off." Jess interjected.

  "Well, Jess, I'm taken, but I think I've got a friend that would enjoy that."

  "Really."

  "Yeah. He'd like your claws, too."

  "Oh, really. So, Warren, do you like claws?"

  "I wouldn't know. Sophie bites her fingernails."

  Jessie laughed. "You're alright, for a preppy, Warren."

  "And you're not bad for a she-devil, Jess."

  "You just remember that."

  "Ahem," interjected Sophia. "Is the mutual admiration society for the Preppy and the She-Devil over yet?"

  "Yeah, he's all yours, chickie-babe."

  "Thanks." Sophia said dryly.

  "Beer's over there. Coke is also over there, Warren, I know that's what you drink. You need help with any... problems... just holler. This is your birthday, Soph--anyone gives you serious shit, they are so out of here, got it?"

  "Got it."

  They went out and grabbed the loveseat where Sophia usually held court during Jessie's parties.

  "So", Warren asked, "What am I going to be up against?"

  "Don't worry, dear heart," smiled Sophia. "There will be some people that give us shit. Now, there are some people who I don't care if they give us shit or not. Some people I do. You'll be able to tell the difference. Just go with the flow."

  "OK."

  Sophia popped open a beer. "It might go a bit easier if you grabbed one of these."

  "I am not particularly fond of the taste of beer. And, yes, I have had it. I'm not a goody-two-shoes completely. In fact, if Jess has any rum, I could be persuaded to pop some in my Coke."

  Sophia laughed. "Rum? Really? Next time Jess breezes by, I'll ask her."

  "There she is."

  "Jess! You got any hard stuff?"

  "A little. Right over there. You steppin' up from beer?"

  "Nah. Warren likes rum."

  "Prep Boy likes the hard stuff? Wonders never cease..."

  Sophia giggled. Warren just smirked and dumped some rum in his coke.

  The party filled up quickly. A few people wandered over to Sophia, and wished her happy birthday. Nobody had yet taken too much notice of Warren.

  "Hi, Sophia, Happy birthday."

  "Why, hello, Lisa."

  Lisa looked at Sophia, and then at Warren. "And what... is this?"

  "This is my boyfriend, Warren. Warren, this is Lisa." Sophia shot Warren a "trouble coming, watch out" look.

  "Boyfriend? That?"

  "That's right."

  "I don't know him. He doesn't look like your type. Does he go to Oceanside?"

  "St. Michael's."

  "You are dating a preppy?" Lisa giggled. "Oh, wait till everyone gets a load of this. This is the funniest thing I've ever seen. Sophia Daniels is going out with a geek! And you used to think you were so cool, too. What a pity," Lisa smirked.

  "Ah, well, Lisa, you know how it is. There are more important things than being cool."

  "Like what?"

  "Earth-shattering, mind-blowing sex, for one."

  Lisa looked at Warren with amazement. Warren just got a little grin on his face. "You've got to be joking," Lisa said.

  "No joke. He's a stud."

  Lisa just walked away, shaking her head. Sophia and Warren looked at each other and cracked up.

  "You are shameless!" Warren exclaimed.

  "Yup. Hi, Karen."

  "Hey, Soph. Happy birthday."

  "Thanks. This is..." Karen interrupted her.

  "Warren Kelleher? How you doin?"

  "Karen Laskovich? Long time no see!"

  "You two know each other?" Sophia asked.

  "Went to grammar school together," Karen smiled. "Warren got me through fifth-grade math almost singlehandedly. You're about the last person I expected to see here, though. Did you switch from nerdiness to partying?"

  "Nope, still a nerd." Warren laughed. "Just a nerd that happens to be going out with Juliet, here."

  Karen blinked. "You're going out with Sophia?"

  "Yeah. For about a month now."

  Karen grabbed a chair across from them. "This is just about the last two people I ever expected to see hook up. No offense--Sophia, you know that I love you, and, Warren, you know I think you're the salt of the earth. But, together? Wow."

  "You weren't the only one surprised," interjected Jessie, who was walking behind them.

  "You just shut up or I'll bite those fingernails off," called Warren.

  "Promises, promises," Jess shouted back.

  "Let's face it, Soph, he's not your typical guy. Heck, I've always liked Warren, but he's not my typical guy, either," Karen was saying.

  "Yeah, well, my 'typical guy' has been treating me like shit for too long."

  "I heard about what happened with Scott. Was Warren the knight in shining armor that I heard about?"

  "Yeah. We were just good friends, then. And then we were more than friends."

  "Good for you. It's working?"

  "So far so good."

  "Good for both of you, then. Nice to see you again, Warren. I'll see you later."

  Sophia looked at Warren. "That one was better."

  "Yeah, well, Karen always was good people. Even when I knew her, she was a bit of a hell-raiser, but very non-judgmental. She'd talk to me when lots of people wouldn't."

  "I like Karen, always have. But here comes a crucial one." Warren looked up to see a guy approaching them.

  "Sophie-dophie!" Sophia stood up and gave the guy a big hug. "Happy birthday, little one. Having a good one?"

  "So far, so good. How are you, Nickie?"

  "Super and duper, all at once." Sophia sat down back on the loveseat. Nick grabbed the chair. "How you doin'? Is the asshole still locked up?"

  "Last I heard."

  "Good. He ever gets out, I kill him. I wish I had been there when he pulled this shit. Thank God for the guy who was there, I heard you had someone who took some punches for you."

  "Yeah. Speaking of which, this is Warren. Warren, this is Nick, one of my best friends in the world."

  "Nice to meet you," Nick said. "Hey, I know this guy. Didn't you go to East Elementary?"

  "Yeah."

  "I was a year ahead of you, I think."

  "Yeah, you were." Warren had a disturbed look on his face.

  "Warren, something wrong?" Sophia asked.

  "No, everything's fine. I'm going to grab another coke. Want a beer?"

  "Yeah, thanks." Warren got up. Sophia watched him go. "I wonder what got into him?"

  "I think I know," Nick said. "Soph, I'm not always a nice guy, you know that. I can be brutal to people."

  "Only those that deserve it."

  "No, not always. Sometimes to people who are weak, or who are easy to bully. I've gotten better--and I've never done that to a girl or anything--but in grammar school, I hung around with a couple of bullies, and got carried away a few times." Nick took a deep breath. "And your friend there was one of the victims, I'm pretty sure. Warren, you said?"

  "Yeah. Warren Kelleher."

  "Yup. It was him. He recognized me right off, I could tell."

  "Oh, shit. And I introduced you as one of my best friends. After what he did for me concerning Scott, he must be furious that I'm calling someone who beat him up one of my best friends."

  "Sophia, I'm sorry. Wait a minute. He's the one who took the punches from Scott?"

  "Yeah."

  "I find that hard to believe."

  "Believe it, Nick. He's got a lot more guts than you realize."

  "Anyone who takes a bullet for a woman is all right in my book. I have to see what I can do to fix this when he comes back. Any friend of yours is a friend of mine--shit, I never even knew the guy, he was just an easy target."


  "We do need to fix this. Nick, you are one of my best friends, despite your faults," she smiled at him," and Warren is my boyfriend."

  "BOYFRIEND? Shit, I thought you guys were just friends. You're dating HIM?"

  Sophia giggled. "For about a month now. You jealous?" she teased.

  "Of course not. We've never had that type of relationship, and, besides, I have Missy. But you, and him? I mean, what's the attraction, besides gratitude?"

  "If it were just gratitude, we'd still be only just friends."

  "OK, so why are you going out with him? I just don't see it. He's so different than the guys you used to be attracted to."

  "Yeah, he doesn't fucking beat me up, for one."

  "OK, I suppose I deserved that."

  "Nick, he's brilliant. He's funny--keeps me in stitches most of the time we are together--he's fun to be with. Believe it or not, we like a lot of the same things. He's a skater, too--in fact he got me back on the ice, and we're going to try dancing together. He likes the Beatles. He's got me reading again. He's delightfully endearing. He's sweet, caring, and treats me like an absolute princess. He's got me believing in myself again, I didn't think that was even possible."

  "Wow." Nick looked at her and saw the necklace. "Birthday present, from him?"

  "Yeah." She showed it to him. "He gave this to me because he says I am the ruler of his heart."

  "Sophia, you are glowing. You're really in love with this guy, aren't you? I know it can't be the sex, not with him," Nick added dryly.

  Sophia punched him playfully on the arm. "First of all, yes I am completely in love with him. I love him more than I ever thought I could love another person. He loves me just as much. And, for your information, the sex is mind-blowing."

  "You are kidding."

  "I would never kid about something like that, not with you. I've shared my sexual encounters with you since I began having them. You always told me that the guys I was going to bed with were creeps, that a real man would make me... you know... feel it. Well, Nick, you were right. Warren is a real man, a thousandfold."

  "Wow. I think I've got some serious reassessing to do. And some serious fence mending. Where is he?"

  "Over there. Don't look. He's lurking, kind of watching us. I think he's waiting for you to leave."

  "Damn. I don't want this hanging over your head, Soph. I care about you too much for that."

  "Let me take care of it." She raised her voice. "Hey, PREP BOY, where the hell is my BEER?????"

  The whole room cracked up. Even Warren forgot his trepidation about Nick, and hurried back to the love seat. "Sorry, ma'am, here you go, ma'am" he said in mock submission as he sat back next to her and handed her the beer.

  "There's a good boy. You can bow and scrape later, in bed." Warren blushed. "Oh, you are too damn yummy when you do that!" Warren blushed harder. "I may have to attack you right here."

  "Oh, baby," Warren giggled. He put his arm around her and gave her a big kiss.

  Nick just laughed. Warren abruptly realized that Nick was still there, and dropped his hand, and got a blank look on his face. Sophia grabbed his hand and put it in hers, and squeezed.

  "Nick was telling me about your... history."

  "Oh."

  "Listen, Warren." Nick began. "I've done some things I'm not proud of. Bullying people in elementary school is one of them."

  "Really."

  "Yeah, really. I had some problems back then. Hopefully I've worked them out. I'm not proud of my part in what was done to you back then." Nick took a deep breath. "I suppose I've been quick to categorize people. And now it's coming back to haunt me. Because I see a guy that, a few years ago, I wrote off as a loser--a wimp--a pussy--I see this guy here, and he's making my surrogate little sister light up like a Christmas tree. And I know that this same so-called wimp took a beating on behalf of the same little sister not too long ago. I like to think I've gotten better at judging people, and I certainly hope so, because I so obviously misjudged you back at East. Anyone who can make Sophia glow like that is someone that I'd like to get to know better. Sophia's very important to me. I haven't seen her smile like this in a long time." He took another deep breath. "So, Warren, whatever went on back then, whatever I did--I am truly sorry."

  Nick held out his hand.

  Warren thought for a second. And then took it, and they shook.

  Chapter 14 - Braving The Elements 2

  Things got a little better after that. Nick pulled up a chair, and was quickly joined by his girlfriend Missy, who Warren remembered from East like he remembered Karen, a nice girl who was always friendly to him.

  Karen joined them, as did Jessie when she wasn't being, as she put it, "the Royal Hostess." Nick realized Warren was a nice guy, and actually knew as much as Nick did about baseball, something Nick would have never believed. A joint came passed around, and nobody gave Warren a hard time when he refused it. Sophia smiled, and refused it, too. Some people were surprised to see Sophia there with Warren--she was lying with her head on his lap, so there was no mistaking it--but didn't give them any shit. Not with Nick--not to mention Jessie--glaring at them to make sure they didn't.

  But the night wasn't over yet. Alexandra walked in.

  Ignoring the glares from Nick and Jessie, she marched right up to Sophia and looked down at her. "Happy birthday, Sophia. Here's a birthday present I know you'll enjoy. Scott's out of jail."

  Sophia shot Jessie and Nick an "I'll handle this" look, then said to Alexandra, "Oh, is he, really?"

  "Yeah. A bunch of us raised his bail money. I picked him up earlier today. Then we went to my house and had great sex."

  "That would be a first."

  "Oh, really? I never heard you complain when you were with him."

  "That's because I was stupid."

  Alexandra just laughed. "Sure you were. No, Sophia, you blew it with him. And now you're trying to cover with this..." she pointed at Warren..."this ridiculous wimp here."

  "Yup, I'm so upset."

  "You should be. Scott is the best lover ever."

  "Sure he is. If you prefer bruises over orgasms, that is." Sophia said. Jessie sniggered.

  "Oh, he would never do such a thing like that to me."

  Sophia laughed. "Alexandra, you might be a conniving, contemptible bitch, but, still, I hope you never find out the hard way what Scott is really like."

  "He's not like that, at all--now that he's going out with someone who really appreciates him. I wish you could see how he treats me. I wanted him to come here--to show you how happy we are--but he didn't want to rub your face in it that badly." That made Sophia sit up straight in the seat, trying to reel in her mounting fury.

  "Oh, fuck that, Alexandra. He didn't come because I have a fucking restraining order on him. He can't come within a hundred feet of me, and, since everyone here knew this was a birthday party for me, if he got within shouting distance of the driveway he'd be back in jail."

  Alexandra looked surprised at that. Sophia went on, "Let's not forget, dear Alexandra, that he's only out on bail. He's still got a trial. He's still accused of a whole laundry list of stuff. So, hopefully, he will be back behind bars some day very soon. So, if I were you, I'd go enjoy as much of that 'fantastic loving' of his as you can get before the trial. Shit, Alex, maybe, if you're really lucky, that asshole will give you a separated shoulder and four broken ribs like he did me!" Warren rubbed her back, and she relaxed a little bit.

  Alexandra looked confused. "He told me that he was in jail for breaking Wimpy's ribs! I thought all he did to you was hit you in the face once."

  "Oh, look! He's lying to you already! No, Alex, he gave Warren a black eye. The broken ribs, the separated shoulder, the enormous cut in my mouth--before that, the black eye and the almost-broken cheekbone--that was all me. Oh, yes, I am so regretful that Scott is out of my life. I really miss being a fucking punching bag."

  Alexandra was dumbstruck. Warren said, quietly, "Sophia's upset. This is her birthday. I th
ink you should leave now." She did.

  The group got quiet for a minute, as Sophia breathed heavy, on the verge of tears. Warren pulled her in close, rubbing her back. "Relax. It's over. She's gone."

  "Shit, he's out of jail."

  "He comes near you, I swear to God, I'll kill him."

  "I've got a really sharp pocketknife," Nick added helpfully, which broke the tension somewhat.

  "Cool." Warren smiled. "Of course, I'd probably be too much of a Preppy to use the thing, so you can play backup, Nick."

  "Gladly."

  Sophia stood up. "I need to go out. I need a cig. Jessie, come too?"

  "Sure."

  "Me, too," added Karen.

  "You want my muscle out there covering your back?" Warren asked.

  Sophia laughed, "No, dear heart. If anything happens, I'll scream, and you and Nickie can race to see who can come to my rescue first." Nick and Warren both laughed. "Meanwhile, Nick, Missy, keep an eye on Romeo, here, would you?"

  "Surrrre."

  * * *

  The next hour or so was quiet. Nick and the rest had wandered off to socialize, and Sophia and Warren were cuddling on the loveseat.

  "Hold my place, Romeo, got to go pee."

  "OK."

  Warren sat alone, and looked up to see a girl and two guys approaching him. Oh shit, he thought to himself, I didn't know they were part of this crowd. He hated Anne and John Vassar. They had spent most of grammar school torturing him, especially John, who was two years older. Anne was his age.

  "Oh, Jesus Christ. Warren Kelleher? What the fuck are you doing here?" Anne said. "Hey, John, look! It's Warren Kelleher!"

  "Warren Kelleher? John turned around. With him was his best friend Rob James, another real nice guy. "Wimp-man Kelleher! Who let you in here?"

  "Jessie did, seeing as it's her party."

  "Oh, Goody! The entertainment! Jessie let you in so the rest of us could play with you, eh?" John sat next to Warren. "This is gonna be fun."

  "Umm... that seat is taken."

  "Yeah. By me. Now. You got a problem with that?"

  "Yes." Warren refused to be intimidated. "And the regular occupant of the seat will definitely have a problem with it."

  Karen was watching out of the corner of her eye. She went and found Jessie. "Jess, we've got trouble. Where's Sophie?"