A Little Country Lost In New York

A Lovely Brawl

I groaned in exhaustion as I fell face first onto my bed. "So... Tired..." my voice sounded muffled through the sheets. I heard a soft giggle as the mattress dipped next to me. I lifted my head, only slightly, to see Zelda smiling at me. "You are so over-dramatic McKinney." I looked at her, my eyebrows raised as a small smile stretched over my face. "Maybe, but you still love it." She shook her head, but I could see a ghost of a smile on her lips. 

A week of classes has gone by and the weekend has finally come. Zelda, Amerina and I all agreed with Skylar that a girl's night out was needed. I smiled fondly at Zelda as I thought about the girls. We barely knew each other for a week, but it already felt like we've all known each other for years. Zelda suddenly slapped my butt causing me to squirm. "Come on you lazy bag of potatoes! We only have like an hour to get ready before Skylar comes and takes over the room." I instantly shot up, grimacing at the thought. "We better get to work then." Zelda smiled as she pulled me towards her over-night bag. "I have the perfect outfit for you!" Her eyes seemed to light up at the mention of clothes. 

I rolled my eyes, trying to contain my laughter. Another clothing crazed person. She started digging through her bag, throwing around clothes like it was confetti. She finally jumped up, holding a white dress in her hand. "Put this on." A frown was edged on her face as she concentrated on something. I quickly changed into the dress and looked in the mirror. The view in the mirror took my breath away. The dress hugged my curves perfectly and ended just below my knee. A slit that ended mid-thigh took place on the left side. The low V-neck collar showed just enough cleavage to leave the guys wondering.

"Gorgeous." I turned around to see Zelda staring at me, a small smile playing on her lips. I felt a blush rising on my cheeks and I coughed, breaking the silence. "So let's get on with my makeover shall we?" Zelda instantly broke out of her trance before pulling me onto a chair in front of the mirror. Her eyes turned to slits as she stared at me, a look of deep thought on her face. A smirk formed on her lips and she quickly grabbed a makeup brush, starting to work her magic on my face.

***

We waited in the hallway for Skyler and Amerina. My red curls were pulled half-up, while the rest hung around my shoulders. I glanced over at Zelda, who was engrossed in her phone. She wore a black lace two-piece halter dress with a pair of black pumps.

Her long blonde hair was pulled up in a beautiful messy bun while some rebellious strands hung loose, framing her face. The dark makeup she wore made her stormy eyes seem brighter, even in the dimly lit hallway. I leaned against the wall, closing my eyes briefly as boredom slowly started to sink into my mind. "When do you think they will finally be finished?" Zelda opened her mouth, wanting to answer, but she was cut off by the sound of a door opening followed by the sound of heels clicking on the wooden floor. "I think we are finally finished." I spun around when I heard the sudden voice behind me. Skylar and Amerina stood before us, looking gorgeous in their outfits. Skylar wore a deep V-neck dress that ended mid-thigh. Champagne coloured sequins covered the skirt of her dress. The backless dress showed of her small rose tattoo that sat between her shoulder blades.

Her ombre coloured hair was curled at the ends, bouncing with every move she makes. Her  black gladiator heels clicked against the floor as she skipped towards me. "Look at Amerina! Don't you just love the dress I picked out for her?" Her voice was laced with excitement as she pointed at Amerina, who blushed at Skyler's words. The one-shoulder chiffon dress she wore showed off all her curves and also did her long legs a favour. The deep purple colour seemed to also darken her bright lilac eyes. 

Her brown hair was twisted to the side into a side-ponytail. "You look hot." We laughed as Amerina's blush grew brighter at Zelda's statement. Zelda only smirked when Amerina threw her a playful glare.  "So are we ready to roll?" Skyler and Zelda cheered as Amerina only smiled in agreement. My smile only grew as we all walked side by side through the doors.

***

"What do you mean you can't let us in?!" Skyler clutched onto the bouncer's arm as she whined. I glanced around nervously as people who passed by gave us weird glances. "I'm really sorry ladies, but it's the rules." His arms bulged as he folded it over his chest. It's clear as to why he got the job. His aura just screamed "Fear me". Zelda grabbed Skyler by the arm and pulled her away. I glanced back at the bouncer and gave him an apologetic smile, which he returned with a simple nod of his head and a small smile. "It's only one year..." a pout formed on Skyler's lips as we dragged her away. "Don't worry Skyler. We'll get in next time." She glared up at me and I held my hands up in innocence. "Hey, what's that?" 

Amerina pointed towards a lit-up alleyway that was surrounded by a ton of cars. Loud music was coming from the entrance and lights flashed onto the street. "Oh let's go check it out!" Skyler eagerly skipped towards the alley and disappeared around the corner. I hesitated, staring at the entrance warily. "I don't know guys, that looks really sketchy..." Zelda grabbed my hand and I stared at her in shock. She smiled at me reassuringly. "Hey, it's going to be okay. We'll all be together. Nothing will happen." 

I glanced to my side, seeing Amerina already making her inside. I let out a heavy sigh before slowly nodding. Zelda smiled widely. "Awesome, let's go then." We entered the alleyway and I stared at a large white door that seemed to lead into the abandoned building. The door was slightly ajar and the loud music pumped through. The bouncer gave us a once-over, before a creepy smirk stretched across his face and he opened the door for us further. As we passed him, I felt him slap my arse lightly. I gasped and glared back at him, causing him to laugh out loud. "What the actual f**k, you pervert?!" Zelda reached forward, reaching to grab him by the throat, but I just grabbed her shoulder, shaking my head. "Just leave it Zelda..." she frowned down at me, confusion written all over her face. "Are you sure? Cause I can beat his ass right here and right now." 

I giggled at her protectiveness and she smiled at me sweetly. "I'm sure. Let's just go and find the girls." Zelda sighed before linking her arm with mine, leading me further into the building. As we walked through a large archway, I stared wide-eyed at the scene before me. A large crowd was dancing and grinding around what seemed to be a boxing ring while the music pumped loudly across the spacious room. At the far left corner, a large bar was situated. There, sitting happily, was Amerina and Skyler. They laughed at something two guys said. I rolled my eyes. "Found them." Zelda laughed as she saw what I was pointing at. We quickly made our way towards them, pushing through the large crowd. "Beat it boys, they're ours." Zelda announced loudly, making the two guys look over at us. 

Skyler rolled her eyes and Amerina burst out laughing. "Call me." Skyler whispered to the one guy, slipping a little piece of paper into his hand with a wink. He gave her a smirk before walking off, his friend following behind. "Oh he's cute." Zelda nodded in the guys' direction. Skylar smirked, licking her bottom lip. "Totally." Zelda quickly ordered us drinks, leaning against the counter as she stared out over the crowd. The lights suddenly dimmed, catching all our attention. "Welcome ladies and gentlemen to our annual monthly brawl!" The room erupted with loud applause and a loud whistle here and there. We looked at each other, completely confused to the situation. We started pushing through the crowd that had formed around what seemed to be a boxing platform. 

In the middle of the platform stood a guy, probably in his mid-thirties, in a well tailored suit, holding a mic. "So in the right corner we have a new-comer it seems. Give a round of applause for The Crippler!" The crowd started booing as a guy covered in tattoos climb onto the platform. His bald head seemed to gleam in the light and his bushy beard seemed to be greying. The crowd hushed down as the announcer held his hand up. "In the left corner, we have the beast himself, the one who has been unbeatable for the longest time. In the left corner we have the one and the only, The Puppet Master!" The crowd roared with excitement as a covered figure came onto the platform. The Puppet Master quickly took of his hoodie and let his gaze roam over the crowd. He seemed to be around our age. Suddenly our eyes met.

The whole room seemed to quiet down and the world seemed to go still. His sea green eyes captivated me and I found it hard to look away. His light chestnut brown hair fell slightly over his brow, almost hiding his eyes. My gaze travelled down his muscular build and I almost caught myself drooling over his eight-pack and deep v-line. I bit my bottom lip as I lifted my gaze to meet his. I couldn't shake the feeling that I've seen him before. He quickly averted his attention back to the announcer as he began talking again. I didn't catch anything that was said as the feeling of disappointment settled into my stomach. 

I jumped when a hand suddenly slapped onto my shoulder. "Damn you lucky girl! You got the hottest guys at campus running after you and now you got this gorgeous creature also checking you out? Whatever your secret is, I want in." Skylar laughed loudly as a blush creeped onto my cheeks. "He wasn't checking me out." Zelda placed her arm around my shoulders, leaning on me. "Keep telling yourself that, Vicki." I could feel a small smile forming on my lips as I stared up at him. They were now mid-fight and The Puppet Master was beating the living hell out of the other guy. My hand covered my mouth as I quickly turned around, the sight of the fight giving me a nauseous feeling. The fighting scene has never been my thing. "I'll be right back." The girls nodded as they cheered, not giving me a second glance. 

I made my way towards the bar and fell onto a stool. The bartender took my order as I placed my head in my hands. A few seconds later, my drink was placed in front of me. I gave the bartender a small smile and whispered a thank you as the announcer's voice boomed throughout the room. I turned in my seat with my drink in my hand, slowly sipping at it as I stared at the guys on the platform. The bald guy was carried off by two guys as the announcer took The Puppet Master's arm, lifting it high as he announced him as the winner. I sighed, turning back on the stool. "Hey beautiful, why you sitting all alone?" I lifted my eyebrow at the clearly drunk guy leaning against the counter, a creepy smirk playing on his lips. "Sorry buddie, but I think you have the wrong gal." He moved closer and placed his sweaty hand on my shoulder, the smirk never leaving his lips. "I think otherwise."

His hand was suddenly ripped from my shoulder. I turned to see Zelda gripping his arm tightly, glaring up at him. "Beat it buster, the girl clearly said no." The guy held his hands up in surrender, mumbling an apology as he stumbled off into the crowd. "You okay?" I nodded, giving her a grateful smile. She scoffed as she stared into the crowd. "Gosh, I can't leave you for even a second without some sicko trying to force himself on you." I laughed as she glared at a guy passing by, who was clearly checking her out. 

He scampered off quickly, probably scared she might rip off something he would probably need for future references. "I can take care of myself Zelda, there's no need for you to come to my rescue every time." Zelda bit her bottom lip and scratched the back of her neck, a light pink colour tinting her cheeks. "I know, but..." She suddenly got cut off when a hand rested on her shoulder. "Hey I'm sorry to cut in like this, I was just wondering if you'd like to dance?" There, behind Zelda, stood The Puppet Master, offering me his hand. He gave me a kind smile as he stared into my eyes. I felt strangely at peace as I stared back. 

I hesitantly placed my hand into his outstretched one and his warmth instantly engulfed my hand. Just as I passed Zelda, she gripped onto my forearm. "Just be careful." She looked at me with pleading eyes and I smiled at her sweetly. "I will. I promise." She didn't look reassured as she hesitantly let go of my arm. A slow song suddenly came on as we made our way to the dancefloor. He pulled me close by my waist and I placed my arms around his neck. We moved together in perfect a rhythm, it almost felt natural to dance with him. He stared down at me and I shyly glanced away. I felt my cheeks warm as I lowered my head. He placed his index finger under my chin, slowly forcing my gaze to meet his. 

A sense of deja-vu came over me as I stared into his eyes, but I quickly shook it off, not wanting to think of anyone else, but the guy in front of me. "You don't have to be shy around me." His kind smile was contagious and before I knew it, I was smiling up at him.  "There we go." He pulled me closer, our face now so close that I could feel his warm breath fanning on my cheeks. "Sooo Mister Puppet Master..." He scoffed, shaking his head. "Please call me Shawn." I smile softly, a warm feeling filling my stomach. "Shawn... I like it." He smirked at me, tugging a strand of hair behind my ear. "Now that you know my name, I believe that it's only fair that I know yours." 

I giggled and pushed his shoulder playfully as the song came to an end. We made our way back to the bar, before ordering drinks. "So?" I smirked at him and shook my head at his persistence. "Why do you want to know my name so badly?" He shifts closer, biting down on his bottom lip slightly. I can't help but stare at his lips as he does this. He notices and a smirk stretches across his face. "Because I want to remember the name of the most beautiful angel I have ever seen." He takes my hand into his, his hand soft and gentle around mine. I felt a deep blush creep it's way onto my cheeks. "I bet you say that to all the girls." 

A chuckle rumbled in his chest and I could've sworn my heart skipped a beat. "You might not believe me, but I'm actually not a very social person." I c****d my head to the side before slowly nodding. "Vicki..." He hummed, as if he hadn't heard me. I giggle before leaning in closer. "My name's Vicki." I pull away slightly, looking into his gorgeous sea green eyes. I only realized then that our faces were mere inches apart. I felt his warm, minty breath fan over my face and I gulped. He leaned forward and I almost thought he was going to kiss me, but instead he leans slightly to the side, giving me a gentle kiss on the cheek. 

I smile softly, slightly disappointed, but also finding it cute at how sweet he is. "Better get going before my manager flips. It was nice meeting you Vicki, I hope to see you around more." He gives me a small smile before sending me a quick wink. I stared after him as he walked off, sighing dreamily as he disappeared around the corner. "God, I would love it if a guy like that gave me attention." I stared up in shock at Skylar as she bit her bottom lip, staring after Shawn with lust in her eyes. I lightly smacked her arm. "You have tons of guys giving you attention Skylar!" She shrugged her shoulders. "None of them look like him though." I giggled before staring back at the spot I saw Shawn disappear to. Maybe I will see you around...

***