Changing With Autumn

Chapter 17

To say this place was packed was an understatement. It was more like there were people filled to the brim and the noise from the place was throwing me into a sensory overload. Even though we continued to get dirty looks from everyone in the place at least the volume level remained and it wasn’t as awkward as it could have been. I gave Erika a look hoping to convey with my eyes alone the level of anxiety this place was giving me, and she just gave me a reassuring squeeze to my hand as she continued to drag me further and further into the crowd.

“Are these all your family members?” I asked in shock.

“Yeah we had to rent the place out last minute. I was hella expensive too. Do you know how much money it costs to shut a place down right before they open for the night? Trust me, you don’t want to ever find out.” She said wide-eyed.

“This is insane though. Like you know all of these people?” I asked, still in disbelief.

“Uh, kinda. Some of them I haven’t seen for years and I’m pretty sure there are some party crashers here like you because there are faces I don’t recognize here also.” She replied with a shrug.

If the crowd of people wasn’t enough to send me into overdrive, the further back we wandered through the restaurant, the more I discovered that the place they had rented out was pretty intense also. Even though I had lived in this town forever I had never been here before. It was more of a nightclub style and from what I had heard about it, it was very expensive. The front of the place was more for the people that came here just for the food, but as you got further in you made your way to the club section where they had a dance floor at the back and a DJ booth set up in the far corner. 

Of course this would be where Erika had decided to claim as her territory. *Insert eye roll I thought.

We had finally made it to her reserved table when she left me sitting there to go hunt down a waiter to bring us some drinks. I sat there listening to the music playing from the many speakers scattered around and couldn’t help but notice that I felt like I was being watched. Obviously, there were glances in my direction, and smiles and waves coming from the familiar faces Erika was talking about, but this was different. I tried to find the source of the stare with no success so I decided to shrug it off. 

Being an unofficial member of her family over the years I had gained access to many of her family events. Although I still wasn’t comfortable at her large family gatherings, I was accepting of being dragged into going to them. Her family events were always filled with a warm and inviting atmosphere. You could feel how much love this family had for each other through the conversations, loud boisterous laughs, rounds and rounds of hugs, and always some form of dancing to loud music. Although I still tried to be a wallflower as much as possible, each time I was infected with the contagious atmosphere and this unknown part of me was pulled out.

Her entire family had Erika’s same outgoing, spunky and infectious personality and it was hard not to be sucked into their world. So although I fought to remain the reserved Willow for as long as possible, I knew at some point during the night all efforts would be thrown out the window and my hidden self would come out to play. Quiet Willow would be forgotten and I would be laughing just as loud as everyone else and out dancing on the dance floor to the songs that I only ever heard when I was with my second family. By the end of the night I would be thoroughly exhausted, with sore feet, and cheeks that were begging to stop smiling; and right now it was a welcoming thought. After the emotional turmoil of the last couple of weeks, I had decided that tonight was being welcomed with open arms. It was going to be a night of no stress and a chance to free myself, even if it was only for a few hours.

It was at that moment that Erika came shimmying back to the table moving with the beat of the music. She had two bottles of water shoved between her arms and her hands full with two cups of a dark liquid, and also had one of her close cousins, Izzy, following along in tow with another two water bottles in her hands. The sight of it was actually pretty funny considering that even though she had her elbows glued to her sides to hold the water bottles in place and she was about to spill the liquids out of the cups she still felt compelled to swing and sway with the music. Izzy was doing her own little shimmy as she followed close behind, making it look like they were doing a mini conga line; which knowing those two they probably were.

“Geez, you thirsty or what?” I laughed.

“No, but I’m not trying to hunt down that girl again. Sorry excuse for customer service. b***h acting like I was trying to rob the place when all I asked for was two sodas.” Erika said, clearly irritated at whichever waitress crossed her.

I laughed as I took the cups from her hands and made room in the booth for her to slide in next to me. I expected Izzy to slide into the seat across from us, but when she continued to stand at the end of the table I looked up at her confused.  

“Willow, what are you wearing?” She asked me.

“Oh no! Not you too!” I said and put my head in my hands.

“No, it’s not bad Willow. You look beautiful. I just wasn’t expecting the new look.” She said, trying to reign back in her shock.

 “Don’t worry it’s not permanent. I’m giving Erika a one time pass and that’s it. Tomorrow I’m back to normal Willow.” I told her with a shrug.

“Girl, nothing about how you dress everyday is normal. This right here,” Erika said as she waved her hand up and down in front of me, “This is what you should make your new normal. This suits you and your beautiful self.” 

“There is nothing wrong with how Willow dresses Erika. She is grown enough to pick out her own clothes.” Izzy butt in, coming to my defense.

“Thank you Izzy.” I said, giving her a bright smile.

“I’m not saying anything is wrong with her. My God, untwist your panties. I love my girl regardless of what she’s got on. I’m just saying that my girl is some serious boner bait right now and if she was to wear clothes like this more often than she wouldn’t have any problems staying out of her dark and dreary clothes. If you know what I mean.” She said and she started nudging me with her elbows and wiggling her eyebrows at me. 

Both me and Lizzy burst into laughter as I tried to stop Erika’s elbows and mocking moans in my ear.

“Alright, alright. I’m going to dance. Who’s coming with me?” Izzy asked expectantly, looking between us and probably trying to distract her cousin before someone heard her.

“I’m in!” Erika pushed off of me and jumped up out of the booth quickly.

“Uh, I’m good here thanks.” I said. “I’ll hold our spot.”

“Oh no you don’t!” Erika grabbed for me and pulled me out to stand beside her. “I haven’t seen you in forever and you are looking too fine to sit all alone. Ain’t you ever heard of nobody putting Baby in a corner? Now it’s time to follow Patrick Swayze’s lead and do some dirty dancing!” 

There was no point in arguing with her. She was in the mood to party and with everything she had been going through as well, I’m sure she needed the distraction. Plus I was ganged up on. Izzy was her accomplice at this moment, and there was no way I would be able to get around both of them when they set their minds to something. So with a heavy sigh, a scrunched up face, and eyes closed tight, I let her drag me out onto the dance floor.

It seemed like we were out there dancing for hours, who knows we might have been. Well Erika did most of the dancing, I kinda just stuck with the comfortable swaying with the music. I was covered in a thin layer of sweat from the excessive amount of body heat crammed in such a small space but regardless, I was having a blast. My cheeks ached and my stomach muscles were screaming from all of the laughing, but it was so worth it.

When the Macarena came on, that’s where I drew the line and decided that it was time for a break. I needed water desperately, so I left Erika to finish her dance while I made my way back to our table. As I walked I could feel the heat from a very intense stare following me across the room. I glanced through the crowd wandering from face to face and it wasn’t until I was just touching the bottle of water to my lips that I spotted the source of the heat.

Oh. My. God! It’s him!