Uprising: A Collide Novel Part 29

I handed him a ten.

"No beer?" Lillian asked when I turned back around.

"Not for me, not anymore," I answered.

We grabbed out drinks, heading to a less crowded part in a corner. She followed me and I was surprised we made it without spilling drink all over us.

"So, how you do like this place? Not as hopping as our usual spot is it?" I ask, playing along with the game.

"No, but it'll do. This is non-alcoholic?" I nodded and she took a small sip of her drink, letting the rim barely touch her lips. "Ugh! I mean, mmmm."

I had to laugh at her. She was pretty cute. And we practically had out heads together to be able to hear over the noise.

"You can't sip it daintily my adorable Lillian. Tonic has to be swigged."

"Oh?" She swigged. I mean swigged big time. "Oh! It does make it better! You were right!" She took another gulp and then set it down on the railing over looking the crowd in the pit, licking her lips. "So what else is on the agenda for tonight, handsome?"

"For the agenda, there isn't one, gorgeous. We'll wing it, like we always do."

"Sounds good to me," she said smiling and looked up at me for a moment too long to be considered casual. "Thanks, Cain."

"Your welcome. Now, finish your drink while we look around a little, and then you are mine...on the dance floor."

"Yay!" She clapped rapidly and excitedly. "I can't wait. But sugar lips, no Macarena this time." She lifted her hands as if to halt my protest. "I know you love it but I just can't stomach it another night."

"Dang, baby! Come on! The Macarena is my thing!"

"I know! I know! I'm sorry. Next time, I promise." She laughed and patted my arm.

"Oh, alright. No Macarena. But I get to choose the last dance, so you better be nice to me."

She smiled and lifted her drink to her lips to sip but then remembered my advice and took another big swig. I loved watching her. She was bright and happy looking and really looked like she could be happy just about anywhere. Easy going and easy to please. The fact that she was devastatingly gorgeous and didn't know it, helped some too.

But I peeled my eyes from her and looked around like I was supposed to. There were posters and t-shirts and propaganda vendors lining the walls with the new Taker's face on them. Along with some Anti-Keeper stuff as well. I didn't dwell on that because it wasn't important.

I looked towards the stage and saw what I could only a.s.sume was the instigators of this shindig. A huddled group of enforcers and city folks ma.s.sed together and looked to be getting ready for the speech.

There was a huge banner above the stage, in big bold back letters, that said "What would this world be without it's leadership? Welcome our new savior, Malachi!" and cheesy balloons everywhere.

I could think of quite a few things the world would be without their leadership but kept them to myself. Nothing seemed to be out of the ordinary. No Lighters present yet that I saw except two, guarding the back stage door. No enforcers except those by the stage unless they were out of uniform.

I turned back to Lillian to find her looking around as well. Her gla.s.s empty.

Then one of the many promoters stopped in front of us.

"Having a good time?" he asked.

"We are, thank you," I said politely.

"You know who to thank for all this. Our savior Malachi, unfortunately won't be here tonight but please stay for the rally and speech, and then make sure to take some promotional items on your way out. We have t-shirt, cups, posters. Even baby bibs."

"Wow. A plethora of goodies. Thank you, we'll be sure to do that."

He nodded to me, then gave Lillian the once over and smiled a little too long before he moved on to the next suckers down the line from us. I turned to her, feeling the need to stake a claim to her or something, though I knew that was ludicrous.

"Whatya say, hotness? Ready to boogie?"

"Yep." She hiccupped and covered her mouth giggling. "Oh! Sorry." She smiled bashfully. "Yes. I'm ready. Let's boogie, as you say."

To my astonishment, she actually towed me out to the dance floor with our interlaced hands over her head. Once we hit a clear spot she turned around and stopped dead in front of me. She looked unsure. She leaned forward and whispered as loud as she could in my ear.

"I've never really danced before, except playing around. I want to but, could you show me?"

I answered by taking her arms and putting them around my neck. My hands on her hips, I started swaying us swiftly with the upbeat music.

The song was 'Kids' by MGMT.

She seemed to like it and was receptive to me leading her. One of her hands even went up into my barely there hair once when we were jostled by another dancer and she turned to apologize to them. I could have died right then and been a happy man. I love it when girls rub my head.

I followed her, as I had been instructed to do though I would have anyway, to the bathroom and stood outside the door. A couple other completely wasted girls came out before Lillian. One of them pulled her friend to a stop in front of me by her arm. She was typical hot girl type. Long jet black hair, tight red v-neck tank with a generous show of cleavage, no doubt paid for by daddy's money, and a short skirt leaving nothing to the imagination.

"Hey there," she said.

"h.e.l.lo, ladies."

"Waiting for someone?"

"'Fraid so."

"Awww. It's just not fair." She made huge pout lips. "I'm looking for someone to play with."

Back in the day, I would have jumped on that faster than you could say 'go'. Not that this girl was anything spectacular, but I had low standards. Pretty much any invitation was honored as acceptable. But now, I'm ashamed of the way I used to behave. When on leave from the Marines, and sometimes during my deployment, I was a bit of a skeez when it came to woman. I was a partier, a clubber, an anything where there was girls and beer kinda guy. Drowning my sorrows from the loss of my mom, early in the year I signed up, and the subsequent mental descent of my dad.

I hate that about myself. I hate that that's who I used to be. Who I became to escape my problems. And if the Lighters hadn't come and shaken everything up, I have no doubt, I'd still be that person.

"Sorry, girls. I'm all taken," I answered her back and saw the familiar challenge in her gla.s.sy gaze.

"Are you sure?" she said and let her finger drift down my chest. "Because I can be really persuasive," she said and tried for seductive but she wobbled on her heels.

"Sorry. Not gonna happen," I said as I removed her finger.

She hmmphed and was promptly carted away by her friend before she could embarra.s.s herself even more, to which I was grateful. Lillian came out mere seconds after the girls left.

"I heard that, ya know," she said, smirking.

"Did you?"

"Yep. I'm sorry if I'm ruining your game," she said and looked like she was trying not to laugh.

"No way. Not possible. I'm always on my game. Besides, I don't go for girls like that anymore."

"What? Pretty girls?"

"She was not pretty. She was...fake. She could be pretty, but you shouldn't have to work so hard at it, I think."

"Aww. That poor girl. She probably spent hours putting on that garb just to have you turn her down."

"She's not my type. Just so you know, I'm one of those cliche guys that prefers blondes," I said leaning in to whisper.

She smiled up at me, rolled her eyes playfully at my obvious line and tucked her hair behind her ear. I took her hand and eagerly towed her back to the dance floor.

"So, how do you like this thing called dancing?" I ask after a couple songs.

To my dismay, they were now playing Katy Perry's 'California Girls'.

"I love it! It's fun. Even if I hate this song, it's still fun."

Ah. My dream girl.

"Yep. Told ya you'd have fun. No intervention needed."

"You were right. Why I ever doubted you, sugar puss, I'll never know!" she said and laughed as I swung her around in a tight circle once, pulling her tighter to me.

"Sugar puss?" I quirked a brow at her.

"Yes. Sugar puss. You don't like it? How about sugar daddy? No, that one's no good. That will ruin you're reputation and mine." I laughed but she kept going. "Hmm. How about sweetie pie? Is that good enough for your manliness to handle?"

"Yes. I like sweetie pie just fine. And you. You will be my lovely."

"Hmmm. I like it. It's sweet and true all at the same time," she joked.

I laughed and laughed at that woman. She had definitely come out of her sh.e.l.l and the tonic and smoke filled air weren't to blame. She was just happy to feel human again. As, I realized, was I.

One Fine Day

Chapter 13 - Sherry.

"Rice and beans," I said to answer the question for the fifth time today about what we were having for dinner. Again.

People were getting anxious about meals, since they knew things were about to get scarce. Our garden was coming along but, still, it was worthy of some worry I guess. It could definitely be a problem if the garden took a turn for the bad. I hated to think about it actually.

We finished with making supper and most everyone was done with their lessons so I started to hand out bowls. Bowls of rice and beans which people were not enthused about. What else was I supposed to do? We can't eat like kings every night. We have to start eating more basic protein and filler meals. Even Merrick agreed with me that I was doing the right thing, and of course Cain. It was his and mine idea in the first place.

Everyone had pretty much seated somewhere and was chewing down. Merrick had Lily at the table with Calvin and Franklin. I took Maggie and Pap a bowl each since they were not getting around so good these days.

"Thank ya, Sherry, honey. You sure are a sweet girl to an old lady," Maggie said.

"Oh come on now. I don't see any old ladies here," I said and she smiled at me warmly.

"Well, well. Rice and beans. Hot dog!" Pap shouted and took the bowl from me eagerly.

At least someone around her was excited about supper.

I turned to return to the kitchen but before I made it, a piercing noise cut through the bunker making everyone jump and be still, stunned.

A doorbell.

I ran to the stairs out of instinct but Jeff already blurred there and beat me to it.

"No, Sherry. Stay here. We'll go check it out."

Merrick, Simon, Max and Mitch.e.l.l were there too in a flash.

"Us five will go," then he shouted louder. "Everyone else stay put, we'll be right back."

They picked up their pointy weapon of choice from the bin on their way out. Merrick pa.s.sed me on his way up the stairs and touched my cheek.

Stay here, Sherry. I mean it.

"Of course. Since when do I disobey orders."

He c.o.c.ked a brow at me and smiled.

Love ya, honey.

"Love you. Be careful. Promise?"