I opened the second door to the left and found myself in a room that was at least quite a bit classier than the hallway. The walls were black, black lights shone down on me, and a whole bunch of dark purple and blue bean bag chairs and couches were spread out throughout the room. Three bottles of champagne sat in bowls of slowly melting ice, with dozens of glasses set on small tables around the couches.
A floor-to-ceiling window, obviously one-way, gave me a perfect view of the whole dance floor. Pitbull was well above everyone else in the DJ booth, spinning his own music in with those of other popular bands, the crowd screaming his name from time to time. I stood at the window and watched the partiers. I could see Kiegan, dancing away with some random chick, and forced my jealousy down. At least he’s not touching her, I told myself to make myself feel better.
Why do you care? This is Operation Nothing Happened, remember? So Kiegan can do whatever he wants, just like he always has.
I sighed as my brain tried to act as the voice of reason. It was too bad my body never seemed to agree.
I turned away from the window and sat down on one of the couches. The music blasted into this room through the speakers, but it wasn’t quite as deafeningly loud as down on the floor.
Looking at the champagne, I decided I deserved a drink. I popped it open and poured myself a glass. Sipped it slowly as I lay down on the couch and closed my eyes. How the hell had my life gotten so complicated? It was my birthday, the start of my twenties, and this was definitely not what I had envisaged to start off the greatest decade of my life.
Suddenly thinking, I pulled out my phone. 2:08am. Nope, it wasn’t my birthday anymore. Whatever, it was still the night of my birthday, I was still allowed to have some champagne.
I also realized with a laugh that I wasn’t even twenty one yet. I shouldn’t have been in here at all. Oh well, no one had carded me. Luckily.
I toasted myself and decided to have a second glass of champagne. Why the hell not, after all it was free, and it looked like I was going to be hanging out in here by myself for a while.
About ten minutes later, however, the door opened and Kiegan walked in.
Great.
“Hey, sis,” he greeted me, grabbing the open bottle of champagne and sitting on the couch across from me. “Enjoying the party?”
“Does it look like I’m enjoying the party?” I asked.
“Nope, but then again, you never look like you enjoy yourself ever when you’re around me.”
“Maybe you should take that as a hint.”
“Except for this afternoon, of course.”
The flush crawled up my cheeks immediately. Damn my Irish heritage that made me flame up like a tomato instantly.
“That was a mistake. It never should have happened. It will never happen again.”
“Whatever you say, little sister.”
“Stop calling me that, I’ve told you enough.”
“You forget, I’m your boss. I can call you whatever I want.”
“Then you wonder why I hate being around you.”
Suddenly, the music stopped. My ears began to ring in the silence, and some noise began to waft up to where we were from the floor. Kiegan and I jumped up and went to the window.
“What’s going on?” I asked no one in particular, I knew Kiegan had no more of a clue than I did.
“I don’t know. But no matter what, stay here,” Kiegan ordered, and he rushed to the door.
“Wait!” I cried. “It could be dangerous.”
“Awww… I didn’t know you cared,” he replied with that same smarmy grin I hated, and then he was gone.
I watched as my brother flew down the stairs. Bouncers were flooding in, but they were so big, and the crowd so thick, that they barely made any movement. Suddenly I realized what was happening. In the middle of the dance floor was a guy, bald headed, his body covered in tattoos, wearing a wife beater and combat boots. I didn’t need to see the swastika tattooed on his neck to know he was some kind of white power dude. But I was more focused on the gun he was holding, pointing it at a blonde girl cowering on the floor, obviously begging him not to shoot her.
My heart jumped in my throat for her. His hands were shaking, he was obviously furious at her about something, and the group of people around were too obviously scared to do anything. Everyone just watched as he continued to yell.
Suddenly, I saw my brother come in from behind and knock the man’s hand down. I gasped as Kiegan’s surprise attack knocked the man over, and they struggled on the floor. My face was practically pressed against the glass as I tried to see what was happening, but the distance and the group of people who suddenly swarmed around the fight stopped me from getting a good look.
When the gun went off, though, that was when all hell broke loose. I knew Kiegan had told me to stay up here, and I knew it was safest if I did what he asked, but I was still worried. I ran out of the room and down the stairs. The bouncer guarding the VIP entrance was long gone, probably trying to make his way to the gunman as well.