Taylor folded her arms over her chest, leaning against the side of the bathroom door frame. Her lips plastered with a small smirk, "And where may I ask did you get that dress from?" Her chocolate eyes eyeing the short black cocktail dress that hung over her friend's slender 5'7 frame.
"Just some little store a couple blocks down." Riley replied, tossling her blonde tendrils in her fingers again.
"And we're still going to the same club, right?" Taylor raised an eyebrow at Riley, making eye contact with her through the mirror.
"Yeah, Crobar, right?" Riley gave her a quick smile when Taylor nodded, adding another coat of lip gloss to her lips, "You look cute, Tay. See I love when you straighten your hair. It frames your face." Riley smiled again, running her fingers quickly through the ends of her friend's flat-ironed hair. She made one more look in the mirror, "Ready to go?"
"Yes ma'am. Let's go!" Riley laughed, tucking her arm in Taylor's. The two girls headed out the door of their hotel room.
**
Nichole giggled again, draping her body over Justin's, unaware that the blue eyes of her boyfriend rolled at her again. Her lips met with his ear again, "Justy, baby, you look so hot tonight." Nichole slurred, another giggle escaping her lips.
Justin groaned leaning forward, resting his elbows to his knees and taking a glance at his overly intoxicated girlfriend. He loved her, but not like this. She'd be so outspoken about how she hated getting drunk and acting stupid, but then she'd turn around and completely contradict herself. Time after time, he still found himself getting aggravated with her everytime she drank herself into a complete stupor. And the one thing that he hated was when she called him 'Justy'. When she was sober, he'd laugh when she'd call him that because he knew she was joking. But when she was drunk, hanging all over him, and purring that awful nickname into his ear, he hated it. He wasn't a dog. He downed the rest of his Whiskey Sour and got up, "Nic, I'm going downstairs for a little while." Justin shook his head at her knowing she wasn't paying any attention, and if she was, she could barely comprehend.
Chris put his hand on Justin's shoulder when he saw him walk by, "Where you going, man?"
"I'm just going downstairs for a little while." Justin shook his head, nodding his head to where Nichole was now draping herself over where Justin had been sitting, laughing hysterically at nothing.
"Ah, gotcha." Chris laughed.
"Yeah, I'm not dealing with that. Good luck." Justin groaned, proceeding down the stairs away from VIP with Mike closely behind him.
Both men found their way to the bar on the lower level of the club, "What'll be guys?" The bartender came over looking back and forth between Mike and Justin.
"It's been a while since we took shots together J, what you feeling like tonight?" Mike laughed.
Justin grinned, "Two Blackjacks," he nodded his head up at Mike, his grin growing before a small voice came up on his right side.
"Make that three."
Justin looked down; his blue eyes greeting the new found friendly green ones, "Hey!" Justin smiled brightly, giving her a small hug.
"Hey, Justin," Riley smiled, "See, this time you didn't have to worry about bumping into me." She giggled.
Justin laughed, "Or you bumping into me," he laughed again when she lightly hit his arm, "Hey, Riley, this is Mike. Mike this is Riley." Justin smiled down at the blonde who greeted the man that was at least a foot taller than her.
"Hi, it's nice to meet you."
"Likewise." Mike smiled, shaking her small hand in his.
The bartender came over and placed the three shot glasses down in front of the trio. Justin took the glass and held his up, "What are we toasting to?"
"How about to happiness and success, that's good right?" She cocked an eyebrow, holding her glass together with the two others.
"Perfect." Justin smiled. They all raised them up and took them, "You ok, Mike?"
"Yeah, yeah I'm good. I think I'm gonna sit here for a while. Maybe order a few more of those."
Justin laughed turning to Riley, "So, you here with your friend? I think I remember you said you came with a friend, right?"
"Yeah, my friend Taylor. She's somewhere. She's probably in the middle of a clothed orgy, and she's the only girl." Riley laughed, leaning against the bar, "Eh, I got into a little argument with her before because she was just starting to piss me off. She's a really stupid drunk. And forewarning you, if she comes over here, she's a ***** when she's drunk too."
"Ditto. Well, I mean, my girlfriend. She's upstairs throwing herself around. I really hate when she gets like that. It's different when she has a few drinks and she's buzzed. But when she feels the need to keep drinking," Justin didn't finish the sentence; he just looked down at Riley and shook his head letting out a light pathetic laugh.
"It's ok, I know." Riley smiled, turning toward the bar and taking a seat on one of the barstools.
Justin took the seat next to her, "So, Riley, I found out you're a Northern girl, you just graduated from Syracuse University, you teach second grade, you love kids, but that's pretty much it. First, you have a last name?" Justin folded his hands, leaning into the bar, giving her a lopsided grin.
"Chansky," she laughed, "Well let's see. I think I could tell you my life story in about 30 seconds. I was born and raised in Lake George, that's Upstate New York. And for a living, besides teaching second grade, I teach horseback riding to kids, and I'm a trail guide. I also work down at Bolton's Landing, which is one of the main marinas in Lake George."
Justin's face lit up in interest, "So do you actually live out on the lake?"
"Yeah," Riley smiled, thinking of the house where she grew up, "It's so beautiful, every season. Our house is right across from Saint Sacrement Island. It's one of the main camping islands in Lake George. I love it down here, but nothing beats home. I miss the fresh water. I miss seeing people I know. I miss hearing the Minne-Ha-Ha."
"The Mini what?" Justin laughed.
"The Minne-Ha-Ha," Riley laughed, "It's a little steamboat that goes around the entire coastal line of the lake honking, letting us know that it's lunch time."
"That's too awesome. I just had my mom screaming at me for that." Riley let out a whole-hearted laugh, lighting up Justin's smile, "So, I take it besides horses, you know a lot about boats too."
"Of course," she began, "I work at a marina, like I told you and my family has two."
"You know it's hard sometimes when I meet people. There are so many people that take family and their roots for granted, and I hate that. I really admire that you don't. I grew up so humble also, so it makes me happy to find somebody that did too."
"Thanks, Justin." Riley smiled.
"No problem." He winked down at her, giving her another smile, "Hey, do you wanna go upstairs and meet some of the guys?"
"Sure," Riley smiled, taking one last sip from her drink.
"Come on," Justin put his hand on the small of her back, leading her in front of him. Mike followed behind the two back up into VIP.
The last person Justin saw when he went downstairs was the first person to greet him again, "Hey, J!" Chris smiled.
Justin laughed eyeing another full fishbowl in Chris' hands, "Hey, Chris." Justin looked back toward the booth where Nichole and he were once occupying, "Where's Nichole?"
"Lynda and Sean," Chris referring to her personal assistant and bodyguard, "took her back to the hotel about 20 minutes ago," Justin just groaned, Chris laughing again in the process. "Who's this?" Chris smiled looking at Riley.
"Chris, this is Riley."
"It's nice to meet you," Riley extended her hand out to him for him to shake. Instead, he tilted her hand down, and brought it to his lips.
"No, it's nice to meet you." He winked at her, stretching his mouth into a smile.
Riley laughed, "You know, you were always my favorite out of the group."
Chris erupted in laughter, "Get's 'em everytime!" Justin laughed along, "You know J, I think you need to brush up on your brownie points."
"Thanks, man."
"You know, Ry," Justin stopped and looked down at her, "Do you mind if I call you that?"
Riley just smiled noticing the slight red tint to his cheeks, "It's fine."
"Great," Justin smiled, "Well, I'd really like to introduce you to all the guys, but unfortunately, JC left early I guess, Joey's, well we really don't know where he is, and I think Lance left with JC."
"Its ok, Justin. Maybe another day." She put her hand on his shoulder.
He smiled down at her, "Yeah."
"But listen, I really should get back downstairs in case Taylor starts looking for me."
"Oh, yeah, yeah of course." Justin again placed his hand on her back and led her toward the stairs, "You want me to walk you down?"
"Its ok, we'll probably be leaving soon anyway. It's the worst trying to carry her around when she's passed out." Justin chuckled, smiling again when her green eyes met with his blue ones. "I had a great time tonight though, Justin. Thanks."
"Anytime, Ry." He replied, liking the way her nickname rolled off his tongue as though it was supposed to. Riley started walking down the stairs before Justin stopped her, "Hey, Riley wait a second."
"What is it?"
"We start shooting the video for our single tomorrow, and if you want, you and Taylor are more than welcome to come."
"That'd be great. Where is it?"
"I don't know the exact place off the top of my head, but I'll leave the address for you down at the front desk. We start shooting at 9 tomorrow morning, till, well who knows when."
Another small giggle escaped her lips, "We'll be there." She smiled a big smile this time, one that made Justin's smile grow twice as big, "Bye, Justin."
"Bye, Riley. See you tomorrow. No bumping into each other this time, ok?" He winked at her.
"Gotch'ya." She winked back, smiling and headed back down into the club.
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