I was still reeling in my own joy after what I had done earlier; He deserved it. He could have been honest about the reason he was ignoring me. I had expected no one when the car pulled into the driveway, I half expected it to be Andrei. It was not. Stepping outside on the porch, his kid got out of the car. I wanted to tell him to beat it, but he looked a little off himself as if he wasn’t ok.

“You are Lukas right?”

“Depends on why you are here, Did your dad send you?”

“Nope, not at all. He has no clue.”

“So why? And how did you find my address?”

“I have a plan I want to involve you in, and Alexi gave it to me.”

“And why would I want to be involved in your plan?”

“I mean you're clearly sleeping with my father and Caleb——”

“I’ve never slept with your father, at least not in the terms of sex.”

“Really?”

“Yeah, Not once.”

“Well, shit.”

“Anyway, your plan?”

“I was going to see if you wanted to go with me to the place my dad is working tonight with Creed and cause some ‘shit’ or rather go along with me.”

“Hey, fuck it, why not. Not like I have anything better to do, Besides, I’m sure this has everything to do with your dad and him at the diner tonight, yes?”

“Yeah. It does, He just took Caleb out for lunch because they are suddenly ‘on speaking terms’ now Caleb won’t speak to me outside of our work and I’m fucking confused and mad.”

“Yeah, I get that. Andrei won’t speak with me and I guess I know why now.”

“So will you join me?”

“Fuck it, Let’s do it!”

I was aware his kid was only in his early twenties and I was at least six or seven years older than him, but I understood the kids’ anger about being ignored, so I would help. I didn’t think anywhere this was a good idea, but nothing I had done today had been a good idea, so.

“Come on inside well I get dressed, You can tell me more about your plan.”

“Deal.”

I let him inside first and followed behind him. He wasn’t at all nervous about being here, which was pretty nice.

“There are water bottles in the fridge if you want one, I’ll only be a few moments.”

“Nah, I’m coming upstairs with you. I want to help you get dressed.”

“Alright, follow me.”

We went upstairs, and I showed him to my room; He looked around before laughing softly.

“You’re so neat and tidy. My room is so much more of a mess than this, My dad is like this, only he has fewer colours in his room.”

“Yeah, It was dark and cold.”

“Oh, Right you have been there!”

“Yes.”

“I forgot, I’ve been crazy scattered, my brain at least.”

“That’s understandable.”

“Why my dad?”

“Huh? Why your dad what?”

“Why did you decide my dad was the one you wanted even if only as a companion?”

“Funny you ask that because I’m not even sure.”

“He smiled when he told me about you, and your camera the first time you met.”

“I wanted to kill him for that.”

“I would have wanted to, as well.”

“Closet is right there, find what you want me to wear.”

“Alright.”

“So how old are you?”

“Almost twenty-three.”

“Well, I’m thirty, this is hardly something —-”

“Really? I thought you were younger than that, At least you are closer to my dad’s age than I originally thought.”

“How old did you think I was?”

“late twenties, like twenty-seven.”

“Yeah, no. I’m a few years past that now.”

“I heard you shot my father the finger, Tell me, how was his face?”

“It was everything I needed in my life, except I got caught by Alexi and Creed. They seemed pleased with my behaviour, however.”

“Please, Alexi is the biggest shit disturber there is, he just rarely gets caught doing it.”

“Oh, yeah?”

“Yeah, Here put this on.”

He tossed black jeans and a white thin but loose button-up shirt at me. It was something I had got for clubbing but never worn, ever. Quickly getting dressed, he tucked me in places and unbuttoned the first few buttons.

“Um...so what is your name?”

“Oh shit, Right! I’m Alessio.”

“Nice to meet you finally.”

“Yeah, yeah. Likewise, or at least remember meeting you this time.”

“Yeah,” I said chuckling.

“Do nothing with your hair, you look good this way, I like your hair messy. Looks like bedroom hair, gives you more sex appeal, makes you look wild.”

“I’m going to take that as a compliment.”

“Good, it’s supposed to be.”

“Right,” I said. Chuckling again.

There definitely was something unspoken between us. Maybe it was the mutual anger about being ignored by someone, in his case, some he loved. In my case, it was just someone I thought cared. Regardless of the reason, we were here. I wasn't a large believer in fate, but maybe just this time I would believe it meant for us to fuck shit up. Maybe.

“Alright, let us go!”

“Let us go!”

The weird thing was, he seemed older than he actually was. He acted like he was in his late twenties, instead of his early twenties. He could have a better conversation than half the people I knew my own age. He told me a lot about himself on the way to the club; we exchanged stories. He told me about only recently knowing his dad, coming from Italy, studying to be a doctor and his stepfather. In return for his stories, I told him about my parents, losing my dad and recently my mother, working for the LHPD, and more.

By the time we reached the club, we had formed a quick friendship I would say. The thing was, conversation flowed between us naturally nothing was forced and it was honestly nice.

The line was decently long, but moving quickly. We made simple conversation well we waited. As soon as the bouncer took Alessio's I.D he took one look, gave it back quickly and rushed us in.

The club hadn’t changed at all since I took photos when it had first opened for the cites files; I have met the manager Ivy; we had spoken for a while about everything under the sun, well I was taking the photos, I had also been here once more after that, but honestly, that night was a blur. But only if I was being honest.

A small touch of regret and guilt started to set in, even before we had done anything. It was like my moral compass was warning me this was not a caring people's behaviour. Oh well. I guess that time had come and gone. Alessio and wander through the crowd until the bar came into perfect view, the countless amounts of every kind of alcohol on display.

“Let's grab a quick drink before we get this party turned up!” Alessio said over the loud knocking bass of the songs playing.

“Great! Sounds good.”

Getting to the bar, Alessio ordered us a shot and a chaser, I knew if he was at all nervous this was to cut that feeling. We clinked our shots together before we tossed them back and took a few sips from our chasers.

That shot had turned into another one before we headed to the dance floor. I was lightly buzzing by the time the dance floor really got jumping. Alessio's phone went off lighting up his shirt pocket as it vibrated.

“You going to get that?”

“Nah, it's not all that important, it can wait.”

“Can it?”

“You bet!”

I don't know what had made me look up from the dance floor to the balcony at that moment, but when I did I saw both Creed and Andrei, he didn't see me at first; he was too busy typing away on his phone but he paused. And I didn't care to look anymore, so I didn't.

As the sound of the music changed from something you could move your whole body to, to something that made you rock your hips slowly Alessio's phone buzzed solidly in his pocket and I think he finally just had it. He pulled it out, checking who it was before powering the entire phone off.

“Grab another shot?”

“Oh, I'm so down for that!” He said, shoving the phone back into his pocket.

Three shots in, I hadn't really thought about who was going to drive us home, but it seemed when I asked Alessio about it finally, he didn't seem super worried. Which made me pretty happy he had thought about a ride home when he planned this.

Alessio had ordered a fourth shot for us both, but mine had never reached my mouth. A firm hand had wrapped itself dead around my wrist. I didn't need to look to know who it was from Alessio’s face alone. My shot was picked from my fingers by Alessio, who tossed it back before ripping me from Andrei's grasp.

“Fuck off,” he said to his father well he pulled me away. Back to the dance floor.

Andrei did just that. He watched from the balcony, just seething. Creed, on the other hand, must have been tipped off by Alexi because he didn't in the slightest look fazed. If anything, he looked amused. As my legs grew tired of dancing and grinding partly on Alessio who was behaving the same way as me.

“Let's grab a table, my legs are aching!” He said laughing.

“Oh god, I second that.”

Unable to find a table on the main public area, Alessio decided to flex some of his father's status, whatever it was at the club to get into the VIP section, and it worked. They let us right upstairs and the staff upstairs gave us a private table. But it also put us way closer to his father, who was beyond enraged at this point. If his anger was a volcano, he had reached the flowing point. The only thing that saved us was the manager, stopping to speak with him suddenly before she made her way towards us. Her face lit up when she saw me, but also when she saw Alessio.

“Lukas I remember you! Though you haven't come back in a pretty long time. Even though I offered you VIP status, for all your good work and great photos of the club!”

“Yeah! I got really swept up in work and drama.”

“Shame shame, glad to see to here. Also, super glad to meet you, Alessio! Andrei has spoken highly of you.”

“Has he? That’s nice of him.” Alessio said laughing as he shook the hand she has offered to him.

We remained in the VIP section until the club closed. Not by our choice, but by our not so pleased Andrei who was watching the floor and us to see if we had moved a muscle. Creed had sat down with us for a few moments, the smile on his face telling me he knew about this or was partly understanding who was to blame for this. Alexi. He was the one who had talked Alessio into this entire plan, so I found out.

Oh well. We were already here. Already fully up shit's creek without a paddle. As the bar started to close down, Alessio flicked his phone on, only to have the thing ripped from his hand.

“Creed you take Alessio back home, I'll take Lukas back home. Give me your fucking keys Alessio.”

Alessio set the keys on the top of the table not moving.

“You want the keys then take them. You seem to take everything you want, regardless.”

“We are going to have a long and hard talk when I get home. Stand up Lukas, I'm taking you home.”

“I'd rather walk. Thanks.”

“I'm not giving you that option. So let's go.”

“I said I would rather walk. You didn't give me the common decency to text me back or let me know why you were suddenly too good for me, but now you think you get to decide you can tell me what to do? Fucking stuff it. Ignore me like you have all fucking week thanks.”

That pushed him over the edge. With the club pretty much empty, he grabbed me quite roughly and yanked me out of the seat with a force I had never felt before. He ignored my pleas about his grip really hurting my arm. With Alessio's keys in hand, he gave his keys to Creed before he forced me out of the club.

Once in the car, he bitched me out, continuously. Until I finally I had it.

“Can you just shut the fuck up!”

“Excuse me.”

“You’re screaming at me, about something your adult son and I did, seriously! You’re judging our behaviour after you suddenly decided whatever you saw in your ex was enough to make your own kids’ relationship non-existent. Get off your high fucking horse.”

“You seem to think you have me all figured out, when in fact you know nothing. So sit there and shut up until I drop you off at home.”

“Don't worry. I don't have a problem not speaking with you.” I turned and glared out the window. Close my eyes, blocking the lights from oncoming traffic. I couldn't believe I had actually thought about what it would be like to sleep with him, at least once or maybe something more.