Twelve...

***

Moping and sulking was all he could do as he watched Henry dance with his wife. Music played unceasingly allowing the horny adults dance energetically.

For all the times he had been there, he never knew he would one day come here and mope around. Not like he didn't have a wife that he came with. He poured the drink into his throat and swallowed noisily. Daniel tried to remember the reason he allowed this to happen. Oh yes, he lost a fucking dare to that bastard. He drank another glass of vodka in one gulp and asked for a bottle.

"Daniel Thompson why the hell is Henry all over your wife?!" Austin asked right after taking the bottle away from the bartender faster than Daniel could.

"I didn't feel like dancing and Henry offered to keep her company." He answered shrugging as if he was okay.

"And you came over here to drink?" Austin scoffed. "You are unbelievable!"

"I'm only allowing it just because I lost the bet Austin okay, now give me back my drink." Austin sighed and handed it over to him. Daniel wasted no time in pouring himself a shot.

"You were a fool to think that you could win her over in a week. What were you going to do if she refused after the week ended, force yourself on her?" Austin scolded.

Daniel glared at him. "I would never do such a thing,"

"And why is that?" That question was so easy to answer yet it wasn't at the same time. He made a move to reply but decided against it instead.

"It's none of your business okay?" Daniel's eyes found Henry's once again, glaring at him as he led his wife further into the crowd.

"None of my business huh? Yet you can't keep your eyes away from the both of them. You're watching Henry like a hulk, waiting for him to make an uncalled move. I see you Daniel, I see you." Daniel just gulped another shot instead of replying.

"What's the problem? tired already?" Henry asked.

"No, I need another drink." Clarissa told him collecting the bottle he held and gulping most content of it.

"Hey, hey, hey, not all of it. You don't want to be drunk before the night ends."

"I'm alright okay, I'm not a child!" She told him holding her head to steady herself.

"Do you want to sit for a moment?" Henry asked concerned.

"No, I'm alright," she whined.

"Look, I think you shouldn't have drank that, it's too heavy for you. Your husband is going to kill me."

"What husband are you even talking about?...or I remember now... that dick over there that doesn't even look at me?" Henry snickered. "Am i pretty?"

"Of course you are, but that is not the case right now. Right now, Daniel has to take you home, you're drunk already." Henry told her.

"No, no, I am not going back there yet, I still want to have fun, come on, dance with me." Just about then, his phone vibrated in his pocket and he brought it out to see who it was.

Groaning in frustration, he actually contemplated not picking it up but when the phone rang again he decided to, claiming he could watch Clarissa from a distance. A little distance turned to the balcony of the apartment because the music was too loud to hear the other end of the call. He swore to be quick about it so she wouldn't be alone for long.

Austin stared at his best friend as he poured down another shot refilling his glass immediately.

"Why would you bet on something like that? You know who Henry is and trust me he'll torment you to the core." Austin sighed when Daniel said nothing.

"Just admit that you are attracted to her already, it won't hurt." Austin pressured.

"Stop talking nonsense," he replied. That sounded like a Deja vu actually, Austin thought. Maybe because it was the same thing his wife had told him when he insisted.

Nonsense-

"Then just drink to stupor watching your best friend dance with your wife. It would be normal considering I only speak nonsense these days." Austin said.

"Fine, I'm attracted to her, satisfied?"

Too quick? No definitely not too quick, Austin answered his own thoughts.

"I need to know that she won't abandon me Austin. I need to be sure that I'm giving my heart to the right person."

"You know she's not like that, it is just you, you're afraid to make a move on it and it's frustrating you." Austin said to him.

He held the glass to take another shot but Austin touched his arm warningly.

"The two of you can't get drunk at the same time one of you have to save the other and I think the other," He paused making emphasis on the last words. "Is already wasted." Austin said and that got Daniel to lower his glass.

"Now go to her,"

He sighed while twirling with his cup. Stealing another look at them he got up. "I'll be right back." He gulped down the remaining content of the cup and walked away.

---

He just came out of the rest room ready to go home when he caught Henry on the phone just besides the pool. Here, the music was lowered and could be heard softly compared to inside the building.

"Hey handsome, want... to have some fun..." The lady slurred and he watched with disinterest as she tried to wrap her hands around his neck. She was quite pretty if you would ask him but no can do. "I bet you haven't gotten any since you got here,"

"No, I think I'll pass," He told the lady before peeling her hands away from his neck and moving away from her.

He took his attention back to what made his stop. If Henry was there then who the hell is Rissa with?

He weaved through the crowd of dancers in a hurry looking for her and when he found her, she was in someone's arm. He frowned when he caught the hands around her waist. She had a bottle of drink in her hand. The guy kissed down her neck sucking on a spot.

Christ?!

"Get away from her right now!" His voice was enough to make the man distracted from what he was previously doing. Daniel expression was full of anger and nothing less.

"Oh Daniel, longtime no see. I was having fun and you need to get some too so we can have fun together. Sunshine say hi to a friend, he was the hotheaded I was telling you about." The drunk guy stated.

What a coincidence!

"Hi, friend." Clarissa giggled.

"Friend?" Daniel scoffed in anger. Pulling her away from the drunk, he glared.

"Hey what's your problem? Give her back!"

"Can't you see she's taken?" Daniel retorted.

"Taken? She didn't say so, plus I haven't seen a ring." The guy spat aggressively at his lack of entertainment.

Why didn't she wear the goddamn ring!

"Well you should really find someone else, you are good looking and it's my luck."

"I don't need to repeat myself, you aren't even supposed to be alive for touching her with your filthy hands you bastard!"

"What did you just call me?" He was staggering to take a punch at him but he fell down without much effort.

"Now.... you see he has gone to sleep...so you have to dance with me." She hung her hands around him in one movement rolling her hips against him.

He groaned. "How many shots did you take?"

"1 bottle...just one bottle," She laughed hugging him tightly. "You are one beautiful and sexy man," she chuckled. She trailed her finger along his jaw line and he skillfully caught it in a grip. He actually thought of pressing his lips to hers but shook his head at the thought this time.

"I think we should go-" He went stiff when she began trailing kisses down his jawline with giggles. He tightened his grip unconsciously around her hands yearning to pull her closer. Pulling her closer, he kissed her jaw and she arched into him in approval. His breath fanned her face as he leaned further, his lips inches from hers.

"Why did you even have to drink so much?" He swallowed before pulling her along towards the exit.

"Hey! let me go!" She squirmed. "I want more fun-"

"Damn that stupid alcohol!" He cursed before going through the door.

___

He laid her on the bed before taking off her shoes.

"You didn't let me get any fun, you're so mean!" He ignored her.

"You know the beard guy kept calling me beautiful, am I?" He used this opportunity to steal a glance at her. What was he supposed to say, that she was goddamned gorgeous? Maybe he'll just keep on ignoring.

"Am I, Danny?"

"Seriously?!" He finally snapped after blinking at her nickname for him. "Shut up already!" She pouted.

When he moved to take off his own shoes, she stood up running for the door.

"hey, hey, hey," He called and got up with one shoe off running after her. Just about then, she missed a step but he was already at her pace, catching her before she fell face flat on the tiled floor.

"Let me go! If you don't want to tell me that I'm gorgeous then I'll go to that sexy beard guy and let him know that I think he's good looking too."

What the hell?!

"He even told me that my husband was an ass if that he didn't look at me that way."

"Stop it! You're taking alot out."

But she continued. "He doesn't even know that most girls are attracted to him. He doesn't even care, all he does is hurt people who think about him all the time, who gets hurt whenever he picks a fight with them..."

"Clarissa-" he paled when he realized where she was going.

"...people like me."

'People like me? He thought, what was that supposed to mean?'

Is the saying true that the words of a drunk man words are his sober thoughts? If he isn't speaking gibberish that is.

He stared at her lips about to do something stupid, something she would probably regret when she was sober.

"I hope you won't remember this when you wake." Then he kissed her.

___