Emotionless Pt. 09

The first thing Lauren saw when she walked in was Jessica dancing on the floor with her friends. It was obvious the guys around them were trying to make a move. But the group of girls weren't allowing it. Lauren remembered Jessica's comment earlier about getting laid and smiled. Lauren knew Jessica was too shy to go home with someone for the night. Lauren headed to the bar for another drink. She wanted to get a nice buzz. As she walked up, Jen had a shot poured for her. She threw it back and took the drink Jen made her.

After Lauren thanked Jen, she walked over to the table where Jessica was now sitting at. Jessica got up to hug Lauren as soon as she saw her. "Hey Jess. Not getting laid I see."

Jessica pulled out a chair for Lauren so they could both sit. "Oh hush, you know I wouldn't do that."

Lauren laughed. "I know. I saw you not letting those guys dance with you."

"I mean I can't say I'd turn down a nice looking guy, but those guy's were creeps." Jessica sipped her drink.

"I'm sure there will be someone along soon enough. How is work?"

"It is good. This is Nikki, Sandra, and Jenna." Jessica pointed to each of her friends.

"Nice to meet you all." Lauren smiled at them and tipped her glass before taking a sip.

All of Jessica's friends looked nice enough. They were all drinking martinis, but Lauren noticed they were almost empty. "How long have you been here?"

Jess finished her martini, "Half an hour or so. Anyone else need another drink?"

Nikki finished her drink, "I do, want to go get another round?"

"Sure thing." Jessica and Nikki got up and headed towards Jen's bar.

"So how do you like work?" Lauren asked Sandra and Jenna.

"It pays the bills." Sandra shrugged.

"It has gotten a little better since Jessica started, makes it less boring." Jenna said, running her finger over her empty glass. "What do you do?"

"Oh, I'm a bartender here." Lauren finished her drink and was disappointed she still didn't feel a buzz.

"And you come in on your off days?" Jenna asked.

"Sometimes, yeah. Jess said she was coming here and I figured I'd hang out." Lauren glanced over to the DJ booth quickly.

"Here we go, another round of martinis for everyone. And I went ahead and brought you another drink Lauren." Jessica sat back down, handing everyone their drinks.

They replied collectively, "Thanks."

They sat around talking until everyone had finished their drinks. Lauren could tell Jessica was feeling buzzed, she was dancing in her chair and very talkative. Nikki and Jenna seemed to be feeling pretty good too. Once they finished, Lauren went to get everyone another drink. Jen sent her back with some shots of Jagear as well. Lauren was starting to feel her ears burning as she finished her fourth drink. The girls decided to go out and dance on the floor. Lauren went back to the bar to get two more drinks.

Lauren made her way to the DJ booth. Jessie smiled as she saw Lauren coming up. Lauren offered her the second drink. Jessie grabbed the cup thankfully. She threw back the cup, emptying it just as fast as it was made. She was finishing up the set and getting ready for a break. Lauren sipped her drink, waiting. She couldn't help but admire Jessie. Jessie sat down her headphones and looked at Lauren "Want to go outside?"

Lauren nodded and headed down from the booth. She held the door open for Jessie. Jessie smiled at her, "Thank you and thank you for the drink. I was dying of thirst."

"You're welcome. Do you want another?" Lauren leaned against the wall of club so she didn't stumble from being buzzed.

""I'm good, you need another?" Jessie sat on the crate.

"Nah, I'll finish this one and hold off for a bit."

"Alright, your sister and her friends seem to be having a good time."

"Yeah, they are all pretty buzzed." Lauren replied.

"Oh yeah? And what about you?" Jessie smirked.

"I'm good." Lauren finished her drink, then threw away the cup.

Jessie took a pack of cigarettes out of her front pocket and slowly twirled them in her fingers "What are you doing after you put your sister and her friends to bed?"

"Who said I was leaving with them?" Lauren adjusted a second empty crate to sit next to Jessie.

Jessie shrugged "Plan on going home with anyone else then?"

Lauren shook her head "I'm just going with the flow for right now."

"Is that so?"

Lauren nodded "Maybe I'll get drunk and go home with some broad." She looked at Jessie and gave a grin.

Jessie smiled and shook her head "Well if that doesn't work out, you want to have a beer at my place?"

"Trying to get me in bed again?" Lauren nudged Jessie with her shoulder.

Jessie chuckled "I mean, it'd be a bonus."

Lauren felt her ears burn red, and rubbed them in an attempt to hide it. "I'll think about it."

"Fair enough." Jessie stood up from her crate and put her untouched cigarettes back in her pocket "Well, better get back in and finish up this night."

Lauren nodded and followed Jessie back inside. Lauren looked for her sister as Jessie made her way back to the DJ stand. She saw her sister and her friends back at their table dancing, some guys chatting them up. Lauren could see Jessica was very intoxicated and was flirting with the guy talking to her. Lauren felt her protective instincts kick in and made her way to the table. As she walked up, Lauren saw the guy grab Jessica's ass. Jessica pushed his hand away, but he tried again. Lauren walked up and immediately threw a punch that landed across his cheek.

Apparently the guys talking to Jessica's friends knew him, because as soon as they saw him stagger backwards their attention darted to Lauren. Two of the closest guys swung at Lauren. She was able to avoid a hit directed at her stomach from one, but took a punch to the jaw from the other. Before she realized what she was doing, she kicked one of them in the dick and smashed the other one's head on the table. Drinks and empty cups went flying, Lauren could hear the girls shout and try to pull the guys away from her. Lauren felt her anger boil and rise, she started to forget where she was. Suddenly she was back at the park that night and trying to defend herself. She saw another fist fly past her face, she quickly reached out and grabbed at the wrist. Twisting and turning with her grip, she ripped another man down by his shoulder. She felt a quick snap under her fingers before blacking out.

"Hey"

"Tripp! God Damn it."

"Leave her alone, she was helping me."

Lauren could hear different voices but they were muffled and fuzzy in her head. She couldn't make out who was talking to her. She tried opening her eyes but there were bright lights. All she knew was, her head was pounding and there was a loud noise in the background making it hard to hear anything clearly or even think. She felt herself wipe her face and finally open her eyes slowly. She saw her sister, Matt, Jessie, and a man standing over her. She wiped at her face again and she noticed she was in handcuffs, outside.

"What the fuck." Lauren was confused, but coming too.

"Ma'am, calm down and we will uncuff you." She looked at the man, realizing he was a cop.

Jessica interrupted "That asshole over there kept putting his hands on me and she saw and was trying to protect me. He started it."

Lauren looked at the cop and then at her sister, back to the cop "It's true. She's my sister. And she told him to leave her alone."

Matt chimed in "My bouncer will coberrate the story. He saw the whole thing."

The cop stood Lauren up "That's fine. I still have to write it up, so him and his buddies can spend the night in the tank. You have a few cuts and your bleeding through your shirt, we need to send you off with medical." He uncuffed her and pointed at the paramedic.

"No." Lauren protested "I'm fine."

"Ma'am, you have to go."

"I'm not going, I'm fine." Lauren wiped her hands on her jeans.

"Then I'll need you to sign some papers." The cop walked towards his cruiser. "Hang here please."

Lauren felt her shirt and saw where blood had started to stain it. She could feel where some of her deeper cuts had reopened. She wasn't sure exactly what happened after the first few swings. But she knew she must have taken a few hits. She looked at Jessica "You okay?"

"Yeah, you shouldn't have done that." Jessica gave Lauren a hug.

"He shouldn't have touched you." Lauren tried to protect her stomach from too much contact.

"I was flirting with him, gave him mixed signals." Jessica looked over towards the other cops and group of guys.

"No, the minute you said no and pushed his hand away, he should have backed up. Where are your friends?" Lauren looked around and finally noticed Jessie was standing right there.

"They left as soon as the cops took their statements."

"I'm sorry." Lauren ran her fingers through her hair.

"Don't be, they were bothering them too."

Matt stepped in "Tripp, stop fighting every drunk asshole in my bar. Let the bouncers take care of it or you are fired." He stormed back into the club before she could reply.

The cop came back with some papers. "I need you to sign this. It's your waiver of medical care and your statement. You are getting off with a warning, but next time you will be charged. It doesn't matter who started what."

Lauren didn't have the energy to argue, she signed the papers. The cop gave her and Jessica a copy of everything for their records and left. Lauren looked around for her helmet and bookbag.

"Where's my stuff?"

Jessica asked "What stuff?"

"My helmet and bookbag."

Jessica looked around "I don't know. You didn't have it when you came up to the table."

"You only had your helmet." Lauren looked at Jessie, who had the helmet in her hand.

"Thank you. I should get cleaned up." Lauren looked down at herself and saw how filthy her clothes were. She grabbed her helmet from Jessie "Jessica, how are you getting home?"

"I called a cab. They should be here in a minute. I'll come get my car in the morning. Do you want a ride?" Jessica fumbled in her purse for something.

"No I can make it home. I'll wait with you then head home." Lauren tried to avoid too much eye contact with Jessie, she was embarrassed. She knew Jessie must have seen the whole thing.

"I'll sit with you two." Jessie looked between the twins.

"You have to get back to work, we'll be okay." Lauren looked for a crate to sit on.

"Actually, Matt told me to put on a predone list. He was pretty pissed I came off the stand." Jessie moved a crate for Jessica to sit on.

"What? Why?" Lauren was confused again.

"She pulled you off of them and then took a few swings herself when they lunged at her." Jessica sat on the crate and smiled at Lauren.

It wasn't until then, Lauren noticed the cut above Jessie's eyebrow and the blood on her knuckle "You didn't have to do that!"

"Well if I let you keep going, you would have killed them and if I waited for the cops to pull you off, you'd be in jail right now." Jessie wiped her hands off with the bottom of her shirt.

"Well thank you, I'm sorry you got hurt." Lauren felt even more embarrassed, especially since she couldn't remember the whole thing.

"Just a flesh wound, plus I love a good 'ole bar brawl." Jessie grinned.

Lauren couldn't help but smile. She didn't understand why Jessie could say the simplest thing and Lauren would have the biggest reaction. She almost forgot Jessica was even there, until she heard the cab honk its horn.

"Well that's me." Jessica stood up "you sure you don't want a ride home?"

"Yeah, I can get home. Text me when you get home?" Lauren stood up to hug her sister.

"I will." Jessica hugged her back and whispered in her ear "I like her." She walked to the cab and left.

Lauren felt her face burst into flames. She hated how Jessica just knew things. She wiped the blush away and looked at Jessie. "Still want that beer?"

Jessie cracked a crooked smile "After tonight, I'd say you owe me a beer, Cherry."

Lauren felt her blush come even redder this time. "Fair enough, I'll follow you to your place?"

"Sounds good, let's get out of here." Jessie grabbed her keys from her pocket and walked to her truck.

Lauren felt for her keys to her motorcycle and put on her helmet when she found them. She pulled to the road and waited to follow Jessie home. The drive was short, but the entire time Lauren tried to piece together the fight. She couldn't remember anything, though she tried hard.

They pulled into the parking lot and shut off their vehicles. Lauren took off her helmet as she waited for Jessie to head towards her apartment. Jessie unlocked her door and opened it, letting Lauren in first. "I'll grab some stuff to get you cleaned up. You can grab beers if you want." Jessie made her way to the bathroom.

Lauren went to the fridge and grabbed two beers. She popped off the lids, tossing them in the trash as she made her way back to the living room. As she sat the beers on the table, Jessie walked in with a hand full of supplies. "Here we go." She sat them on the table next to the drinks.

Jessie took a sip from her beer before reaching for the peroxide and gauze. Lauren snagged it before Jessie was able to. "Let me clean you up."

"No ma'am, mine is just a scrape. We'll clean you up first. I think your stomach is bleeding pretty bad." Jessie glanced towards Lauren's, now, blood soaked shirt.

"Shit. No I can clean myself up." Lauren was tired of ruining clothes. She was going to need a new wardrobe soon. "Plus, you're injured because of me."

"Oh please. I already said, you won't find me turn down a good fight. Not to mention, it wasn't even numbers. You looked like you could have handled it on your own, but I wanted to make sure you didn't get more injured than you already were." Jessie moved towards Lauren, slyly taking the peroxide and gauze from her.

"To be honest, I don't really remember anything after the first few swings." Lauren rubbed her face, causing a sting due to a newly discovered cut.

Jessie poured some peroxide on the gauze. She began to dab the cuts on Lauren's face. "You don't remember anything?"

Lauren held back a wince from the quick sting "I remember hitting that guy after he grabbed Jessica for a second time and smashing one of their faces into the table. But after that, it's pretty much black until I was sitting on the curb."

Jessie didn't say anything at first, but focused on cleaning Lauren's face. She put a bandaid on the deeper cut. "You can definitely kick someone's ass, that's for sure. Pretty impressive considering you look like you haven't eaten more than a handful of meals in your life."

Lauren tried not to make eye contact "Thanks, I'm sure you were pretty bad ass too."

Jessie laughed as she grabbed fresh gauze "After I threw you back off of one of them, I got one hit in and took one. The cops were coming in by then." She moved to cleaning Lauren's hand.

"I'm sorry. You didn't have to do that. I really appreciate it." Lauren let Jessie take control of her hand as needed.

Jessie grabbed more gauze "Shirt."

Lauren slipped her shirt over her head and laid it across the arm of the couch. She saw the biggest cut from her attack had reopened and was causing all of the blood. Her other wounds looked like they were still scabbed over. She wasn't positive though, because the blood had started to run down her stomach.

"You don't have to thank me." Jessie started at the clean up. "You may need stitches. Is that from the attack or new?"

"I'm pretty sure its the same one, just reopened. I don't need stitches." Lauren winced as the peroxide fizzed against her cut.

Jessie finished with bandaging Lauren up. "Why don't you like to be taken care of?"

Lauren felt Jessie's eyes on her "I don't know. I can handle myself."

"But you take care of everyone else. Don't you get tired?"

"I don't really think about it. I guess I'm just used to it."

"Hmm." Jessie picked up the bloody gauze and went to throw it away. She sat back down next to Lauren. She picked up her beer.

Lauren wasn't sure what to say. As she reached for her beer, she noticed Jessie's hand was still bloody. She put her beer back down, trading it for peroxide and gauze. "Here." She took Jessie's hand and started cleaning it.

Jessie let her do it "See, you can't help it."

Lauren blushed as she finished. "Do you have a shirt I can borrow?"

"Don't want to hang out topless with me?" Jessie smirked.

"I mean, it's kinda cold." she smiled back.

"Promise not to get blood on it?" Jessie stood up.

"No promises." Lauren picked up the rest of the bloody gauze and her shirt to throw away. Jessie went to her room to grab a shirt.

Jessie came back with the shirt and a pair of sweats. She handed them to Lauren. Lauren put on the shirt. They both grabbed their beers at the same time. Slouching into the couch, they both let out a sigh. There was a moment of silence before Jessie finally broke it.

"So, you plan to work at the club until retirement?"

Lauren was thrown off by the odd question. "Uh, no. Just something to do until I find something else I guess. But it's good money. You?"

Jessie tilts her head back on the couch and closes her eyes. "No. I would love to get an actual mixtape out there. Original dubs and remixes, but photography is what I would prefer to do."

"Photography? Like family photos?" Lauren asks, genuinely.

Jessie gives a short chuckle. "I mean not really. More like locations. Capturing nature or events. Or models." Jessie opens one eye and grins at Lauren.

Lauren finishes her beer, her heart dropped for a moment. "Yeah? That's the life I'm sure. Hot models all around on a daily basis."

Jessie sits back up and places her beer on the table in front of them "That's totally the life I want. Not this here. Sitting with you, drinking beers."

Lauren fights back the frown as she sits up herself to place the empty bottle on the table. She hopes Jessie is joking. "I don't disagree. What I wouldn't give to have a hot model making me dinner right now."

Jessie leans against Lauren and gives a soft nudge. "You hungry, then?"

Lauren shrugs. "I guess I did work up an appetite. Want me to cook something or order something?"

Jessie gets up. Lauren can't help but smell the fresh cologne. "Who is going to deliver at 4 am? Plus, you said you wanted a hot model to cook you dinner. So what do you want?" Jessie's crooked smile flashes across her face.

Lauren's ears must have burst into fiery, red flames. She couldn't help but ask "Do you feel that?"

Jessie sits back down immediately. A concerned look across her face. "What? Are you okay?"

Lauren shakes her head. "You must feel it to. Whatever this is between us."

Jessie relaxes. "I'd be lying if I said I didn't."