Chapter Four:
Celebration

My dark blue scrubs were covered in dog hair as I walked back out to go pull Lulu, the Pomeranian's, chart from the filing cabinet to give to Dr. Burke. While I was flipping through files, I heard the bells on the front door jangle, indicating that someone had just walked into the office. It had been pretty busy today, and I just couldn't wait to get home, change out of these fur-covered scrubs, and maybe watch a sappy rom-com by myself.

"Hey, girlfriend," Hannah sang as she entered the office, causing one of the dogs in the waiting room to jump up from its seated position and look at her with perked up ears, "you all ready for tonight?"

Tonight? I had been so busy all day that whatever I was supposed to be doing later was long gone from the front of my mind.

"What's tonight?" I asked shortly, getting out Lulu's chart and waiting for the doctor to finish with his current little patient.

"We're going to Excalibur tonight," she looked at me as if I was crazy, as I leaned against the front desk, just trying to catch a five second break, "Dwyane Henley's birthday, remember? I think it's fate that he's not having some invite-only party and is just having it at a club. Now I've got my chance. I actually just bought an adorable outfit that I can't wait to wear."

I barely listened to what she was saying after I heard the name 'Dwyane Henley'. There was no way I could go out to this club tonight after what happened between Dwyane and I the week prior. I'd have to come up with some excuse. But, if there was one thing I sucked at, it was thinking on the spot.

"I don't think I can go," I tried, hoping that, by some miracle, she'd just accept my statement and not ask any questions.

But this was Hannah, and asking questions was kind of what she did. She was one of those people who could not just take 'no' for an answer. There always had to be an in-depth explanation of why you couldn't go wherever she was asking you to.

"Why not?" She asked.

"Um," I stalled, trying to buy a few more seconds of thinking time, "I...I'm really busy today. I mean, by the time I get home I'm gonna be so wiped out, I won't even be any fun to hang out with. But you go ahead. You can bring someone else."

"Nope. No way," she shook her head, her blonde curls bouncing, "you're coming whether you want to or not. I don't want to bring anyone else. Any other person I bring would want to score Dwyane for themselves. You're the perfect wing-woman because you aren't interested in dating an athlete, so you'll just talk me up. Don't worry, Remi. I'll owe you and talk you up if you meet a guy you like too."

"That's not what I'm concerned about," I shook my head, knowing I needed to find a better excuse than exhaustion in order to get Hannah off my case, "I'll probably have to stay late today to get these files all situated and stuff. I don't want to hold you up. Just go. Maybe I'll meet you there if I'm not too tired."

Now she was looking at me with the disapproving look. When she placed her hands on her hips and shifted her weight to one leg, the dog with the perked up ears barked once at her, the owner silencing him immediately.

"Looks like everyone's a little testy today," I joked with an awkward chuckle.

"Don't try to change the subject," she warned, "you're coming tonight. I won't take no for an answer. You know I'll drag you out of your apartment kicking and screaming, strap you into my car, and drag you into the club by your hair if I have to."

"And don't I know it," I mumbled under my breath, feeling as if I was out of options at this point, and would have to go against my own will.

Once Hannah was satisfied, I reminded her that I was at work and had a job to do, and she promptly left, the smile still on her face. I figured, since she was going to drag me to this club tonight, I'd just have to avoid Dwyane at all costs. If the two of us ran into each other, it would be a problem, and I would have a whole lot of explaining to do to Hannah, who still had no idea that the two of us even met. Sometimes it really just seemed like things never went away, as much as you wanted them to, and as much as you thought they would. One drunken night was turning out to be a lot more work and deception than I was expecting.

In order to make things easier on everyone, I didn't make Hannah drag me out of my apartment by the hair. Instead, I went quietly, knowing it was just one night, and that it would have to end eventually. The only trick was getting it to end without bumping into Dwyane, who was not only going to be in the same club, but was going to be the person my best friend was actively looking for.

Hannah looked more gorgeous than she usually did, and, I could swear, every guy in the club turned their heads when she walked in. She was pretty without trying, when she was just in her everyday clothes. When she was dressed to impress, she was model gorgeous. On any other night, I probably would have been slightly envious, but tonight, blending in with the crowd was what I wanted. The fact that I was plain and simple Remi was finally going to work to my advantage, and actually be an attribute.

"Okay, so wherever the group is congregating is probably where Dwyane is," she said, standing on her toes as much as she could in her stilettos to look for the group, "it seems like there's a lot of people near that one corner of the dance floor, so let's head over there."

"You head over, I've gotta go to the bathroom real quick," I told her.

I really didn't have to go to the bathroom, at all, but I had no interest in going over to see Dwyane and his group of friends. Maybe he didn't even remember me. He was Dwyane Henley. He probably slept with a new girl every week. Who was I? I was just another Saturday night for him; just another notch in his bedpost that would be soon forgotten.

That would be best case scenario though, and, for some reason, I was not feeling entirely lucky tonight. It had been less than a week since we slept together, so there wasn't a very good chance that he had forgotten about me yet. Maybe I could just hide in the here all night and pretend I had some sort of food poisoning from bad sushi or something. No, that would never work. Hannah would be in here in ten minutes looking for me if I didn't come out. And, if I wasn't actively vomiting, she would drag me out of the bathroom with her.

I spent about as much time in the bathroom as I could, knowing that if I stayed much longer, Hannah would probably send out a search party. So, I quickly fixed my hair in the mirror before heading back out to where the music was bumping off the walls, and there were swarms of people moving in groups. I glanced around before I stepped all the way out, looking for Hannah, realizing that I was never going to be able to find her from this far away. And, of course, as soon as I stepped out into the little hallway leading from the bathroom to the club and began to walk back out to the actual club, clumsy Remi had to slam full force into someone, causing my handbag to open. Luckily, nothing fell out, but I was still embarrassed that I had been so stupid as to not look before I walked out into a crowded club.

"Oh, God, I'm sorry," I apologized quickly, closing my small handbag back up as I fumbled over my words, "I am so sorry. I wasn't even paying attention to where I was going."

"Ramiele?"

No. This could not be happening. But, when I looked up and saw Dwyane Henley standing there, with that cocky smile, I knew that it was.

"Ramiele, hey," he actually sounded like he was happy to see me, as if we were long lost friends, "look at us, running into each other like this. I was getting the feeling I was never going to see you again, and now here we are."

"Yeah," I rubbed the back of my neck awkwardly, not entirely sure how a conversation like this was supposed to go, "well, I'm gonna get back to my friend. She's waiting for me. Happy birthday, though."

"Nope, not so fast," he stopped me by grabbing my arm, and I quickly shook it out of his grip, "you know, I've been thinking a lot since last week, and I realized that I might like you. So maybe we should go on a date some time."

I arched an eyebrow at him.

"Are you drunk?" I asked.

"A little," he admitted, not wasting any more time on the subject, "so...that date? What day are you free? I'll pick you up at seven."

"And do I have a say in any of this?" I asked.

He looked at me like I was crazy.

"Yeah, I just asked when you were free."

"That's not what I mean," I huffed, "I don't want to go on a date with you. I don't like you. And you don't like me, until you get some liquor in you, at least. Go ask a girl out who actually wants to go on a date with you, because there are plenty in this club. I'm just not one of them. In fact, let me introduce you to my friend Hannah. She's been dying to meet you and I think the two of you would be a perfect match."

"How could you not want to go on a date with me?" He asked, before I got the chance to walk away, my back already turned to him.

"There," I turned back to him, pointing my finger at his chest, "that. That damn ego is why I don't want to go on a date with you. I guess the fact that I can't stand you probably contributes a little too."

"Oh, Ramiele," he sighed, looking to the ceiling with a small chuckle, "you really don't like me, do you?"

"Well now that we've cracked that case..."

"It's 'cause I haven't had time to put on the charm yet," he assured me, "I'm just gonna tell you right now, Ramiele Scott, that I get what I want."

"And why on God's green Earth do you want to go on a date with me?" I asked.

"I don't know," he admitted, "maybe I like the chase. Maybe the fact that you hate my guts kind of turns me on."

"You're a pig," I muttered.

"You think so?" He asked, not waiting for a response before he continued, "Go on a date with me. I guarantee that in a month, two months, tops, you'll be crazy about me."

"I'd rather not."

When I went to push past him, he stopped me again.

"Fine," he said, simply, "introduce me to your friend Hannah then. I wanna meet her."

Something about this seemed suspicious to me from the get go, and I wasn't entirely sure if I really wanted to drag Hannah into this. But, against my better judgement, I went to go find her, with Dwyane trailing close behind. All she wanted was to meet, and date, Dwyane Henley. Little did she know, she was about to become a pawn in this little game he was playing with me.

A/N: I'm really sorry about the delay, everyone. I went on vacation for a few days, so I was spending more time on the beach than writing. Either way, I know Dwyane may not seem entirely loveable right now, but it's all in the spirit of character development. Make sure you tell me what you think =]