Acclayne Book 1: The Game Begins
Chapter 2

“Therapy?”

“Ohdon’t look at me like that Alaina.” Jeremy; my boss, apparentlynonplussed by the death glare I was giving him, was sitting behindhis desk, swivelling aroundon his chair. “It’s the new fad these days.”

“Well I’m notbuying into it Jeremy.”

“No one asked you to,I just want you to go along to a few sessions. It’ll help with thearticle.” He stopped his swivelling and started clicking his peninstead. There was nothing I could replace about Jeremy that wasn’tinfuriating. From the smug look on his face, to his unnaturallystiff, perfectly quaffed hair. “You might even replace you like it.”I arched an eyebrow; or at least tried to, at his implication.

“I don’t needsomeone who doesn’t know the first thing about me telling me aboutmy own issues.” I folded my arms. “It’s a load of crap if youask me.”

“As a matter of fact,I wasn’t. I’m telling you Alaina. Go to a few sessions and writeup what you replace.” I sighed; no point in fighting him. Since he’dgotten this promotion he’d been on a massive power trip, and I’dseen a significant influx of stupid article topics assigned to me.

“Whatever.” Ishrugged and turned to leave the room. I could only imagine thestupid grin on his face over his little victory.

“Oh and Al,” Igrimaced, the use of the abbreviation felt like sandpaper against myskin whenever he used it. “less of the attitude please.” Istalked off without turning back, kicking his glass door shut behindme. How dare he suggest that I have an attitude. My heels clickedferociously as I stormed down the corridor; the sound echoed loudlyoff the walls. Even if I did have an “attitude” it was his ownfault. He didn’t have to be so smug about his damned promotion. Imean, I didn’t care that I didn’t get it, but why did it have tobe him. Smarmy git. He’d breezed in two years after I’d startedhere. I’d worked hard to be where I was, I’d interned at thispaper- made my fair share of coffee, while he waltzed in and wasimmediately everyone’s go-to guy. I didn’t need a shrink to tellme why I had a problem with him. I was the only one who could see himfor what he was- a total pain in the ass.

I almost fell onto mychair and it scooted back a little with the impact. I put my feet uponto one of the desk supports, put my elbow on my knee with my chinin my hand. To say I was fed up may have been an under-statement.

“So it wasn’t goodnews then?” The chirpy voice came from my right; Lisa wasunfailingly cheerful, even in the face of all the dull-as-dishwaterarticles Jeremy gave her.

“You could say that.”

“Oh come on,” sheswung round on her chair, “I’m sure it’s not all that bad aye?”

“He wants me to go toTherapy.”

“That’s a bitharsh.”

“No, not personally;for an article. Though I am beginning to wonder…” I sighed; sheknew what I meant. He had it in for me- everyone could see that. Lisaand I wondered sometimes if his sole purpose was to drive me mad. Ijust didn’t get it.

“Ah, it’s probablynothing.” She beamed at me, I grimaced back; starting to feel theinfectious effects of her persistent positivity. “So, are we stillon for tonight?”

“Sure, why not?”

“You said that lasttime and then you cancelled.” Her smile dissolved.

“Okay fine, I promiseI’ll come this time. Geez. Way to make a girl feel bad.” Lisa wasalways trying to get me to come with her on a night out. I’d been acouple of times and we’d always had fun. Things didn’t always endwell; sometimes they were just plain messy. Memorable though, alwaysmemorable. Lately, with all the tedious articles I had to write, Ihadn’t felt much like going out. It was clear from the look on herface that she was starting to feel neglected and that made me feelworse than Jeremy ever could. She was like a little sister and eventhough she had lots of other friends they weren’t as close as wewere.

“Yay! It’s going tobe a good one, I can tell.”

“Oh God.” I rolledmy eyes at her and laughed as she sulkily scooted back to her desk.The last time she’d said that was the night she’d been caught inthe toilets with one of the temps. He was young and things got veryawkward in the office for the following few weeks. He was instantlyenamoured with her and had flowers sent to her desk every other day-when it wasn’t flowers there’d be lovesick post-its stuck to hercoffee, covered in little doodled hearts. I had never seen her souncomfortable. She’d sworn off the temps since then but anothergroup had been hired last week, and I couldn’t help but wonder ifthat was why she was so excited to organise another night out.

I logged onto mycomputer and checked my email inbox; it was filled mainly with junkemails. There were couple of joke emails doing the rounds- as usual,and one mass email about tonight. I groaned inwardly as I read therecipients names. It was certainly going to be a big night out ifnothing else. Oh and fabulous; Jeremy was coming as well. I shot aglare over at Lisa who wasn’t looking; she was far too pre-occupiedby the new intern who was now leaning casually against her desk. Shewas giggling enthusiastically at something he’d said. Instead ofletting my glare go to waste I turned it in the direction of Jeremy’soffice, not expecting to see him looking in my direction I could feelthe intensity falter as he smirked at me and gave me a little wave. Iangrily turned back to my computer.

I quickly bashed out anemail to Lisa which asked if I really had to come. I saw her look upat me as she quickly read the message and smile as she replied. Theemail said only: “You promised” with a little smiley face. Iwondered if underneath that cute exterior there wasn’t a little bitof a sadist.

So far the evening hadgone without a hitch- but I hadn’t stepped out of the taxi yet sothat wasn’t really saying much. I’d opted for my favourite littleblack dress; it was just above the knee and the top was quitebodice-like. There was very little detail aside from the structuredboning and that was one of the reasons that I favoured it; aside frombeing extremely flattering it went with pretty much everything. Therewasn’t much give or movement in it but on a night out you don’tdress for comfort; you dress to kill. I’m not a terrific fan of mylegs by any means but the dress I was wearing was one of my moremodest dresses. I daren’t show my legs during the day time butthere’s something about alcohol, a dimly lit room and loud musicthat gives me the urge to show them off. I’m over six feet tall yousee, so I’m usually a little conscious of my colossal pins, butclad them in tights and a little skirt and I’m good to go- providedthere’s a disco ball somewhere in the vicinity. My hair was looselypinned up with a few tendrils left hanging to frame my face. As if myheight wasn’t enough to draw attention to myself, I had been‘blessed’ with vibrant red hair. My father insisted that I wasstrawberry blonde, but no amount of fruity description could disguisethe fact that I’m ginger. But ginger and proud I hasten to add.

So I was all set,glammed up and ready to walk tall, get completely pissed and totallyignore Jeremy. Lisa was sitting next to me in the taxi, squashedbetween me and some girl who works two floors down. I’d met her afew times and I always felt bad that I could never remember her name.It had gotten past the stage where I could casually ask her for itbecause I should have been able to remember it by now. Greeting atwork had become awkward as I’d have to give her a tentative“hey…you!” in the corridor. It was ridiculous. Lisa refused togive me her name because she found it so funny. The strange thingwas, was that she was by no means forgettable. She had one of themost beautiful faces I had ever seen, she was all peaches and creamwith full lips and a dainty nose. Her eyes were huge and dark and herblack hair fell in ringlets past her shoulders. Hell of a wall flowerthough- a real shame, though I suppose it allowed the likes of me toget in the game a little. Not that there was very much game in Joe’s.I should clarify- Joe’s is our local nightclub, it’s extremelycheesy, it even has a light up floor. There are hardly ever any fitguys but we love it anyway. You can really let loose; as we’ve doneon many occasions. I say we but mainly I mean Lisa.

The taxi jerked to ahalt outside, we’d made good time- we were early by our standardsand there wasn’t much of a queue. Just one or two people ahead ofus. The little black haired beauty paid the driver and he sped off,swerving around the corner at the bottom of the street.

“That was the last ofmy change.” Her voice was quiet and soft. “I just need to getsome cash from the machine.”

“Oh yeah, Icompletely forgot change! Al will you wait in the queue and save us aspot, we will literally be like two minutes. You’re okay for casharen’t you?” I smiled, Lisa never came out with change. I alwaysremembered mine.

“Sure thing, don’tworry I won't go in without you.”

“You better not, wedon’t stand a chance next to you gorgeous girl.” I laughed ather.

“Whatever, see you ina sec.” I turned and tottered towards the queue while the girlsheaded in the opposite direction. Waiting by the door, under thecanopy, I could see a few faces I recognised from previous nightsout- and one face that I recognised from a few hours ago. Standing onhis own at the back of the queue was Jeremy.

I pointedly looked awayfrom him so that he wouldn’t be able to catch my eye; that way Icould make out that I hadn’t seen him as an excuse not to go over.I wrapped my arms around myself as the evening breeze began toproduce goose-bumps on my arms. I wished I’d brought a coat but asLisa always pointed out- by the end of the night I’d have a ’beerjacket’ on and probably wouldn’t even notice if it startedsnowing. Besides, I’d have probably lost my coat by the end of thenight anyway.

“Cold?” A man’svoice came from behind me. I turned around sharply, fully expectingto see Jeremy; his smug face ready with some insulting comment aboutmy outfit, so I was quite surprised when I came face to face, orrather face to chest with an exceedingly tall man that I had nevermet before.

“Um…yes? I mean no,I mean… I’m fine.” I looked up at his face. He must have beenpushing seven feet, at least. His hair was a mess of dark waves,tousled like he had just gotten out of bed- but stylishly so. Hiseyes were dark as well and held my gaze for longer than is usuallycomfortable between two strangers.

“You seem unsure.”I noticed that his eyes crinkled as he smiled, but I barely noticedthe inappropriate way he placed his hands on my arms. “You feelalmost freezing to me.” I couldn’t place his accent but his voicewas velvet soft and his breath was hot and sweet on my face. He had awide, comforting smile. A cough from beside me broke the suddentension.

“Hi Al.” I couldtell without looking it was Jeremy. “You look…nice. Who’s yourfriend? I don’t recognise you from the office.” I glanced atJeremy and noticed he was looking up at my mystery man. His hand heldout for a handshake that he didn’t receive. He stood close enoughto me that I could feel the heat radiating from him. A total invasionof personal space. His stance was one of a man defending histerritory. If Jeremy was going to be like this then it was going tobe a very long night.

“No you do notrecognise me at all.” My mystery man said; his voice had taken on aslight edge but I noticed he did not look away from me. “I was justgoing to tell her that she should bring a coat. You do not know whatkind of situations you could get into.”

“Right.” Jeremysaid shortly. “But it is July, how cold could it get?”

“It is not warmeverywhere.” And with that he took his hands off my arms; theytingled where he had been touching them. “You really should take acoat Alaina.”

“Okay! We’re backand ready to show the guys from work how it’s done!” Lisaannounced her arrival with enthusiasm from beside me, distracting melong enough to lose my mystery man in the crowd that had started togather outside. I hadn’t even noticed anyone arrive. “What did wemiss? Oh hi Jeremy.” She looked between the two of us trying toassess the situation. His stance was still on the defensive but hehad taken a step away from me.

“You haven’t missedanything,” He laughed at her confused expression. “just some guytelling this one she should wear a coat. It’s July for god sakes.”

“Okay weird.” Shesaid pulling a face and laughing, the pretty girl just stood next toher and pursed her lips. “Shall we go in then?” And just likethat the tension I had felt barely a moment ago subsided and insteadI was left with a nagging urge to go and replace a decent parka.

The next couple of hourswent by, as they are prone to do, with no excitement on my part. Tallmystery man was nowhere to be seen once we had gotten inside Joe’s,but we did replace a handful of the new temps sitting in the cornerlooking thoroughly out of their depth. Lisa made a beeline for themunder the guise of cheering them up. Within twenty minutes she was onsomeone’s lap and he seemed a lot…perkier. Jeremy hadstrategically sat between myself and the dark haired girl who I cameto learn, again, was called Juney. He tried, unsuccessfully, at someflirtatious small talk with me before turning his attention fullytoward Juney, who it seemed was too timid to tell him where to go.She sat awkwardly; left leg folded over the right. Her foot wasbouncing in what appeared to be irritation. It was clear to me frommy vantage point that she was barely listening to him at all- insteadshe let her eyes drift over the crowd of people on the dance floor.

Jeremy, on the otherhand, was so ‘into’ her it was almost painful to watch. I thinkthat if he could have gotten away with humping her leg then he wouldhave. He fidgeted in his seat and didn’t know what to do with hishands. I’d have felt embarrassed for him if I didn’t dislike himso much. Then without warning Juney sat forward and fixed me with ameaningful stare;

“Shallwe go and dance?” I could see that she desperately wanted to getaway from Jeremy but I don’t really dodancing and I told her as much.

“I can dance if you-”Jeremy interrupted from between us.

“Now come on Alaina,there’s nothing to it.” She smiled sweetly at me, appearing tonot have heard Jeremy at all.

“Okay fine.” Istood, pulling my dress down. I didn’t need people staring at myunderwear as well as my dodgy dancing skills. Juney giggled;

“It’s okay, youcan’t see anything. Shame really.” she winked at me and saunteredover to the dance floor, her gait had an almost feline quality,Jeremy had noticed too.

“I’ll come with youshall I?” He looked up at me briefly from his seat then fixed hiseyes on Juney’s back.

“Er, I think it’sbest that you stay here actually. Someone needs to keep an eye onLisa with those temps. She’ll have them for breakfast.” I nodded over at her; she was downing shots as quickly as any of the guys shewas with.

“I suppose itwouldn’t look too good if I left her alone with them.”

“Exactly, and I meanif word got around that you did…”

“Yes, yes, quiteright. Though, if you do need a rest tell Juney I’ll come and dancewith her.”

“Sure.” I turnedand shook my head, he was so gullible. Lisa was more than capable ofhandling herself, especially this early on in the night. It was onlywhen she had decided on one particular temp that she’d needwatching and at the minute she had her hands full.

I found Juney in themiddle of the dance floor, already surrounded by men. She didn’tseem to notice. The way she wiggled and swayed was so enticing that Ieven caught myself staring a little too long. Oblivious to her maleattention she smiled when I joined her.

“I was beginning tothink someone had kidnapped you.” she shouted in my ear over theloud music and laughed. Her eyes scanned the crowd over my shoulderas I bent down to listen to her.

“Ah, it was justJeremy, he fancies the hell out of you.”

“I hadn’t noticed.”She shrugged her dainty shoulders. I laughed at her, I had thoughtwall flowers were supposed to be able to notice the things going onaround them but it seemed that it wasn’t the case with Juney. “Oh,so why did you want to come and dance so bad?”

“He’s so boring!”She giggled, “Besides, I never get to spend any time with just you.I’d like to get to know you better.” She was dancing really closeto me now and it was beginning to attract attention. The smell of herperfume overwhelmed me. It was easy to see why Jeremy was instantlysmitten. Everything about her was intoxicating. She leant in closer,her eyes sparkled in the bright lights and for a moment I thought shewas going to try and kiss me. If I’m honest I probably would havebeen okay with it. More okay with it than I’d like to admit.

“And there’ssomeone that I’m trying to avoid.” I raised my eyebrows, I didn’tunderstand how anyone like Juney would feel the need to avoid anyone.“He’s been watching me.”

“Who?”

“The guy I’m tryingto avoid.”

“My God! What? Like,a stalker?”

“I suppose you couldcall it that.” I looked around me; not that I had any idea what herstalker looked like, but it seemed like a good idea. I looked backdown at Juney, she seemed unfazed by the situation.

“Shouldn’t we tellsomeone?” I danced closer to her, suddenly protective. She was totiny that no one would notice if she was swept away by a man dancingnearby.

“It’s okay, I’mdealing with it.” her eyes locked on something or someone behindme. “Okay, he’s over there. No. Don’t look.” She pulled myarm as I went to turn around. Her grip around my wrist wassurprisingly firm. “Come this way.” She pulled me across thedance floor. We weaved quickly between the swaying bodies,occasionally I encountered a rogue elbow or leg that slowed me downbut Juney made her way through completely unnoticed. We emerged theother side of the dance floor just outside the toilets.

“I don’t think hesaw us.”

“Oh, well that’sgood right?”

“Yes, well, no. Heshouldn’t see me with you.” She looked back across the dancefloor. “It was bad enough that he got talking to you at the door.”

“Wait, what have Igot to do with this, I don’t even know him I-” My mind rushedback to my handsome stranger from outside. What did he have to dowith this? I was beginning to panic, and was a little offended. Well,I was just plain confused; I hadn’t drunk enough yet to deal withthis.

“Look, it doesn’tmatter. It just means that we have to leave now.” She sighed. “Andyou’re thoroughly unprepared…”

“No I’m not, I’vegot my bag here, we can go whenever. We should probably get Lisa, Imean if it’s not safe?”

“No. She’s notcoming. Just us.” And with that she pulled me into the ladiestoilets. Now I’m fairly open minded, and not adverse to briefencounters of lesbianism after a couple of drinks, but this was notthe way I’d expected the night to turn out. She began checking thecubicles for occupants but did not release my wrist.

“Look, Juney, I don’tknow if I’ve given you the er… wrong idea or something but I…I’mnot-”

“He can’t get us inhere Alaina.” she looked round at me a puzzled look on her face.Well colour me embarrassed.

“Okay, I get that hecan’t get to us in here but we’re stuck now. There’s no throughexit- unless you want us to go through a window and I don’t thinkI’ll fit through one of those things.” I pointed up at the tinywindows at the top of the room. I doubted that even Juney would fitthrough. Juney didn’t even look at me, instead she was rootingthrough her tiny handbag. I hadn’t even noticed it before but itwas one of the most exquisite handbags I had ever seen; all blackvelvet and beautiful beading. In that moment of slightly drunkenlogic I concluded that if Juney were ever to be made into a handbagthen she would probably look a lot like that one. I voiced thisthought aloud.

“I don’t reallyunderstand but Thanks, I think. There it is.” In her hand was whatlooked like a small brass doorknob. “This is our through exit.”

“Really? Because itkind of just looks like a doorknob. It’s no good without a door…”

“Exactly.” In herother hand was an eye-liner pencil. I stood back and looked on inconfusion as she drew a big rectangle on the wall. “Come on then.”

“Come on thenwhere?!” I took a few steps back, edging towards the main door. Ithink I liked Juney better when she was quiet and potentially alesbian- and not a raving lunatic.

“We’ve got to go.Now!”

What happened next,happened so quickly that I wasn’t even sure that it had happened atall. Juney took hold of my wrist and pulled me towards the wall withtremendous force. I was certain I was going to hit it head on butbefore I had a chance she slammed the brass doorknob into the righthand side of the rectangle. The wall gave way on impact and I foundmyself being pulled by a different force. It was magnetic and fast. Icouldn’t turn around to see if Juney was behind me. I couldn’t doanything. I was moving yet I was entirely still. My surroundings allof a sudden became a bright white. Maybe I had had more to drink thanI had realised. Maybe I was slipping into a drink induced coma. Maybenone of this was actually happening and I was safe in a hospital bedsomewhere. I settled with this comfortable thought for a moment, andhad come to the conclusion that it was all going to be okay when Iwas suddenly plunged into complete darkness.