Chapter 84: Non-Negotiable

-Molly-

The fight with Scott was a lot more silent than I had thought it would be. It might have helped that I announced my intention to go to the club in front of my mother and Paul. My mother had been enthusiastic about me feeling good enough to get out of the house. "Good," Paul huffed out before returning to his paper.
However, throughout the whole conversation, I could feel Scott’s eyes burning into me. I couldn’t help but give him the sweetest smile when I turned and asked him to go grab Becca so we could get ready to go together.
"Shouldn’t you be RESTING?” Scott had asked with a hard edge on his words.
“I told you, Scott. I’m feeling fine, and Becca and I want to go dancing! I’ve checked the club, and they’re still open and running hot!” I had insisted sweetly, dancing in a circle to show my excitement.
The circle had made my stomach churn, but I had managed to keep that feeling off my face.
“Oh, yes! You better hurry if you two want to be ready tonight,” Williamina had agreed quickly. “It’s well into the afternoon!”
At my mother’s encouragement, I sauntered up to Scott and opened my hand for his keys. My whole aura practically glowed with my victory.
Scott had pulled them out of his pocket, but before I could grab them, he pulled them away. “I’ll drive you.”
That had put a little dose of cold water on my flawless victory. I was supposed to have flounced out of there, knowing that I had basically told Scott to stick it up his nose. But that wasn’t what happened.
I gave him a tight smile. “Don’t you have to work?”
“I think my father can survive without me for a little while. Besides, it’s still icy out… it’s safer this way. I’m sure they all agree with me,” Scott had retorted without even checking with the people he was discussing.
With that, he had turned on his heel and left the room, presumably to go start his car. But I hadn’t followed him right away. I had stayed and chatted with my mother for a few more minutes, hoping that by the time I joined Scott, he would have calmed down.
It wasn’t until the housekeeper brought a plate of food that gave off a faint bacony smell that I’d had to excuse myself before my stomach revolted again.
To my surprise, Scott had been silent the entire ride to Becca’s and home again. I couldn’t tell if he was resigned or stewing. Either way, there was a dark cloud hovering over him that I did NOT want to poke.
Becca and I raced up to my room when we got back to the house and began the very girly ritual of trying on clothes and putting on makeup. I was happy to have something else to focus on besides Scott and my easily irritated belly.
I was glad we had hours to get ready… it had taken me that long to convince Becca that the clothes I had picked for her worked perfectly. The deep blue color paired perfectly with her skin and hair, and I had convinced her to let me fix up for her.
By the time I was done, Becca was absolutely beautiful. I couldn’t help but notice the bracelet on her wrist that Noah had given her. It was killing me to see her so hurt and confused because of him. Every time she looked at it, a little flash of pain would race through her eyes. It just made me want to kick Noah more.
I had a second goal in mind for the club, I realized. I was going to help Becca find a way to forget about Noah, even if it was for a little while tonight. I knew exactly how she felt, and we would be there for each other.
Even if I couldn’t exactly tell her why.
We made our way downstairs, giggling about how much chaos we would cause, only to find Scott standing at the doorway and twirling his keys in his hand. That twirling stopped abruptly as soon as he spotted me. His icy blue eyes heated up like twin fires, burning brighter than the sun. They moved down my body, sharing that warmth with my skin until it melted into my stomach. My heart flip-flopped, and my knees grew so weak I wasn’t sure I could make it down the last two steps.
I was caught in his gaze, unable to stop as I moved toward him like a moth to the flame. Did he remember the last time I wore this dress? Was that look in his eyes caused by the heat of our first kiss? I didn’t know, but I hoped that the answer was yes.
Becca’s shy greeting broke the spell, and it was the first real breath I had been able to take since the moment we locked gazes.
“Hey, Becca. You, ladies, look amazing,” Scott replied, causing Becca to flush bright pink and fiddle with the bottom of her skirt again.
“I think I need a few more inches,” Becca grumbled, flustered.
“Oh, hush!” I chided her gently. “You look hot! It’s perfect for you!”
Scott started twirling his keys again, and I reached out to grab them, but he snatched them back.
“We need to talk,” he told me, giving Becca an apologetic glance. “Privately.”
“Right now?” I asked. “We were just getting ready to head out.”
“Yes… right now,” Scott insisted firmly.
I rolled my eyes but nodded and followed him into the next room. He closed the door before turning back to me.
“It’s a really bad idea for you girls to go. It’s an all-ages night, and there will be too many punk college kids thinking they can get drunk and handsy,” Scott stated. “Why don’t you wait until tomorrow or next week when there are not so many drunken idiots.”
I crossed my arms over my chest and set my jaw stubbornly. “Scott, I can take care of myself. Becca and I need a girl’s night out, and we’re ready to go. I don’t know if this is you still feeling like you can control me or some weird petty jealousy. But I’ve honestly had enough. We are going out tonight, and we are going to have fun. After all that happened, I think we deserve it. So, give me the damned keys and get out of my way!”
Scott’s eyes flashed with anger, but he did not give me the keys. “Fine,” he snapped out quietly. “If you are insisted on doing something so stupid. I’m going with you two to be sure you stay safe,” Scott told me.
“Scott, you don’t have to do that. We’ll be—”
My words cut off when Scott leveled that damned silent, stern look at me. “This is non-negotiable, Molls. If you two are going, so am I.”
“I—”
Scott gripped my chin. “Non… negotiable, Molly.”
My breath caught in my throat as I waited for his kiss. I knew he would kiss me, and I wanted it very badly. My body swayed into his as my eyes slowly began to flutter shut, and my skin tightened and tingled with anticipation.
But the simple touch never came.
Scott let my chin go and stepped back. My eyes flew open, and I searched his face with confusion. Everything inside me was twisted in disappointment, bereft of the touch I needed so badly.
Scott looked hungry as he stared at me. But with a blink of his eyes, that look was gone, leaving me to wonder if I had imagined it.
Even without that, something told me that Scott had just ruined my plans for the night.