To kiss a stranger

IRIS

~•~

Fuck him.

I gulped another shot of the vodka in my right hand, drowning myself deeper in the loud music that blasted from speakers, mounted in every corner of the club.

"Take it easy, Iris!" Maria squealed, grabbing the glass from my hand. She placed it on the table in front of us, while I continued to sway my head to the beat of the music.

"I think you've had too much already!" She continued. It was hard to hear ourselves over the music, so she had to scream.

I turned to her, my dull eyes raked over her strapless red gown.

"What?" A loud hiccup forced its way out of my throat.

"I can't hear you over all this pain I'm feeling in my chest." I continued.

I did not expect myself to burst into laughter at first, but I did.

It was amusing, the events of today that had led me to this very moment, was amusing.

I reached for my bag and started to search for my phone. When I found it, I swiped up and began my search for my fiance's…ex fiance's I*******m handle.

"What are you doing?" My second best friend, Janet, called out over my shoulder.

"What does it look like?" My fingers trembled as I typed his handle in my search bar.

"I'm texting Philip, he needs to know that…"

"Oh! Hell no!" She gripped my right shoulder and snatched the phone from my hand.

I turned sharply to her, a death glare flashed in my gaze, but Janet remained unfazed.

"We're not doing that here. We are not drunk texting shitty exes that broke up with us two weeks before our wedding. That…that is not bad bitch style!"

My shoulders slouched as I continued to stare at her.

I wasn't a bad bitch. I had never been. All my life, I had sought to do things by the book.

I never partied late, not even in college. Never skipped classes, and prioritized my career and future.

In FiveTech, the company I worked for, I was the most dedicated and committed to the course.

Not anymore!

I was showing up drunk as fuck tomorrow morning, and nothing was going to stop me!

Even in my relationship, Philip and I decided not to have sex until we were married, because it was the right thing to do.

I chuckled at the thought, it was a bitter one.

All that goodness, and he had the nerve to cheat on me with some I*******m thot, and break up with me when he was caught!

Someone, please make it make sense!

"You know what?" Maria asked aloud. She tapped my shoulder, and I turned away from Janet to her.

"How about we have fun, have more drinks, and forget all about shitty exes for tonight, huh?"

Before I could speak, Janet tapped me again, and I looked at her.

"Or, we could play a game. A naughty one. Do something like a bad bitch. Philip would grovel when he finds out what he lost."

Once again, Maria's voice echoed over mine.

"That's splendid! What should we play?" She clapped her hands and bounced her feet on the ground.

I was stuck in their middle, too far gone to understand what was truly going on.

"Dare-or-dare! You pick an option, and we dare you to do anything. If you can't, the drinks we've had, and the rest of the drinks we'll have for the rest of the month will be on you!"

Oh, hell no. I loved Maria and Janet, but they lived and breathed alcohol. I would go bankrupt if I dared to attempt such a feat.

"What do you say? It's your chance to throw caution into the wind. Fuck Philip! Fuck parents, and fuck the fucking rules!" Janet screamed, throwing her hands in the air.

I loved her so much, I could kiss every loc of the dreads on her head.

"Yes." I nodded eagerly.

I was finally going to live a little.

"Yes! Yes!" I started to scream. Janet and Maria joined in. We had one more shot of Vodka each, before Janet pointed towards the VVIP section of the bar.

"Him." She said aloud.

Maria and I followed her gaze, and caught a man seated with his legs crossed. I could barely make out any of his features in the dark room, only illuminated by disco lights, but I knew he had his hair tied into a sleek bun.

Black colored suit, and equally black undershirt. He seemed more interested in the watch on his wrist, than anything else in the room. Not even the hooker that desperately pressed her boobs to his chest.

"What about him?" Maria asked.

Janet grinned as she turned to me. I caught her with the corner of my left eye.

No.

"I dare you, Iris, to kiss the handsome stranger in the VVIP section."

To kiss what?

I parted my lips to speak, but no words could come out.

"You don't have a choice, Iris." Maria sing-sang. My heartbeat quickened in my chest.

I had never done it before. I had never kissed a man that wasn't Philip.

What was I supposed to do?

"Remember, Iris? Drinks on your credit card for the rest of the month." Janet chipped in. She dangled a bottle of Hennessy in front of me, and I suddenly realized I had walked straight into the devil's trap.

I had to kiss a stranger, or go broke.

I was definitely kissing a stranger.

"Fuck! I hate both of you!" I mumbled, rising from the sofa.

They chuckled and blew me invisible kisses.

"We love you too, girl!" I heard Janet laugh.

"Go get him, our fierce kitty cat!"

They both made mocking cat sounds and I rolled my eyes.

My knees buckled in my stiletto heels. My eyes and brain felt foggy from all the drinks, and the smell of weed I had been involuntarily inhaling, but I managed to find my way across the room, over to the VVIP section, where the specimen of my dare was seated.

The desperate hooker was gone.

Pity.

I was so close to him, before a seven feet, broad chested, and muscular man mounted himself in front of me.

From his pathetic uniform, I could tell he was a bouncer.

"State your business, miss." He growled.

"Oh, fuck you." I spat out.

"You're not the one I'm here to see. I am here…" another hiccup forced its way out of my throat. I saw the guard frown.

"I am here to see your boss." I pointed to the man behind him, and the guard turned to look at him.

That's right. I had found my chance.

Without another word, I seized the opportunity and dashed past the bodyguard.

Victorious! I was already victorious.

Well, that was until I felt my legs being lifted from the ground by the arms that seized my waist.

"Put me down!" I screamed, punching his arms, and throwing kicks at his legs.

The bouncer didn't budge.

"Fucking put me down!"

"You heard her, AJ. Put the lady down."

My eyes hoisted up to glance at the speaker.

Fuck! I was staring back at sapphire blue eyes that glittered in the dark.

My feet were gently placed on the ground. The bouncer turned his back to us, and resumed his former stance.

I was left alone, staring at the stranger.

I hated Maria and Janet so much at that moment.

"Speak."

It was an order, an order directed at me.

I scoffed. I didn't think he got it. Tonight, I wasn't letting anyone tell me what to do, especially not a jerk of a man like my stupid ex!

I mustered every bit of courage I could find within me, knowing that Janet and Maria would be watching me closely.

I settled into the sofa, barely inches away from him.

I noticed his hair was silver colored, and very long. I could tell from the full bun at the back of his head. Blue orbs danced along with mine. He was watching my every move.

What was I supposed to say? That I was here to kiss him and walk away?

No. That wouldn't work.

I forced a smile so broad my cheeks hurt.

"I saw you from the corner and thought your hair was cute." I reached to touch it, but he moved his head away from me.

The frown on his face sent my hand down to my side.

Sad. I guess he didn't want small talk after all.

My gaze dropped to his lips.

Their deep red color seemed to pull me in. The thought of kissing a man I did not know was strange, but something about his lips - perhaps their luster - made me want to kiss him.

I flickered my gaze to his blue eyes, now peering down at me.

"Alright, here goes nothing." I hissed.

With one swift move, I squeezed his right thigh and hoisted my face up to his. I did not give him any time to think or react.

My lips caught him in a frenzy, and I sealed our lips together in a deep kiss.