Free Off Limits by Sawyer Bennett Page A

freedom to be myself. It wasn't until I came to college that I realized I was a prisoner.
    After several dances, I motion to Fil I'm going to take a break and she follows me off the floor. The rest of the group shows no signs of slowing.
    We order more drinks and chat while we watch the clubbers.
    "So, how did your job go this week?" Fil asks.
    She is the only person I told about my accident and my deal to work for Nix. But I haven't told her much about him. With two mixed drinks in my system, I feel like a Chatty Cathy all of a sudden.
    "He is about the most gorgeous man I've ever laid eyes on. But he's so distant and he seems on edge all the time. I don't know how to communicate with him."
    "Why? What's his childhood trauma?"
    I shrug my shoulders. "Hell if I know. I know he served over in Afghanistan and he doesn't want to talk about it. But he’s so intriguing that I want to know more."
    Fil twirls her fingertip around the edge of her drink glass. I notice she has on black, sparkly nail polish but it's chipping around the edges.
    "Well, who says you need to communicate. Just do your job and keep your head down."
    I take that in and then say, "I suppose."
    "Wait a minute," she exclaims. By the look on her face, I know where she's getting ready to go. "You like him, don't you?"
    "What?" I act affronted. "No. No way. He's too...too...he's not someone I'd be interested in."
    "Liar!" she yells out, pointing at me. "Liar, liar...pants on fire. I see that look in your eyes. You're smitten." She's laughing because she knows she's busted me.
    I smack her arm and she yelps. "No I'm not. And who uses the word “smitten” these days? I just find him interesting, that's all."
    "So do something about it."
    I look at her skeptically. "What do you mean?"
    "I mean, dummy, make a move on him. If you like him and you're interested, make a move."
    I just stare at her. That's preposterous. I couldn't make a move on a guy like that, much less one that radiates an arctic freeze when I'm around him.
    "I couldn't..." I say, but I'm pretty sure I want her to push me to do it.
    "Em...I love you like you're my own sister. So please believe me it is only with love and affection when I say 'get your head out of your ass'. You're always bitching and moaning that you want to be free. That you want to try new things. That you want to be adventurous. This is your chance, girl."
    Her words sort of pump me up. Although it could be the alcohol. "Really? Do you think I should?"
    "Absolutely!"
    I grin at her. Come Monday afternoon, I think I just might try a little overt flirting with the elusive Mr. Caldwell and see what comes of it.
    I slug down the last of my drink and we both hit the dance floor again.
    ***
    I'm having a blast. Fil ended up getting stinking drunk after slamming several shots and Kevin and his friends left about an hour ago to take her back to our apartment. Poor girl was practically falling out of her chair. I hope there's not going to be a pile of vomit for me to navigate when I get home.
    Tina, Tonya and I were burning up the dance floor for quite a while, and then we met some guys. They were a lot of fun and were buying us drinks, so we kept hanging out. We'd all go dance, then come back and do shots, although I stopped drinking over an hour ago so I wouldn't end up sharing the toilet with Fil.
    One guy in particular, James, keeps dancing with me. He's really cute and he's a senior at NYU. His friends have paired off with Tina and Tonya, and they're all getting drunker by the minute. I hope to God that I can get those stumbling fools home. That thought alone makes me break out into a fit of giggles. Which then makes me realize I need to pee. I motion to James and the others that I'll be back, and make my way off the dance floor.
    The bathroom line is long and I feel like I stand there forever. I'm so glad I had stopped drinking or else I'd be dying right now. It takes me a good ten minutes to make it to a free toilet, do my business