Chapter 6

When we arrived at the jazz club it was already dark outside. Terry opened the passenger door for me. When we entered the jazz club, I heard a live band performing on stage and people sitting at round tables that surrounded the stage. Then someone approached Terry hugging him, "How's it goin' Terry? Been a while since I've seen you here. How may I help you two?"

"Nice to see you, Jake. A table for me and the lady," he told this man named Jake. Jake nodded his head and walked us to one of the tables around the stage and one of the servers handed us a menu.

"I will be serving you all tonight. What drinks can I get you two starting with?" He said pulling out a notepad and a pen. Terry didn't bother to look at the menu before ordering a Daniel's Whiskey. The server quickly wrote down Terry's drink in the notepad. I ordered a Bloody Mary. He wrote down my drink as well, "Alright, I'll get you two those drinks in a moment." The server finally left leaving me and Terry alone.

"I'm guessing you come down here often, huh?" I remarked folding my hands and putting them under my chin. He chuckled, "Well, you guessed correctly, Lana."

After a moment, the server returned with our drinks, "holler at me if you two want to order anything else." We thanked him for our drinks. I held up my drink, "What should we toast to?"

Terry also raised his glass, "to bringing justice to our old friend." He clinked his glass with mine. "Cheers." Both of us took a sip of our drinks at the same time.

"You know, sometimes I hop on that stage to play the piano," Terry remarked pointing at the stage with his drink in hand. 

"Then why aren't you playing right now?" 

"Because I came here to spend time with you, Lana. The piano can wait when I have you," he told me with a plastered smile. I felt my stomach doing flips. I couldn't help but smile at his flirtatious comments. He was too fucking adorable. 

As we were observing the band with our drinks in hand, the saxophone player grabbed the mic in between one of their performances, "Now we would like to invite our dancing pairs to join the dance floor for our special song requested by this gentleman right here," the saxophone player spoke into the microphone pointing at Terry. Terry waved smiling at the audience from his seat. 

When the saxophone player put the microphone back and a singer emerged on stage, they started playing Smooth Operator by Sade. I gasped looking at Terry. "I fucking love this song, Terry." He shrugged smiling. I hopped out of my seat hugging him tightly. After I let him go, I grabbed him by his hand leading him onto the dance floor. 

When we reached the dance floor, we were surrounded by a bunch of other couples swaying gently to the music. Terry placed his hands on my waist as I wrapped my arms around his neck then we swayed to the music. I put my head under his chin closing my eyes as we swayed to the music. He would spin me now and then. 

When the music ended, we decided to start getting ready to go home. Terry paid for our drinks by leaving the cash on the table before I linked my arm through his as we walked out of the jazz club. 

When driving from the club to Terry's house the radio started playing Don't You (Forget About Me) by Simple Minds. I turned up the volume as Terry drove faster. The windows of the car were open and the cool summer breeze blew our hair gently. 

I opened the window in the ceiling of the car, and climbing out of my seat I stuck my body out of the window. I laughed and stick my arms out as the wind was blowing into my face. I felt my heart do flips, jumps, and turns. The city looked amazing at night. The bright lights flashing off the glass skyscrapers, loud music being heard from the car, and feeling boundless. 

I felt Terry's hand sneak up from my inner knees up to my inner thigh stroking my leg gently before yanking me down from the window by my dress. I yelped and sat back down in my seat. 

"Why'd you do that?" Terry didn't say anything and simply pointed at the low-clearance pole that we just passed through the interstate. I smiled. 

"Thank you," I thanked him, kissing his neck before sitting back in my seat and putting on my seatbelt. He placed his hand on my thigh as he kept his eyes on the road. 

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Flashback

It has been weeks since the last time I have seen Johny, Ponytail, and Terry. Darcy told me that she overheard the Special Forces go missing in action and that the others have been looking for them. I was worried sick. I just hoped that they were not dead. I hope they will be found and they will be fine. I can't lose them. Not now. Not ever. 

two days later...

  "Lana! Lana!" I was shaken awake by Darcy in the middle of the night. I opened my eyes looking up at her. 

"Lana! They found them!" I instantly jolted awake. Terry, Johny, and Ponytail, they were found. 

"Are they... alive?" I asked in hope. Darcy nodded with tears in her eyes. I hugged her tightly not caring whether she wanted the hug or not. I'm just glad they are alive. Darcy broke away from the hug, grabbed my hand, and led us out of my tent running towards the nursing station. I do not care if I'm not wearing the required uniform. I just want to see them. 

When we got to the nursing station, there were a bunch of soldiers on the examination beds being bandaged and taken care of. I looked around the giant tent looking for them. I spotted Johny and Terry having their arms over each other's shoulders. I ran towards them. 

"Johny! Terry!" I shouted to get their attention. They turned around to see me running towards them past all the soldiers. They smiled when they saw me. When I reached them, I hugged them tightly, crying from happiness. I let them go and looked up at them. Then the realization hit me, Ponytail wasn't with them. I looked around the tent for him. 

"Where's Ponytail?" I asked them. They didn't say anything. 

"No," my eyes started to water again. 

"He didn't make it, Lana. I'm sorry," Johny confronted me. My heart dropped. I scrunched my eyes, tears falling out. I brought my palms up and put them over my eyes sobbing. Terry wrapped his arms around me and took me in for a hug. I continued sobbing in his chest. I took stifled breaths trying to calm my sobbing down. 

end of flashback

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I woke up with a wet face. I must've cried in my sleep. I felt thirsty. I reached for my glass of water on my nightstand, but when I tried to drink from it there was no water in it. I let out an annoyed sigh before heading downstairs to the kitchen to get water. 

I got my water and was on my way to my bedroom when I saw Terry standing on the balcony with a cigar in hand while the light eliminating from the moon in front of him. I approached him. When he heard my footsteps he turned around. 

"Can't sleep as well?" he asked looking down at the beach from the balcony. 

"No. I was just getting water," I told him raising my glass full of water. He nodded still looking down. 

"I had a nightmare," Terry blurted out quietly. I walked closer to him. I leaned onto the railing of the balcony. 

"Do you, uh, want to talk to talk about it?" 

"We were on a date. Then I got up to get something, but when I turned around one of the enemies who killed Ponytail was standing behind you. I watched him as he pulled out a gun and..." he trailed off not finishing his sentence. 

"...shot me," I finished his sentence. Terry turned his gaze to me. The moonlight eliminated his blue eyes. 

"Yes," he said. I put my hand on his bicep, "It was just a nightmare, Terry. I don't see you losing me anytime soon," I perked up. He smiled warmly. He put his hand over mine and pulled me into an embrace. I buried my face into his chest taking in his scent, wishing we could stay like this forever. I know at some point, I must tell him that my feelings for him are strong, and that moments like these make them stronger, but I don't want to ruin what we currently have. I like us. I wish we could us forever, and I'm afraid if I ever tell him about my feelings he will push me away. 

I pulled my head away from his chest looking up at him. He looked down at me as well while holding my waist. His eyes looking into mine. He slowly leaned down planting his lips delicately on mine. He moved his hands from my waist to my face. He pulled his lips away from mine having his face close to mine, "I would much rather go through a thousand wars than lose you, Lana."