>Sam's night<

I was just coming out of the toilet because the two beers I'd had were starting to take their toll and looked around for Penny. I briefly apologized while she was talking to her sister and two old friends on the corner. Now she was gone.

I strolled through the crowd of unfamiliar faces and looked around for the one that was the only one I wanted to look at day and night. Arriving at the corner of the house, I was about to go back when I saw a familiar figure in the garden. But she wasn't alone and I watched her with mixed feelings for a moment when she smiled at something Alex said and looked down a little embarrassed before she replied and finally turned away from him with a curt greeting.

I quickly turned away so she wouldn't notice I was watching her and found myself face to face with Eira coming towards me smiling.

"Sam. So alone? Where's Penny?"

"I'm here. Just had to stretch my legs a bit," she replied the moment she came to my side and linked my arm again. She didn't say anything about Alex, who walked past us a moment later and nodded at me with a grin. Penny's gesture calmed me down a bit, but a sinking feeling remained in my stomach. Could I ask her later what Alex wanted from her or would that be too intrusive?

"What do you think about that, Sam?" Gavin snapped me out of my thoughts and I looked at him questioningly. Everyone smiled in amusement when they realized I hadn't been paying much attention. "That Penny is ready." I looked questioningly at Penny, who just looked away, embarrassed and blushing.

"Ready for what?"

"For marriage, for starting a family. Have you been dreaming, Sam?!" Owen explained to me, amused.

"Oh, must be the german beer. Sorry. That's getting on my head," I replied embarrassed, hoping they would forget the previous topic, which not only embarrassed Penny, considering that we weren't really together.

"So, what are you planning to do about it? You're both not getting any younger," Eira whispered curiously and I looked at Penny for help. I knew no matter what I said, it could be wrong - for our game or even a future together.

"So folks, from now on the bride and groom are going their separate ways. The men please join the best man and the women please join me, the maid of honor!" Melinda euphorically called to the crowd from up the stairs with the supposed best man in tow and saved me having to give an answer. It was so typical of her that she presented herself in this way. She hadn't changed a bit. She'd only ever wanted the spot that would get her the most attention. I hadn't been that long in the academy. Now I was a little jittery about whether my supposed fame would appeal to her.

"Well, I'm too old for that. We're going back to the hotel. Good night, kids. Have fun!", Eira said goodbye to us with a quick hug and Owen did the same with Penny before shaking my hand.

"I'll also go back to the hotel. Since I don't really know anyone here, I'll feel more comfortable there with the television, especially since I'm not a big party person," I now turned to Penny. I didn't feel like partying with complete strangers, but especially not without Penny. But I didn't reckon with the groom and Gavin, who just walked past us.

"Oh no, forget it, Sam. Today we're not waiting longingly for the loved one, we're celebrating!" exclaimed Roger happily, who obviously had had more than just two beers. Would he still be able to stand independently in front of the altar tomorrow if he still had a few hours of partying to do?

Before I even had a chance to reply, the two of them linked my left and right arms and pulled me with them.

A few meters later, when I turned to have another look at Penny, I could see a group of women walking in the other direction away from the house, Susie holding Penny in her arm. 

Well, at least she wouldn't be bored...or at least she wouldn't be sitting alone in the hotel room. But since Penny knew most of her companions, unlike me, I certainly didn't have to worry that she couldn't find anyone to talk to.

To my horror, the best man actually dragged us to a strip bar for the bachelor party. I groaned in annoyance, as did Gavin, and was momentarily happy to have found a like-minded person.

"If only I had gone with the girls, at least I would have had something to watch too!" Gavin then sighed as we walked into the bar and saw three very well built and even better endowed women on a stage, almost naked dancing on poles.

"What do you mean by that, Gavin?" I asked him innocently as we followed the others and sat down at a table right by the stage.

"Melinda told me that she has arranged a sex toy night for tonight and will have a stripper come to finish."

"What? A man?" I asked him in shock.

"That's what a stripper means. What else?"

"Does your sister like this?"

"Arwen sure. Penny? I think she'll watching this, but she'll be way too stubborn to enjoy it. She's really too shy for that. I'd have a lot more fun with it."

Now it was slowly dawning on me that Gavin was interested in men.

"Why am I more worried that our Sami is more worried about the stripper than these sex toys? Don't you bring it up in bed that it's normal for you to have to use something like that?" Alex interjected with a grin , who was handing me a beer from the tablet that the scantily clad waitress had brought.

"None has yet...I mean, Penny hasn't complained yet!" I quickly corrected my blunder I almost made in my rising anger at his tactless question.

"Well, it can be. The bigger the hero, the smaller is...you know!" He winked at me with a grin before taking a deep sip and I sensed that this was nothing like the teasing of a drunk idiot. That went much deeper. "I once had something with Penny, but unfortunately she never let me get a chance. But what is not, can still be. How is she? In bed, I mean."

"None of your business, Alex," I growled and took a deep gulp of the beer as well, which meant that my glass was more than half empty when I set it down again. While I was surprised to hear that Penny had dated him, I was even more upset by the fact that Alex seemed so confident of getting to know a more intimate side of Penny someday. I just had to try hard not to smack his insolence out of his face.

The whole table around us cheered and whistled appreciatively, drawing our attention to the stage, where a dancer had just removed her bra and only two small, round band-aids covered her bust. Holy Saint Florian, where did I get myself into this?!

I cocked my head as I saw the women squirm around the poles and one even hung upside down from it, held on only by the strength in her thighs. I had to admit that while the women didn't stimulate me in any way that made me want to howl, cheer, and put money in their bra or tight panties like everyone else around me, there was something erotic about them to see them dancing like that. My thoughts wandered to Penny and I wondered involuntarily if she could do that too.

I blushed violently and looked down in shock as I realized what I was thinking. I would certainly never be able to stop thinking about it when she slid down the pole into the hall. I had to do something about it, so I quickly drained my beer and grabbed another, which I also took a deep sip of. I hoped the fog the alcohol created in my head would drive those thoughts away from me. Penny was a wonderful woman. How could I associate such thoughts with her?

"Penny is so hot. I totally understand you caught her. When you get tired of her, you'll send her over to me, will you?" Alex didn't give up when, to everyone's displeasure, the dancer didn't drop anything more from her clothes and left the stage to make room for a new one in a tight cowboy dress.

"I would be very grateful if you would stop talking about her like that! Penny is a wonderful woman with many talents and even more courage. She is not an object to satisfy your desire for her!", I immediately clarified . I've had enough with him and that he, or the bar, or the beer - whatever - put such thoughts in my head as well. Most of them were my age, had girlfriends or even wives. How could they be acting so childish when they saw some jiggling hips and bobbing boobs?! I would certainly never understand that. I guess I was too stubborn and boring for that.

"Man, she totally got you, huh?" Alex laughed and slapped my shoulder so hard I had to be careful not to spill my beer. "How long have you guys been making out for now?" he asked and I saw Gavin on my other side turn to us curiously to overhear our conversation.

"We've known each other for 5 years, we've only been together for... not that long," I just mumbled. I had no idea what Penny would say if asked the same thing. We wanted our stories to coincide as much as possible, otherwise it would all come out when the people we'd talked to shared the stories behind our backs. On the way here, we obviously forgot to clarify essential background questions.

"Ah, that's why," Alex waved him off, as if everything was clear to him.

"What does that mean?" I replied skeptically.

"Come on. Everyone knows that a relationship is exciting and beautiful at the beginning. But over time passing you always run out of breath. That's why I never let myself be with the same woman for too long. That way it stays exciting in their memories and there's nothing wrong with reviving it later."

God, how I detested such macho's. Unfortunately, I also knew that there were women with this attitude. Still, I had to keep him away from Penny and that would probably be most effective if I told the truth: "We absolutely don't! I've known for years that she is the woman of my dreams and that will never change! Every Day with her is a gift and an adventure. There can be nothing better than that."

"Wow. Sounds like you're really serious, Sam?" Gavin interjected, stunned, and I heard a small voice whisper somewhere in the back of my mind, telling me to just nod in reply. My tongue, which felt heavy thanks to the alcohol, would certainly have liked that too. But my pride and jealousy roared at me to make it clear to this Alex once and for all what my intentions were.

"I'll only be really happy when she wears my ring on her finger. No more and no less!" I answered and banged my fist on the table. I was so euphoric that I would have asked Penny right here if she had been with me at the moment.

"Wow, that's what I call an announcement!" Roger exclaimed appreciatively and raised his glass. "A toast to Sam. May he be the next of us to lead the woman of his dreams down the aisle!"

Everyone followed his call and agreed, even Alex raised his glass - albeit silently - and we drank together, while I breathed a sigh of relief that the topic was off the table for now.

An hour and another 4 beers and what felt like 20 toasts - at least 15 of which were for the dancers - later, I decided after looking at the clock that it was time to go back to the hotel. It was already half past ten in the night and it would be almost midnight by the time I got there - especially considering the fact that I certainly couldn't walk very straight anymore.

I went to the toilet one more time before making my way back, accompanied by three of Roger's friends whose names I had already forgotten. They sang old party songs into the night while I had my hands deep in my pockets and concentrated on not colliding with the streetlights as often as they did - it didn't always work out.

Two of the men lived in Cardiff while the third said goodbye to me in the foyer, preferring the stairs. In contrast to us, the lucky one got hold of a room on the first floor. Our room was on the 5th and I really didn't feel like climbing stairs tonight, no matter how much healthier it was compared to taking the elevator.

I leaned heavily against the wall and rubbed my eyes as I was finally able to enter the elevator. The alcohol showed its effect and everything started to spin slightly. I was glad if I could just lie in bed and wait for Penny. But she was probably already in the room. I absolutely couldn't imagine her staying up half or maybe even all of the night.

"Oh, Sami baby, how nice to see you here!"

My eyes shot up when I heard that voice. 

"Melinda? What are you doing here?"

"I work at this hotel and I have a room here for the wedding," she stated, as if it made the most sense in the world. I vaguely remembered that she had lived in a suburb of Cardiff at the time. Surely it was too far for her to drive home at night, which would have kept her from celebrating as well. She had always enjoyed lavish parties with lots of alcohol. I didn't answer, just looked longingly at the elevator display when it finally started to move."So, you and my cousin already live together?"

"Didn't you take time off for the wedding or are you spying on us?"

"I'm just a curious person by nature."

"Oh yes. Curious about everything new, especially each one that has more to offer than the last one!"

"OMG Sami baby! Haven't you gotten over the fact that I broke up?" she replied with a smirk in a teasing tone that I didn't like about her at all.

"You jumped into bed with someone else. That's called cheating where I come from, not breaking up. That was the only thing that hurt me at the time. I realized it was better to go our separate ways," I just replied and exhaled unobtrusively as the elevator stopped and the doors opened.

I was more than over her, but I had this stubborn quirk that I would never forgive anyone who had cheated on me even once. I could have lived with her presence and ignored her if she wasn't so intrusive and I always feared she would doing something I would definitely regret later.

I was past the first two rooms down the hall when she swept past me and blocked my path so suddenly that I stopped abruptly. There was that lewd smile again that I knew so well from my past. Every time she'd noticed I wasn't in a good mood or questioned our relationship because of her flirting with other guys, she'd used her body to soften me up. I was only 18 once. Was that excuse enough for being so weak?

"Don't you think our paths crossed again here for a reason, Sami baby?" she asked me and ran two fingers along the collar of my shirt - of course on the inside so that they touched my skin. It left me cold and I flinched indifferently and enough that she let go of me.

"We're only here because you and my girlfriend are related to the bride. Nothing more and nothing less," I replied and tried to get past her, but she successfully blocked my way. I sighed annoyed. The alcohol had a rather negative effect on my situation, because I was getting more and more tired and just wanted to go to bed."Melinda, I would be very grateful if you would let me pass. Penny will be waiting for me. I... "

"Oh come on, Sami. You never used to let anything burn," she whispered and pressed against me.

"I still don't, in a literal sense, but in that case I only belong to one!" I clarified as I backed away and shoved her hands away, which she was just sliding down my hips.

"But I don't see a ring on your finger!" she objected with a grin as she took my hands in hers to examine them. I immediately pulled out of her grasp.

"It has nothing to do with a ring. I would never hurt Penny like that. I..." She laughed softly and put her hand on my shoulder as she pressed herself even closer to me. I didn't even know where to go anymore. I already had my back against the wall and no matter which side I tried to break away to, she seemed to know my thoughts beforehand and blocked me.

"No one would have believed me if I told someone my little cousin would get you. You deserve a lot more than that boring wallflower." Her voice was so lascivious that I almost felt sick. Her derogatory manner towards other women hadn't changed. She hadn't changed. But even worse was the way she talked about her cousin.

"Penny is anything but boring and certainly not a wallflower. She's the love of my life and I won't have you talking bad about her," I replied angrily, grabbing her wrists before she could push her hands further into my neck.

She rolled her eyes in annoyance. "Whatever. But that doesn't mean we can't have fun together again." She pressed herself against me and it became increasingly uncomfortable.

"Certainly not! I won't..." The ping of the elevator caught my attention enough to distract me from Melinda's advances. I caught a glimpse of Penny before my face jerked around and just a moment later Melinda's lips were on mine.

My eyes widened in shock as I grabbed her upper arms to push her away from me. However, the woman was worse than a burdock. She literally stuck to me and I couldn't help but wonder why I couldn't get over this petite person.

Penny's footsteps, rushing past us, rang loudly in my ears as if to remind me that something was terribly wrong here.

I pushed Melinda away from me one last time and finally managed to get her to pull away from me. I looked down the hall and spotted Penny fiddling with her key card on our bedroom door. I followed her as soon as she slipped inside.

"Pen. Wait. Please. It's not like it..." With a loud bang, the door closed right in front of my face. "Seems," I finished with a sigh, letting my forehead fall against the door panel. How am I supposed to get out of there?

To be continued...