"Come on man, I hate Disco. This isn't cool. No. Really, man? You really gonna drag me in here?" Poe Dameron struggled against his friend Finn who had his hand securely around his upper arm.
"We get swamped every place we go. Disco nuts ain't never gonna care who you are, man. Come on. The girls in here are stone cold foxes." Poe rolled his eyes. If there was ever an argument to persuade him, it was foxy ladies. But Disco wasn't cool! He was a rock star! He was blowing it up on the stage every night, not boogie-woogieing. If Finn had been anyone else, this would never have happened. But Poe was fond of him. They were best friends, so in they plunged, to a darkly lit room, blasting out ABBA. Finn had said they wouldn't get swamped here. Poe loved the admiration and screaming girls a little, he wouldn't lie. He saw a couple of people looking over at the pair of them and whispering behind their hands. That hadn't happened since they were just starting to gain fame. They may have just been staring at the pair of them, because they were attractive. Poe had a mess of dark curls, under which stared dark eyes. He was a blue jeans, white wife-beater, leather jacket kind of guy. And of course the very comfy, very expensive black Converse. His look was iconic. Finn was alright too, he guessed. Afro and a dark purple shirt. His jeans were scandalously tight on him. This was the 70s. And Poe and Finn were young, famous, and just about rich.
The crowd was dancing and laughing, having a good time. A few joints were being passed around, and people seemed all the merrier. Finn hadn't lied about the women. They were something out of this world. Maybe Poe might have a good time yet. But the rest of the band were probably out being swarmed. He honestly didn't know which he'd prefer. They had been in the door, surveying to packed scene for less than fifteen minutes, when a small, well-built girl with voluminous brown hair ran straight to Finn and jumped on him. Finally thought Poe. The girls were recognising them. Finn lifted the girl up and spun her around, gazing up at her.
"Rey, baby! Girl, it's good to see you." Poe gave Finn a filthy look. Had he dragged him to a goddam DiscoTech to hang out with his girlfriend? Was Poe to be a third wheel? That wasn't cool. That was not his jibe. He looked at the pair of them. A black man and a white girl in 70s America? He couldn't stay mad at Finn then. It wasn't exactly the most accepting society. They would be relatively free of stigma in a DiscoTech. It was a bit of a queer scene too, and sure enough he saw a beautiful pair of boys very close in the corner. On principal, he didn't like Disco music, as he was pure rock n' roll. But he liked the inclusion. He liked that the Disco scene cared that little bit less about social conventions.
"Babygirl, this is Poe Dameron."
"Well hey there, Babygirl." Poe said sarcastically. Rey looked at Poe and her eyes went wide. Was Finn's girl a fan?
"Oh my god! Poe Dameron? The guy from the band? I LOVE YOU!" Poe looked over at Finn. They shared a significant look.
"Did Finn not tell you? He's the best damn guitarist around. Well. After me, of course." Rey turned to stare at Finn open mouthed.
"YOU'RE ONE OF THE X-WINGS?! I just been listening to you guys on the records! I'm dating a guy from a rock band. I think I'm gonna pass out." Finn laughed a little. Poe understood why he hadn't told her. She wouldn't have believed him. The band was Dameron and the X-Wings, after all. Having Poe Dameron tell her left little room for doubt.
"Rey here is an activist. She's campaigning against that crazy Robert Grant guy. You know that anti-gay rights fella? She's been arrested a few times too." Finn said, glowing with pride. Poe respected that. At first she'd come across as a bit of a ditz, but she was a smart girl if she knew that Grant guy was crazy. And she was brave.
"I just work in a shop. I gotta get money somewhere. Chop shop, behind the scenes. Boss doesn't want anyone to know a woman's a better mechanic than him." Rey shrugged, then smiled at Poe. And she was a mechanic. Christ. Finn had done well for himself. "You here with anyone Poe, or are you window shopping?" He grinned at her.
"I hate Disco. I just came because your man dragged me here." Rey was about to argue back at him when the crowd started to push outwards, clearing a large space on the dance floor.
"You're gonna love this then, Poe. This is as Disco as it gets." Rey said, with a cheeky smile. The lights went darker, and the disco ball cast glittering light all over the dancefloor. Boney M's Daddy Cool blasted out, and about five girls erupted into the large circle on rollerskates. This was silly. Poe wanted out. They were all choreographed together, setting up the dance. Then a sixth girl broke into the circle. Long ash-blonde hair and a perfect face with lips he couldn't stop staring at. And those hips… She was by far the best dancer out of them all.
"I don't know what I was saying. I love Disco."
"Thought she'd change your mind. That's the Dancing Queen, Dara Solo. Best dancer I've ever seen." Poe couldn't take his eyes off her. Her moves were mesmerising, even if they were Disco. And she could sure get around on those rollerskates. She glittered and shone, and Poe had to meet her.
"Rey, tell me you're best friends with that girl." Finn laughed and clapped his hands.
"Damn, I haven't never seen him hung up so quickly."
"Yeah I know her. We're protest together. She's let me stay a couple times at her house. Her mom's leading the protests, even though she's some rich politician. Real philanthropic. Works at soup kitchens." Poe couldn't deal with this. She sounded too perfect to be true. He had to get this girl out on a date.
"So you'll introduce me?" Rey chuckled, then clapped when the girls did a particularly impressive move.
"Yeah sure." Poe ran his fingers through his hair. Finn put a hand on his shoulder and bent down to talk into Poe's ear.
"Five bucks says she hates rock and snubs you." Poe made a rude gesture at Finn, making him laugh yet again. The song ended and everyone applauded.
The theme song from Shaft blasted out, as the girls dispersed, but Rey managed to catch Dara Solo's eye by waving at her. She skated her way over to the small group and hugged Rey.
"Dara, this is that boy I been telling you bout. This is Finn." Dara greeted Finn warmly with a handshake and a smile.
"She's told me so much about you. It's great to finally meet you." Poe could see that Finn appreciated the warm greeting. It was a hard world to live in for a black man.
"Finn is in a band with his friend Poe. This is Poe Dameron." Dara turned her hazel eyes onto Poe and he felt himself melt as she towered over him. She offered him a hand and he took it with a smile.
"Hi." He mentally kicked himself. That was not a great first impression to leave.
"Wait… You're that rockstar aren't you?" Things were looking up. He puffed up his chest a little.
"Yeah. That's me." She took back her hand.
"I hate rock." She had a face on her like she had just smelled something bad. Poe felt crushed. And he had just lost five bucks to Finn. "Come on Rey. We need to get down." Dara grabbed Rey's hand. "It was lovely to meet you Finn! Poe." She said his name dismissively. He was gutted.
"Cough up, brother." Poe rummaged in his pocket and pulled out a crumpled five dollar bill.
"You have no heart." he said bitterly, as Finn laughed yet again.