Chapter 2
Ascend
"So like, what are we even supposed to do at this party?" John asked, fiddling with his fingers. He lay on his bed, staring upward at the ceiling. There was a beat of silence. He looked over to his roommate and found him at his turntables with his headphones plugged in. John decided to just ask again later.
Dave however, didn't leave his turntables until it was time to leave to meet up for dinner.
Once the four had gathered and settled in, they decided it was best to compare schedules. Rose and Dave shared Gen Bio II. They both had achieved grades that allowed them to skip over the intro to Bio and Bio 1 course, but still were required to take one bio class.
All four shared an introduction to cultural studies. It was a new course being offered this year, and could be used as a replacement for basic writing one, which all four had opted to do.
"This will be great!" jade began. "We can have study sessions together!"
"Yah. It'll be like fucking Christmas."
The four laughed as the waiter brought over their meals. Once he left, three of the companions began to rapidly dig into their meals. One however, had their mind elsewhere.
Dave looked up from his dinner and saw Rose leaning back in her chair, arms folded. She seemed rather distracted by something,
"Hey, you not hungry or something?"
His question pulled her out of her stupor and she shook her head, moving to lean forward on the table. "I am rather hungry, it's just that I was thinking,"
"About?" John pressed.
"What Roxy and the others said earlier. Or rather, what they didn't say."
Jade cocked her head to the side. "I assume you're talking about the whole black house thing?"
"Yes." She folded her arms in frustration. "I just can't shake the feeling that there was much more to the story than simple tension. There is definitely more to their story. Some pressing reason why they so desperately want us to avoid the black houses."
"They were being really weird about it." John agreed.
Dave shrugged. "If it were really necessary for us to know, they'd tell us."
"Do you really believe that?"
"Yes Rose I do. " Dave quipped. "Bro would make sure I knew everything I needed to in order to make it. So apparently it isn't important that we know all the details."
Rose rolled her eyes. "Are you truly so thick – headed that you can't comprehend what is practically smacking you right in the face?"
John put his hands up, trying to soothe the growing tension. "Hey…come on now guys. Let's not fight."
Jade nodded. "It's our first night together and I'd rather not ruin it with pointless fighting."
Dave turned his attention back to his meal. "Fine. Rose, if you wanna pursue this stupid thing, be my guest. Until you're being berated by missiles or meteors or some shit, I'm staying out of it."
There was an awkward silence as Dave and Rose picked at their food while John and Jade glanced nervously between them. John attempted to break the silence.
"So this party…..uh…gunna be pretty awesome?"
"It'll probly be alright at best. They couldn't quite handle having DJ Strider behind the table, but it should still turn out ok."
Jade's eyes lit with interest. "Do you make your own beats, or just remix?"
"I do a little of both. Most of my stuff ends up under some smooth raps I scrounge up."
"And would you ever want to go professional"
"You didn't catch that earlier? I already am. DJ Strider. I don't have my own little station or anything yet, but I'm an up and coming artist."
"WOW! I'd love to hear some of your stuff! We've technically been friends for years and I haven't heard any of it."
John managed to get a word in. "I've only heard one, but it's really good!"
"It's alright I guess." Dave agreed indifferently. "Bro's stuff is better. That and smuppets are like his thing. I'm still trying to find something that says," he moved his hands as if to show his name in lights, "Dave Strider."
Jade assured him that he would surely do something uniquely him when the time came.
The rest of the meal was spent laughing over old internet jokes and discussing how they thought the year would go. Once it was time to go, John had begun to whine about it. Parties weren't his thing. Well, these kinds of parties weren't. He'd never drank a drop in his life, and he'd heard so many stories about parties gone wrong. To top it off, he hardly knew anyone there yet. When he brought this up, Rose suggested that it would be a good way to meet new people, but John wasn't so sure he'd like the people he met.
"Look, just go, spend some time, and if you don't like it, we can leave. " Dave suggested.
"Ughhh Fine." John agreed.
Jade, despite being outwardly skeptical about attending, was actually kind of excited. She had always been too focused on school to attend any parties before, and even though she was perceived as a sweet innocent girl, she was actually kind of a rebel.
They met their older companions at the entrance to the club. There was a huge sign above the glass doorway that led to the waiting room. It flashed the words "Spades Night Club", with smaller letters under it saying "Featuring The Midnight Crew." The four main houses of cards flashed next to it.
"Who's the Midnight Crew?" John asked.
"They are a local popular music group. I actually like their music." Jake answered. The quiet glance between the older kids and the slight hesitation before answering didn't go unnoticed by all.
Dave and Dirk made their way into the club, followed nervously by Jade and John. Jane and Jake walked behind them, urging them forward.
"It'll be fine. You'll enjoy yourselves!" Jane assured.
Roxy jumped up and prepared to run into the club, but Rose had other plans. She grabbed her sister's scarf, nearly chocking her.
"He…Hey! What do you think you aer* are doin little missie?"
"Of course you are intoxicated right now."
"Well yahh it isssa partayyy."
"Look, I really require your assistance right now."
"Why do you always tkl *talk with such big words? I know you can use slam..sma….slma *tiny words."
"And I know that you can understand my extensive vocabulary. I need you to tell me why we should avoid the black houses, and whatever you all know about the Midnight Crew. I know that there is more to the story than what you have already told us."
Roxy laughed and patted Rose on the back, a little too hard. Rose flinched away slightly.
"Listen girlfriend," She threw her arm around her younger sister and began to lead her into the club. "There ain't nothing goin on that you need to worry about. Just don't ask no questions and stay outta trouvle. Trouble."
Rose through her hands into the air. "I need to know how to stay out of trouble! And what kind of trouble could I possibly get into?"
Unfortunately for Rose, throwing her hands into the air meant releasing Roxy, who darted laughing into the club.
"Great." Rose muttered. She followed reluctantly into the club. The room was extremely dark. There was a bar on the far left, and far right of the room. The beginning of the room held all the tables for eating, while the furthest end had a stage and dance floor. The Stage was currently dark unoccupied except for a single DJ in the center. Dirk. Go Figure.
Strobe lights illuminated the Dance floor in a manner that was sure to cause epileptic seizures. Students thrashed around wildly. Rose surveyed the room. Dave leaned against the far wall, expressionless. Jade, Jane, and Jake were all on the dance floor. John had seated himself at a table close to the door. Rose slid in next to him.
"Not dancing? I honestly pictured you as quite the partyer."
"I am, just, I feel so out of place right now."
"Yes, I understand your sentiments. But we should still try and have a good time."
John was about to suggest getting a drink when a loud blonde crashed into the table, her now empty glass falling to the floor. "OMG. Lol."
Rose sneered in disapproval of her sister's wasted-ness.
"So. I know you have bene…ben..been" She widened her eyes. "I know you wanted to know stuff…so here you go." She slid in real close. "You see the guys over there?"
John perked up and rapidly tried to see who she could have been referring to.
"Roxy, there are a lot of guys here."
"Ughhhh" She rolled her eyes and pointed to the corner of the stage.
Hidden in the shadows were four men, each dressed in a dark suit and accompanying hat. They looked like they could be straight out of an Al Capone movie.
"That there is the Midnight Crew."
Rose looked closer at the men in question. One was a tall muscular guy with a stern face. Another was tall and lanky. He smoked a cigarette and looked rather indifferent. The third guy was a bit of a runt. He looked like a friendly guy to be truthful. He rested on a fancy cane.
It was the last man of the group that drew on rose's suspicion. He was tall and lanky as well, but there was something sinister about him. He had a nasty scar over his left eye. But it wasn't really the scar that made her uneasy. It was just him. The way he leaned against the wall, eyes narrowed. Something was up with this guy.
Jane soon came to the rescue and pulled the intoxicated blonde away from Rose and John. Once she was gone, Rose turned back to John.
"I get a very bad feeling from those guys."
John nodded in agreement. "I do too, but I dunno, Jake said that they looked pretty narly, but that was really just an act. He said that they usually do like a 1920's Chicago kind of thing. He also said that we should avoid talking to them because they can be kind of snappy and rude."
Rose sighed. Obviously her investigation wasn't going anywhere tonight.
She got up from her seat and went over to the bar, purchasing two drinks. She returned to the table and passed one to John.
"Bottoms up."
End ch. 2
So what do you think so far? Honest opinions please