Chapter Eight: Feeling Neon

Jinx stopped running, bringing Kid flash and herself to a sudden halt. She dropped his hand. Kid Flash looked at her with question lingering in his eyes. "What?"

"You're taking me to a night club?" Jinx rubbed her arms again, nervous. Her pink eyes shifted away from his. "I don't know if that's a good idea."

Kid Flash laughed. "Why not? It's fun." He stepped closer. "Come on, Jinx. You'll like it."

Jinx shook her head. "I'm really not good around crowds. You should know that. I'm not social." Her eyebrows raised, her fists met her hips.

Kid Flash frowned, and ran his hand through his hair, thinking. "Well… I can take you home if you want."

Jinx could see how much he wanted her to go in the club with him, talk to him, dance with him, just plain spend time with him. She dropped her arms. "No, no… it's alright. I mean, I didn't get pretty for nothing."

Kid Flash bounced back, energetic again. "Great! Come on." He grabbed her hand again, leading her towards the door. But he stopped her for a minute.

"You should probably know that people call me Wally when I'm not all heroed up. It's my real name." He grinned sheepishly.

Jinx nodded. "Alright. I told Chelsea my name is Jade."

Kid Flash grinned again. "Okay."

They again approached the door. Two strong men stood at the entrance to the club, blocking the entrance. A smaller man, in a business suit, stood by them, approving people to enter or not. Kid Flash… Wally… approached him, and then pulled Jinx closer when the man turned.

"Hey!"

The man grinned. "Wally, my man."

Kid Flash slung one arm around Jinx's waist; shooting her a look that said, sorry, play along. Jinx replied by leaning her head onto his shoulder. The man observed the pair.

"I haven't had the chance to introduce myself to your date, Wally." The man laughed, bowing slightly. "My name is Logan. It's nice to meet you…?"

Jinx played up her role, smiling slightly. "People call me Jade. You can too, if you like."

Kid Flash grinned down at her. The man nodded. "Have a nice time, Jade. Wally."

He stepped aside, as did the guards, revealing the entrance. Kid Flash led Jinx in, his arm still encircled around her waist. She stepped away when out of sight of Logan. Kid Flash turned to her, excited. "That was great."

Jinx shrugged. Kid Flash led her down a hallway that glowed with neon lights. Music blared at them from behind glass doors. Kid Flash placed one hand on the silver handle with a flourish. "Welcome to Neon."

He opened the door.

And a whole new world poured out.

The music was intoxicating. Jinx could almost see the music as people danced, their bodies moving and swaying to the rhythm. She could smell the sweat, but she could smell the heat of the dance too. Jinx shrank back, a little afraid.

Kid Flash led her in. He immediately went to a table, one that was higher up then normal, the chair legs long and narrow. He sat, beckoning Jinx to do so also.

Jinx did. "Now what?" she shouted above the music.

Kid Flash laughed. "We wait for a good song! Do you want anything to drink?"

Jinx shook her head, no. Kid Flash leaned back in his chair, swinging one arm over the back lazily. His eyes swept over the scene, observing the mass of dancing people.

This gave Jinx time to think. She watched the writhing mass of bodies warily. She had never been in such a public place… and the music, so loud in her ears. This was definitely going to be a strange experience.

Jinx observed her surroundings quietly. Strobe lights blinked on and off, giving an eerie look to the people. Their bodies lit up and darkened strangely, always appearing in new positions. Fog made from dry ice was scattered haphazardly throughout the whole place, seeping around lightly. Paint glared rudely from the walls, turned neon by black lights. The whole crowd had the same effects. White shone in the dark like flashlights. Jinx could only wonder what her hair and eyes would look like under the light. Stairs led up from the dance floor to a sort of porch area, where numerous tables were placed. Couples dotted the area, and a bar was filled in the back.

Jinx placed an elbow on the table, her hand supported her head. Her ears thrummed with the music. She closed her eyes against the strobe lights, but they still glared on under her eyelids.

The music died down suddenly, and Jinx opened her eyes. People stood, chatting on the dance floor. No outcries were heard, so Jinx supposed this was normal. Jinx turned to a light brush of a hand on her arm. Kid Flash was looking at her, hopeful. "You wanna go down?"

Jinx looked down at the floor again, thinking. She had never really danced before. She looked guiltily to Kid Flash. "I don't know how to dance!"

Kid flash laughed, his voice loud. "Don't worry about it. I'll teach you." He took a hold of her hand, yanking her off the chair. If she had been wearing heels, she would have toppled for sure. Kid Flash led her out, wading his way into the middle of the mix.

They were pressed in at all sides, and Jinx started getting nervous. She looked down at her feet, uncomfortable. Noticing her hair, she pulled it in front of her eyes, examining how… neon it looked. Bright, it shone like a beacon in the mess of people. Jinx could only imagine that her eyes were doing the same.

Then the beat started up again.

There were a few screams of approval, and then all fell silent as the music grew. The whole mass of bodies started swaying, getting into the rythym. Kid Flash started moving too.

He rocked back and forth, blending in with the crowd. Jinx stood motionless, feeling embarrassed. She didn't know what to do.

Kid Flash eyed her slightly, urging her to dance. The beat quickened, and then all of hell broke loose as girls and guys alike worked through the music, sweating in the heat.

Jinx rocked her hips back and forth, and then stopped, unsure. Kid Flash grabbed her hand and pulled her closer. He leaned forward into her ear, so that she could hear him above the music. "Calm down. Feel the music? Good. Now, just let it take over."

Jinx stood stock still, unwilling to let anything take over her. Kid Flash turned her around, and then tugged her into him. She pulled back, unsure. He whispered into her ear again. "Calm down, I'm not doing anything. I'm dancing with you."

Jinx let him lead.

She closed her eyes, felt his hands intertwine with her own. Jinx panicked, her mind talking frantically, but it could not be heard above the music. Kid Flash leaned forward, his chest meeting Jinx's back. Jinx opened her eyes and her gaze was immediately met by that of a young man, a few feet away. He glanced away, and then moved his eyes back, grinning confidently. Jinx glared.

She almost laughed inside her head as she felt her eyes glow. The stranger's boyish smile almost immediately faded, and he turned pale. Jinx smiled wickedly. She laughed as he hurriedly rose from his seat, knocking the chair over before scurrying away.

Apparently, Kid Flash had taken her laugh as a sign of encouragement, and he began to swing her hips from side to side slightly. Jinx could almost feel his grin burning into the back of her head. Jinx smiled, finally realizing what she was so afraid of. She had never really had fun. And Flash was just trying to introduce her to that, finally. She began to clumsily dance along.

The music was invigorating, and she caught some of the words above the loud bass. "Momma you may be 3 years older but you hot, gimme that. You be talking like you like what I got, gimme that. I know you like it how I lean in the 'lac. You could be in the back saying, 'Gimme, gimme, gimme." This seemed to be a very popular song, because there were more people on the floor then had been earlier.

Jinx, for the next little while, observed the people around her, and how they danced. While some was totally unexplainable, and not to be messed with, Jinx decided that others could classify as what people called fun.

As the night wore on, slowly yet surely, Jinx and Kid Flash spent their time together without many words. An hour passed on the dance floor, and Jinx was worn out. She stopped along with the song, tired of bending and twisting in the radical way that was considered the norm. Dancing was too different for her to go at it all night. Leaning towards Kid Flash, she shouted over the multitude of voices, "I'm tired! Lets take a break."

Kid Flash nodded in agreement, then pried apart the crowd, leading a path out of the floor. Jinx followed behind, her eyes glowing bright. This time they had difficulty finding a table. The club was as packed tighter than before. A giant clock with glowing numbers gleamed in the darkness above the bar, giving the time. Jinx took a glimpse at it, discovering that it was later than she had though. She blinked, tired.

Kid Flash led her to the bar, and Jinx plopped into one of the seats, spinning slightly. Another swivel chair. She smiled.

It was quieter here, and Kid Flash could talk normally. "What do you want?"

Jinx saw no menu. She shot him a puzzled glance.

He caught her stare, noticing that of course she wouldn't know. "Ah, I'll get you something."

"Alright."

Just then a hand knocked into Jinx's elbow, sending shoulder into Kid Flash as she lost her balance. With a growl she spun around, eyeing the perpetrator.

It was the same boy as before, on the floor.

He grinned cockily, his brown hair flipping down into his eyes. "Hey." He shot her a dazzling smile. "Why don't you go dance with me?"

Jinx curled her lip, rolling her eyes. "How about not?"

His smile faltered for a minute, then shot back again, drenching Jinx in an unnatural shine. "Oh come on, baby."

Jinx could almost feel Kid Flash stand up. "She said she doesn't want to."

The boy glared at Kid Flash, a look that told him to get lost and stay lost. He also stood straighter, moving from his lazy lean to a stiff posture. "I don't think she asked you to tell me."

Jinx could hear Kid Flash's voice, then felt him brush against her and he moved around to stand defensively in front. "Hey, buddy, we don't want a fight, do we? I suggest you move out before you make one." Jinx could tell Kid Flash was trying to reason, but she said nothing. Inside, though she fumed silently.

I can take care of myself, Wally. She glared at his back, crossed her arms in defiance. I don't need you to protect me. I'm not your damsel in distress over here. She tapped one foot against the little metal ring around the bottom of the chair, frowning.

The young man spoke again. "Let her choose, tough guy."

And Kid Flash stepped out of the way, one hand out as if gesturing the boy towards Jinx. "My pleasure." He glanced to Jinx, a knowing gleam in his eye.

Jinx almost gaped at him. She could read what he was thinking. He was letting her fight her own battles. She blinked.

The teenager stepped forward. "Come on. Dance with me." His eyes were forceful.

Jinx stood, a plan forming in her mind quickly. She looked him up and down, and then walked a circle around him, ignoring Kid Flash's questioning face and the boy's confused looks. Her observation complete, she sat back down. "No. No thank you."

The young man looked as if he was going to smack her. "What?"

Jinx spun her chair back towards the bar, observing the scene. "No, thank you."

Kid Flash let out a chuckle.

And that was when it happened.

Jinx saw it almost in slow motion, and noticed when the young man turned, his shoulder blade facing her now. She could see the muscle bend under his dark shirt as his arm pulled back, a fist tightening just beyond.

Jinx spun, stood, jumping forward. Kid Flash had already moved back, his senses as reflexive as hers, but it was too late. Her eyes burned, and her hands spread wide apart, fingers spaced evenly. The pink lightning shot out, hitting the young man square in the chest.

The teenager's eyes lit up in the light from her hands, and his mouth rounded into a surprised 'o' shape. Jinx could hear him scream. He was thrown against the bar with an uncanny force, his chest crackling before fading back again.

His eyes closed.

Jinx felt Kid Flash's arms around her, and the pull of moving faster than fast before she could blink.

They were moving at the speed of light, if not faster. Away, away, away.

Away…

A/N: sorry this one took long. My laptop died (with everything on it) and I couldn't get it repaired for about three weeks… luckily all my files survived, so I'm all right there. And then it was hard for me to write this, except for the ending. I don't know. I was lazy too, and I was putting it off and giving myself excuses. I'll try to get another chapter up by, at THE MOST, next week Wednesday. Thank you for being so dang patient!

My heart goes out to all of you, because I'm again too lazy to write down names!

Thanks again!

Saphiraemrys