When we pull up I feel okay despite the concoction shots Kate made. There are so many people on line and two huge bouncers at the door. The small computer screen in the back of the limo where we are seated reads 10:55 pm. The entrance is full of students from our school and residents from Seattle. Hurriedly we all get out anxious to get our party on. 'Okay Ana, you're a big girl now, so act like it, at least for your friends.' I start to get into the back of the line, but Jose grabs me by the elbow and brings me to the front by the bouncers.
"Rodriguez." He says and the bald vinn disel bouncer glances at the list while the other one takes turns looking between me and Kate as if he wants to cook us. I feel the warmth in my cheek again spreading too quickly.
"Head in with your guest sir." I hear some people in the line groaning with annoyance. A tall skinny redhead greets us in the foyer, beyond her I can see the colorful strobe lights going and the music pumping to Reggae.
"Great evening…" she purrs "Welcome to Fantasia, he have three floors plus the balcony on top if you need to go out for a smoke or to get a breather." 'What a contradiction' "This floor as you can see behind me plays Reggae and Carrabin music, the one below us is house music, and the third is R&B and Hip-Hop. We are stock with bars on each floor and coat check is on the balcony. Where would your VIP section?"
"This floor is fine, Kate says with Jose's approval nod."
"Right this way…" She presses her earpiece and starts "Rodguize party of three would like to be on the second floor" she leads us to a very comfy Red booth and takes out a small note pad. "Can I get you anything other than the complementary VIP bottle?"
"Yeah let's start with three mojitos along with a pitcher of water." Jose orders. She smiles and heads for the bar. "This is so DOPE!" Jose shouts over the music. Kate grins agrees with him. I scan the dance floor and see everyone having a great time, no one is caring about what people think or how they look at them they are all just dancing close to each other under the hot colored strobe lights. It kinds of makes me want to get up and grove, but I think I am still on the fence. A moment later our drinks are at our table delivered by some hot guy with his shirt off.
"Oh, nice dress code." Kate leans into his ear and places a twenty in his waist band of his jeans. I smile and do my best to chug my mojito as fast as I could. I need to be as blasted as these folks, as my friends also plan to be. Jose joins me in a chug and we finish almost at the same time.
"Whoa Ana, slow down! I don't want you saying you want to leave early." Jose looks over at me amused.
"I'm fine! I promise." I am really, to be honest I do not feel the slight bit buzzed…has my tolerance gone up? The redhead passed by with some nachos and cheese dip, I start to nipple on a few while I watch the rest of the people on the dance floor.
"OH SHIT! This is my song!" Jose and Kate exclaim together. Kate hurries to the dance floor ahead of us and Jose takes my hand.
"Whoa!" I say as I try to catch my balance while in these heels. We head for the middle of the dance floor a bachata song is blaring through the speakers. Jose takes my waist and we start to dance, thank god for our session of him teaching me how to dance to this music before we went to Dominican Republic last year for spring break.
"No Ana, you don't move your shoulders…it's all in the hips." He breaks apart from me and demonstrates. I stand arms folded watching him in the upmost grace of his movement. He come back and places his hand in mine and his other lightly barely touching my waist. "Besides, don't worry on what to do next, the man always leads…" We dance around in circles in the living room until my movements were perfected. It was pretty simple since the basics were only two steps. "See Amore, you're a Pro now." He was very proud of that moment.
Determine to so show him I was a good student I took lead. I was surprised but mostly pleased; before the song ended we had a small crowd watching us. To the right of us I could see Kate dancing with a hot Adonis. Blonde short cut towering over her. The song ends and we rewarded with a huge round of a plaus from the now bigger crowd. The heat in my cheeks spread across my entire face, I am grateful for the flashing strobe light that doesn't give me away.
"Um, I think I need another drink…" I say to Jose above the noise, he nods and says he is heading back to the booth. I walk up to the bar and ask for a Dirty Martini. The bartender with the over exaggerated breast and long black hair said they only serve them upstairs. A bit annoyed that I had to climb steps while in these shoes I head for the last floor. "A Dirty Martini please." I say finally at the last bar.
"Coming right up gorgeous." Shirtless employee number three tells me from behind the counter. To hide my red face for the umeth time today I turn to see the crowd once more dancing away under hot strobe lights and now confetti. I smile as I day dream about being as confident as these people move without a care if someone is watching or not. "Martini, on the house sexy." He winks and turns toward a new customer. I stare at the drink in front of me trying to recall when the last time I had this was. I take a sip and then another, suddenly I decided to go up to the balcony away from the noise to enjoy my drink.
The balcony has a nice perspective of the city, all busy lights and a quiet town below. Seattle. Beautiful. It's a bit chilly and the clouds seem threating even at this last hour, but somehow I find it comforting. I smirk and lean against the metal railing taking another sip of my martini. There are a few people spread about smoking and couples making out. I go back to staring at the rested city below, wondering how I will do now that I am in the real world.
"Christian! Christian PLEASE!" A woman comes running out disturbing my peaceful drinking thoughts. She looks like she has been crying, hysterically now that I see her in the light. Her eyes are puffy, red, and mascara smeared. What is going on? Who is she talking too?
"Leila..." Automatically, I search for the direction in where the most angelic, commanding, delicious, serious, voice came from. "Please, you're not well." I stared, and stared, and gawked. Chilling goose bumps spread throughout my body, leaving me to take in a sharp breath of air. A God is now hovering over the woman in tears. "Are you ready to go then?" He asks
"Not until you prove it! Show me that you moved on!" Oh this just took a sudden turn, not what I expected. As much as I would love to hang around and watch this bizarre episode of Murry, I think it would be best if I go back to Kate and Jose they must be looking for me. I turn to head down the stairs when I am pulled by my arm and brought into a passionate kiss. Tongue exploring tongue, with his hands on either side of my face. My Martini glass broke I dropped it the moment his soft warm lips touched mine.
"I love her Leila, I have moved on." The God breaks from me and buttons the single button on his blazer, not looking at anything other than his hands.
"I will make sure you pay Grey!" She runs out the same way she came in and two moments she is gone. He stares at me with the most apologetic eyes I think I have ever seen.
"Sorry, I am so sorry, I know that was random and I didn't ask your permission and I am sorry." I do not know what to say to that so I remain mute. "Okay…" He continues, "I know that still doesn't justify what just happen. Okay um, she is…" his brows knit together forming a v as he struggles to tell me. While he is trying to explain his behavior I am still trying to explain his features. It's like it is unfair to having such a human walking about. His tossed copper hair, shone under the night sky and his eyes a rare stone grey, turn solid the more serious he became. "…And she is my err…Ex." That was the last bit I heard coming back to reality.
"Oh, yeah it's completely fine, use me as a scape goat anytime." I teased, and suddenly his focused expression turned into a kid in his early twenties without a care in the world.
"Ana! There you are, we were looking all over for you." Kate appears in the doorway with the blonde Adonis and Jose. "Wait…Christian?" Kate spots him and instantly releases me. I had realized he was still holding me. Jose looks angry and away from me. Have I upset him because I was gone too long.? Oh no I hope I didn't ruin anyone's night.
"Katherine, Elliot…" He relies dryly. Okay now back to weird on the awkward o meter. How does Kate know this guy?
"Hey Bro! We were just about to get out of here tagging along?"
"No, I have business to tend to." Christian replies but his eyes read like he is hiding behind something.
"Come, on Ana." Jose says turning already walking and not looking at me. Shit. He is upset. I smile at Christian and start to walk after Eliot and Kate.
"Nice knowing you, and your mouth." I say knowing it was the alcohol talking. He smiles staring at the empty door entrance where my friends have already gotten a head start.
"What's your full name, I should at least know that if I went for an Oscar winning kiss." On his lips plays a dangerous game.
"Anastasia Steele."
"Pleasure…" He brings my hand to his mouth and gives it a kiss. I burn fire red all over my face and with that I run after my friends who already left.