Chapter Eight: The Club

Friday March 23rd '07, 6:30 p.m.

Gabrielle looked herself over in the mirror. She was wearing a deep red halter top . It was her favorite halter because the bottom came to a point just below her bellybutton. It was made out of fake leather, but it wasn't overly shiny. The bottom of the back of the shirt ended up about four inches above her black, low rise, dress pants. They were real leather and had a dull shine to them. She was wearing her knee high boots and she decided to zip them up over her pantlegs. She wore a black, fabric choker and lightweight, silver, chandelier earings. She decided to not wear a bracelet because she didn't want to loose it while she was dancing.

There was a knock at the door and she called as she fiddled with her half ponytail, "It's open!"

"We're here hun." She heard Mrs. Mathews say as her teacher closed the door.

"I'm in the bedroom!" Gabrielle called still looking herself over in the mirror.

Mrs. Mathews and, another one of Gabrielle's teachers, Mrs. Bernard (a.k.a. Mrs. B.) walked into the room. Mrs. Mathews plugged in a curling iron and set it on the dresser to warm up. Mrs. Bernard put a bottle of hairspray, curling rollers, and some hair clips on the other end of the dresser.

"Alrighty then, let's see what we're working with here." Mrs. Mathews said as she turned Gabrielle full circle.

"You look very nice." Mrs. Bernard said.

"Thanks Mrs. B! And thanks for helping me with my hair. I've never been able to curl my own hair." Gabrielle replied.

"No problem hun." Mrs. Mathews said as she checked to see how hot the curling iron was.

For the next twenty minutes they all talked and laughed while Gabrielle's hair was being put into medium curls. Gabrielle was happy. They weren't too tight to make her look like Shirly Temple but they weren't so loose that they only looked like waves. They had a nice body to them too. The hair that was in the half ponytail was curled as well.

"You like?" Mrs. Mathew asked.

"I love it!" Gabrielle said as she hugged them, "Oh, thank you so much!"

Gabrielle couldn't wait to get to the club...

Dr. Lecter sat in front of the hotel. Gabrielle's techer, Mrs Mathews, had mentioned she was taking Gabrielle and some of her classmates out tonight. He was interested to see what her idea of "out" was. Dr. Lecter wasn't in his usual Jag. Tonight he was driving his deep, almost black, purple Volvo. The engine was so quiet, he had almost forgot the car was running. He was reading the book he had brought with him to the picknick that day and was almost finished when he saw the hotel door open out of the corner of his eye.

Gabrielle walked out into the night with Mrs. Mathews, Mrs. B, Clarla, Becky, three other teachers and twenty other girls. She hadn't even noticed Becky or Carla until they were all outside, and she felt a little awkward. Becky further suprised her by walking up to her and trying to strike up a conversation.

"Hi Gabby." Becky said with a small smile.

"Hello Becky." Gabrielle said lightly.

"You look really good tonight."

"Thanks, so do you."

"Hey, listen...about when we first got here..." Becky started quietly, "I didn't mean to become such a bitch, I just..."

Becky stumbled a little.

"You just what?" Gabrielle asked patiently.

"I was just scared, thats all." Becky finnaly finished after a minute or two.

Gabrielle chuckled and smiled, "Scared?...What the hell were you scared about?"

"Well, to be quite honest...that you were gonna ditch me for that Doctor Williamson guy."

Gabrielle cracked up laughing. Becky cracked a weak smile.

"Oh, Becky...Becky Becky Becky. Did you honestly believe that I would ditch my bestfriend for a psychologist? You should know me better than that hun!"

"But thats EXACTLY what you did!"

"No I didn't. The day I left with Doctor Williamson, I only left because; one, we were in the middle of a really good conversation; and two, you were off with Carla so I didn't think you needed me or cared whether or not I was with you. And in all fairness, you DIDN'T even notice I was gone until an hour or two after you got back to the hotel!"

"Yeah, I'm real sorry about that. Carla and I were so wrapped up in our own little world, we didn't notice anyone else."

"Well, it happen's sometimes. Don't worry about it."

"Okay, hey Gabby?"

"Yes, Becky?"

"I'm sick of being 'mad' and I miss talking to you. Do you think we could be friends again?"

"I think so, but we'll have to work to get back to being as close to each other as we used to be."

"Okay."

"And I may seem on edge sometimes, because I've been having therapy sessions with Doctor Williamson. I've been talking about A LOT of painful memories and such, so I've been emotionally unbalanced lately."

"I'll try to remember that...Hey did you want to hang with Carla and I at the club?"

"With all due respect Becky, I can't stand Carla. She makes my skin crawl, and I was gonna take this night to just let loose. I think I need to dance by myself tonight, but thank you anyways."

"Alright, well if you decide you wanna join us feel free alright?"

"Okay, I will."

Becky just nodded and walked back over to Carla. Gabrielle let out a sigh and looked around. She found Mrs. Mathews and walked over to her.

"Exscuse me, Mrs. Mathews?"

"Yes Gabby?"

"What are we waiting for?"

"The stretch limo I asked for. It should be here in about ten minutes."

"Oh, okay. Thanks"

Gabrielle turned and walked away. She walked straight over to the pound she had found earlier, and was happy to see that there were lights on in the pond so she could still watch the fish. She found them to be very calming and was glad she could watch them as they all waited for the limo.

When Dr. Lecter had first spotted Gabrielle, he actually had to do a double take. She looked very different this evening than she did this afternoon. Today she had looked like an innocent, nature loving girl. Tonight she looked like a free woman who was set out to get anything and everything she wanted. Even when he saw Becky walk up to her, Gabrielle's new mood never wavered. At the end of the conversation Becky was the one who looked a little girl who had just been scorned. Gabrielle looked as though she was ready for anything.

He saw that confidence waver ever so slightly as he watched her walk over to the small pond he had found her at this morning. Gabrielle didn't look away from the pond until a limo pulled up in front of the hotel. Dr. Lecter watched as her teacher becond her to follow. Her "free woman" attitude had returned by the time she got to the limo.

Dr. Lecter put the car in drive and followed the limo at a safe distance. He didn't think any of the passengers would notice, but he still didn't want the driver to notice. As Dr. Lecter drove he allowed his mind to wander. He started to think about the ball the Opera House would be having soon. They held a Ball (and/or Galla) to celibrate a great winter season and the transition into spring. He was unable to attend the last couple of years because it wasn't quite safe enough for him to attend such "public" parties. But this year he was sure enough time had passed and he could once again attend.

What surprised him the most was the almost immediate decision of who his "date" would be. It would be Gabrielle. His growing attachment to this girl was starting to scare him. Yet he knew he was unable to pull away even slightly. For some reason pulling away did not seem like a good idea. He had never allowed himself to form any serious attachment with anyone because he was always on the move, and he couldn't afford to become preocupied with anything other than survival. So why was he now risking his freedom by allowing such an attachment? That was one question he honestly couldn't answer, and that scared him more than the attachment itself.

Dr. Lecter watched the limo pull over at a club and drove past. He drove down another block to park the Volvo out of sight. By the time he got to the entrance of the club, Dr. Lecter was able to see the group already inside and spreading out. Dr. Lecter paid the cover charge and entered the club.

Gabrielle looked the club over. It was a nice size and the DJ was playing "U Turn" by Usher at the moment. She was distracted from her observations by a hand on her shoulder.

"Gabby."

"Yes Mrs. Mathews?"

"You can go and have fun. We're all going to meet back here at eleven-thirty, okay?"

"Alrighty."

Gabrielle walked into the crowed the song had changed, "I Like That", another Usher song. Gabrielle found a good spot on the dance floor and started to dance. She started somewhat docile but that didn't last long. She let herself get lost in the music and her moves soon turned somewhat provocative. She didn't care if anyone was watching, so when she saw a few older boys starring she smiled politely and kept on dancing.

The song ended and she smoothly altered her movements to go with the new beat. She felt free and alive. It wasn't quite the same feeling as how she felt today on the picknick but very close. Today in the field her inner child felt free and she was ready for any sort of game. Now the woman in her had taken over and felt right at home. She was free to dance as she pleased.

They're no parents to make her feel dirty or slutty. No friends to make her feel weird or stupid. Also no teachers to make her fell like she was breaking some kind of rule. Yes, there were five of her teachers in the club, but they didn't care how anyone danced. After all they weren't on school property, there was nothing they could do anyways.

Gabrielle had listened to the current song a million times, she had it on her Ipod. She knew the song inside and out, and timed her moves perfectly. She started hearing quiet cat calls and the ocasional "Daaaaaaamn" as she dropped low, came up slow, and broke into a booty shake. She pretended not to hear the comments and started doing figure-eights with her hips. When the song sped up a little she did a little circle while also doing circles with her hips. She then went into a hip twist. (I don't really know what to call it, but if you've seen the Smirnoff comercials you should know what I'm talking about)

At the end of the song she decided to get a water. As she walked through the crowd she hear some clapping from the guys who had been watching her. She ignored them and walked up to the bar.

"Can I have a bottled water please?"

"Sure thing hun." said the female bartender and she walked to the other end of the bar.

Gabrielle tapped her fingers to the music as she waited.

"Here you go."

"Thanks."

Gabrielle swiveled around on the barstool and opened her water. She drank half the bottle then put the cap back on and looked around. There were a lot of good looking people around and most of them were older than her, but she didn't mind. She was just happy to be able to dance freely. Gabrielle relaxed on the stool for the length of the song that was playing. When it ended she finished her water, left the empty bottle on the bar and returned to the crowd.

Dr. Lecter walked through the crowd, keeping an eye out for Gabrielle, Mrs. Mathews, and the other students who had seen him pick Gabrielle up at the hotel the past couple of weeks. The last thing he wanted to do was be found and be thought of as a stalker, even if at the moment that was exactly what he was doing. He looked up to the balconies and found Gabrielle's classmates instanly. They were going into one of the lounges. He counted them, fifteen.

Okay, so where are the others. Dr. Lecter thought to himself, There should be five more, counting Gabrielle.

Dr. Lecter spotted Mrs. Mathews, what he assumed to be four other teachers, and four more student going into a room on the opposite balcony. Gabrielle was not with them.

She must be down here then. Dr. Lecter thought.

(Thank you captain obvious! lol!)

Dr. Looked around for a while. When he spotted her, he once again had to do a double take. He was seing a totally different side of her than he was used to. He looked behind him and found a table that had a perfect view of the dance floor. He watched her dance for a couple of songs. His eyes followed her as she went to the bar, and followed her back to the dance floor when she had finished what he assumed to be water.

As he watched her dance he noticed some men on the dance floor that were watching her as well. He could also hear some of the cat calls that were aimed her way, and with some of them he was throroughly disgusted. Then he watched as one of them approached Gabrielle. He knew tonight his limits would be tested.

Gabrielle saw one of the guys who had been watching her start to walk towards her, but she paid no attention. Tonight she wanted to dance by herself, she didn't need "a man" and she would make that very clear.

"Hello there." said the guy who had walked toward her.

He was tall, built, had reddish brown hair, an Irish accent, and his eyes held a lustful shimmer in them.

"Hello." Gabrielle said shortly still dancing as if he wasn't there.

"M'name is Gary."

"Nice to meet you, Gary. My last name is Helfire." (Oh, shut down!)

"What, I don't get the pleasure of get'n yer first name?"

"No offense, but I never tell people I meet in a club my first name." Gabrielle replied and she glared at him, "Especialy when they've been cat calling me."

Gary put up his hands in surrender and said, "We ment no offense. Really miss, we're just look'n for a good time. After all miss, it is Friday."

"Well, I'm sorry, but you're going to have to look for a "good time" somewhere else. I'm not interested."

And with that Gabrielle turned her back to Gary. Gary put his hand on Gabrielle's waist but it didn't last long. Gabrielle had anticipated this and she pulled a martial arts move on him. She had him on the floor and pinned without making a scene. Nobody but Gary's buddies semed to have noticed.

"If you or any of your buddies try to put another hand on me, I'll shatter every bone in your or their arm. Is that understood?" Gabrielle hissed in Gary's ear.

"Yes, perfectly." Gary said with some effort, his face was after all squished against the floor.

"Good."

Gabrielle released Gary and stepped back. Gary got up and went back to his friends without a second look at her. Gabrielle resumed her dancing as if nothing happend, slightly upset that one of her favorite songs was half over and she had missed it because of a horny male. She was pleased to note that none of the others that had been watching her tried to approach her. She had also noticed that they had stopped their cat calling. After a song or two she saw them head towards the upper levels. Gabrielle smiled, thoroughly pleased with the fact that she had not hesitated to defend herself.

Dr. Lecter chuckled when he saw the man throw his hands up in surender. The whole time he was talking to her, Gabrielle was dancing. This amused the good doctor. However, his harpy was in his hand in a flash when he saw the man advance toward Gabrielle when she turned her back to him. Gabrielle's reaction subtle but quick. Dr. Lecter was impressed and also happy to know she wasn't completely helpless. After all, she wasn't armed. At least, she didn't seem to be. Even as far away as he was, Dr. Lecter could see the triumph in Gabrielle's face when the men left the dance floor.

He sat back and relaxed a little. The fact that she takes martial art classes had completely slipped his mind, and was glad to be reminded of such things. For the first time since entering the club, he listened to the music while he watched Gabrielle. The song currently playing was a little vulgar for his taste, but compromises could be made.

Where did that come from? Dr. lecter asked himself as the last five words ran throught his head again.

"Burn it up" by R Kelly came on and Gabrielle's moves once again became a little provocative. She felt as if she were being watched again and she looked around. No one in the immediate area was paying any attention to her so she looked to the balconies, nothing. Sure there were people on the balconies watching those who were on the dance floor, but no one was staring in her general direction. She blew it off as paranoia, the encounter with Gary had left her a little shaky.

What she didn't realize was that she had looked right over Dr. Lecter's head and had not spotted him. But she remain oblivious to that fact and kept dancing. Her hip movements were very fluid and natural. Her hand movements went perfectly with her hip movements, and Gabrielle finally felt totally free. Soon she was lost again in the music making perfect transitions from song to song. Another three songs went by when her phone vibrated.

She took it out of her pocket and saw Becky number on the caller ID. Gabrielle flipped her phone open happy to see that Becky had left a text message rather than try to talk over the noise of the club.

The text read:

where r u G?

Gabrielle text her back:

1st floor Y?

Becky:

mathews phone died. she wanted 2 let u kno

but could not find u on 2nd floor.

Gabrielle:

OK thx

Becky:

welcome

Gabrielle shut her phone and put it back in her pocket. She then went to the bar again and got another water. She relaxed through the next song, then went back to the dance floor. The next song she knew the moves from the music video and was going to start the rutine when she saw a small group on the dance floor who seemed to know them as well. She saw the group start to grow so she went and joined in as well.

She was surprised to see everyone in step with each other. Even with the sound efects they were all together! At the end of the song, everyone who had been watching was clapping, and so were some of the people who had been dancing. She turned to the person next to her and gave them a high-five. Then she felt a hand on her shoulder, and she spun around.

"Yes?" Gabrielle said a little fiercer than she ment to.

She was facing semi-tall, handsom, built, african american man with ice-blue eyes.

"That was pretty good." He said, then added with a smirk, "For a white girl."

Gabrielle laughed and said, "I guess that's what many years of dance will get you. Especialy when you have no life and have so much time on your hands you can watch one music video all day and memorize it."

The man chuckled and took something out of his pocket.

"Here's my card, I'm a scout. I've been looking for new dancers for some upcomming music videos. The artists are growing tired with the same old dancers. Call me if you're interested."

"Thanks."

With a nod the man walked off. Gabrielle put the card in her pocket without even looking at it. She went back to her spot and started to dance again. After another three songs Gabrielle checked her phone for the time.

Eleven twenty-seven. Gabrielle thought, Looks like its time to go.

Gabrielle put her phone away and made her way to the door.

Dr. Lecter watched as Gabrielle jump in with a group that seemed to be doing a rutine. She kept perfect time with them and when it was over she was aproached by someone. After a minute of two the person left and Gabrielle went back to her spot on the dance floor. He watched and got himself ready to leave. After about five minutes the group was back together and were just about to leave.

Dr. Lecter carefully walked to the door and left, turning his head away from them as he passed. Gabrielle was closest to the door and an idea occured to him. As he passed her he dropped his harpy right in front of her, close enough for it to hit her foot on the bounce. He walked toward his car, but stopped halfway up the block. He turned just in time to see Gabrielle put something silver in her pocket. He knew without a doubt, it was the harpy.

Dr. Lecter turned around and walked to his car. As he got in the car, the limo Gabrielle was in passed him. He started the engine and pulled out of his hiding spot. Dr. Lecter saw no need to follow the limo back to the hotel so he headed home. Tomorrow night was the play, and he had a feeling he would be seeing another side of Gabrielle.

Gabrielle sat on her bed in her pajamas. The second she got into her hotel room she had emptied her pockets onto her bed. She then got out of her clothes and got into the shower. After all the necessary washings she got out, dried off, wrapped a towel around herself and headed to her bedroom. She changed into some loose sweatpants and a pajama tanktop. After her hair was dry and straightened she climbed into bed, careful not to throw off the items that had been in her pockets.

Gabrielle grabbed the stuff from the center of her bed and out it in her lap. She took her phone shut it off and plugged it into the charger. She then looked at the card she had been given. It looked legit but she still wasn't sure, she would ask the lady at the main desk in the morning. After putting the card on her night table she turned her attention to the only thing left in her lap, the harpy.

Gabrielle knew what type of blade it was from talking about Dr. Hannibal Lecter in her history class. One of her classmates had asked the teacher if they could see what his "weapon of choice" looked like. The teacher had a picture of the weapon printed out the next day, and all the students got a copy. She had always wanted to get some type of switch blade, thats why she had her pocket knife.

Gabrielle felt her pocket knife was nothing but a plastic butter knife compared to the blade she now held in her hand. She flipped and turned the blade in her hand. It was lighter than she had expected it to be, and she was able to flip out the blade with a flick of her wrist. The thought that the man who had dropped it could have been the Dr. Hannibal Lecter, came and went from her mind so fast it almost felt like a fragment of a thought.

She convinced herself that there were other people in the world who would use this kind of weapon for protection and that she was just over reacting. Gabrielle put the harpy on top of the card on her nightstand, shut off her light and layed down. She pulled up the covers and the warmth of the bed soon lulled her into a peacfull sleep...

I hope you like this chapter! Please Review!!!