A Night to Celebrate
"Look you don't need to drink. Just be with us! You can dance and party for a while with just us! C'mon! You'll be safe."
Emily wasn't so sure of that.
Not since that night did, she feel entirely safe out at night.
As they went up the Boardwalk towards its end, Emily tried to relax and get into the teenage mindset that her peers were currently sporting but no matter what she tried she just couldn't get in the mood. The taste of cooking oil and sugar wasn't leaving her mouth and Emily had to keep twisting her tongue, swallowing and spiting so the vile taste wouldn't further intensify and the substance accumulate in her mouth.
In truth, getting out drinking was something she thought she might need to. So she could not think about her life for a few hours.
However, on top of her current discomfort, she wasn't exactly the outgoing type and she always ended up anxious around new people and couldn't really just go to people and start socialising. She always preferred books and the TV and videogames, even as a child, although that last one was a bit of guilty pleasure that she kept secret since it didn't exactly fit with the type of image her parents and acquaintances had of her.
But, ultimately, what this all actually meant for this precise moment was that she found a relaxing night out not relaxing at all. She had a social battery and it needed to recharge in between outings and she already spent the entire charge with today's classes which involved a terrifying amount of group assignments. Therefore, going home, procrastinate and trying to figure out the direction her life was heading was what she originally had scheduled for a Saturday night.
But life isn't fair. Her best friend's sister had entered in college on another state and today would probably be the last time that they would be together again until, at least, December. Because of that she was invited and couldn't really, in good consciousness, deny the invitation. So, she did what she usually did when faced with social obligations that she disliked: she prepared to go nonetheless… but just because she was going it didn't mean she was going quietly! She will complain the whole freaking way! Believe it!
But first she got a small unobtrusive and quite handy shoulder bag where she put water bottles for everyone, a small assortment of candies and two bags of snacks either for the road or to quell whatever drunk craving they would end up having during the party.
"Here! This is the new place that opened up!"
Emily looks carefully at the renovated warehouse. The big green and yellow sign displaying a large beer tankard being emptied and the words The Last Drop emblazoned in a circle around it. She doesn't even have the time to voice her judgement of the club before slender manicured hands grab her wrists and start pushing her cheerfully towards the line of people waiting to go inside.
After 10 minutes of waiting, they were finally at the beginning of the line. The checking of ID's was a quick event though and they were given a card to keep their expenses on track. They were warned that there was a minimum of 7 bucks to spend inside and, after leaving their jackets and large bags at the vestiary, located in the hallway entrance, they finally entered the club properly.
The misty air, filled with a honeyed scent, gave a dark quality to the environment despite the strobing colourful lights that showed how large the warehouse was. The music was also a dark electro style with a strong ominous baseline whose soundwaves pressured her ribcage and tighten her heart. The environment was brooding, certainly, but also seemingly cheerful. Of the people inside some were clustered around the bar drinking to their hearts content and others that were dancing were carefree and wild in their disposition. Loud sounds of people enjoying their time could still be heard above the music, although barely.
The entire ambience was a study in contrasts. It occurred to Emily the thought that it mostly displayed the difference between sadly saying that oh…, nothing matters and cheerfully saying fuck yes, nothing matters.
The warehouse was large enough to be divided into sections on the ground floor and have more floors.
She dismissed a further study into her surroundings, however, when her best friend grabbed her hand and started leading her towards the bar. She concentrated, instead, on not bumping into anyone while she and her friend travelled to their destination.
When they arrived, Jane was quick to call a bartender and order.
"4 shots of tequila, please."
"Salt and lemons, as well?"
"Yes, please."
One of their companions interjected then to ask the price of a rum and coke, so Emily went back to look at her surroundings.
To her regret she immediately locked eyes with the last person she wanted to see right then.
"Emily! What a sight for sore eyes. You don't call, you don't write. A shame, really. But hey, I am sure you've been too busy to little old me. How are you?"
In all of its unfortunate loud glory, there stood her ex, the jackass, Andrew. His muscled tattooed form stood tall among the throng of people. She felt the taste in her mouth increase and the notion of burning the fucker to cinders was in the tip of her tongue but, before she could do just that, Jane put herself in front of her and a waved a finger at him.
"The fact she didn't call or write probably should have given you a hint that she wants nothing to do with little old you!"
Andrew frowned angrily.
"I wasn't talking with you."
"Yeah, well. She definitely won't talk with youif I have a say on the matter."
"Look Jane." Andrew says in a condescending tone of voice. "I don't know what she has been saying to you, but I wasn't the one who ran away after a single bump on the road in our relationship."
Jane immediately let out an incredulous sound.
"A bump! You call what you did to her a bump on the road?! You are lucky she didn't bite yo-"
"I know what I said! It's not my fault she decided to act like a victim afterwards!"
"You were the one who made her a victim! Can't your thick head understand that no means No?"
Emily had to forcefully swallow the contents in her mouth that came forwards from the memories that were pouring from the back of her mind. Instead of spitting them like every muscle in her body and neuron in her brain wanted to do she forced the fiery liquid down; the taste so different than the one from what that night had left in her mouth than the one she now was tasting but oh so similar in her need to spit it out.
When she regained awareness of her surroundings, Andrew looked like he was one step away from manhandling Jane and Emily was slowly losing her composure to hold back when suddenly-
"My apologies but what is happening here?"
-a heavy leaden voice cut down the conversion.
The girl that appeared was stocky but lean with long flowing black hair framing her figure. Her mouth was wide and her lips plump, that combined with the rest of her facial features, gave her a slightly disproportionate visage that was common to someone who was still growing into their looks. She had her thick eyebrows set on a disapproving frown and her eyes… her eyes were strange… If Emily had to guess she was wearing coloured contact lenses, by the way the light was reflected from her eyes, so she had no clue of their true colour. She looked between them and repeated herself:
"I apologize for interrupting, but I ask you to stop or resolve this outside. You are upsetting the rest of the customers."
That was true it seemed, as Emily suddenly got conscious of her surroundings. Her other companions were behind them holding their forgotten shot glasses with wary looks and the rest of the people around them looked both wary and interested but had given the scene a wide berth.
The girl looked at Emily and she couldn't stop the sudden urge to fidget under the girl's stare.
"Look, this isn't any of your business, girl. Besides, we were only having a talk. No harm in it."
The girl simply raised an eyebrow at Andrew's blasé response.
"Really?" The girl snapped her fingers twice and suddenly three burley men showed up from behind the crowd and surrounded them. They were wearing all black, looked even more muscled than Andrew and their t-shirts said Security in big white blocky letters. "Then you wouldn't mind continue the conversation with these helpful men. They are quite the gossipers, I assure you, they won't mind talking with you outside." She casted her stare from Andrew, to Jane, then to Emily, to the rest of her companions and finally back to Andrew. "Unless the conversation is over?"
Andrew knew when he was on the backfoot and, with a last sneer at Emily turned around, left with quick strides.
"Everything alright?"
The previously voice heavy of authority was now soft and Emily turned her head to see the girl who just saved her from spending the rest of her days in prison for murder.
"The name's Sera. I am a manager here and well, you seemed rather distressed, so I decided to come and see what was happening."
"Thanks… My name's Emily." She quickly cleaned the few tears of frustration that managed to escape her eyes. Then she turned to her best friend. "And she's Jane. Thank you, for coming to our rescue."
The gi- Sera smiled softly.
"Come, I'll get you a free drink, on the house, for the trouble. And, if you want to, you can tell me what exactly was happening here."