Chapter 163: NY – Why are you Here

Thursday, January 12th, Evening

The UBER pulled up to the curb just down the street from the club. The three people got out of the car and looked over the street. Ellie looked down the street, then turned back to see Justin paying for their ride. Finley finished taking a selfie and uploading it onto her Instagram. Finally, she came over to Ellie.

"You look good, Libby," Finley said.

"Thanks, but we've been together for a bit," Ellie said as she looked down at herself. She wasn't trying too had to look good and shook her head.

"Come here; you need to be on my Gram… can't keep a good-looking bitch to myself," Finley said.

"Fin?" Ellie asked.

"Yes, come on, Libby," Finley said.

Ellie shook her head and joined Finley. Finley held up her smartphone and took several pictures. Once done, Looking them over, she decided on the best and uploaded it. Finley smiled as she hashtagged it, including the hashtag Libby. "Well, let's go," Finley finally said.

The three of them walked down the street to the club. They got online and quickly made it to the door. Finley talked to the doorman, and he nodded, then smiled. He let them through the door without much trouble.

Once inside the club, they looked it over. Ellie felt her skin tingle from all the pink and blue neon lights. It was kind of tacky, very 1980's vibe going on here tonight. At least the music is good, and you could dance to it, Ellie mused.

"Where are you headed?" Ellie asked.

"To the bar," Justin said, "I think Fin said the Ambroses are there."

"Okay," Ellie said, "I'll meet you there."

"What are you up to, Libby?" Finley asked.

"I'm going to check my coat, and I'll meet you at the bar," Ellie said.

"You want me to get you a drink?" Finley asked.

Ellie sighed, she didn't like people getting her drinks, "Yeah, fine, my usual, just keep an eye on it," she said.

"I know the drill," Finley said.

"Thanks," Ellie said, and they parted ways.

Ellie found the coat check and slipped off her leather jacket. Her jacket was truly vintage, not a modern reproduction. She had had it since she moved into Hell's Kitchen. She checked it and got her coat check ticket, which she put in her small bag. She walked over to the nearby mirror; there were a lot of mirrors in this club. Looking herself over, she smiled and nodded.

Her hair was loose and flowing tonight, the loose curl was in today, which was interesting. Usually, her hair was almost flat since it grew back. It wasn't as long as she liked, but it didn't grow as it once did since her health recovered. It still looked good. Ellie adjusted her hair and double-checked her subtle make-up. She chose to wear a black halter neck backless mid-waist sleeveless bodysuit with a black faux leather mini-skirt. Ellie also wore her favorite purple choker. She tested her heels on the floor, and smiled; she could dance with these on this floor. With a nod, she headed towards the bar.

Turn around to see you
In a crowded place
I watch for the emotions
On a guarded face
Saying lead me on

Victim of a dream
And a memory
But when I try to break free
You say to me
Come on
Lead me on

Ellie cut through the crowd; she broke through the last line of people to find her group of friends. She smiled at the Ambroses and turned to see the guy that came over to their table the other night. Ellie noted he's checking her out. She gave him a slight smile and nodded. "Bietio, right?" she asked.

"Yes, I am, and your, Libby," he said.

Her smile grew more prominent, and she let off a small laugh, "That I am," she said, and turned to Finley, "Fin, did you order my drink?"

"Justin did," Finley said and turned back away.

"It's over here, and I kept an eye on it," Justin said.

Ellie walked over, and she kissed Justin on the cheek. She grabbed her drink. Ellie noticed Justin and Finley were talking with their back to her. The Ambrose siblings were also talking and had their back to each other.

A matter out of time
In the reaches of space
Caught up in the patterns
In the light of a life
Walk across the bridge
To the shadows of the night

Saying lead me on
Lead me on
Lead me on
On and on
Lead me on

So, that is how it's going to be, Ellie noted. They were setting her up with Bietio. She shrugs, well, he's cute, so why not, and let's see where it led. She turned around and looked at Bietio; she gave him a small smile.

"So, what are you up to?" Bietio asked.

Ellie laughed, "Right now, enjoying my drink and possibly getting out on the dance floor," she said.

"I can't wait to see you dance," Bietio said. So, he's trying to be flirty; this could be fun, she thought.

"Why watch? When you could join in," Ellie said, she tried to give him a little more line to see if he would bite.

"Maybe, I will, maybe I won't," Bietio said, with the right amount of teasing in it. He's better than she thought.

"If you tease, you better be prepared to please," Ellie said, boldly putting it out there.

Bietio smiled, "Hope I can," he said, that perfect amount of flirt was still in there.

He sipped his drink. He was watching Ellie. She smiled inwardly, he's biting on the hook, just testing it, but he's biting, this is going to be fun. Ellie took her drink firmly in her hand and took the remains into her body with one gulp. She slammed the glass down on the bar. Turning to Bietio, she gave him her cutest smile, and then looked him dead in the eyes.

Voices in the night
Chase the demons away
Looking in the mirror
It's easy to say
Lead me on

The choices of a lifetime
In the dreams of a day
When the coast is getting clearer
I hear you say
Come on and
Lead me on

"Well, I feel like dancing," Ellie said and walked past Bietio and started to swayed her butt as she walked past and towards the dance floor, hoping he would take the bait.

Ellie found a space on the dance floor and listened to the beat. She got the rhythm in her head and started to move with it. The old lessons she learned from years of dance came back. Her mom had enrolled her and her sister in dance when they were young. Kay never took to it, but Ellie enjoyed dancing and stayed with it.

She moved well and drew attention as she danced. She enjoyed it, as people would focus on her. Ellie wasn't the most religious in exercise as some of her siblings, but she kept in shape and looked good. There were several people specifically standing there checking her out, and a few were women. Ellie let her grin grew slightly, the question was were the ladies checking her out because they were attracted because she danced well, or because they were jealous.

Finally, Bietio came through the crowd and joined her on the dance floor. He stood in front of her. Ellie didn't stop moving, but they did lock eyes.

A matter out of time
In the look on your face
Caught up in the patterns
In the light of a life
Walk across the bridge
To the shadows of the night

Saying lead me on
Lead me on
Lead me on
On and on
Lead me on

"I see you decided to join me," Ellie said, giving Bietio a flirty purr.

"Why not? You only live once," Bietio said, playing up his flirting.

"I find you only live twice," Ellie said, thinking about how she was in her second life, ever since she returned to school her senior year of high school.

"Maybe," Bietio said.

Ellie gave him a sly grin, "Each their own," she said, "Are you going to stand there, or are you going to dance?" Ellie asked.

Bietio smiled and joined Ellie in her dancing. They moved with the music. Ellie nodded; he wasn't the worse dance partner, nor was he the best. He seemed to be keeping up, so he was competent.

Talk to me of lightning
I'll hear what you say, my love
Reaching for the meaning all of the way

I can keep believing in you and me
My love
Oh, finding the answers that we need
Sometimes it's meant to be
Lead me on
Lead me on

"You dance well," Bietio said.

Ellie just smiled, she knew that already, "Thanks," she said.

"What's your story?" Bietio asked, which seems to have become a common question.

"Not much to say," Ellie said, "They said if you can make it here, you can make it anywhere, so I decided to give it a try." Which, Ellie reflected, is some form of the truth.

Bietio smiled as if he understood, "Yeah, I get the feeling," he said.

He's hedging, he's holding back on something. "There's something you want to ask me," Ellie said.

"What makes you think that?" Bietio asked, taken back.

Ellie shrugged her shoulders a bit, which he didn't notice. "I just know people," she said.

Ellie watched as Bietio swayed his head side to side; he tried to keep in time with the music. He was in thought. It's cute, he's confident, but he doesn't know to work it out, Ellie concluded. That makes sense; this was only the second time they've met in as close to as many days. He's interested in her. He wants to spend time away from the group.

"What are you doing tomorrow night?" Bietio asked.

Ellie smiled and suppressed a laugh, "I don't know," she said, "Depends on what you're going to ask me."

"Would you like to get coffee or something tomorrow night?" Bietio asked.

Oh god, he's shooting off the cuff, Ellie thought. He has no clue, time to take the bull by the horns. "How about this," Ellie said, still dancing, "Got a pen?"

"Yeah," Bietio said and pulled out a pen. Of course, he had a pen, Ellie reflected.

Ellie took the pen and got close to him. Taking his hand, she wrote the name he knew her by and then ten numbers down. "That's my number after this song text me, and I'll send you some details," she said and placed his pen back into his hand.

"You're quite forward, aren't you," Bietio said, not expecting her to take the lead.

Ellie shrugged, "I found that you have to live for the moment," she said.

"Sounds admirable," Bietio said. Ellie shrugged as the song ended. She gave him a look and headed off to the bar. About halfway back, Ellie checked her smartphone and saw he messaged her. She replied with an address and a time. Putting her phone away and continued to the bar.

We can never be friends

I hate that I saw you again last night
You were with somebody and so was I
Met you in the bathroom at 12:05
And I fucked you again, we can never be friends, yeah, yeah, yeah

Standing at the bar, Ellie saw Jared. The Ambrose brother was talking with Hardy. Hardy wasn't with either group that came, and Finley never mentioned Hardy was coming tonight. Standing between Hardy and Jared was a tall dusky skin woman, and it was the one person in all the denizens of New York City she didn't want to see.

I'm not myself
I'm not myself when you're around, no
Can't be helped
We are insane, that's just the way it goes

I'm a demon in the night, she's an angel with the white
Told me, "Keep on all the lights, I'ma show you what you like"
Help you put back on your clothes, make sure nothing's on your nose
Ain't even tell my closest homies, nobody knows

I hate that I saw you again last night
You were with somebody and so was I
Met you in the bathroom at 12:05
And I fucked you again, we can never be friends, yeah, yeah, yeah

"Oh Libby, you did show," Ainsley said.

"Yeah, Fin invited me," Ellie said, coldly.

"I wasn't sure since I wasn't," Ainsley said.

"Well that I don't know about," Ellie said, still cold.

"I'm not sure if I should be you since you've been ghosting me all week," Ainsley said.

"Look, Ains, I told you, I needed time, space, and to let me think about things," Ellie said, still with ice in her voice.

"How did you know I was here, anyway?" Ellie asked.

"Fin's Instagram feed," Ainsley said.

"I see," Ellie said.

"So, you just leave me out in the cold?" Ainsley asked.

"I wasn't the one that kissed someone without permission. I asked for space, and you couldn't even give me that," Ellie said.

"Libby, I was worried about you," Ainsley said.

"You're smothering me," Ellie said.

I couldn't cry (Couldn't cry)
I need to smoke, I'm feelin' sick inside (Sick inside)
From seein' you next to a friend of mine
We didn't speak, but I read your mind
Both tellin' lies, our alibis didn't work this time (Didn't work this time)

I'm a demon in the night, she's an angel with the white
Told her, "Keep on all the lights, you can show me what you like"
Help me put back on my clothes, make sure nothing's on my nose
Can't even tell my closest homies, nobody knows

I hate that I saw you again last night
You were with somebody and so was I
Met you in the bathroom at 12:05
And I fucked you again, we can never be friends, yeah, yeah, yeah

Ainsley walked over and touched Ellie on her shoulder. Ellie violently jerked away and looked Ainsley dead in her eyes. None of them had ever seen Ellie when her blood ran hot. Her blue eyes took an icy cold look in them. "Don't touch me," Ellie said, with a voice so cold and menacing that caused everyone who heard it to freeze and stare at the two women.

"What Libby?" Ainsley asked.

We can never be friends, yeah, yeah, yeah
We can never be friends, yeah, yeah, yeah
We can never be friends, we can never be friends, yeah, yeah, yeah

Yeah, I know that I said I was at home
Okay, yeah, you caught me (Caught me)
I thought that you said you were all alone
Look at you lying

I hate that I saw you again last night (I hate that I saw you again)
You were with somebody and so was I
Met you in the bathroom at 12:05
And I fucked you again (And I), we can never be friends, yeah, yeah, yeah

"Leave me alone, and don't talk to me," Ellie said and walked away. She didn't stop until she arrived at Coat Check, where she collected her coat and left the club. Outside she produced her smartphone and called for a car on one of her apps.

Oh, we can never be friends, yeah, yeah, yeah (Yeah)
We can never be friends, yeah, yeah, yeah (Yeah, yeah)
We can never be friends, we can never be friends, yeah, yeah, yeah