Unseen Strings

Chapter 3

"Hello Laci's friend," a gruff, accented voice answered.

"Oh!" Laci laughed out loud suddenly, "I forget you haven't met yet!" She giggled.

"Rosie, this is John Mark. John Mark...Rosie." She pointed back and forth between us.

"It is nice to meet you, Rose." John called as he started to drive.

I raised an eyebrow, I had never been called Rose before, but considering Laci called me Rosie, he probably thought Rose was my name. Laci began to yammer at him as he drove, he grunted and nodded and occasionally said some words. Even though I didn't know him, I couldn't help but look around his car. It was cleaner than I would've expected for a guy's car. On his wrist I saw a Rolex and some sort of bracelet with wooden beads on it. There were four rows of the beads in my view, and some little tassels dangling on them. As my eyes turned up at the rear view mirror, I saw myself in it and couldn't help but look away. My chest was protruding slightly, and the style Laci had made brought attention to my cheekbones. As the car turned down a side road, I caught John's eyes in the mirror, looking back at me. I averted my own eyes at once. I kept my eyes focused out of the window until he parked the car.

"Look John, I see them!!" Laci squealed as she unbuckled her seat belt.

The minute he parked the car she was opening her door and racing forward.

"Laci!" He called. "Come on Rose!" He hurried me.

I rushed and yanked my seat belt free just as he opened the door and I tumbled out. I could still hear Laci's squealing as we rushed to join her side.

"Look who's here!" She danced in place. "Come on Rosie, you have to meet them!" She looped her arms around John and I's as she dragged us toward the front door.

A purple neon sign buzzed and showed bright above, it read, "The Moonlight Lounge." I felt myself cringe.

"ID's!" The bouncer stopped Laci's crusade.

"You didn't ID them!" She spat.

"Laci," John chided as we both pulled out our ID's.

The bouncer was waiting on her and she stomped her foot as she fished it out. "Look at that," the bouncer mused. "Just this side of being able to enter the club. Come on in." He huffed as Laci helped with joy, dragging John and I in with her.

As we entered the club, the smell of hundreds of colognes and perfumes assaulted my nose and the music and conversations of people assaulted my ears. I was quickly reminded why I hated going out.

"There they are!" She shouted as she pulled John and I toward a bar. "You guys, this is Marcus and Amanda." She beamed as she shouted at us.

Obviously all the people called Marcus or Amanda turned around. Only two came toward us. In the dim lights I could barely make them out. The guy, who I assumed was Marcus, was tall, with sandy hair and brown eyes. The girl, who I assumed was Amanda, had black hair and eyes, with pale skin, and she was about Laci's height.

"Hi! I'm Amanda Ly!" Amanda smiled and hugged me immediately.

"Marcus Wright," the guy held his hand out and John shook it.

"Nice to meet you, man." John bowed a bit, maybe out of impulse. "I'm John Mark Nguyen."

"So! You're the John that Laci has been talking about so much!" Amanda seemed to be moving her eyebrows about.

"Mandy!" Laci's annoyed voice came out.

"Come on!" Amanda smiled widely as she took Laci and John's arms and dragged them into the dancing crowd of people.