Represent

Chapter 14

We went to a different strip club than last time. It was much more low key than the last one. There were only elite people in there, clearly paid and trained in how to behave, and there was plenty of parking spaces. High quality chairs and tables were placed around a shining stage with a stripper pole that lit up neon colors. The bar was actually a fish tank with a solid backing, and the liquor looked quite expensive. Rolling bass music completed the mystique of the place.

"Why didn't we go here last time," I asked Liam as opened the door.

Liam shrugged. "It's a little bit farther, and it ain't quite the party club. Everyone in here is pretty chill. Like, you could actually have a conversation or somethin' if you wanted to."

Inside, the others had already gotten busy in their own activities. I could see Harry leading one girl to the private rooms in the hallway behind the back wall. Louis and Niall sat at the table by the stage, which stuck out from the back wall, and watched the girl onstage dance, but their faces looked somewhat worried. Nia and Dorian had their own table where they laughed and threw dollars as a girl pranced around them. Zayn had a table in the back of the room where he was receiving a skillful lap dance. It was hard for me to find the group because there were actually quite a few people inside, all calm and relaxed and busy with a stripper or two.

"Wanna go by the bar?" Liam suggested. I nodded and followed him over. I wasn't as intimidated by this atmosphere. At the same time, considering where I was with Liam, I still felt a bit uncomfortable.

"I still don't like strip clubs," I commented once Liam finished ordering our drinks.

Liam nodded. "It's funny; I used to love this shit back when I was in high school. Now, lately, I'm just not feeling it."

"High school?" I repeated, wondering why he would have frequented places like this when he was so young. He nodded as if he didn't pick up my confusion. I wanted to ask Liam if we could leave, but I knew what seemed to happen every time we were alone. And that was always a huge issue for me. So I found another question to ask. "What was all that about earlier, when we were looking out at those people onstage?"

Our drinks arrived. Liam went into his pocket to pay the bartender, a thick darkskin girl in a swimsuit, but she stopped him. "Zarry's giving an open tab for the night. It's covered."

Liam gave her two dollars anyway. "Thanks, Miss." He slid a class of light pink liquid over to me. "Now, what were you saying?"

"Why were you and Niall and Louis freaking out like that? Was something wrong?"

Liam took a sip. He waited a while before answering. "Might not have been nothing." He sighed. "I don't want you tryna get into that though, okay Deja?" He turned to look at me. "You looked nice today, though. A-one."

I smiled and looked down. I think that was the first compliment he'd ever given me straightforward. "I don't always look nice, then?"

He chuckled. "Yeah, okay, I guess you do. I ain't mean it like that."

"You looked nice too," I said, returning the compliment. "Purple's your color."

Liam looked down at his shirt and pulled on the fabric. "Shit used to be almost black. I guess I ain't good with laundry." He took around drink and then finished his glass.

For a while we just watched what happened around the club. Harry's stripper returned to the room and grabbed one of her friends, then left again. Nia and Dorian had moved toward the stage. Then Dorian decided to take a chance on the pole, to Nia's amusement. I laughed too. "Dorian has so many issues," I said. "It's no wonder she's called 'Chicago's Little Rihanna.'" She continued to dance for a few more minutes, then went back to sit by Nia.