To say Hannah was surprised that I was aloud to go was an understatement, but to say she was excited was like saying Diving off Niagara Falls is only a little water fountain.
Hannah nearly popped my eardrums when I phoned to tell her I was going. She was over the moon to finally show me the ropes of partying, I just hoped we didn't do anything too crazy for my first time out. But also the secret wild part of me did.
We pulled up to a brightly lit building pulsing with a rhythmic beat that I felt shaking my bones. Bunches of people stood outside in flashy clothing and were stumbling around like toddlers. This was what I've been waiting for, making bad decisions with equally bad people.
Hannah and I got out and began to strut to the club, I probably looked very new and uncomfortable while my brightly coloured friend practically oozed confidence. I looked at Hannah and she seemed completely in her realm, like she did this every night and it was now routine. With her bright red cocktail dress and shiny gold heels she looked like she could own this place rather then go clubbing in it.
"You like my dress?" She spoke bubbly and full of life; night time is when she came out to play.
"Yeah, it's really pretty!"
Her expression changed from happy and carefree to a knowing look that reminded me of Mary Poppins schooling Jane and Michael.
"Lesson one: you can either show a lot of leg or cleavage but never both," I don't think this was what Mary Poppins taught I thought as she gestured to a huge amount of tan leg she was showing off then the top of the dress that covered her chest "you aren't showing either so it doesn't really matter."
She's right, the jeans covered all of my leg and the tank concealed my chest, the most skin I was showing was a sexy peep show of my armpit. But I doubt my parents would let me out in anything that didn't make me look like a 12 year old boy.
When we reached the entrance I started to move to the back of the line but Hannah gripped my the back of my collar halting me like a dog on its leash. I looked back at her not knowing what she was doing, don't we have to wait like everyone else.
"What are you doing?" I asked
"Relax, you're with me and WE aren't some nobodies who have to wait in line." She giggles and gives me a signature smile and wink, it was the kind of smile that you wanted to trust and follow.
Charismatic and daring Hannah knew how to make people feel special and important, and they unknowingly began to turn into her pets. Like pawns on her chessboard she would decide where they moved and whether or not they were disposable. As awful as it sounds we got along famously, she was the spicy salsa not everyone could handle and I was the sour cream she needed to soothe the people she burnt, or at least make sure they didn't beat her up. Together we made one hell of a dip.
Like a good pet I stood waiting for what master-plan Hannah had in store. Proudly she waltzed up to the bouncer dragging me in tow by the hand.
She smiled brightly "Hey Luca, meet my best friend Baylee!" I was then pushed against a rock hard wall, the wind nearly knocked out of me.
Looking up I realized it wasn't a wall because walls aren't 6'5ft, wear black t-shirts, and sporting a fierce grimace. The giant in front of me had bulging arms covered in ink and I could feel a six pack under his shirt. He was someone I wouldn't want to get in a fight with, but definitely want fighting for me.
I back up so I could face the monster in front of me and because it was really intimidating to be within choking distance of him.
"Hi." I squeaked, my shyness getting the best of me.
He looked down at me for the longest five seconds of my life, his eyes looked as though they were debating to kick my ass all the way home or squash it right there. Then what happened next surprised me, even to this day I have never forgotten that moment.
"What's up shorty, any friend of Hannah's is cool with me." His voice was gravely and reminded me of sandpaper.
All of the hostility drained from his face and was filled with a chilled out expression that made me want to crawl underneath a rock because it was like watching a shark smile. He leaned down and trapped my hand and brought me into a bro hug, I was enveloped in 360 degrees of overpowering smell of body spray and sweat that made my nose itch and eyes water.
"You a solid little girl aren't you, hard as rocks!" The guy remarked on my abnormally hard body and squeezed my arms a little before letting go, ever since I could remember my skin, muscles, and bones were stronger and harder then most, it gave me an edge at fighting.
"Thanks, I'm good." I said still unsure about the situation, I didn't trust these people but couldn't quite put my finger on it as to why. They are just your average nightlife crowd.
"Great, let's go!" Erupted Hannah laughing as she hooked her arm around mine and skipped into the smokey club entrance.
We had to go through a long pitch black tunnel splattered with glow in the dark neon paint and posters I couldn't read because I could barely see my hands in front of me.
It was like traveling through a portal to another world, only this world was filled with blaring music and drunken people. Getting closer I could feel the beat of the music and thump of hundreds of feet pounding the floor. It was riveting to experience, all my senses were being filled by my new surroundings. I began to understand why Hannah liked it so much, the very air was infused with energy. I drank it all in, getting drunk from the bright light and shaking bodies.
Suddenly the roomed opened up and in front of us was a sea of bodies moving and hopping to the music, a bar on the right glowed brightly, the very structure was a light that glowed but didn't hurt the eyes. LED bar tables scattered nearby with some people stationed there happily drinking and laughing the night away. In the centre back was a raised platform with a lively DJ bobbing his head while almost mechanically going from switch to switch on his control panel. The rest of the club was taken up by a lit up dance floor completely crowded by people hypnotized by the sweet taste of life.
I took in as much as I could trying to register all the lights and colours in front of me, but was quickly whisked away by a quite determined redhead. Hannah pulled me past the dense crowd, I tried to say sorry to each person I bumped into but quickly realized it was pointless. They didn't seem to care anyways, too entranced to notice me brushing their shoulders.
We managed to situate in the middle of the dance floor and Hannah began to take to dancing like a fish takes to water, while I just stood awkwardly swaying. I wasn't a dancer by any means, my comfort zone was in the ring fighting, then in a club shaking my booty.
"Come on, loosing up a bit, I want to get to VIP." Hannah encouraged and looked to up to her left and stared at glowing stairs that led to a indoor balcony that overlooked the entire club. I saw a few girls cheer and scurry up the stairs in their high heels and short skirts. They definitely weren't VIP but still the security guards allowed them access and stood at the bottom of the stair expressionless.
"What do you mean?" I shouted at her over the music, she was dancing like a pro still, as if someone directed her every movement perfectly making her look like she could be in a music video.
"The guy who owns this place invites chosen girls to VIP if he likes what he sees." Hannah smirked, "Only way up is to get down and dirty." She grinned mischievously.
That's disgusting. To think women would purposely degrade themselves just to get access to the lime light sickened me. The things we do for fame.
I watched as Hannah pulled multiple dance moves that would get me grounded for life if my parents ever caught me doing them. But then she looked at me with pleading eyes and instantly my cold exterior began to crack like ice, she really wanted this. I guess I could try to dance to humour her, but knew ahead of time it would be a train wreck.
I listened to the beat and began to swish my hips to it, bringing my arms up, dragging my hands along my body all the way to my hair in attempt to try and look sexy. All I could do was let the music fill me and hope I didn't look like a complete mess, hopefully Hannah could makeup for it.
*Some time later*
After an hour or two and a couple of shots I was starting to get the hang of dancing, I was laughing and having the most fun of my life. I wished the night would never end.
Things began to get really interesting when I lost Hannah in the crowd and couldn't find the fiery female anywhere. I checked the bar, the dance floor, the washroom, and all the couples making out but still no sign of her.
With my alcohol induce haziness I concluded she was fine and just scampered off somewhere and returned to the dance floor unbothered where I meant some very friendly guys and began to dance with them. We moved together erotically and I probably was acting like a slut but the tequila sitting in the bottom of my stomach convinced me I looked like a classy supermodel.
Then I felt a tap on my shoulder and whisper in my ear.
"The boss has invited you to join the VIP lounge, your friend is waiting for you up there." A man's husky hot breath assaulted my neck.
I turned around to face a tall guy with the same signature muscles as everyone who worked here dressed in the club's uniform. He looked kinda handsome although it might just be the booze talking. Without a care in the world I nodded my head like a five year old and followed him up the stairs to the VIP section.
As soon as I reached the top I was instantly tackled into a hug and shaking around like a rag doll. I smelt a familiar sugar sweet perfume and strawberry shampoo with a slight whiff of vodka. Hannah was squeezing me tightly and jumping up and down excitedly making my head hurt.
"I'm sooooo glad you made it, this will be so fun!" She giggled and let go of me, I could see the sparkle in her brown eyes and it was contagious. I felt excitement begin to bubble up until I was overflowing with joy.
We rambunctiously scrambled around the lounge oohing at every little thing as if we were in a museum. The club downstairs wasn't your average dirty bar and STD riddled bathroom kind of club, it was pretty high end, one of the better places to go in town. But the VIP section was completely snob city, the music sounded better, the furniture was the comfiest thing I've ever experienced, even the alcohol went down a little bit smoother. It was a place a girl could get use to.
Hannah and I began chatting with two exceptionally attractive guys; well mostly Hannah I kind of just stood there and smiled, when two men came up behind us. At first we didn't notice until the guys we were talking to made faces like we just killed someone and wore their skulls as helmets, the guys quickly scampered off.
"Huh, wonder what's their problem?" Hannah muttered bitterly at the feeling of being rejected.
I shrugged then took a step back instantly coming into contact with a familiar feeling of a hard wall, looking up I saw a scary face scowling down at me. The two guys didn't look like the kind that wanted to talk, I stumbled forward towards Hannah and away from the gloomy twins. Turning I faced them and realized they were workers here from the signature black outfits and dark sunglasses they wore, I waited patiently to hear what they had to say.
"The boss requested your appearance, we are here to escort you two... Ladies." The first guy grumbled and eyed us up and down taking in all the threats we could pose. From my drunken state and Hannah's noodle arms we wouldn't cause much trouble should it come to it.
"You mean Mr. Wright wants to see us, why?" Hannah scoffed in disbelief, she sounded as if the Queen herself wanted to go shopping and share information.
"Ask him yourself, now come on before boss get annoyed, he hates waiting." And with that the two workers turned and we followed not knowing what else to do.
"Do you know what's going on?" I whispered to Hannah, I don't know why I whispered but I just didn't feeling right talking with two security guards only feet in front.
"No, I'm as clueless as you are... Well maybe not THAT much, but I don't know why Mr. Wright wants to see us."
" Rude! But I don't feel good about this, something smells a little fishy."
Hannah looked at me with unsure eyes and shrugged "Guess we'll just have to wait and find out."
We walked a little bit until we reached a secluded lounging area equipped with overstuffed couches and chairs and a pretty LED coffee table in the centre to matched the glow in the dark theme. From here you could look over and see the entire dance floor and club through a glass wall, I saw the bar and people dancing where I was just a while a ago, it was highly disturbing.
Sitting in the middle of a couch was gentleman dressed in a expensive suit with two beautiful girls at his side, it didn't go unnoticed by me the guards positioning was all pin pointed on this individual. Each movement they made revolved around the protection of the man in front of me.
As I was studying the guards I didn't even notice I had taken a seat with Hannah directly in front of the owner of this club and didn't hear the question he asked, only a little muddle voice registered. My attention quickly refocused when I heard the safety of a gun be clicked off.
Looking up I saw Mr. Wright pointing a handheld beretta at me, I sobered up very quickly as the situation began to sink in. I felt Hannah cling to my arm as if it were a life raft, a small squeak escaped her mouth as I stared down into the black barrel of a fully loaded weapon.
I swallowed "Uhh, sorry could you say that again?" My voice was shaking and I didn't know if I would pass out or throw up first.
"I said," started Mr. Wright as he slowly clicked the safety back on and put the gun on the table "you seem a little distracted tonight, are you having a good time?"
Cautiously I answered "The best, but... I feel like you want to talk about more than just how much fun I'm having?"
He chuckled, it sounded dark and evil like a villain's laugh before he kills you.
"Well, aren't you up front, I don't know if I like it or not, for your sake I'd hope so. Your right though, I didn't ask you two here to chat about the music or the booze, I want to talk about what someone like you is doing in my club."
"What do you mean?" This guys was crazy, he must of had the wrong people, maybe he thought we were a part of a gang, the last thing I wanted to do tonight was get in between two gangs.
"You know exactly what I mean, cut the bullsh!t. Why is one of the CWPO's dogs in my joint, is this little bimbo here your charge?" He started pointing at Hannah and his posture was getting more and more hostile by the second. The eight guards around us began to inch closer pulling guns from their jackets and pants, I felt like I was in a pot of water and it was coming to a boil.
"What! I have no idea what your saying. You must have the wrong people! We just came here to have a good time, drink a little, maybe hook up but that's it. You're confusing us with someone else. We mean no harm and if you let us go now we will leave and never come back! Promise." I started to ramble growing increasingly alarmed by the number of knives and guns in the room.
"That's funny, you think I'd just let you go. Well guess what sweetheart, the moment you stepped through those doors you became my property. Also cut the act, it's pathetic. I know what you are and what your capable of." Mr. Wright said darkly and my heart began to pound from the amount threats hanging in the air.
Mr. Wright then leaned forward looking straight into my eyes, I could see he was in his mid-thirties with black hair and a five o'clock shadow. What was disturbing about him were his eyes, they were a bright green almost cat-like. It felt as if they could see right through me into my very soul.
"Don't worry, I'm not going to kill you, your charge yes but you never. Far too valuable to just kill, I couldn't imagine the price you'd score if I'd I put you on auction or I could keep you on a leash for myself, how does that sound?" He grinned and at this point I could feel the bile rising up.
He relaxed back into his seat and made a head motion never once taking his eyes off me, the security guards started to close in on Hannah and I. She was panicking, clutching onto my side like a child, crying about what we're going to do. But I couldn't think, I was frozen unable to act, all that was going through my mind was the word
Bite.