by Young, M. L.
We sat around for the morning as we talked, cuddled, and played a game on his tablet. I took one half of the screen and he took the other as we handled the controls in tandem and tried to beat every level and obstacle the game threw at us. We weren’t that successful, but my cheeks hurt so badly from laughing at one point that I thought I was going to get a cramp.
We took a shower together, a long one, as we washed each other’s bodies and made out a little. I think both of us had sex on our minds, but neither one of us acted on it, for whatever reason. I guess I didn’t want to keep him from work, but I didn’t know what his excuse was.
“I have a question for you,” I said, wrapped in a towel, as we stood at his double vanity and I dried my hair.
“Shoot,” he said.
“Would you mind if I, I don’t know, kept a few things here?” I asked, almost cringing, as I feared his answer.
“Well, like what?” he asked.
“Well, like some fresh clothes so I don’t have to wear my old ones, maybe some toiletries so I can properly get ready, and just stuff like that,” I said.
“That’s a big step, having your things in my apartment,” he said.
“It’s stupid, I know, I just thought I’d ask,” I said, feeling a little embarrassed.
“I don’t think you’re stupid. I think it sounds okay to me. You’re right that you should be able to feel clean and comfortable when you’re over here. If you want to have things here, then I’m all for it,” he said.
I smiled as I looked at him in the mirror and saw my cheeks turn a little red. I couldn’t believe he was being so cool about this, but at the same time I guess I couldn’t be all that surprised.
We got dried off and dressed and I wore the same everything from the night before. Since we were going in opposite directions, Blake had Gustav drive me home, where I saw a messy Nicolette on the couch eating breakfast as she watched some ‘90s made for TV movie.
“Have a good time?” she asked, as she ate her bowl of cereal.
“Yeah, we had a great time,” I said.
“Get laid?” she asked.
“Nic,” I replied.
“Come on, you can tell me,” she said.
“Maybe. At the restaurant. I don’t know,” I said.
“You didn’t!” she exclaimed.
I laughed and grabbed a bottle of water out of the fridge as she looked at me with an open mouth. I took a swig of water before setting it down and looking back at her.
“I can’t believe you. You’re just a little tramp now, huh?” she asked.
“I’m a regular little Nicolette,” I replied.
“Watch it, bitch. I’ll cut you,” she said, with a smile.
I sat down next to her on the couch and looked around as the sunlight twinkled in through the half-closed window, illuminating specks of dust that floated throughout the room. Nicolette wasn’t watching anything great, though I suppose she never really did, unless Jersey Shore counted as great.
“So, what are you doing tonight?” she asked.
“Not sure. Maybe something with Blake, though nothing has been set,” I said.
“Go out with me instead,” she replied.
“What did you have in mind?” I asked.
“Dancing?” she asked.
“Ugh, you know I can’t dance,” I said.
“So what, everyone has to learn at some point. It will be fun to just get out,” she said.
“Fine, I guess I’ll go, but I’m not promising anything. I might just sit there,” I said.
“As long as you go with me, I’ll be happy. I found out about this new Spanish dance club that’s supposed to be a lot of fun. We’ll leave at eight,” she said.
I sat around and did a few pages of homework and about an hour of studying, then filled the rest of my time with scouring the Internet and looking at what everybody on social media was doing. My days without a job were incredibly boring, though I guess in a way it was better to sit around and watch TV and go on the computer all day than to stand and spray my thousandth perfume sample in some woman’s face. I was sure I would’ve ended up getting really sick of that very fast.
I didn’t put all that much effort into my appearance for dancing—at least not in comparison to Nicolette. She dressed herself completely up, even the makeup and hair, and had painted her nails and toes earlier to match her outfit, which I thought was a little overboard. I guess she was just an overboard type of girl.
“Can’t you at least try to make an effort?” she asked.
“I don’t even know why I’m going. I have a man,” I said.
“Yeah, but I don’t, and I’m not going alone and looking like a loser. It’s not like you have anything better to do,” she said.
Blake said earlier that he had a business dinner to go to, which I said was fine because I was being dragged to the dance club. He said to be careful, and not to take a drink from anyone besides the bartender. I never really drank anyway, and planned to put a bottle of water in my purse just in case.
Nicolette made me put on a little more makeup and some new shoes before we were ready to hit the town, which were her words and not mine.
Nicolette had called a cab because she said she planned on drinking and I guess assumed I would be too. She paid the fare, so I didn’t care how we got there. Our driver, a woman about fifty years old, picked us up outside and took off for the club. She drove like a bat out of hell, weaving in and out of traffic while cursing at anyone and anything that got in her way. That was in between flicking them off and challenging them to fight her, though she never yelled that part quite as loudly, likely for fear that somebody would take her up on her offer.
Nicolette gave her a generous tip, probably because she was scared for her life, before we got out of the cab and she took off again before Nic could get the door fully closed. I brushed myself off and we walked up to the club, where the noxious odor of sweat and horny bodies filled the air. A guy all in black sat on a stool outside. There wasn’t a line, but it didn’t sound like they had any problems with attendance. We walked up to the gentleman and he nodded for us to go in without saying a word. As we did, I was immediately hit with the humidity of a South American rainforest.
“Nic, this is a little much,” I shouted. The music was so loud I could barely hear a thing.
The Spanish music raged as bodies spun around on the dance floor. Plenty of others above, where we were, sat at dimly lit tables and laughed as they drank fruity drinks and tried to seduce the opposite sex.
“Come on, over here,” she said, as she pointed towards an empty table.
The table, which was tall and not so large, had two stools that were high enough to make my feet hover in the air. After we sat down, a waitress dressed in almost flamenco-like gear walked up and placed two small napkins on the table.
“What can I get you two ladies?” she asked.
“Two Margaritas on the rocks with extra salt,” Nicolette said.
“Oh, I don’t—” I said.
“Great, be right back!” the waitress said, before walking away.
“I don’t want any alcohol, Nic,” I said.
“Oh stop, you need to loosen up. We’re at a dance club. There’s tons of hot guys around,” she said, as she looked down at the dance floor.
The music wasn’t all that horrible. I was just glad it wasn’t club music like at traditional places. The bodies were plentiful, as men were on women, women were on other women, and men were on other men. They certainly didn’t discriminate here, but I guess we were in San Francisco.
The waitress came back with our drinks and Nicolette handed her some cash as she graciously said thank you and left. I mixed my drink with a skinny black stirrer before looking up at Nicolette, who was already taking her first chug. I rolled my eyes and took a sip of my own, the tart liquid making me pucker my lips as my eyes welled up.
“Shit,” I said, as I set it down.
“They’re good, huh?” she asked.
“Yeah, if you like to drink jet fuel,” I said.
After about five minutes of sitting there, Nicolette decided she needed to go out on the dance floor and meet a guy. She was determined to meet someone, and I couldn’t say that I thought her standards were too high tonight. As long as he was semi-attractive and had a dick, I thought she’d be okay.
She begged me to come down, but I declined and said I’d just sit here and watch our drinks. She made me promise I’d dance later, when we were done with them, and I agreed just so she’d go away. Keeping our drinks close, I watched as she went down to the dance floor and started dancing her little heart out. There weren’t many people doing traditional dances; it was more nightclub-esque grinding and making out.
As I sat and watched her, I felt a tap on my shoulder, which caught my attention. I turned to see a man, maybe a few years older than me, with parted blond hair and blue eyes. He was standing alone, dressed in slacks and a button-up shirt with a few buttons loosened at the top.
“Here all by yourself?” he asked.
“Oh, no, I’m here with a friend. She’s dancing,” I said.
“And how come you aren’t down there with her? A beautiful girl like you should be tearing up that dance floor,” he said.
“Not really my thing. I just came to support her,” I said.
“Mind if I take a seat?” he asked, as he pointed to the empty chair.
“Uh, sure, that’ll be okay until she gets back,” I said stupidly, as I didn’t know what else to say.
I was never good at rejecting people. Hell, the last time my order got screwed up at a restaurant, I ate it just so I wouldn’t have to deal with the confrontation. It just wasn’t my thing.
“I’m Carter,” he said, as he set down his beer.
“Hi, Carter, I’m Penny,” I said.
“What a beautiful name. Short for Penelope, which originates from Greece,” he said.
“Oh, yes, it does,” I said, smiling.
“So, Penny, what do you do for a living?” he asked.
“I’m still in school. In my last semester, actually,” I said.
“How exciting. I just got out last year. What are you studying?” Carter asked.
“I’m studying computer science,” I said.
“Wow, that’s amazing,” he said, with relative shock. “There aren’t nearly enough women in that industry as there should be. It’s been male-dominated for the longest time, and it’s about time women got in on it. I’m really glad to see that it’s happening,” he said.
“Yeah, it’s been male-dominated since it began,” I said, smiling, as I couldn’t believe someone would say that.
I didn’t think someone like Blake would say something so encouraging like that. He might think it, but maybe running a tech company could make you a little biased towards trends and how things have always been.
“I myself am in city planning. I guess it’s sort of like computer science, with figuring out how things work and how to best place everything,” he said.
“I can definitely see the comparison. Do you work for the city?” I asked.
“Sure do. It’s a fun job, but it can be pretty stressful. I think the best part is seeing how your ideas are turned into realities all across the city. Like we’re in stages to build a few new eco-friendly parks in the city that were my idea,” he said.
“That’s great. I think cities need more of those,” I said, smiling.
I tried to be friendly and polite to Carter, even though I could sense what he was trying to do. After all, I was a girl alone in a club and he was obviously a single guy out to find a woman, whether it was just for the night or for all of his nights. I of course wasn’t interested, as I was happy with Blake, but I suppose it was better to sit here and have a conversation with someone than to sit all alone and watch my best friend shake her ass.
“So, you said you’re here with your friend?” he asked.
“Yeah, she’s down there. She’s my roommate, too. She wanted to go out and meet someone, I guess, so I said I’d come along,” I replied.
“Don’t you want to get out there and dance and meet someone?” he asked.
I didn’t know if he was truly curious, or if he was trying to bait me into an answer he wanted. I wasn’t going to give him one he wanted, though, and I was afraid of what he’d say.
“I’m already seeing someone,” I said.
“Oh,” he replied.
“I’m sorry. I think you’re really nice!” I said.
“Well, I’m sorry for wasting your time,” he said, with a saddened look on his face.
“You didn’t waste my time! I like talking to you. You’re a nice guy,” I said.
“Yeah, a nice guy. Cause they always finish first,” he said bitterly.
“Don’t beat yourself up like that, Carter. There are tons of girls here who would love to go out with you,” I said.
“Well, when you see one, let me know,” he said, as he got up from the table.
“I hope you have a good time tonight,” I said.
He politely said thanks and walked away and out of sight. I turned back around and saw Nicolette down below. I felt bad rejecting him like that, but what else was I supposed to do? Even if I weren’t with Blake, I likely wouldn’t be all that interested. He seemed nice enough, but I wasn’t sure he was even my type. I guess you can’t please everyone.
After about ten more minutes, Nicolette came upstairs and back to the table. She ordered a water, and was sweating a little. She took a sip of her Margarita and let out a huge sigh.
“What’s wrong?” I asked.
“Nothing, just so thirsty. It gets so hot and humid down there,” she said.
“Yeah, you look like you really worked up a sweat,” I said.
“You should come down with me. It’s a blast. One guy even asked for my number,” she said.
“I don’t have that problem, remember?” I asked.
“Can’t ever go wrong with a little dancing. Once she gets me my water, I’m pulling you down there,” Nicolette said.
Our waitress came back with a bottle of water and Nicolette handed her four dollars for it. Outrageous, but I guess that’s what you get for not stuffing one in your purse like me. After taking a few gulps and letting herself rest for a moment, she grabbed my hand and tried to get me to go with her. I refused, telling her it wasn’t my thing, though she thoroughly insisted and wouldn’t let it go until I went for at least ten minutes. If I didn’t want to after that, she’d let me come back.
I went down with her, and we left our drinks behind and decided they weren’t good enough anyway. We wiggled our way onto the dance floor and I felt a mass of sweaty, wet bodies rub up against me. I cringed, as any normal person would, before we got to a small area that was open and Nicolette started flailing around. This was her version of dancing?
“Come on,” she said, grabbing my hands.
She swung them around before I started to move my body a little to satisfy her. The air was thick and I almost felt like I was swimming from the intense heat that ran across the dance floor. With beads of sweat forming across my brow, I swung my arms on my own, though I didn’t enjoy it. I knew I should let go of my inhibitions and had a little fun, but it just wasn’t for me.
Within a few minutes, two guys came up and tried to dance with us. Nicolette gladly danced with her guy, but mine, who kind of reminded me of Tyler, wasn’t getting anything from me. I turned him away, telling Nicolette I wanted to leave. She rolled her eyes and told me I still had a few more minutes. I danced on my own, closer to her, as the guy who tried it with me moved onto another girl nearby.
I counted down the seconds before telling her I was going outside and going home. She was annoyed, but said okay and that she’d be out in a few to see how I was doing. I pushed my way through the crowd before walking up the stairs and towards the exit. I saw Carter on the way out, who flashed me a small smile. He was sitting there talking to an attractive girl. I fel
t happy for him, but not as happy as for myself the moment I walked outside and the cool air hit my face. I almost felt all the sweat freeze as my lungs were finally shocked with cold air and not that sweaty jungle air.
I took out my phone and unlocked it to see Blake had texted me fifteen minutes earlier.
“How’s dancing?” he asked.
“It sucks. I’m standing outside now because it was all just a little too much,” I replied.
“I’m sorry to hear that. I’m still at work. We’re entertaining another merger talk. It’s boring,” he said.
“At least you’re not here,” I said.
“I’d love to be dancing with you right now. I know you don’t like to dance, but it’d be fun,” he said.
I felt my cheeks warm up a little as I thought about the two of us dancing. This wasn’t the best environment for it, but I’d be down if it meant I was dancing with him. Maybe he could even teach me a few things.
“I’d dance with you, just not here. We might catch something,” I said, jokingly.
“Like dance fever?” he replied.
“That, and a possible skin infection,” I replied.
He sent back a smiley face and said he had to get back to the meeting because he was getting annoyed looks. I said I’d talk to him later, and as I put my phone away, Nicolette came out, her hair slightly wet, her makeup starting to smudge and run from the humidity. It made me wonder what mine looked like.
“Are you leaving?” she asked.
“I don’t know. This isn’t that fun,” I said.