Under the bustling city lights, people were still working so they could feed their children, teenagers were drinking crying away their sorrows of survival in this harsh words, toddlers were still crawling unaware of preparedness he was expected to build to and unborn still sleeping thinking we would fix every problem before it enters the world. So we have only 1 choice, live to love, spread the smile and encourage every soul that is resisting the brokenness the world is stressing on him. And in this superficial world where people try to look how things work rather than how things look, we need to be prepared to be full of things to be seen under those superficial skins of clothes and fake smiles. I wore good clothes to show my effort I had not put really to attend Rose Club. '
In that crowded space, i found the corner cabin where known faces were settles. A sure unwelcoming face was stuck on many bodies but I care only about people close to me so i remain indifferent to such eyes. Jason walked out hugging me when other eyes would have shot me to death if killing was legal. "I will pay you back one day" Jason whispered in my ear pulling apart his body from mine. I could only smile.
"You are Hannah right?" another bulky jock boy asked.
"Good evening senior"
"Nice way to ask for name." he grinned c*****g his head sideways studying me. I took a seat on the parallel row to his and if i am not wrong the girl next to me just pinched me hard. Let the small things pass. "They call me Harry. Nice to meet you...junior" he smiled. Did he really find this witty? What a poor taste of humor.
Food and alcohol started getting served. “How about we play paper kiss?” a guy suggested and before I could even know they were all ready with the props hooting and cheering for the game to be started. I ditched the plan to ask about what it was and decided to follow what the foreplayers do.
The guy kept the folded paper napkin thing in his mouth, crisscrossing it from sides so the bunch remains together giving it a feel of a thick paper. These guys are just so skilled in origami and smart when the talk is about having fun. Nobody would have thought of this idea. The paper started getting passed onto the next players by…mouth. One sucked it lightly so the paper stays well in place, but a little incorrect pressure and the lips would touch. Aren’t they scared to just kiss any random person. As the paper moved near me, my heart fastened in pace. Just pass it to the next person and he will have to face the punishment if he doesn’t suck it correctly.
My turn came and the girl turned to look at me with the paper in her mouth. I moved close to suck it, but just as I was inches away from the paper she let it fall…deliberately, smirking at me. She just let it fall, and now I have to kiss her. My eyes raged in anger as her smirk became a grin on victory of her evil intentions. I looked down gulping my frustration at this childish play.
“Kiss! Kiss! Kiss!” the crowd was already cheering and hooting at the punishment that would be so entertaining for them. What are they, 12, to be so excited on seeing a girl kiss another girl outside love, that they would gossip about to everyone. Before I could get a grip of the situation her lips crashed onto mine sucking them. It was not an actual kiss obviously, but the touch was enough to make me groan at disgust. She sucked them lightly as i pushed myself on her completing the punishment.
The game began again and I passed it to the next guy. Thankfully he was not that involved in making me lose to kiss him. Before the paper reaches me again two guy already underwent the punishment and I bet they were having time of their life by observing the length and intensity of their kisses with their female partners. Thankfully everyone’s interest from the game had disappeared by the time it was my turn and we decided to change the game before I have to catch the paper.
“We are going to have a dance” the latest kissed couple informed making their way to the dance floor and many other followed. Some guys went to the bar counter to flirt with the bartenders who should not give up their resistance for these goodlooking fuckboys. They are beast in bed and devil from hearts, from what I have heard.
“I am going to washroom. How about you come with me?” The girl next to me the two guys who were the sole person remaining in the cabin now, hissing under her breath the last statement. I nodded to follow her in silence. Whatever she has in surprise to harass me, I can just take it and pass-through. I just need to ignore the harsh words and give a blank face of boredom when things get worse. My expressions are not a lie though. She handed me her bag and went into the nearest toilet cabin.
Under the white light, on white tiles, how can dark soul survive, don’t they get scared of the mascara smudged black eyes person they see themselves in their reflection to show themselves the true colours of who they are? This is the reason I don’t look at mirrors and run away from them. She came out but I did not hear any sound of flush, so dirty. Maybe she has not used it I convince myself.
She washed her hands glaring at me from the mirror, “You look pretty and petty now. How can you come to places like this with such filthy clothes and that poverty striken face?" she spat at my reflection.
I sighed in response with a used-to look walking out lowering my lashes to concentrate on my breath and calm myself.
One…two…ouch. I banged into the wall. There was an audible sound of stifled laughter as I moved my eyes to look up massaging my head where it hurt. This man needs to work out a little less because if I might have not looked at him, I would have definitely believed to be crashed into a wall and not his chest. What a good time of laughter the girl was having seeing me. I could see his muscles even from his tuxedo suit hugging him tightly near the shoulder when he flexed his muscles. The intensity of his green eyes was drowning me so deep, I would have choked if I didn’t blink. The way his veins popped out from his neck and the back of him palm, I could see smoke of his fury emitting from him, getting burnt by his cold breaths.
“Sorry” I apologized in a low voice not meaning even a little of it.
“How can bar hostess walk so blindly. I would report your behavior to the authorities” the girl just put gasoline in the fire. She is just crazy to walk away after leaving me hanging here.
I followed her footsteps but was grabbed by the arm before even one step would be completed. “I buy you tonight then” he said in a very authoritative low voice.
“I am sorry, my friend just likes to play pranks. I am also a guest here.” I smiled explaining him the whole situation without details to start walking again, but he just pulled me back from the arm.
“I am a vip, I will pay a lot to suck my d**k” his eyes were still dark.
Gross. I scowled at those disgusting words pulling my hand back to actually move towards the cabin where we sat. This is a club so these things might be common I tried to reason out those words.
Jason had was sitting in the cabin now and we were alone under those dim lights of confined space,
“Thank you for coming”
“You know I would come. Not just this time, but every time you call me I would come. I know that you know that very well.”
“Can you know how much I love you?
I took a pause straightening out words before I just blurt them. There was utter silence and desire in air intensifying our breaths when a waiter interrupted. “Ma’am you need to come with me to the cctv supervision room please. You just came out of washroom right?”
Even though this might turn out to be a bad idea but I smiled standing up to follow him out of this thick atmosphere assuring Jason of my quick return. I remember not hearing the flush sounds and I can bet the call is for the same reason. I can’t believe clubs to be this strict about the conduct and manners. I followed through the corridor and well-lighted lobby to stand in front of the door tagged as ‘CCTV Invigilance. For Staff ONLY’ The waiter asked me to wait outside as he intimates the inner members about my arrival.
Unfazing loneliness was taking over under those white lights when the voice came, “We meet again” the Wall man appeared from around the corner walking towards me.
I smiled in response defying all the words I could have spoken.
“I just knew it. How about a million for one night?”
“I am just sorry for my friend. Her mouth doesn’t have a filter”
The waiter came out to call me but I was caged between his arm’s and wall as those eyes stares deep down my soul. I have never seen such shades of eyes and I could see the shade just getting darker with every moment passing as he breathed across my face. On taking a better look I saw so much pain held in them that urged me to steal it from there for forever. My breath bitched in my throat I saw those bloodshot eyes over the muscles he tried to flex in vain to distract himself.
“Five million” he offered.
“You don’t take no for an answer?”
“Ten million?”
“Are you a goldmine?” I pushed him lightly but somewhere he wanted to get off, I judged, on seeing him stick his back to the wall besides me, making way for me. We were standing almost in the same posture except the stressed relief in me whereas a wanting stress in him that was nothing to be sad about. I took a step towards the cctv room to not be stopped by him as I had expected. Somewhere there was a little hint of pain piercing in my heart but this is just how it feel when your expectations fall down, I tried to convince myself. But before I even knew my footstep stopped turning me around to stand face to face in my all tall posture in front of the man wall.
“I can agree for ten billion.” I proposed.
“Are you a virgin?”
“Looking at your instant guess, is virginity sold at ten billion?” my face showed clear questioning.
“Are you really throwing your virginity for money?”
“Narcissist. It is ten billion dollars, you know how much it is right? What will I do saving my virginity, roast it and eat it one day for dinner?”
He smirked first pulling me closer to him by my waist, as his smirk grew into a smile to a grin. I could have never believed this if not witnessed it by my very own eyes. This subtle cold face holding so much pain could give out the warmth that made me feel a little comfortable, impossible if imagined, but somehow I was getting attracted to his aura that was burning himself. I shivered at the touch as his eyes pierced into my nerves.
“Even though you like girls, would you like to accompany me for a drink with me?” green eyes pleaded with the smile that was urging me to calm the storm in him, or get swallowed in it if unlucky.
“Cool, I will be back” I clicked my tongue giving a wink to lighten up the atmosphere and us.
I entered the dark room full of television screens and men that were not very welcoming to spare a glance at me. On screen there was a girl’s left profiled blur picture, very blur. “Is this your picture ma’am?” one of the man turned to look at me. This is a club where most people follow black and grey dress code making them camouflage with darkness under dim lights, so it might be very easy to confuse faces.
“Look at the earrings carefully sir, this is not me.” I said politely at their mistake smiling with an evidence to show this was not me. So this thing was not about the washroom at all, I sighed. The man nodded on studying my statement carefully and nodded for me to leave. Okay I was not polite to get this unbelievable reply. I walked my way out to find the wall standing in his tall posture waiting for me. I was expecting this but not really my emotions that were realizing some hormones in me that I suppressed well.
He led our way towards the vip lounges and my legs stopped on realization. "I prefer bar counter" I announced with a little fury hid under those overthinking worried eyes.
"But I use couches which are only available in lounge" he defended.
"Then we might need to drop the plan. We are not close yet" i smiled assuring i was not hurt a bit by the changes in plans and whirled on my heels clicking them to walk towards the crowd where bar counter was. In no time other footsteps were besides me and a smile appeared on my face to see him submit to my request.
He was quite not himself showing the gentleman manner to hold my stool when I sit and sat after me. “What would you like?”
“I will have water”
“Didn’t you agree for a drink just before, how can you go back on your words?”
"Reminder i agreed to accompany you to drink, and i don't drink alcohol. I worry about my health."
"Two coke" he ordered the girl behind the counter peeking me through the corner of his eyes. He was being generous out of manners to not drink since i don't, but somehow i found this as a good sign. "I am Richard Cage" he pulled out his hand for a handshake.
But i am in university, a student who doesn't know formalities so i slapped his hand to produce a clap sound, "I am Hannah Peterson"
I was just reflecting his smile but i could not reflect his aura nor intimidating eyes.
I will run away from this trap before it comes near, i promised myself.