Part 15 (2/2)

”Thanks,” I said, smiling at him when we went past. I thought he smiled back, but I wasn't sure.

Ken followed close behind us. The place was awesome. Strobe lights flashed all around us. Blue, red, and yellow light beams swirled before my eyes. They seemed to correspond to the music, which pumped through the sound system so loud it shook my body. A long, black bar ran along the left side. s.h.i.+rtless men wearing leather pants were busy pouring people drinks. Every barstool was occupied, and the open s.p.a.ces for the waitresses were crowded with people, too.

One girl pushed to get through the mob. She had a round tray in her hand. She was average height and weight, but had an enormous pair of b.r.e.a.s.t.s. They were a little hard to miss, since all she had on them was two tiny pasties with ta.s.sels on the ends. She wore a pair of boy-cut silver shorts that let the corner of her b.u.t.t hang out, and a pair of matching silver go-go boots. Pink frizzy hair puffed out from her head in all directions. Pallo pulled on my arm, and we continued onward.

In the center of the old warehouse was a dance floor. The thing was at least three times the size of my apartment, and looked like it needed to be bigger. People were herded together, b.u.mping and grinding to the music. A large DJ booth was set up directly behind the dance floor. A cage stood on either side of it. Girls in leather string bikinis were dancing in each cage, rubbing themselves against the bars. I shook my head and kept walking.

We reached the back of the club and Pallo guided me into the booth in the far, back right corner. It was L-shaped, and looked like it could seat at least ten people comfortably. I didn't realize until I sat that the tables weren't actually black, they were dark glowing and green, like the booth seat. I found myself sitting between Ken and Pallo. They still hadn't spoken a word to each other since we left my apartment, and I got pretty tired of them acting like babies. Before I could say anything, the waitress with the frizzy pink hair came to our table.

”Pallo.” She said his name like she wanted to have s.e.x with it. I looked at him and wondered if he was a regular here. The guy had his own table, for crying out loud.

”Good evening, Angela,” Pallo said to her.

Ken looked like he would burst if he didn't say something snide, so I kicked him under the table.

Angela leaned forward and her b.r.e.a.s.t.s rubbed on the table next to Pallo. I got a good look at her and was shocked. She had long, fake pink eyelashes on both her top and bottom eyelids. She had big silver eyes. I wasn't sure if they were contacts or her real eye color. From the way she acted around Pallo, I bet he did.

I tried my best to ignore her, but she had none of that.

”Pallo, you haven't introduced me to your friends,” she said, tracing a finger around her lips as she spoke.

Pallo took a deep breath in, then spoke. ”This is my Gwyneth, and her friend Ken.” I noticed the emphasis he put on the word 'my'.

”His Gwyneth?” Ken asked.

I rolled my eyes. Angela took this opportunity to lean in closer to Pallo. One of her ta.s.sels touched his face. Her little scene made me nauseous.

”Gee, Pallo, I hate to interrupt the two of you, but do you think we could eat now?” I let my annoyance show.

”No, really, its fine. I kind of like the show,” Ken said. I kicked his leg again and he let out a grunt.

”Yes, by all means.” Pallo looked at me to order. It took Angela a minute to give up the menu, but she finally did. I decided on a cheeseburger, fries and a Diet c.o.ke, and Ken ordered a salad and a gla.s.s of water. He was always watching what he ate. When we were engaged he had started getting all preachy on me about my bad food choices. He would go on and on about clogged arteries and high blood pressure.

”Why didn't you get anything?” I asked, looking at Pallo.

He smiled. ”My Gwyneth, some things I cannot explain without looking like a monster.”

”Oh, I'm sorry, I forgot.” The fact that the man survived off human blood had totally left my mind. I reached out to touch his arm.

His other hand came and rested on mine. ”It is good to know you can see past some things.”

”Couldn't we just order you a raw steak or something? We could all sit around and watch you suck it dry,” Ken said. I wanted to crawl under the table. He did everything in his power to be the biggest jerk possible.

To my surprise, Pallo seemed amused with him. He smiled and tipped his head. The annoying waitress started back in our direction, carrying a tray of drinks. She bent over, laid her body on the table, and gave Ken his water. She just about dropped my soda in my lap. I caught it before it toppled off the table. Then she turned and handed Pallo a large wine goblet. It was full to the brim with the thickest red wine I'd ever seen.

”I brought a little something special for you too, my love,” Angela said, handing him his drink.

Pallo actually looked uncomfortable. He s.h.i.+fted uncomfortably in his seat and took the drink from her hands. She made sure to let her fingers slid over his a little too long. She turned and walked slowly away, sashaying the entire way.

Ken leaned over me and looked at Pallo. ”When the h.e.l.l did they start serving blood in here?”

”When they received their liquor license, the state considered their 'special' circ.u.mstance and included that, as well,” Pallo shot back at him.

”Well, I'm going to have to look into that,” Ken said. He acted like a child who just had to have the last word.

After the day I'd been having, I thought I should have ordered a rum and c.o.ke, but I wasn't sure I could hold my liquor tonight. Angela finally came with our food and more drinks. I hadn't had a full meal in days and was starved. Ken and Pallo both sat and watched me eat.

”What?” I asked, suddenly feeling very self-conscious.

”That stuff's going to kill you,” Ken said, his voice loud.

”I doubt that I will go by way of cheeseburger, but concern duly noted,” I said, finis.h.i.+ng up the last few bites of my meal.

”Do you always eat like this?” Pallo asked.

I turned as I wiped the corners of my mouth with my napkin. ”I eat when I'm hungry, and I eat what I want. Why?”

”I was just wondering where you put it all. There is nothing to you.”

I smiled, and heard Ken cough.

Angela kept popping in with refills for us all. During one of her little pa.s.ses, she conveniently dropped a napkin into Pallo's lap and reached down to pick it up. Her hand rubbed against his pants between his legs. She had enough nerve to cup her hand around him on the way up. I had had enough of their little petting show. I stood up.

”Move, Ken, I'm going to go dance.”

Ken looked at me for a minute, then slid out of the booth. I walked out and felt a little light headed. I put my hand on Ken's for support.

”Hey, you better sit down,” he said, and eased me back around him.

”I'm fine, just stood up to fast,” I said, and pushed away.

”Gwyneth, wait, I will join you,” Pallo said.

Angela practically threw herself on him. His face was buried in her big fake chest. Ken sprayed water out of his nose laughing.

I searched for the snippiest voice I could muster and said, ”Well, Pallo, you look a little busy. No, really, don't bother to get up.”

As I walked away, I could feel Angela glaring at me. I didn't care.

I pushed my way to the center of the dance floor. It had taken me almost five minutes due to the crowd. I knew Ken wouldn't come out and join me--he couldn't dance. I figured that Pallo was still busy getting felt up by little Miss Pink, so I went it alone.

I moved with the music. It was techno, and I wasn't used to dancing to it, but I managed to get by. I closed my eyes and let the rhythm dictate how I moved my hips and body. I let myself become one with the music.

Sharon asked me to teach her to dance when we were younger. Whenever we went out to clubs, she would pull me off the floor when I really got into it. She said that I pulled the men out of the woodwork.

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