The music pulsed, and people moved like a wave from one side of the club to another, jumping in such a merriment I have never seen before.
What does this place do to people that makes them jump like deer as this? I wondered.
Anika grabbed me by my arm exuberantly, her face lit with excitement.
“Come on!” She shouted over the booming music, her eyes gleaming with excitement as she pointed towards the group behind her
Let’s go join them!” she exclaimed.
Without waiting for a response from either myself or my highly confused face, she forcefully dragged me along.
I clung onto Anika as we made our way around the room, my eyes wide in amazement at all there was to see and hear. I followed closely behind, trying to keep up with her as she navigated us through the thronging bodies.
Everywhere I looked were beautiful women draped over men who seemed more than happy with their company.
Anika paddled through the sea of people, her hips swaying and body weaving and swirling in perfect rhythm with the music as if it was a language she had mastered. She glanced back at me and grinned like a Cheshire cat, threw me a mischievous wink and shouted,
“Let’s make some memories tonight!”
Little did we know at that moment how far down this rabbit hole would eventually take us…
We agreed to grab one more drink as we spied an empty table near the stage. Two girls, with breathtaking beauty, started disrobing for the captivated audience. They moved gracefully against one another in complete and utter sensual way, something I rarely experience back home. A sudden pang of guilt hit me like a ton of bricks-my parents would never know I was out this late, or at such a place, with my roommate, whom they thought was so disciplined and well-behaved.
“We shouldn’t be here,” I whispered to my best friend and roommate, whose reputation as the most studious and best-behaved one among us was about to be challenged.
“This isn’t like home, and there’s no telling what will happen if we stay too long.”
But my friend paid me no heed. She was captivated by the mesmerizing music and the alluring figures in the club.
“This is freedom,” she declared.
“It’s like something calling to my heart, daring me to stay.. daring us to stay.” She lifted her hand dramatically.
My gaze shifted back to the stage, and I found myself drawn in by the beauty and the euphoria. Then I felt something stir within me, a deep longing for a life different from all that I knew, yet I must be cautious, to stay vigilant, or just to get out of here before it was too late. But then again, it also encouraged me to enjoy the moment while it lasted.
But I couldn’t shake off the fear that had settled upon my heart. I knew that if I stayed too long, there would be consequences that I could not prepare for.
“Let’s go,” I urged again, this time a little louder than before.
My friend looked at me as if seeing me for the first time.
“Why are you behaving this way? Do you want to soil this moment? Remember this is a dare, you chicken out and you lose!”
I was in my first year in the university while Anika was at her second.
You can easily tell a studious university student from the glasses, or maybe from the worn out text books or the calculator in their bags. They wouldn’t go out without those around their hands or on the table or next to their beds.
But don’t be deceived, my friend does these and more, carrying books around to look smart, yet she party hard. How she thereafter manages to come out with good grades is what I am yet to study.
I happen to be a more reserved girl with an always clean appearance, clothes that are neat and hair well combed. Exactly as I was taught from home.
My books weren’t just books, they were mostly like my bible.
How I ended up with some boldness to be in the club tonight, I still don’t get it.
But, it was late already to yield to the voice with the unreal warnings just trying to rob me of this precious freedom. I gave a slight shrug and determined to enjoy this night.
Anika smiled knowingly as if seeing right through me and knew exactly what I was thinking, no doubt having experienced this secret pleasure more than once.
“Let’s go enjoy ourselves,” she said,
turning to actually follow her own advice by grabbing our drinks and heading towards the dance floor again. With a sparkle in our eyes we leapt into the sea of writhing bodies; soon enough Anika lost herself completely while I stood there mesmerized by the whole scene playing out before me.
Soon, two men who I observed had been staring at us for a while and having a conversation that was clearly about us, approached us while we were dancing. One was tall, probably 6 foot or so, in good shape. Dark hair and in complexion, well-tended, with thick, well groomed locs. Looks like he had a carwash for hair. His smile was bright, white teeth that light up his entire face. While the other was white, like one carved from snow. Tall and lean with firmly toned body, and broad shoulders.
These men came with a kind of confidence and calmness that could only come from great wealth and power. They were both good looking and obviously important, but it wasn’t just their looks that made an impression on me. It was the way they moved – with a sense of purpose and assurance that you generally don’t find in common people.
“Hello ladies,” one of them said in a voice that was soft, yet commanding. “Would you be interested in joining us for some drinks in the exclusive VIP lounge over there?”
We exchanged glances and I could tell Anika was tempted to accept his offer but we both knew better than to trust strangers in this kind of situation.
“Thank you for the invitation,” I responded politely, “but we must decline.”
The man nodded understandingly, not at all offended by our refusal. He then reached into his pocket and pulled out two cards, handing them to us with a smile.
“You should still go enjoy yourselves,” he said as he walked away with his companion following closely behind him. We took the cards in our hands and looked at each other.
“These men look gorgeous and very important, didn’t you see that?”. Anika said with wide eyes.
“I see that” I said sarcastically
“Jennifer, please.. please it’s just a night. And we could observe these men are gentlemen from the way they accepted our rejection calmly” Anika pleaded.
“And they spoke with much respect too” I added, more thoughtfully.
“Exactly!” Taking the cards from me, inspecting them. She gave a loud gasp with poppy eyes.
“Jeeez! Jennifer, you can’t just imagine who these people are” she slapped my shoulder excitedly.
“Who are they? Celebrities?” I inquired.
“What! Do you listen to the news at all? Mike is the CEO of the luxurious Farawe auto company. Rumors has it that he also has an oil and gas business amidst many other businesses he doesn’t really speak of. While Mercedes on the other hand is a real estate mogul. He has over one thousand buildings including mansions in Las Vegas to his name. We are not even counting the ones he has in many other big cities around the world. Imagine! And here we are playing shy girls.”
I was amazed at this revelation. “So they are as important as these! That means they can connect us to some good jobs soon after school. Then let’s go meet them at the VIP lounge to ‘appreciate’ them for their kindness .” I urged Anika.
My friend looked at me with sheer excitement “That’s the spirit my lovely dearie!”
We quickly grabbed our drinks and headed to the exclusive VIP lounge.
Our night had just gotten infinitely more exciting!
“So, is this your first time here?” one of them asked.
We nodded in unison and he continued “Wow! You certainly don’t look like it – you are a wild bunch.” He smiled and added
“My friend over here thinks so too,” pointing to the other man who had been quietly looking on.
The two men began chatting us up and told us their names were Mike and Mercedes respectively. I was about to say something but Anika cut me off with a sudden burst of laughter which silenced everyone around for some seconds until it eventually died out into just an embarrassed giggle from her side as she quickly wiped tears that had started trickling down her cheeks while coughing uncontrollably due to all the drinks we’d taken earlier that night.
Embarrassment would be an understatement if I must describe my feeling then; however, they seemed more amused than offended by our slight demonstrations especially when they realized how young we actually were. Anika’s running mouth had told them she was 19 and I was 17.
One of them, the more quiet one who had introduced himself as Mercedes, his voice was warm and smooth and easy, like a hot cup of coffee, or a cold beer on a hot day. He held out his hand and asked me to dance. I was both scared and excited but Anika quickly jumped in with a smile,
“Go on! Dare you! Remember this..!” she exclaimed loudly enough for the man to hear.
“Oh shut up!” I interrupted abruptly with a smile.
She gave a hearty laughter and dismissed me with a wave of her hand.
I hesitated for brief moment before fearlessly grabbing his arm while he led me towards the center of the dance floor right within the VIP lounge area and we spun around under some dim lights that illuminated us faintly like stars in an endless dark sky above us.