“LET’S PARTAYYYY!” Kelly and Trista started yelling back.
Rachel followed them into the old pickup truck and hopped into the flat bed behind them. She knew this wasn’t safe, but what was she going to do now? She couldn’t turn back. She sat squished on the hard metal, dirty flatbed with her bags on top of her. The guy driving screeched out of the driveway causing her to fall to the side and hit her head on the side of the flatbed. She was ok, but definitely a little shaken by the whole thing.
A few minutes later they pull up to the center of town. She was surprised how bustling it was, and never expected a sleepy southern town to be like this. It reminded her of scenes of MTV’s The Real World, A show her older sister would watch all the time.
The car comes to a halt and everyone jumps out in front of the club.
“You got the ID right?” Trista asked.
“Yes,” Rachel answered, holding it up in front of her.
“OK good,” Trista said. “Don’t forget to give it to me before we leave, ok?”
“Sure,” Rachel said, wishing that she could just give it back to her now and go back home.
She looked around at all the kids standing in front of the club in a long line behind red velvet ropes. She couldn’t understand why they would want to wait on this line waiting to be picked by some loser overweight bouncer. What was so special about this place, she thought to herself? A big sign that read INFINITY spanned the front of the building and was lit up in white strobe lights that made her squint while looking at it.
“WOOP WOOP WOOP!” A loud voice shouted from outside the club.
“SOLDIER!” Kelly shouted back. “WASSUP?”
“HOW ARE YOU GIRL?” he said, running out to give her a hug and a high five.
“I’m good!” Kelly said, smiling back. “Brought my crew tonight!”
“I see that!” Soldier replied. “Come right in!”
Soldier ushered Kelly, Rachel, Trista and all the guys inside the club and to the back room with a dance floor and private tables. Rachel couldn’t believe that after all the talk of the fake ID she didn’t even need it after all. She felt relieved because she knew how awkward it would have been if she was the only one who didn’t get into the club.
“You guys buying a table?” he asked Kelly.
“Yeah!” Kelly said, turning to her friends for approval.
“You guys in for a table?” Kelly asked.
Everyone shook their heads. Rachel didn’t know exactly what was going on but followed suit anyway shaking her head yes.
They all sat down on the sleek black alligator leather sofas surrounding the table and put their bags down.
“What can we get you guys?” a waitress asked wearing a skimpy leotard, fishnets and tall platform shoes.
“Tequila and Vodka?” Kelly asked, looking around at everyone.
“YEAH BABY!” one of the guys shouted.
“Someone’s looking for a crazy night!” another chimed in.
“So T and V?” the waitress said, writing the order down on her notepad.
Rachel sat there, looking around at the throngs of drunk people dancing on the dance floor. She’d never been to a nightclub before and had never ordered a bottle of tequila or vodka before either. She’d never been more out of her element than she was at this moment.
Feeling unsure of the situation, Rachel got up from the leather couch and walked away towards the bar to get a glass of water. She still had a bit of a fuzzy feeling inside her from the alcohol and she wanted to rid herself of it. She sat down on a high bar stool with her heeled feet dangling down its sides.
“What can I get you pretty lady?” the bartender asked in a smooth voice.
“Oh, me?” Rachel asked, looking surprised. Nobody had ever called her that before.
“Who else would I be speaking to?” the bartender winked. “So, what will it be?”
“Just a water for me,” Rachel answered.
“Water?” the bartender looked in horror.
“Yup!” Rachel said, trying not to feel embarrassed. It was clear that nobody else at Infinity would ever dare order a glass of water.
The bartender walked away with an annoyed look on his face and came back and slammed a small glass of water down on the bar, and in doing so, some of it splashed out of the glass and hit her on the face.
Trying to play it cool, she picked up the glass of water and started sipping it. She didn’t let on that she was splashed in the face.
“Thanks,” she said to the bartender, who had already turned around to help the next pretty girl.
She felt a tap on her shoulder and then a hand touching hers.
“Well, hello,” a guy said.
She turned to see a tall, handsome guy with short brown hair standing next to her smiling at her. He was wearing a blue and white striped button down shirt open at the top by a few buttons and he wore a silver necklace with a cross on it. She couldn’t help but think how handsome thing guy was as she looked up at him into his light blue eyes.
“Hi,” Rachel replied back loudly, trying to speak over the loud music that was blaring in the background.
“What’s your name? I haven’t seen you around here before,” he asked.
“I’m Rachel,” she said, gazing into his eyes. “I’m just visiting.”
“I know you’re not from around here. I would have definitely seen you before,” the guy said. “So, what’s your name?”
“I’m Rachel,” she said, batting her eyelashes.
She couldn’t believe how attracted she was to this stranger that she’d just met. The sight of him sent shivers down her spine.
“I’m Ken,” he said, still gazing into her eyes as if they’d been soul mates in a previous lifetime.
“So what brings you down this way?” Ken asked. “And can I buy you a drink?”
“I’m actually visiting family down here,” she answered. “I’m ok with..”
“Make it two,” Ken said to the bartender before she could finish her sentence.
“Sure,” she said, changing her tune. “I’ll have whatever you’re having.”
“Well that’s good, because I just ordered you one. It’s a sex on the beach!” Ken added.
“Ok,” Rachel said, unsure about what exactly that was.
“Don’t worry, I’m sure you’ll love it!” Ken said, trying to reassure her.
A minute later the bartender put the drinks down on the bar and walked away.