Road Tripping: The High, Saturday Night
Dec. 1st, 2012 09:33 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
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om_mainSaturday night, and Bobby, Angelo, Lil, Kurt and Blaine decide to hit a club in New York, putting the image inducers to good use. Lil finds herself separated from the boys, but is not without company for long. She and a stranger share a drink, then hit the dance-floor.
It had felt like a longer drive than it should have been, with the five teens huddled down into the darkened SUV on loan from the school. Kurt and Angelo had kept their image inducers off, in order to save their battery life for their night on the town, so both boys had been forced to stay out of sight in the back until they actually reached the city. When they'd finally arrived in New York City, parking had been even more problematic, but they'd managed to find a parking garage several blocks away from their intended destination that didn't actually cost more than a home loan.
The intended destination was actually a fairly nice Manhattan club only a short walk from Central Park that was hosting a Teen Night, which allowed for even those of them without fake IDs to get through the line at the front and into the crowded interior. The club boasted a large main room with modern decor, surrounded by comfortable furniture for lounging and talking, as well as two private lounges, each with their own bar and dimmer, more intimate lighting. One of the bars was right off of the main room, with one entire wall made of glass, allowing for a clear view of everything going on outside. The second lounge was actually equipped with its own sound system and dance floor, affording a more intimate atmosphere for partying. And, although the bars weren't serving alcohol, if you knew the right person to ask, you could get your hands on pretty much anything that would normally be deemed illegal for them to be seen with.
Choosing to hold off on scoring any alcohol just yet, Lil found herself a seat away from her schoolmates along the wall of the main room to give herself a view of the crowd - and the male population there a view of her legs. She knew exactly what her best feature was and they were bared almost completely thanks to the short, green dress that set off her eyes.
It was freedom. The sounds and sights of it were all around her and Lil was out to enjoy the few hours away from the school. Hopefully, she'd even manage to enjoy it dancing - and maybe more - with some of the guys she'd already made eye contact with.
One of those guys had just come through the doors, dressed in dark blue jeans and a black v-neck sweater that was thin in material and just tight enough to show off his finely toned physique. He couldn't have been older than Lil, but he moved with the confidence of someone twice his age; not with the posture or swagger as most of the guys, but with a cool collection that seemed to demand respect from those around him. Some even seemed to know him on sight, all friendly, charming, treating the guy as though he could have been a celebrity, though his face wasn't from any tabloid or television show she would know of.
The head of dark hair disappeared into the crowd amidst the lights, but five minutes later, he was at her side, two drinks in hand that smelled suspiciously like actual alcohol, blue eyes focusing on her features with an intensity that could have melted the hardest of personalities. A grin pulled at his lips, and he took a seat beside her, sliding one of the glasses onto the table in front of her. "You," he said, just loud enough to be heard above the music, "look like you could use a drink."
"You have no idea," she returned with a husky chuckle and a toss of her waist-length hair over one shoulder. Lil smiled graciously at the boy, her own eyes twinkling happily. This was just what she needed - time away from school. Time to feel normal again, even if it was just for a couple of hours. Here, no one knew her and didn't have any stupid ideas about her from the journals or the way she tended to avoid people before and after class. She could be herself. She could be happy.
Picking up the glass - Jesus, she really needed a drink! - she lifted it in salute and flashed her companion a dazzling smile. "Cheers."
"Absolutely," he grinned over the edge of his own, then tipped the glass back to his lips, taking a brief, satisfying sip. He slid his gaze sideways to watch her drink, briefly calculating; curious. "So tell me something," he finally said, as the music began to invade their space again. "Boy troubles, or are your parents as monumentally judgmental as mine?"
"Neither," Lil answered. And both if she was being honest. "Just getting comfortable in a new place... and wasting my money on a fake ID back home. One that says you're nineteen here doesn't do shit." There was a deep, throaty chuckle before she took another sip of the drink then smiled at him over the rim.
"Let me guess? Canadian? America's a bitch, isn't it? I've been thinking of taking a little road trip up north myself, but I didn't think the girls would be as hot. Glad to know I'm wrong in that department," her companion grinned. It wasn't one of those charming, cutesy grins either. It said that he didn't care whether she took that as a compliment or not. She was showing off enough leg that it didn't really matter. Both of them wanted the same thing; that was clear enough. Booze, maybe a little dancing. A good time, all around. He held out a hand to her, then flicked his head in a short nod toward the dance floor. "Ready to take the edge off?"
"And here I thought that was what the booze was for." An impish light sparked in her eyes as she took one more sip then exchanged the glass for his hand. It was only a moment more before she was on her feet, ready to dance.
He looked more than a little surprised when she rose to her full height, which must have been at least half a foot taller than him, if not more. Apparently her legs went on forever. Not that he seemed to have that much of a problem with it. After a moment of surprise, he smirked a little, tossed back the rest of his drink, then rose to slide a hand to the small of her back. Amazon woman. Go figure. Not usually his cup of tea, but he didn't seem at all disinclined to go for it anyway.
Lil slowly released the breath she didn't even know she'd been holding when his arm slipped around her.
Yes, it definitely felt good to be free of the school.
-----
Across the room, Angelo and Bobby score some E and enjoy themselves in an entirely different way.
On the other side of the dance floor, Angelo was leaning against the wall and scanning the groups of people around them. There were a good number of kids here who were intoxicated--high, drunk, or both--and probably in a bigger percentage than the kids who weren't. In some cases the behaviour made it glaringly obvious, but some people were more subtle and only certain body language gave them away. Angelo was able to spot those hints from a mile away, even the most inconspicuous of them. Being a former dealer and user gave him a lot of perspective, after all.
He glanced over to Bobby with a curious looking grin and lifted an eyebrow. "So man. What's your poison? I know you like your drink and all, yo, but you into anything else?" he called over the music. If they approached the right people here, maybe they can get a little ripped themselves.
"Tonight I'm up for anything, amigo." Bobby replied to him honestly, the reply was worded in such a way as to attempt to mask his relative innocence in such matters. It wasn't through lack of wanting to but simply lack of oppourtunities. His team had practiced random drugs testing which had pretty much inhibited any fun he could have had. Still, he had enough trust in Angelo to know that he wouldn't fuck him up too much. Place like this they'd be getting party drugs, nothing too hard anyway. He needed time out of his brian so alcohol, dancing and whatever else Angelo could source sounded like the perfect solution to that. "I'm thinking you've got the know-how and I've got plenty of cash. Let's do this."
That was exactly the answer that he wanted to hear! The great thing about Bobby, Angelo was quickly learning, was that the dude seemed to be willing to try things; hopefully this time he didn't end up in trouble over it!
"I can get us something," he nodded in confirmation. Definitely green, maybe even some X--which would be fun in a place like this with the lights and the thumpa thumpa beat. "See that guy over there? Bald guy with the soul patch and the jacket? He's been eyeing the crowd a lot. Pullin' peeps into the bathroom every few minutes. He looks like our best bet."
"Yeah I see him." Who couldn't? He wasn't exactly blending into the crowd, in fact now that Angelo had mentioned him, he stuck out like a sore thumb. "Ok, you lead the way. Angelo should do that talking, Bobby was certain about that. He was more than willing to provide the funds though, as he'd mentioned to his friend. What was the point in having tha cash if he couldn't have a little fun after all?
They started to make their way through the crowds, Bobby stuck close just to make sure they didn't get seperated.
Angelo would definitely be doing the talking, yeah, but he needed Bobby for the cash. A tag along friend usually wasn't a big deal so long as they didn't make a scene---or seem sketched out. Luckily that wouldn't be a problem, Angelo was confident about that.
He gave the bald guy a nod as they approached, nearing his side and leaning in to greet him. There was a bit of back and forth discussing, easily disguised by the music, for a few moments until bald guy gestured to the men's restroom. The three of them would make their way inside the crowded, poorly lit room and converge in the corner. There were all sorts of characters sneaking around back there, and it reminded Angelo of the Barrio. Folks making deals on the corners under shoddy streetlights and behind shops. Even all the way here on the east coast, the hushed voices still sounded exactly the same.
It kept Angelo aware and slightly on edge, and he made sure to get a look at some of the folks around. No one he knew, of course, but it was just a force of habit. Bald Guy must have noticed this because he decided to cut right to the chase and listed his prices off. Ten for a dimebag, thirty for an eighth, 65 for a quarter...buddy was even willing to do an ounce for $140. It was all good sounding stuff until he tried pushing fifteen dollar pressed tablets on Angelo, and that wasn't going to fly; anyone willing to pay that much for a hit of E was straight up loco, man. Fifteen for two was more like it.
Which he and Bald Guy started bartering about, back and forth with rushed, hushed words until Angelo got his way.
"Eighty bucks, 'Berto?" Angelo turned to him, voice a low hiss as he nudged his friend's leg. That would give them enough for the night--two pills and a bag of weed--and maybe even some extras to bring back to the institute to play around with.
Bobby silently slipped the money into his friend's hand with minimal reaction and then watched as the exchange took place. He was careful not to look too interested or look at anyone for too long lest they start getting jumpy though. He might not have been in such a situation before but he was smart enough to know this wasn't the time to get overly curious.
The exchange happened quickly and smoothly; the money went to Bald Guy, and another two rolled up bags went to Angelo---both of which ended up in the pocket of those big, baggy pants of his. Then he bid Bald Guy a farewell with another nod and gestured for Roberto to follow him out of the restroom. Done and done.
Outside the bathroom, the music returned to its skull pounding volume and Angelo deemed it safe to speak to his friend openly again. "All right! Now we're good to go," he announced with a grin. "You ever done some rollin' on E before, amigo?"
"Never." Bobby admitted since it was pretty damn obvious. He was more relaxed now that they were back out in the club and he no longer had to follow Angelo like a mute puppy dog. His grin matched Angelo's though his was a touch nervous with anticipation and curiousity. "First time for everything."
"That's the spirit, hombre," Angelo told him and clapped him on the shoulder. "It's good stuff, y'know? Makes you wanna dance, makes you wanna touch, keeps you all energetic and wanting to move, si? Perfect for clubbing and it lasts all night."
Before he pulled anything out of his pockets, though, Angelo glanced around an scoped out the drink bar and nodded that way. "First thing we gotta get is some water. Keeps you from getting dehydrated on this shit, 'ight?"
Angelo's summary of E fitted with his past experiences with friends who had been rolling or recounted stories to him after the fact so Bobby nodded again with understanding. Sounded fucking brilliant to him right now, though he was also pretty curious how laid-back and effortlesslycool Angelo would act while rolling.
When they reached the bar, Bobby shelled out for two over priced bottles of water without complaint over the price. In fact he barely noticed it though that was mostly because he just wanted to get on with it though was trying to play it as cool as possible.
As Bobby made his purchase, Angelo leaned against the bar and used the cover to dig into his pockets and remove the pills inconspicuously, handing one over to his friend when he was ready. To be honest, he was actually kind of glad that Bobby was open minded and cool enough to have this kind of fun like this; leaving L.A. for the school had been a big culture shock for Angelo. He'd gone from kids getting messed up and dancing and fucking and whatever else for fun on the streets to a really straight and narrow environment at Xavier's. With the stuck up dicks who made a big stink about the fact that he smoked all the time, Angelo wasn't sure he'd even find someone who'd want to do this kind of stuff with him.
Just another reason to like Bobby da Costa, in his opinion! "Bottom's up, amigo."
Bobby laughed, toasting with his water bottle before winking and popping the pill into his mouth quickly, washing it down with a gulg of water before anyone could notice what he was doing. Not that he suspected too many people cared but better safe than sorry.
"So," He leant in though still had the raise his voice to be heard. "How long do they take to kick in usually, mano?"
Angelo dropped his at the same time, and wiped his mouth with his sleeve before answering. "Depends on the quality and the purity, amigo, but usually anywhere between 25 and fifty minutes. But when it hits you? It hits you, and it's pretty fuckin' amazing."
Then he glanced around and slung an arm over Roberto's shoulder in a friendly manner, and so he could speak more directly to him. "Unless you wanna get a head start! We could slip out back and light up some of that grass, and that'll get us going, yo. What do you say?"
Bobby leant in just a little, grinning widely. What was that phrase his mother had taught him? In for a penny, in for a pound. "I say lead the way, Ang." If he was gonna get fucked up, he might as well go for it.
They were already heading for the nearest exit.
-----
Meanwhile, Kurt and Blaine enjoy a dance...or three.
As the evening got under way, Kurt found himself a table that lent him a degree of privacy without sacrificing the view of the dance floor. They’d come to the club to dance and he hadn’t yet been able to bring himself to do just that. So much for the adventurous spirit! He could leap from a trapeze with no net, but he couldn’t get up and dance. He looked down at his Image Inducer, turning the watch on his wrist. Despite having convinced himself once already that everything would be fine, he still was anxious. He couldn’t stop wondering if someone would get suspicious about his not wanting to be touched, or worrying that someone might brush against him and feel fur. They were all concerns he’d already found rational reassurances for and he’d felt good, excited even, before leaving the school. But, now that he was here--Here where the space was smaller then he’d imagined, here where there were more strangers than he’d ever been up close to before--they were back with a vengeance.
Sipping at his water, Kurt watched the teenagers dancing. The song was not one he recognized. It was loud and almost repetitive, with a deep, bass rhythm. There were no lyrics, but it was catchy in a way--The kind of music that made you want to dance. His gaze moved slowly over the crowd, just watching, keeping an eye out for familiar faces. Everyone looked like they were having so much fun. He itched to get up, to dance, to experience this thing he thought he might never get to, but still didn’t move. Soon, he promised himself. He’d get up soon.
When they first arrived, Blaine really wasn't sure whether or not he'd be dancing. Dancing at the school had been one thing- he'd known most of the people and had familiar surroundings. He'd been excited at the prospect until they actually arrived, and he realized it was much larger than he had anticipated. It was easy to feel overwhelmed at first, but it hadn't taken him long to realize there were plenty of same-sex couples dancing, and no one was giving them a second glance. With this in mind, he agreed quickly when a boy a little older than him asked him to dance.
Some time later, when it became clear that he and his dance partner had very different ideas of where the dancing was going, he excused himself, wandering around, wondering what the others were doing. After a few minutes, he found Kurt at a table and made a beeline over, sliding into the seat across his friend and grinning widely. "Hey Kurt. Having fun?"
Kurt perked up a little when he saw Blaine coming toward his table, happy to see him, and turned in his seat to face him better. Returning the grin, he nodded. “Ja,” he said since he was not not having fun. He might not be dancing (yet), but he was glad for the new experience, and was enjoying watching people dance. “Are you?” He had caught sight of Blaine a few times before he’d settled himself here at the table and he’d looked like he’d been having a good time.
Blaine nodded enthusiastically as he took a sip of water. "I am! I got to dance for a while, which was awesome." He grinned widely, leaning in with his forearms against the table. He could barely believe that he'd actually danced with some guy he didn't know, when a few weeks ago he'd been nervous about dancing in the school gym. He took another sip of his water, then tilted his head, raising an eyebrow slightly. "Have you danced yet?"
Blaine’s happiness and enthusiasm were as infectious as always and Kurt smiled as he listened to him talk about his evening, happy he was having such a good time. At the mention of dancing, the smile became a little forced. He was embarrassed he’d spent most of the night on the sidelines. Glancing out at the dance floor, he shrugged a little and then looked back at his friend, “Nein, not yet. I have been asked, but I have not felt like it yet.” He chuckled quietly and his mouth turned in a shy, self-deprecating smile. “I am nervous,” he admitted.
Blaine looked surprised that Kurt hadn't felt like it yet, considering how excited he'd been beforehand and the entire ride up. It quickly turned to a small smile, however, because, honestly, it was kind of...well, cute. Kurt was always so confident, it honestly hadn't occurred to him that he might be anything else. He took another sip of his water as he glanced between his friend and the dance floor. Then, with a small, playful grin, he took Kurt's hand and stood, tugging for him to do the same. "Come on."
Kurt let Blaine pull him to his feet and lead him toward the dance floor. His heart was racing again. Nervous and excited anticipation were a knotted mess inside him, twined so closely to one another that one was nearly indistinguishable from the other. It wasn’t as bad as it had been earlier though. Blaine would be there and that made him feel better. He knew that just as he would watch out for Blaine, Blaine would watch out for him.
As they weaved their way through some of the crowd, Kurt did his best to avoid bumping into anyone. But, the dance floor was too crowed though, the bodies packed in too tight, and try as he might he still occasionally bumped into people. Less people than he had expected too though, and he soon quickly realized that it was because Blaine was working on finding them the easiest path out onto the dance floor. He smiled and a little bit more of that nervousness melted away.
Blaine continued to weave through the crowd, taking a path that would seem completely roundabout to anyone observing, holding on to Kurt's hand tightly to keep from being separated until he found the place he was looking for. It was a spot he'd noticed earlier, a little farther away from the music and the bar, so it was less crowded without feeling empty.
Finally satisfied with their location, he turned to Kurt, dropping his hand. He smiled a little and wet his lips, resisting the urge to slip his hands into his pockets. His stomach was twisted up, suddenly feeling a little nervous and awkward. It was one thing to dance like this with someone you'd never see again, and another with someone who was quickly becoming his best friend. He found that, now that they were out here, he wasn't sure exactly how to start. "Um, is this spot okay?"
Kurt nodded, grateful. The spot was perfect. It was still on the dance floor so it wasn’t obvious they were avoiding people, but it wasn’t as crowded as other places either. He felt a wave of relief and more of that nervousness slipped away. “Ja.” The music was louder out here on the floor than it had been at the table so the words were lost under the thumpa thump of the song. He leaned in closer, speaking louder this time and smiling in the hopes that would convey his reply if the words were unintelligible again, “Ja! Danke! This is perfect.”
"Awesome!" he called back, flashing Kurt a thumbs up and a wide grin in case he couldn't hear him. He looked more relaxed now, which made Blaine smile. He'd hoped that taking him somewhere less crowded would help, and was glad that hauling him out on the dance floor turned out to be the right move.
The song segued into another, and Blaine took it as his opportunity to initiate things. He floundered for a second with trying to figure out where to place his hand, going from neck to shoulder, then down to his elbow before dropping it altogether with a sheepish grin and just began moving to the beat, stepping in towards his friend a little.
Confused, Kurt started to move to the music as well. He wasn’t sure what that had been all about. He knew Blaine knew how to dance, so it wasn’t that. They had danced together before and it couldn’t be because he was a boy either. He gave Blaine a smile. Whatever it had been, they were dancing now so he wasn’t going to worry too much about it.
The new song was like the song before it, maybe not a defining work of musical genius, but easy to dance to, to get lost in. The beat warm and repetitive like a heartbeat, the bass a steady thud in his chest... It worked its way in like a spell, and Kurt felt himself relaxing more, moving easily to the music. Across from him, Blaine was dancing too, looking like he was having just as much fun. Kurt grinned, loving it. All of the waiting, all of the sitting and watching he’d done tonight, was totally worth this one moment. He was so glad he’d decided to come tonight.
Once he was dancing, it didn't take long for Blaine's awkwardness and insecurities to melt away. He could just focus on the beat, the way the music washed over him and filled his body with this pleasant humming feeling, almost like white noise or soft static. He closed his eyes and just let himself soak in it, his lack of anxiety making him feel comfortable the he wasn't at risk for an accident. After a few moments he opened his eyes again, grinning widely at how obviously happy Kurt was. He knew this meant a lot to him, the ability to do things he never thought would be possible. Smiling, he set his hand gently at his friend's waist and leaned in close to ask in his ear, "Having fun?"
Kurt leaned in as Blaine did, mirroring him with a gentle hand on his waist. He grinned at the question and turned his head in towards his friend’s to reply, “A blast!” Now he really was having fun. The kind of fun where you wished time would defy itself, drag on and on so that the night wouldn’t end. The music made him feel good and Blaine was fun to dance with and just, Gott, he was at a club and he was dancing just like any other teenager, something he’d never thought he’d get to do. “Are you?” He couldn’t imagine anyone better to be experiencing all of this with than Blaine.
Blaine pulled his face away for just a moment so that Kurt could see his wide smile and him nodding his head. "Yeah!" he exclaimed, and he indicated upwards in a gesture that implied he meant the music before adding with a laugh, "I feel all fuzzy, it's kind of cool."
He pulled back a little more, leaving his hand on Kurt as they danced, feeling far more secure now with the contact and the closeness than he was when they started. He wished they could stay like this, that they didn't have a long drive back to the school, that Kurt could stay out longer than a few hours. "I'm glad you came," he said, leaning in to Kurt just long enough to speak, then pulling back to give him a sincere smile.
Kurt smiled, going warm at the kind words and the sincere smile. His other hand went to Blaine's arm and he closed the distance between them again so that the music would not drown out his words, "Me too." He would have regretted missing out on this. "And I am glad you came too." He squeezed Blaine's arm to try to convey just how much he meant that. The night would not have been even half as fun if Blaine hadn't been here.
He let go of Blaine, pulling away long enough to push his sleeves up to his elbows, the combined warmth of tightly packed bodies and dancing becoming a bit too much for him. His hands found Blaine again as he stepped back in, one on his waist and the other on his arm. He kept dancing and, after a few minutes, his hand slid to the small of the other boy's back to draw him in a little closer.
A bright warmth spread through Blaine, and he ducked his head with a shy, pleased smile, thankful his blush was mostly hidden, since he was flushed from the heat and time spent dancing. He gave Kurt's waist a gentle squeeze in return, then dropped away as Kurt rolled up his sleeves. He had to grin at that, too- he knew the reason Kurt had worn long sleeves, and that if he was pulling them up, he had to feel comfortable. He was glad Kurt could relax and just have fun, but a small part was warm at the thought that he felt comfortable like this with him.
He was surprised when Kurt's hands went to his back, but he went in easily when he was pulled closer. Taking it as a sign that it wouldn't be inappropriate or make him uncomfortable, he ignored his previous concerns and brought his hands up to Kurt's shoulders, wrapping them around his neck until he could lace his fingers together.
Kurt grinned at Blaine. He was glad he seemed more comfortable now, the early awkwardness from before seemed to be completely gone. Since Blaine seemed alright dancing like this, Kurt’s grip on him tightened a fraction, and held onto him, dancing with a wild kind of abandon. They moved well together, bodies moving in an effortless and smooth rhythm. It was fun, possibly the most fun he’d had in awhile.
A new song started--a remix of one Kurt was sure he’d heard on Blaine’s iPod before--and instead of moving away and leaving the dance floor, he kept dancing. He was ready to spend the rest of the night right here if Blaine was willing.
It had felt like a longer drive than it should have been, with the five teens huddled down into the darkened SUV on loan from the school. Kurt and Angelo had kept their image inducers off, in order to save their battery life for their night on the town, so both boys had been forced to stay out of sight in the back until they actually reached the city. When they'd finally arrived in New York City, parking had been even more problematic, but they'd managed to find a parking garage several blocks away from their intended destination that didn't actually cost more than a home loan.
The intended destination was actually a fairly nice Manhattan club only a short walk from Central Park that was hosting a Teen Night, which allowed for even those of them without fake IDs to get through the line at the front and into the crowded interior. The club boasted a large main room with modern decor, surrounded by comfortable furniture for lounging and talking, as well as two private lounges, each with their own bar and dimmer, more intimate lighting. One of the bars was right off of the main room, with one entire wall made of glass, allowing for a clear view of everything going on outside. The second lounge was actually equipped with its own sound system and dance floor, affording a more intimate atmosphere for partying. And, although the bars weren't serving alcohol, if you knew the right person to ask, you could get your hands on pretty much anything that would normally be deemed illegal for them to be seen with.
Choosing to hold off on scoring any alcohol just yet, Lil found herself a seat away from her schoolmates along the wall of the main room to give herself a view of the crowd - and the male population there a view of her legs. She knew exactly what her best feature was and they were bared almost completely thanks to the short, green dress that set off her eyes.
It was freedom. The sounds and sights of it were all around her and Lil was out to enjoy the few hours away from the school. Hopefully, she'd even manage to enjoy it dancing - and maybe more - with some of the guys she'd already made eye contact with.
One of those guys had just come through the doors, dressed in dark blue jeans and a black v-neck sweater that was thin in material and just tight enough to show off his finely toned physique. He couldn't have been older than Lil, but he moved with the confidence of someone twice his age; not with the posture or swagger as most of the guys, but with a cool collection that seemed to demand respect from those around him. Some even seemed to know him on sight, all friendly, charming, treating the guy as though he could have been a celebrity, though his face wasn't from any tabloid or television show she would know of.
The head of dark hair disappeared into the crowd amidst the lights, but five minutes later, he was at her side, two drinks in hand that smelled suspiciously like actual alcohol, blue eyes focusing on her features with an intensity that could have melted the hardest of personalities. A grin pulled at his lips, and he took a seat beside her, sliding one of the glasses onto the table in front of her. "You," he said, just loud enough to be heard above the music, "look like you could use a drink."
"You have no idea," she returned with a husky chuckle and a toss of her waist-length hair over one shoulder. Lil smiled graciously at the boy, her own eyes twinkling happily. This was just what she needed - time away from school. Time to feel normal again, even if it was just for a couple of hours. Here, no one knew her and didn't have any stupid ideas about her from the journals or the way she tended to avoid people before and after class. She could be herself. She could be happy.
Picking up the glass - Jesus, she really needed a drink! - she lifted it in salute and flashed her companion a dazzling smile. "Cheers."
"Absolutely," he grinned over the edge of his own, then tipped the glass back to his lips, taking a brief, satisfying sip. He slid his gaze sideways to watch her drink, briefly calculating; curious. "So tell me something," he finally said, as the music began to invade their space again. "Boy troubles, or are your parents as monumentally judgmental as mine?"
"Neither," Lil answered. And both if she was being honest. "Just getting comfortable in a new place... and wasting my money on a fake ID back home. One that says you're nineteen here doesn't do shit." There was a deep, throaty chuckle before she took another sip of the drink then smiled at him over the rim.
"Let me guess? Canadian? America's a bitch, isn't it? I've been thinking of taking a little road trip up north myself, but I didn't think the girls would be as hot. Glad to know I'm wrong in that department," her companion grinned. It wasn't one of those charming, cutesy grins either. It said that he didn't care whether she took that as a compliment or not. She was showing off enough leg that it didn't really matter. Both of them wanted the same thing; that was clear enough. Booze, maybe a little dancing. A good time, all around. He held out a hand to her, then flicked his head in a short nod toward the dance floor. "Ready to take the edge off?"
"And here I thought that was what the booze was for." An impish light sparked in her eyes as she took one more sip then exchanged the glass for his hand. It was only a moment more before she was on her feet, ready to dance.
He looked more than a little surprised when she rose to her full height, which must have been at least half a foot taller than him, if not more. Apparently her legs went on forever. Not that he seemed to have that much of a problem with it. After a moment of surprise, he smirked a little, tossed back the rest of his drink, then rose to slide a hand to the small of her back. Amazon woman. Go figure. Not usually his cup of tea, but he didn't seem at all disinclined to go for it anyway.
Lil slowly released the breath she didn't even know she'd been holding when his arm slipped around her.
Yes, it definitely felt good to be free of the school.
-----
Across the room, Angelo and Bobby score some E and enjoy themselves in an entirely different way.
On the other side of the dance floor, Angelo was leaning against the wall and scanning the groups of people around them. There were a good number of kids here who were intoxicated--high, drunk, or both--and probably in a bigger percentage than the kids who weren't. In some cases the behaviour made it glaringly obvious, but some people were more subtle and only certain body language gave them away. Angelo was able to spot those hints from a mile away, even the most inconspicuous of them. Being a former dealer and user gave him a lot of perspective, after all.
He glanced over to Bobby with a curious looking grin and lifted an eyebrow. "So man. What's your poison? I know you like your drink and all, yo, but you into anything else?" he called over the music. If they approached the right people here, maybe they can get a little ripped themselves.
"Tonight I'm up for anything, amigo." Bobby replied to him honestly, the reply was worded in such a way as to attempt to mask his relative innocence in such matters. It wasn't through lack of wanting to but simply lack of oppourtunities. His team had practiced random drugs testing which had pretty much inhibited any fun he could have had. Still, he had enough trust in Angelo to know that he wouldn't fuck him up too much. Place like this they'd be getting party drugs, nothing too hard anyway. He needed time out of his brian so alcohol, dancing and whatever else Angelo could source sounded like the perfect solution to that. "I'm thinking you've got the know-how and I've got plenty of cash. Let's do this."
That was exactly the answer that he wanted to hear! The great thing about Bobby, Angelo was quickly learning, was that the dude seemed to be willing to try things; hopefully this time he didn't end up in trouble over it!
"I can get us something," he nodded in confirmation. Definitely green, maybe even some X--which would be fun in a place like this with the lights and the thumpa thumpa beat. "See that guy over there? Bald guy with the soul patch and the jacket? He's been eyeing the crowd a lot. Pullin' peeps into the bathroom every few minutes. He looks like our best bet."
"Yeah I see him." Who couldn't? He wasn't exactly blending into the crowd, in fact now that Angelo had mentioned him, he stuck out like a sore thumb. "Ok, you lead the way. Angelo should do that talking, Bobby was certain about that. He was more than willing to provide the funds though, as he'd mentioned to his friend. What was the point in having tha cash if he couldn't have a little fun after all?
They started to make their way through the crowds, Bobby stuck close just to make sure they didn't get seperated.
Angelo would definitely be doing the talking, yeah, but he needed Bobby for the cash. A tag along friend usually wasn't a big deal so long as they didn't make a scene---or seem sketched out. Luckily that wouldn't be a problem, Angelo was confident about that.
He gave the bald guy a nod as they approached, nearing his side and leaning in to greet him. There was a bit of back and forth discussing, easily disguised by the music, for a few moments until bald guy gestured to the men's restroom. The three of them would make their way inside the crowded, poorly lit room and converge in the corner. There were all sorts of characters sneaking around back there, and it reminded Angelo of the Barrio. Folks making deals on the corners under shoddy streetlights and behind shops. Even all the way here on the east coast, the hushed voices still sounded exactly the same.
It kept Angelo aware and slightly on edge, and he made sure to get a look at some of the folks around. No one he knew, of course, but it was just a force of habit. Bald Guy must have noticed this because he decided to cut right to the chase and listed his prices off. Ten for a dimebag, thirty for an eighth, 65 for a quarter...buddy was even willing to do an ounce for $140. It was all good sounding stuff until he tried pushing fifteen dollar pressed tablets on Angelo, and that wasn't going to fly; anyone willing to pay that much for a hit of E was straight up loco, man. Fifteen for two was more like it.
Which he and Bald Guy started bartering about, back and forth with rushed, hushed words until Angelo got his way.
"Eighty bucks, 'Berto?" Angelo turned to him, voice a low hiss as he nudged his friend's leg. That would give them enough for the night--two pills and a bag of weed--and maybe even some extras to bring back to the institute to play around with.
Bobby silently slipped the money into his friend's hand with minimal reaction and then watched as the exchange took place. He was careful not to look too interested or look at anyone for too long lest they start getting jumpy though. He might not have been in such a situation before but he was smart enough to know this wasn't the time to get overly curious.
The exchange happened quickly and smoothly; the money went to Bald Guy, and another two rolled up bags went to Angelo---both of which ended up in the pocket of those big, baggy pants of his. Then he bid Bald Guy a farewell with another nod and gestured for Roberto to follow him out of the restroom. Done and done.
Outside the bathroom, the music returned to its skull pounding volume and Angelo deemed it safe to speak to his friend openly again. "All right! Now we're good to go," he announced with a grin. "You ever done some rollin' on E before, amigo?"
"Never." Bobby admitted since it was pretty damn obvious. He was more relaxed now that they were back out in the club and he no longer had to follow Angelo like a mute puppy dog. His grin matched Angelo's though his was a touch nervous with anticipation and curiousity. "First time for everything."
"That's the spirit, hombre," Angelo told him and clapped him on the shoulder. "It's good stuff, y'know? Makes you wanna dance, makes you wanna touch, keeps you all energetic and wanting to move, si? Perfect for clubbing and it lasts all night."
Before he pulled anything out of his pockets, though, Angelo glanced around an scoped out the drink bar and nodded that way. "First thing we gotta get is some water. Keeps you from getting dehydrated on this shit, 'ight?"
Angelo's summary of E fitted with his past experiences with friends who had been rolling or recounted stories to him after the fact so Bobby nodded again with understanding. Sounded fucking brilliant to him right now, though he was also pretty curious how laid-back and effortlesslycool Angelo would act while rolling.
When they reached the bar, Bobby shelled out for two over priced bottles of water without complaint over the price. In fact he barely noticed it though that was mostly because he just wanted to get on with it though was trying to play it as cool as possible.
As Bobby made his purchase, Angelo leaned against the bar and used the cover to dig into his pockets and remove the pills inconspicuously, handing one over to his friend when he was ready. To be honest, he was actually kind of glad that Bobby was open minded and cool enough to have this kind of fun like this; leaving L.A. for the school had been a big culture shock for Angelo. He'd gone from kids getting messed up and dancing and fucking and whatever else for fun on the streets to a really straight and narrow environment at Xavier's. With the stuck up dicks who made a big stink about the fact that he smoked all the time, Angelo wasn't sure he'd even find someone who'd want to do this kind of stuff with him.
Just another reason to like Bobby da Costa, in his opinion! "Bottom's up, amigo."
Bobby laughed, toasting with his water bottle before winking and popping the pill into his mouth quickly, washing it down with a gulg of water before anyone could notice what he was doing. Not that he suspected too many people cared but better safe than sorry.
"So," He leant in though still had the raise his voice to be heard. "How long do they take to kick in usually, mano?"
Angelo dropped his at the same time, and wiped his mouth with his sleeve before answering. "Depends on the quality and the purity, amigo, but usually anywhere between 25 and fifty minutes. But when it hits you? It hits you, and it's pretty fuckin' amazing."
Then he glanced around and slung an arm over Roberto's shoulder in a friendly manner, and so he could speak more directly to him. "Unless you wanna get a head start! We could slip out back and light up some of that grass, and that'll get us going, yo. What do you say?"
Bobby leant in just a little, grinning widely. What was that phrase his mother had taught him? In for a penny, in for a pound. "I say lead the way, Ang." If he was gonna get fucked up, he might as well go for it.
They were already heading for the nearest exit.
-----
Meanwhile, Kurt and Blaine enjoy a dance...or three.
As the evening got under way, Kurt found himself a table that lent him a degree of privacy without sacrificing the view of the dance floor. They’d come to the club to dance and he hadn’t yet been able to bring himself to do just that. So much for the adventurous spirit! He could leap from a trapeze with no net, but he couldn’t get up and dance. He looked down at his Image Inducer, turning the watch on his wrist. Despite having convinced himself once already that everything would be fine, he still was anxious. He couldn’t stop wondering if someone would get suspicious about his not wanting to be touched, or worrying that someone might brush against him and feel fur. They were all concerns he’d already found rational reassurances for and he’d felt good, excited even, before leaving the school. But, now that he was here--Here where the space was smaller then he’d imagined, here where there were more strangers than he’d ever been up close to before--they were back with a vengeance.
Sipping at his water, Kurt watched the teenagers dancing. The song was not one he recognized. It was loud and almost repetitive, with a deep, bass rhythm. There were no lyrics, but it was catchy in a way--The kind of music that made you want to dance. His gaze moved slowly over the crowd, just watching, keeping an eye out for familiar faces. Everyone looked like they were having so much fun. He itched to get up, to dance, to experience this thing he thought he might never get to, but still didn’t move. Soon, he promised himself. He’d get up soon.
When they first arrived, Blaine really wasn't sure whether or not he'd be dancing. Dancing at the school had been one thing- he'd known most of the people and had familiar surroundings. He'd been excited at the prospect until they actually arrived, and he realized it was much larger than he had anticipated. It was easy to feel overwhelmed at first, but it hadn't taken him long to realize there were plenty of same-sex couples dancing, and no one was giving them a second glance. With this in mind, he agreed quickly when a boy a little older than him asked him to dance.
Some time later, when it became clear that he and his dance partner had very different ideas of where the dancing was going, he excused himself, wandering around, wondering what the others were doing. After a few minutes, he found Kurt at a table and made a beeline over, sliding into the seat across his friend and grinning widely. "Hey Kurt. Having fun?"
Kurt perked up a little when he saw Blaine coming toward his table, happy to see him, and turned in his seat to face him better. Returning the grin, he nodded. “Ja,” he said since he was not not having fun. He might not be dancing (yet), but he was glad for the new experience, and was enjoying watching people dance. “Are you?” He had caught sight of Blaine a few times before he’d settled himself here at the table and he’d looked like he’d been having a good time.
Blaine nodded enthusiastically as he took a sip of water. "I am! I got to dance for a while, which was awesome." He grinned widely, leaning in with his forearms against the table. He could barely believe that he'd actually danced with some guy he didn't know, when a few weeks ago he'd been nervous about dancing in the school gym. He took another sip of his water, then tilted his head, raising an eyebrow slightly. "Have you danced yet?"
Blaine’s happiness and enthusiasm were as infectious as always and Kurt smiled as he listened to him talk about his evening, happy he was having such a good time. At the mention of dancing, the smile became a little forced. He was embarrassed he’d spent most of the night on the sidelines. Glancing out at the dance floor, he shrugged a little and then looked back at his friend, “Nein, not yet. I have been asked, but I have not felt like it yet.” He chuckled quietly and his mouth turned in a shy, self-deprecating smile. “I am nervous,” he admitted.
Blaine looked surprised that Kurt hadn't felt like it yet, considering how excited he'd been beforehand and the entire ride up. It quickly turned to a small smile, however, because, honestly, it was kind of...well, cute. Kurt was always so confident, it honestly hadn't occurred to him that he might be anything else. He took another sip of his water as he glanced between his friend and the dance floor. Then, with a small, playful grin, he took Kurt's hand and stood, tugging for him to do the same. "Come on."
Kurt let Blaine pull him to his feet and lead him toward the dance floor. His heart was racing again. Nervous and excited anticipation were a knotted mess inside him, twined so closely to one another that one was nearly indistinguishable from the other. It wasn’t as bad as it had been earlier though. Blaine would be there and that made him feel better. He knew that just as he would watch out for Blaine, Blaine would watch out for him.
As they weaved their way through some of the crowd, Kurt did his best to avoid bumping into anyone. But, the dance floor was too crowed though, the bodies packed in too tight, and try as he might he still occasionally bumped into people. Less people than he had expected too though, and he soon quickly realized that it was because Blaine was working on finding them the easiest path out onto the dance floor. He smiled and a little bit more of that nervousness melted away.
Blaine continued to weave through the crowd, taking a path that would seem completely roundabout to anyone observing, holding on to Kurt's hand tightly to keep from being separated until he found the place he was looking for. It was a spot he'd noticed earlier, a little farther away from the music and the bar, so it was less crowded without feeling empty.
Finally satisfied with their location, he turned to Kurt, dropping his hand. He smiled a little and wet his lips, resisting the urge to slip his hands into his pockets. His stomach was twisted up, suddenly feeling a little nervous and awkward. It was one thing to dance like this with someone you'd never see again, and another with someone who was quickly becoming his best friend. He found that, now that they were out here, he wasn't sure exactly how to start. "Um, is this spot okay?"
Kurt nodded, grateful. The spot was perfect. It was still on the dance floor so it wasn’t obvious they were avoiding people, but it wasn’t as crowded as other places either. He felt a wave of relief and more of that nervousness slipped away. “Ja.” The music was louder out here on the floor than it had been at the table so the words were lost under the thumpa thump of the song. He leaned in closer, speaking louder this time and smiling in the hopes that would convey his reply if the words were unintelligible again, “Ja! Danke! This is perfect.”
"Awesome!" he called back, flashing Kurt a thumbs up and a wide grin in case he couldn't hear him. He looked more relaxed now, which made Blaine smile. He'd hoped that taking him somewhere less crowded would help, and was glad that hauling him out on the dance floor turned out to be the right move.
The song segued into another, and Blaine took it as his opportunity to initiate things. He floundered for a second with trying to figure out where to place his hand, going from neck to shoulder, then down to his elbow before dropping it altogether with a sheepish grin and just began moving to the beat, stepping in towards his friend a little.
Confused, Kurt started to move to the music as well. He wasn’t sure what that had been all about. He knew Blaine knew how to dance, so it wasn’t that. They had danced together before and it couldn’t be because he was a boy either. He gave Blaine a smile. Whatever it had been, they were dancing now so he wasn’t going to worry too much about it.
The new song was like the song before it, maybe not a defining work of musical genius, but easy to dance to, to get lost in. The beat warm and repetitive like a heartbeat, the bass a steady thud in his chest... It worked its way in like a spell, and Kurt felt himself relaxing more, moving easily to the music. Across from him, Blaine was dancing too, looking like he was having just as much fun. Kurt grinned, loving it. All of the waiting, all of the sitting and watching he’d done tonight, was totally worth this one moment. He was so glad he’d decided to come tonight.
Once he was dancing, it didn't take long for Blaine's awkwardness and insecurities to melt away. He could just focus on the beat, the way the music washed over him and filled his body with this pleasant humming feeling, almost like white noise or soft static. He closed his eyes and just let himself soak in it, his lack of anxiety making him feel comfortable the he wasn't at risk for an accident. After a few moments he opened his eyes again, grinning widely at how obviously happy Kurt was. He knew this meant a lot to him, the ability to do things he never thought would be possible. Smiling, he set his hand gently at his friend's waist and leaned in close to ask in his ear, "Having fun?"
Kurt leaned in as Blaine did, mirroring him with a gentle hand on his waist. He grinned at the question and turned his head in towards his friend’s to reply, “A blast!” Now he really was having fun. The kind of fun where you wished time would defy itself, drag on and on so that the night wouldn’t end. The music made him feel good and Blaine was fun to dance with and just, Gott, he was at a club and he was dancing just like any other teenager, something he’d never thought he’d get to do. “Are you?” He couldn’t imagine anyone better to be experiencing all of this with than Blaine.
Blaine pulled his face away for just a moment so that Kurt could see his wide smile and him nodding his head. "Yeah!" he exclaimed, and he indicated upwards in a gesture that implied he meant the music before adding with a laugh, "I feel all fuzzy, it's kind of cool."
He pulled back a little more, leaving his hand on Kurt as they danced, feeling far more secure now with the contact and the closeness than he was when they started. He wished they could stay like this, that they didn't have a long drive back to the school, that Kurt could stay out longer than a few hours. "I'm glad you came," he said, leaning in to Kurt just long enough to speak, then pulling back to give him a sincere smile.
Kurt smiled, going warm at the kind words and the sincere smile. His other hand went to Blaine's arm and he closed the distance between them again so that the music would not drown out his words, "Me too." He would have regretted missing out on this. "And I am glad you came too." He squeezed Blaine's arm to try to convey just how much he meant that. The night would not have been even half as fun if Blaine hadn't been here.
He let go of Blaine, pulling away long enough to push his sleeves up to his elbows, the combined warmth of tightly packed bodies and dancing becoming a bit too much for him. His hands found Blaine again as he stepped back in, one on his waist and the other on his arm. He kept dancing and, after a few minutes, his hand slid to the small of the other boy's back to draw him in a little closer.
A bright warmth spread through Blaine, and he ducked his head with a shy, pleased smile, thankful his blush was mostly hidden, since he was flushed from the heat and time spent dancing. He gave Kurt's waist a gentle squeeze in return, then dropped away as Kurt rolled up his sleeves. He had to grin at that, too- he knew the reason Kurt had worn long sleeves, and that if he was pulling them up, he had to feel comfortable. He was glad Kurt could relax and just have fun, but a small part was warm at the thought that he felt comfortable like this with him.
He was surprised when Kurt's hands went to his back, but he went in easily when he was pulled closer. Taking it as a sign that it wouldn't be inappropriate or make him uncomfortable, he ignored his previous concerns and brought his hands up to Kurt's shoulders, wrapping them around his neck until he could lace his fingers together.
Kurt grinned at Blaine. He was glad he seemed more comfortable now, the early awkwardness from before seemed to be completely gone. Since Blaine seemed alright dancing like this, Kurt’s grip on him tightened a fraction, and held onto him, dancing with a wild kind of abandon. They moved well together, bodies moving in an effortless and smooth rhythm. It was fun, possibly the most fun he’d had in awhile.
A new song started--a remix of one Kurt was sure he’d heard on Blaine’s iPod before--and instead of moving away and leaving the dance floor, he kept dancing. He was ready to spend the rest of the night right here if Blaine was willing.
