I sat upright in the booth at the club. The music's intense beat pounded against my ear drum and went in unison with my heart. I could not help but nod my head to the sound of the happy rhythms. But as usual I was not dancing.
"HEY!" The blond cried over the music, "Aren't you gonna dance?"
"Whaa--?" I asked trying ignore the fact that I was being summoned out on to the dreaded dance floor.
"Aren't you gonna dance?" Justin asked again.
I shook my head vigorously.
"Why not?" he asked sliding into the seat at the booth across from mine.
"I can't dance." I said bashfully.
Justin smiled at me, his blue eyes soft and they crinkled at the corners when he smiled.
he's so cute
"Sure you can, anyone can dance." he said over the music and scooting closer.
"No, no really, I can't dance!" I laughed.
"I bet your just modest, you can probably get out there and show up any of those girls out there." Justin said raising an eyebrow.
"Uh...I dunno..." I groaned.
"Oh C'mon!" he cried and pulled at my arm.
I had to give in, I knew he certainly never would. Out on the dance floor a remixed version of J. Lo's "Play" was pulsating through the speakers. Justin led me out between the rest of his band mates and stood me in front of him.
"Just move to the music, that's all you have to do." he cried over the music.
I could not lie, I knew how to dance, in fact I was very good. I just did not want to then and there.
I nodded and pretended to have a hard time starting. But after a while the music itself seemed to pull me into it and I began to dance.
"I thought you said you couldn't dance!" Justin cried moving in closer. I simply looked at him and smiled.
"I guess I'm just a fast learner."
Then from behind me another male voice interrupted us, "Hey, Justin got you to come out and dance." It was Joey.
I looked at Justin who was grimacing at Joey as Joey began,"Hey J, mind if I interrupt for a sec, and take the lovely lady for a spin around the room."
Justin rolled his eyes, "Yeah whatever." he said,"Oh yeah and Lynn... watch out for this guy."
I nodded and Justin slipped away between the dancing couples, leaving me with Joey.
"So... you having a good time?" he asked moving in close to me and wrapping one arm around my waist.
I nodded, "Do you guys usually go clubbing?" I asked as we moved across the room.
"Sometimes, there are the afterparties, and stuff, Lance has really huge parties too that are like clubs, everybody and anybody who is somebody is there." he explained," He's having one of his parties on Saturday. You have to come, get to know everyone."
"I dunno..." I said, as usual being the timid one.
"Oh c'mon!" he insisted, "Pleease, you can be my date!"
I sighed,"Okay, I'll come" Maybe it would help me fit into my job better.
Suddenly Jc came up to us and cut in between Joey and I. Jc glanced at me quickly and then at Joey.
"Justin wants to talk to you J." JC said to him. Joey nodded and excused himself.
"What was that all about?" I asked JC as he stepped in taking Joey's place.
JC raised and eyebrow at me,"You didn't notice did you? Joey was trying you on for size Lynn. You have to watch out for him, don't get to close to him. He will play you. Trust me, we have all seen it too many times before. And plus, Joey doesn't need to be getting our new co-writer in any trouble... if you know what I mean."
I nodded," Oh..." now a little freaked from the lecture about the infamous Joey,"Okay, I'll watch my back." I said smiling to lighten up the conversation.
JC smiled back,"By the way, sorry for giving you the third degree earlier today. It's just... these albums are so important to me..."
"I understand," I interrupted,"same way I feel about my writing. So don't worry I promise I'll do a good job writing for you."
JC smirked,"I know you will." And then he looked over my shoulder across the dance floor. But I could not tell where his stare was directed. And I suddenly felt a little left out as JC looked beyond me, his attention caught by another. Not that I was interested in him, I just wanted company for the time.
"Hey Lynn... have you seen anyone dance with Lance?" Jc asked returning his attention to me.
I looked up at him confused,"No, I haven't seen Lance since we got here."
Jc nodded, a distraught look on his face,"I'm not ditching you, but do you feel comfortable dancing with him right now? He looks really lonely and sad, he has been kinda depressed lately."
I looked over my shoulder to where Jc's gaze was directed and a lonesome Lance sitting in the booth I had started in.
"I mean... I would dance with him..."Jc smiled," But I think he would much rather dance with someone of the opposite sex... for example you."
I glanced back up at JC who loomed over me at 5'10", "Sure... no problem." I smiled and turned away from Jc, walking across the room toward Lance.
The closer I got to him, the more I studied him sitting there at that booth. His face was long, in a saddened expression. And his eyes no longer a bright green.
His eyes were a weird green. Almost lime colored, they illuminated a childish face.
He looked so sad, desperate as he sat there all alone, his fingers strumming aimlessly on the table.
He looked so familiar... he looked like me at one time.
No Life
"You wanna dance?" My voice was softer, more timid than I expected it to be. But he still heard me, even under the circumstances that the club music was blaring, and the partiers just as loud.
He eyes traveled from his fingers that still thumped up beats on the table up to me.
"You really wanna dance with me?" he asked his eyes misty and far away.
I nodded, I hoped he didn't think I was only asking of Jc's sake. And if that was not the case why was I asking him. Was I interested in him?
I shrugged off the thought,"Yes I wanna dance with you... or are you waiting for some one else to come over and ask you?" I teased, hoping I was not right.
"No... there is no one else." he nodded standing up to meet me, hovering at least five inches taller than me,"Lets dance..." he sighed.
We walked out onto the club floor, the music winding into a slower paced song. Lance glanced around the room once and than down at me.
"Are you okay Lance..." I trailed off as we began to dance.
He just nodded and looked down at his feet.
I didn't want to intrude on his life, and we really had not known each other that long. But I still felt I owed him something. If anything someone to talk to... he did not seem to have that.
"Because I noticed that you seem really sad, I know I don't really know you, and that it would seem rude for me to suddenly expect you to tell me things, its just that since I met you to me it feels like I should listen to you. I dunno... sounds a lil' supernatural... crazy." I laughed looking up at him.
He shook his head,"No, no your not crazy." he said as the song became slow.
Suddenly the two of us stood there, with the obligation to get in closer for the slow song... yet we just stood there and timidly looked at each other. Niether of us felt comfortable dancing so close.
"You wanna get out of here?" Lance asked looking up at me.
I glanced once around the room. As if to find a familiar face to reasure me for some reason. But why shouldn't I feel comfortable... this was the same man who I spent an entire evening on a club balcony talking to. And he was the one who saved me.
"Sure." I said with a smile, hoping to brighten his outlook.
He simply nodded and with that placed his hand in mine. It was smooth and soft, yet his fingers where big and strong like a man's are expected to be. But his hand in mine felt almost comforting. I took in a deep breath as if I was about to plunge into a pool of water. And with that he guided me, weaving in and out of dancing couples, out of the club.