CHAPTER SIX
“This is a horrible idea,” I yell to Aspen as she walks through the doorway into the darkness.
My words are lost in the rhythmic thumping of music playing over the speakers propped up throughout the warehouse. I’m twenty-four. That’s four years too old to be at this party.
A rave.
A Friday night rave.
Plus, what if I see one of the kids from the center? There isn’t a logical reason for me to explain it away. What would I say? Official beer tester?
“This is a horrible idea!” I yell into the open expanse since no one heard me the first time.
I’m jostled as Marissa puts two hands on my shoulder bumping into me. “This is a great idea!”
My eardrums throb, but I yell back. “I do not belong at a rave.”
She laughs using a finger to point at her ear signaling she can’t hear me. “Okayisn’t a rave, it’s the hottest new dance club in town.”
She walks toward the floor leaving me alone to ponder who in their right mind names a clubOkay. And dance club my ass. We’re at a rave. I grew up in the city. You can fancy it up all you want, but we’re in an abandoned warehouse on the Eastside, which we learned about from a secret invite at the last minute. We’re at a rave.
I didn’t think these parties were cool anymore. I guess if your club name isOkayand you’re in a crappy warehouse, being on trend isn’t your biggest concern.
There’s a small part in the crowd from where Marissa pushed her way behind Aspen, and I use it to guide myself in their direction. The strobe lights flicker and bounce off the walls so I’m forced to blink as I check the individual faces for my friends. Or in this case, kidnappers.
When I catch up to them Aspen and Marissa are wiggling their bodies to the music on the side of the dance floor. They jerk in time to the beat and end up looking like possessed party girls. Simone was the only RDA girl lucky enough to get out of tonight’s excitement. She’s supposed to have the flu, but it’s June and I used the same excuse a few weeks ago. It’s much more probable she saw them coming and took a page out of my book.
I was blindsided by the dynamic duo on my front porch. They came with armfuls of all-white clothing. With Drew at a late night training for work and Grant in China, I didn’t have anyone available to make fake plans. And yes, I would have resorted to hanging out with Grant to get out of a Friday night rave.
They finally won me over when Aspen admitted we were needed to support Amanda. The quiet, semi-regular member of the group has an apparent crush on tonight’s DJ.
I had to come.
Not only to support Amanda’s endeavors in the boy department and see her flirt, but to cast my eyes on this elusive man for myself. Amanda’s talked about a guy here or there, but I’ve never seen evidence they exist.
Marissa turns back to me grabbing onto my elbow. “Let’s go.” My eyes brighten thinking she’s finally agreed it’s crazy and we’re headed home. “If we stick together out there, we’ll be okay.”
She tugs me on the dance floor but I pull back. “I’m gonna sit this one out.” I slur the words together rapid fast so they’ll get lost in the music. Maybe Marissa will think I said I suffer from a preexisting back condition and can’t dance.
In fact that is so genius it’s what I should have said when they showed up at my door tonight. Damn it.
She points a finger at me and leans closer like she’s going to whisper, but with this racket I’ll only hear a yell. “Come on, Clare, live a little. Eat the burrito and all that shit.”
“What?” I ask, but in my confusion I allow her and Aspen to pull me on the dance floor.
The crowd swallows us up instantly. People are packed on the small dance square, bumping me on all sides with their bodies jumping in time to the music. We pass a shorter girl with her hands in the air, her neck and wrists covered by glow-in-the-dark jewelry. I scoff.We’re not a rave. Yeah right. I guess I’ll ignore the fact we’re the oldest people in this room.
Marissa bumps her hip against mine and laughs as I step into Aspen. I roll my eyes, but then start following her dance moves. She’s not half bad. Less like she belongs onThe Exorcistthan she did earlier. Around sixteen Drew and I went through a big rave phase, so before I realize it I’m lost in the music and reliving the glory days of my youth.
Eventually the bodies around me move in what feels like coordinated efforts. Our figures line up as the music flows through each of us. I close my eyes and get lost in the sweaty abandon of the warehouse.
One song blends into another and it’s only when there’s a tap on my shoulder that I open my eyes again.
“Drink?” Marissa asks, her closed fist to her mouth mimicking the words. Dance club sign language.
I smack my tongue on the roof of my mouth realizing for the first time it’s dry. “Water!”
She nods and turns away throwing a quick hand in the air pointed toward the corner. I stretch on my tiptoes to check and see Amanda propped on the side of the DJ booth. Her smile is so big her teeth are visible from here. I guess Amanda has a crush after all. The guy with long black hair and what I’m pretty sure is eye liner under each is totally not what I expected. But I guess we all have a type.
