“Notreally.”
“Maybe you’ll meet someone tonight,” Skylar said. “The Den’s full ofhotness.”
“Maybe.”
Soon, we were parking across from a brick building illuminated by a huge blue flickering neon sign. A beefy bouncer stood by the closed metal doors, turning away three gangly boys, before letting in a gaggle of chattering girls who wore too much makeup and too little clothes. I’d never felt overdressed before, but in this moment, as I trailed Emmy and Skylar, I felt extraordinarily self-conscious. It didn’t help that people from the long line awaiting to get into the club werestaring.
I started walking toward the end of the line when Skylar looped her arm through mine and tugged me to the front. Grumbling erupted behind us, but neither Emmy nor Skylar seemed tocare.
“Hey, Bobby!” Skylarchirped.
The bouncer turned toward us. “Skysky.” He tipped his head down toward me, hiking up an eyebrow. “Who’s your littlefriend?”
Little friend. Skylar had a couple inches on me, but I was far from little. Unless he meant age-wise. That was probably what he’d meant. My palms slickened.Don’t ask to see my ID. Don’t ask to see myID.
“Ness’s my little sister. She’s visiting from LA.” The lie rolled off Skylar’s tongue so naturally that Bobby pulled the heavy metal dooropen.
Music whooshed out and battered against the darkstreet.
“Be good,” hesaid.
“Aren’t wealways?”
“Em is.” He smirked at Skylar. “You, not so much.” He winked at us as we passed by him and then closed thedoor.
Swirling neon lights illuminated the cavernous building, which must’ve housed an old power plant once upon a time. Exposed metal tubing and air vents crisscrossed the high ceiling like a rat maze, reflecting the swinging strobes. In the middle of the dancefloor stood a wide square bar manned by several bartenders. Partygoers spilled around the bar, moving their bodies to the deafening beat. On a metal mezzanine, people sat at tables, pouring long drinks from liquor and juice bottles. Some were leaning against the railing, gazing down at the crowdbelow.
“Where’s the DJ booth?” I yelled into Emmy’s ear, my mouth coming in contact with some of her silverhoops.
My lips instantly blistered, and I jerked away. I licked the tiny sores, then squashed my mouth shut when I caught her staring atit.
Nostrils working, she pointed to the top of the stairs that led to the mezzanine floor. There, in an open booth, pink headphones nestled in a mane of wild curls, stood Sarah aka DJWolverine.
Emmy tapped my shoulder. “Is it me, or is your mouthsmoking?”
I licked my lips. “Must beyou.”
Shefrowned.
“I’m going to go say hi to someone,” Isaid.
“Okay. We’ll be righthere.”
I nodded, then strode across the room, slaloming between thebodies.
Another burly bouncer stood at the bottom of the stairs. He stuck out his hand when Iapproached.
“The DJ’s my friend,” Isaid.
He gave me a grumpy, meaningful look. He wasn’t buyingit.
“Ask her,” Ipleaded.
“I can’t interrupt herset.”
“Please. Her name is Sarah. Her uncle is Julian Matz. Herbrother—”
The bouncer grumbled. “Fine. But I’m keeping an eye onyou.”
