My legs prickled with goosebumps, a familiar reaction to the cool night air. Probably just vasodilation from yesterday’s Biology lab, I thought. Though I wouldn't mind if it was some supernatural reaction to the night's energy.
I glanced at my phone: 11:50 PM. Three and a half hours, max. That's all I could risk before my family's early-morning devotional schedule became a problem. A small prayer slipped out—more a wish, really—that today would be different. Though I doubted God would bother with a request like mine.
Guilt gnawed at me, so I shoved it aside. Just enjoy it, I told myself. Enjoy the throbbing bass, the flashing lights, the casual sinning. Though I knew it was all just people getting drunk, hurting their livers, and pretending it was something more.
A jeweled hand slipped into mine. Vic’s boyfriend, the one with the unnervingly smooth charm, was already leading us toward a security guard. A few whispered words, a swift glance, and the door swung open. We slipped inside.
The music inside was lower than expected, but just as crass. He kept walking, and I turned a questioning glance at Victoria. She just shrugged, a little too nonchalant for my taste.
The further we walked, the darker it became. The pulsing beats gave way to a slow jazz tempo. Women with sharp smiles and heavy makeup brushed against stout men in tailored suits. I averted my gaze, hoping this was just a wrong turn.
Victoria nudged me. Her boyfriend—Adam, she’d told me—turned down another hallway. This one was brighter, with abstract paintings that added a touch of calm to the gray walls.
A vaulted door loomed before us. Adam swiped a black card, and the door swung open to reveal a stunning terrace.
Suddenly, the fear I’d been suppressing surged forward. My fingertips tingled with adrenaline. I shook it off, forcing myself to breathe. Vic grinned like a kid who’d just found a hidden stash of candy.
“Over there,” Adam said, gesturing with his chin.
At the far corner of the glass wall, three people sat silhouetted against the night sky. It was the kind of exclusive clubbing I’d only read about in magazines.
The woman in the middle was chatting with a younger man, but it was the third one who stole my attention.
God really did create some masterpieces. Dark, luscious beard, muscles straining against a tailored suit, a wristwatch that probably cost more than my entire college tuition. How did I get so lucky? Or unlucky? It was probably both.
My Cheshire grin faltered. He was way out of my league. No way I’d be close enough to actually feel how soft his facial hair was.
I didn’t even realize my legs were still moving until I nearly bumped into his arm. I stumbled back, pretending to admire the amber light dangling from the ceiling.
“Aye, my man! How you doing?” Adam said, slapping him on the shoulder.
The man turned, and a slow smile spread across his face. “Adams, glad you could make it.” They exchanged a quick handshake.
“Thought I’d bring my girls along. This is Victoria, and her friend… what’s your name again?” he said, his eyes flickering over me.
“Oluwalonimi. Most people call me Nimi,” I said, my voice a little too dry.
He looked between Vic and me, then back at Adam. “Well, welcome to the party.”
The woman—Sade—was the first to greet me. “Hi, I’m Sade. Have a seat, darling. You must be exhausted. The waiter will be back soon. Just tell him what you’d like.” She flashed a smile that showed off a little too much cleavage.
I forced myself to look away. I squeezed between him and Vic, who was too busy with Adam's wandering hands to notice me.
Isaac beckoned a waiter, and I felt a panic rise in my throat. The closest I’d been to alcohol was the ethanol in my chemistry lab, and even then I hadn’t touched it.
“You’re over 18, right?” Isaac asked, his gaze pinning me.
Did I look that young? Vic was pulling off the college girl act perfectly, but here I was, squirming under Isaac’s scrutiny.
“She’s definitely old enough to handle herself,” Vic said smoothly. Half-truth, but impressive.
Isaac shrugged and returned to his conversation with Sade, his arm snaking around her chair.
When the waiter arrived, I ordered a champagne, hoping it wasn’t as potent as the tequila from romance novels.
As the waiter left, I heard a voice beside me. “Hm, a finer taste, I see.”
My eyes met his. Dark, intense, and utterly captivating. I quickly looked away.
“If you mean boring, then I guess you’re right,” I said, my voice flat.
A smirk touched his lips. “Well, I doubt it could get any worse than this,” he said, swirling the amber liquid in his glass.
“Water?” I asked, my lips twitching.
“Driving myself home tonight. Have to play it safe. And boring,” he said, taking a slow sip.
“I didn’t peg you for the safe type,” I said, meeting his gaze.
“Oh, I’m always up for some adventure every once in a while…” he said, his voice dropping an octave.
I lingered in the pool of his gaze, enjoying the feeling of falling into its depths. “Lucky for you, drinks aren’t the only things that can be exciting.”
His sleeve brushed against my arm, and a cheeky grin crept onto my face. Maybe night parties weren’t so bad after all.