Clementine had become a wild child. Born in America but raised abroad, she now had little regard for the expectations of high society. But her reckless ways eventually catch up with her when she is kicked out of college in New York City and forced t...
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Their plan was simple.
They were going to come home and make an appearance at Mina's house, demanding a sleepover to which Mina's mother would agree due to the late night, parent-approved dancing.
Then she would wait it out until midnight, at which point a little after midnight, she'd get a care and go to La Rosa Negra.
And so far, everything was going without a hitch.
They had genuine fun after the hiccup with José, though Clementine had difficult time completely relaxing, anticipating the night ahead. Praying it works out. Praying nothing goes terribly wrong.
Mina had to help because she felt guilty about what she'd done. And though she was hesitant at first, hearing about it first hand from Clementine, she had a sense that there was something unique here and that she was helping a good cause in making something special happen.
They were laughing on the balcony attached to Mina's room, and Clementine had an urge to tell her what really happened in New York, but there wasn't enough time.
It was time to go, and she knew she'd have to do it another time.
Mina gave her a hug and a necklace - a good luck charm.
Then Clementine called a taxi, and instructed him to come in very quietly.
An odd but not that unique instruction in Rio.
She waved goodbye to Mina, and tiptoed out of the back door.
She couldn't believe it was finally happening.
A part of her was very present, and another was very distant. Like she was watching it all happen. Like the high of the pull was worth all the risk.
In the car, she clutched the necklace Mina gave her, looking at it. It was a Virgin Mary pendant. Then she put it on and said a little prayer.
When they pulled up and she stepped out of the car, she got into the line.
She entered into a dark room finally, after the long wait upstairs into the bar, at which point she had to be patted down by another bouncer. Which she did willingly, as he made her turn around and she facd the line at the top of the stairs, she smirked knowingly at the crowd.
Inside, the beat was ruling the room. She knew that at this point he would already be on something. She didn't know how long for.
It was almost too dark to distinguish faces, but as she turned the hallway and around the corner, she was brought out to a room full of swaying bodies. A lot of them men, a lot of them indistinguishable from one another. But she also knew that he was somewhere in the sea of them, he was one of them in the room, and that she would have to feel her way to him through the dark.
She closed her eyes for a moment, and tried to centre herself. She blended in with everyone just as well as anybody else.
What do I have to do to get to you? She asked herself, letting the music surround her. She felt a familiar feeling coming over her.
One was how much she missed this, dancing and music and liberation and the opportunity to not have to be anybody else.
The second was the feeling that she would get whenever he was near. Indescribably, and when her mind knew that he was there, she was taken over by what could best be described as a sensation.
She made her way to the upper level of the room, hoping to find him like this. To get a different perspective and a bigger overview of the room.
But that didn't help, faces blended into each other, and she knew she would have to go directly into the fire, directly into the battle.
Descending down the stairs, she made her way around the back of the room and to the middle left of it. Looking to the back of the room from there, she found him.
He was there, looking liberated and strangely at peace within the environment around him. Like he was able to find some harmony in this disjointed joint.
Then, after an initial push from what she was doing, she gave in to the pull, and without thinking made her way over to him.
"Hi," she said taking the last step towards him.
Upon seeing her, he smiled and opened his arms for a hug.
