Aqua Hotel

"One French 75, please."

"And for the other pretty lady?"

"A Tom Collins, thank you."

"Hey Sara, long time since anyone's called you pretty lady, huh?"

"Oh, shut up, you haven't even been called pretty lady before. This was your first time." My roommate shrugs and laughs, taking the drink the bartender pushed towards her, uttering a "thank you" with a nod loudly, over the music.

"So why this club?"

Nodding and accepting the drink the bartender pushed towards me, I awkwardly say "thank you" loudly so he hears me.

"Well, you know, as the classy woman that I am, I looked up clubs around us, and I saw this one recently opened! It has a nice name too, 'Aqua Hotel'."

Smiling bright and wide and nearly spilling her drink, she earns a glare from the bartender.

Enjoying our drinks and chatting about our lives, topics of annoying neighbors, love lives, and issues with jobs fly by.

The music gets louder and louder, and she starts to drift away from my wandering voice, waiting for an answer to keep the conversation going, like a distressed owner calling for a curious kitten lost in the outside world.

Seeming completely absorbed in the crowd, she smiles brightly at me, grabs my wrist and makes a total run for it.

I thought there was danger, but it was only the temptation to go and dance.

Holding up the cup like it's a trophy, I almost spill it on my own dress and other people's clothes.

"Sara, chill the fuck out, we're going at a velocity faster than your parents' dog takes a shit. Oh, sorry miss- ouch- SARA, SLOW DOWN, WE HAVE TIME."

Before I know it, I'm already in the middle of the crowd, clutching my glass like it's a baby.

The music is the loudest here, and the DJ stops it to make an announcement.

"Welcome to Aqua hotel, y'all. Thank you for coming, and to show my thanks, I present to you the song of this club."

"Oooh, sister this is a bop." Sara starts to dance and drags me over to where she is.

"C'mon, dance with me!"

"No, Sara, ugh- I, oh my god, Sara, no." I cover my eyes with my free hand.

"Oh, don't be such a party pooper and get your flat ass over here."

"Just focus on the music, dear roomie, just focus on the music."

As I close my eyes and listen, I hear calming music that describes the term "laid-back" to me.

Without any control, I open my eyes and dance along with Sara.

Laughing and twirling, enjoying the night slip through our hands like sand.

As we dance more and more, the night gets more and more lively.

As I twirl around and expect her to be in front of me, I am greeted by a surprised face.

"Ara?"