For Centuries - Season 1 [Completed]

Saturday Night At The Pearl, volume 2. Episode 15B

Lucas' Playlist : "Panic Station", Muse

"Everything's alright?" I asked Ahmed and Valentina during a brief moment when they did not have to serve a client. James was having a beer on the other side of the dancefloor. The club was packed and Lucas had gone particularly experimenting with his mixing. The crowd was switching between moments of pure rhythm and times when they could sing a well-known song as an anthem.

"Yes! It's great! I love the atmosphere here," Valentina answered.

"I had come to the club once or twice before with friends, but it's something else to see it from the other side of the bar. It's a very welcoming place. Joy without any aggressivity," Ahmed said.

"That's the great thing with the Pearl," Anna answered. "It's a place where everyone feels safe and at home, and can enjoy life. Seems a little utopian maybe. But Elise does everything that she can to assure that it's as close as possible to this ideal."

"I think it works!" Valentina said.

I smiled. For sure, Anna had greatly contributed to this atmosphere, with her energy and her care for people. And it was clear that Ahmed and Valentina would be perfect assets to our festive mission. Many of the regular guests had already chatted with them and that first big night was a successful integration.

"By the way, it's time, Boss!" Anna said. I watched the clock, nodded, and took the mic.

"Hello everyone, it is already 2 AM, time for our Saturday Night Challenge! Lucas, could you choose a piece of paper for me, please ?"

The young man shuffled and shuffled again, and then chose a ballot which he gave me.

"So, this is... Lucas' idea. Lucas? You mean you? You chose your own ballot?" I sighed melodramatically. "There is no such thing as innocence anymore. Anyway, it is a great choice of song, 'Panic Station' by Muse. What do you think, everyone? Yes? I should accept it? Alright, that is a deal. Everyone, say 'thank you, Lucas'! (And everyone said "Thank you, Lucas".)

The bass riff started and I took the mic on stage. I loved this song and the rock and funk grandiloquence that it allowed me to show. After the first verse, I looked at James, who was watching the performance in front of me, and showed him the stage. I knew it was a perfect song for him.

He did not hesitate for a second and joined me. The groove, the humor, and the attitude of the song: everything was great. We were totally in sync, up to the almost-choreo we improvised at the end of the song. The crowd danced and cheered, and the spirit of the room was at its highest. James even smiled, without irony. It was certainly a first.

When I took the few stairs to leave the stage under the applause, James told me he needed another beer and went to the bar. I was going to sit at my booth when I bumped into Aidan.