Plagued by never-ending nightmares and cursed with a mysterious ability to sense others' emotions, 19-year-old Diana Massey is no stranger to the peculiar. Bizarre events start piling up when a young man named Casimir comes to live at her family far...
After a few more minutes of final checks and the changing of purses, we shrugged on our heavy jackets and were out the door. I was thankful that we didn't run into anyone on the elevator as I was still a bit nervous about my makeover. As we waited for our taxi, Zola insisted on snapping a photo of the two of us, which I begged her not to post.
"Just sending it to AJ," she insisted. "If that is okay?"
"Don't let him know that's me! Tell him I'm your mysterious new friend, Betty or something."
"You look more like a Veronica than a Betty, hun," Zola joked. I stuck out my tongue at her, and she snapped another picture, laughing evilly when I cried for her to delete it. "Oh no, this is my new photo for when you call, now and forever."
"You are the worst," I said, stamping my feet a little. The heels made it hard to feel intimidating. The taxi arrived and we got in, riding the 20 minutes to the club in the blissful heat of the car. I tried to help pay for the cab, but Zola dismissed me, tipping the man nicely for being on time. He offered to come pick us up, handing us his card so we could call. The front of the club was crowded, with people milling around, all chatting loudly. I noticed a small group smoking cigarettes and wrinkled my nose at the smell as we approached.
The nightclub was a two-story building decorated with blue neon lights; its logo was a crescent moon, which I found fitting, given the name. The front door was surrounded by a soft, glowing white light that gave the bouncer an otherworldly appearance. There was a small line, but since it was a 21-and-under night, it didn't look as busy as I had seen from online photos. I was guessing that the fact that no alcohol was being served kept some of the regulars away.
We were about to head to the back of the line when the bouncer saw us and nodded, opening the rope, gesturing for us to come through. It was like a moment in one of those movies, except now I was the pretty girl getting special treatment. Zola and I said 'thank you' as we passed, and when I looked up at the man, I could swear his eyes were gold. We checked our coats quickly and entered the main part of the club. It was dark, loud, and hotter than I expected. The interior decorations were very sleek and stylish with modern furniture, mirrors, and thousands of LED lights all along the ceilings. The bar was a centerpiece, with blue glowing shelves showing off beautiful bottles of liquor and a line of matching glasses. I saw a DJ working away, elevated on a stage to one side of the dance floor. Lights flashed and pulsed as people danced in time to the music, and it was all very exciting. Huge windows lined the back wall, and you could see the river sparkling through the glass. Near the windows, plush couches, chairs, and short tables were placed for people to lounge on. Small standing tables lined another wall for other guests having a drink or snack. As I cast my eyes upward, I could see a loft over the bar, which was less crowded and had another bouncer guarding the stairs below. I assumed it had to be for special patrons.
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Zola linked arms with me, and we walked the perimeter, checking out all of the sights. She leaned into me, talking straight into my ear. "Do you want to dance or get a drink and people watch?"
