Taiven Parmiga

Chapter 16: Mini Bar Madness

We walk down the luxurious hallways towards the elevator. I'm wearing a deep maroon red dress with a black leather jacket and black lace up wedged chunks. My hair is straightened in towards my face and I hold a black wallet in my right hand, wondering how much this bar will cost us. Evan walks beside me in a tux and bright red Converse. He glances at his black watch and informs me it's about 10:00 now.
We reach the elevator, press the button to the third floor from the top of the building.
The manager at the front desk informed us when we arrived that the top 5 floors are all for reserved dining, clubs, and bars.

"Excited?" He asks with a wide grin and raised eyebrows as we wait in the glass elevator. I stare through the glass at the front lawn now dark and lit with colorful lights around the fountain and cul-de-sac getting smaller and smaller as we quickly zoom upwards. As we get higher, I'm surprisingly more exhilarated than afraid or nervous. I snap out of my thoughts and quickly turn back to him and nod my late response.

"I'm looking forward to seeing this magnificent bar you can't stop talking about." I smirk and the elevator doors open. It's instantly dim with only a few lights barely lit along the top of the hallway walls. I guess it's to show you how special this part of the hotel is. It'll probably be the most memorable and enjoyable.
An electronic screen tells us the bar we're looking for is down the left hall. Evan tells me it's called
Below Zero Lounge.
We enter and it's filled with people. The walls are lined with silky white curtains. Lights behind them slowly morph into different colors constantly. There's candles, light music, a large wrap-around bar in the middle with a huge wall stacked with a wide variety of drinks on all four sides in the center of it all.
The room has multiple empty bottles hanging on the walls and shelves to advertise some of their selections. The bar is glass and the chairs are a deep black oak. The tiles that circle the outside of the center bar are white squares that also change colors with the walls. The rest of the floor is a shiny, slick black. There's multiple tables throughout the room and many booths around the outside. There's a set of glass stairs on both sides of the room that ascend upwards to meet at a large balcony with glass flooring and more booths and tables. The top level juts out where the DJ is set up to play music.

"Thank God the music isn't too loud." I tell Evan. He looks over, laughs and replies,

"Nah. Clubbing is for another night." He gives me a small wink and turns back to continue exploring the place. He grabs my arm and I'm whisked away towards the bar. We arrive and I'm overwhelmed by all the choices.
Evan orders a glass of Macallen scotch. The bartender turns to me for my order. I speak the first thing that comes to mind.

"I'll just have a Cosmopolitan." I turn to Evan and he laughs at my weak drinking selection. "What?" I ask. He just responds with more laughter.

"Nothing. It's just, I wonder, how can you have fun, if you don't go big?" He asks me half jokingly and half with deep seriousness.

"It's called pacing yourself." I inform him in a motherly tone. I laugh at the way I sound. I think for a second, then motion the waiter to return. "We'll also have a few rounds of shots." I say through a sinister smile.

"How many?" He asks loudly over the loud laughing group of girls beside us.

"3 should be good." Evan replies calmly.

"Make that 5. Dirty." I say louder and bolder than before. I turn to Evan slightly gawking at my bravery.

"Can't have fun without going big, right?" I raise my eyebrows and smirk to hold back laughter.
This will only end badly. But right now, I don't really care. Besides. How bad can it be if I'm here with him?

Hey guys.
Thanks again for reading, commenting, and voting. Glad you've liked it so far.
Will be back with another shorter segment tomorrow.
Until then, goodnight!
-Alyssa D.