Through the Fire (a Les Twins fanfic)

Chapter 5: Invitations

Gabby flipped on her blinker and made a right turn into Atlantic Station.  As usual, the massive downtown open-air forum's eclectic assortment of shops, restaurants, and theaters was buzzing.

Her heart was in her throat watching Laurent in the rear-view mirror weaving along in Tyler Perry's Aston.  Larry and Shauna were riding with him and despite Gabby's fervent protests Laurent had refused to let Shauna drive.  She pursed her lips.  He was so damned hardheaded.

They valet-parked and then Larry and Laurent spent fifteen minutes arguing over which restaurant to go to.  Larry wanted barbecued chicken wings.  Laurent wanted Chinese food.  In the end they thumb-wrestled for it and Laurent won out.

After dinner at Tin Drum, drinks at The Grape, and getting stopped by more fans in between it was almost prime time at every nightclub in the city and the twins wanted to go dancing.

Gabby stifled a yawn.  "I think I need to call it a night."  The shopping extravaganza had worn her out and she had to be in the office the next day.

"Me, too.  I have an early class in the morning."  Shauna reluctantly replied.

They parted ways with the guys, but only after Laurent swore to Gabby he wouldn't drive to or from the club.

"Promise me, Lau.  Promise you'll call the driver to come get you.  Tyler can send someone else for his car tomorrow."

"Okay, okay, I will."  He pulled her into his arms.  "You worry too much."

She laid her head on his chest.  How could she not worry when she loved him as much as she did?

****

The line at Opera Nightclub was wrapped around the side of the building up into the parking lot by the time Larry and Laurent arrived.  They stepped from the back seat of a black SUV with dark tinted windows and skipped to the front of the line where the bouncer instantly recognized them and let them pass.

They were getting used to the Atlanta club scene.  DJs mixed new hits with old school club bangers, more people scrubbed the ground than two-stepped, and Larry and Laurent were pretty much guaranteed to leave the club exhausted and sweated out any night of the week.

Larry led the way upstairs to V.I.P. where he and Laurent sat in their reserved cabana vibing to the music and taking the pulse of the crowds of people writhing on the floor level below them.  The hostess came by with two glasses and a bottle of Cristal on a tray.

"We didn't order this."

She pointed to the neighboring cabana.  "Courtesy of the girls next door."

Before the twins could say anything two half-drunk, fake Kim Kardashian's and a Nicki Minaj wannabe stumbled over and invaded their space.  Laurent rolled his eyes.  They barely got in the club good and it was starting already.

"We need a bodyguard."

Larry looked on the bright side.  "At least they gave us free drinks."

Larry tried to be nice.  He was signing their arms until the DJ played Knuck If You Buck and he got excited.  He excused himself to go down to the dance floor.

As soon as he turned the corner two of the women ambushed Laurent.  They squeezed themselves onto the cabana couch on either side of him while the third one snapped a pic with her phone.  One of them whispered a naughty invitation in his ear.

"Okay, ladies.  The party's over."  Laurent stood up to go join Larry on the dance floor.

He ended up walking down the steps at the same time Ludacris was coming up.  They exchanged a fist bump and a man hug.

"Ayyyyeeee!!  This my partner right here!  This kid can dance his ass off."  Luda introduced Laurent to his entourage in his booming voice.  "Where's ya better half?"

Laurent laughed. "My brother's here, too.  He's downstairs."

"That's what's up.  Get at me before you go, a'ight?  I'm throwing a private party soon and you need to be in the house."

"For sure."

Laurent found Larry on the dance floor and got him even more crunk than he already was when he told him that Luda had invited them to his party.

They climbed up on two of the go-go dancer platforms and wilded out for the rest of the night.