Check, Please?

Chapter 3

I liked Gravity a little better than most of the clubs that we went to because it was so mature – more of a lounge I suppose.  Some nights, I enjoyed dirty, sweaty grinding on strangers until I could feel them get hard beneath their pants but other times I just liked to sit and talk to people.  I hadn’t been able to clear my mind of the memories of my mother since Mr. Kyrie called us all “young things” and really needed to get my mind off of her tragic death, so sitting and talking to sexy men about their successful lives would hopefully take my mind off of things.  I tried not to look too much like a slut, just curling my hair enough for some loose, blonde waves and slipping into another small black dress, but a little less fitted and a little less revealing than the one I wore the night before.  I kept my shoes black and grabbed my red handbag, which matched the red toenails that peeked out of the open fronts of my heels.

“You look niiiice,” Harry dragged out as we both exited our bedrooms and faced each other in the hallway. Sensing my indifference, he leaned forward slightly and kissed me on the forehead. “Help me fix my tie?”

I adjusted his black tie beneath his black suit.  I could see his eyes studying me as I pursed my lips and twisted the fabric until it was knotted nicely and laid flat.

“Are you sure you want to go out? We’ve been out the last 6 nights. We can always stay in and watch Wreck-It Ralph!” He cupped my chin and grinned at me.  I couldn’t help but crack a smile as he suggested we watch my favorite movie.  Harry was always so good about recognizing a problem but not mentioning it.  I wasn’t the kind of person who wanted to talk about things, and Harry learned to just not ask over the years, which I loved about him. I would talk if I wanted to, but until I wanted to he would wait patiently.

I shook my head. “I want to go out. It’ll be good for me.  Plus, I know you’ll be a pain in the ass if you don’t get laid tonight,” I added, poking him in his dimple.

He grabbed my waist gently and his grin widened. “You know… we could always just do each other…”

I laughed as he got closer and closer to my face. “Harry… Harry stop! Really, now Harry.” I put my finger to his lips as he puckered them. “I’m not feeling it tonight.”

He shrugged and slapped my rear before turning down the hallway to the kitchen. “Your call, my lovely love bug.”

I giggled and shook my head as he turned and searched the counter in the kitchen for his keys.  Once he found them, he opened the front door for me and locked it behind us.

The other thing I liked about Gravity was the fact that I could hear myself think.  In most of the clubs that we would go to, the bass would be so loud that you would lose all control of your senses and if you stayed too long you would get a thumping headache that lasted for a week after you left.  Gravity played the music just low enough for you to feel the bass in your chest but still be able to talk to people at the same volume that you would if you were in the lobby of a hotel.  I took Harry’s elbow as we walked into the open room and allowed my eyes to adjust for a moment to the dim, purple lighting.  I glanced around at the bar, taking in all of the single men and women that were looking for a one-night stand.  I also looked around at the black cushioned chairs and small round tabled that were spread out around the floor that was lowered in the center of the room.  It wasn’t as busy as usual but there was still a good crowd.

Harry lead me through the tables to the back where we usually hung out.  There was a large round booth that we both scooted into and looked around the room, watching strangers converse about their current successes in life, trying to impress one-another until they decided whether or not it was okay to go home and sleep with one another.  This was my favorite thing to do.  Harry and I were people-watchers.  We just liked to look at people and try to figure out who or what they were based on their posture, their clothes, their facial expressions, and so on.  If we were struggling or just couldn’t agree about what we each thought for one person, we would make up a life for that person.