Don't come close

Celebrate Good Times

The Upper East Side. You know the place, Gossip Girl, Manhattan, and the area of the elite. Definitely not my area. We arrive at the destination. A small café. Although it was very cute, this is not what i was expecting, and not what I dressed up for.

"You did not just drag me all the way here for this," I say in frustration.

"Haven't you watched all those chilchéd movies?" she asks.

Realisation hits. "OMG is it one of those places that go underground?" Before I have a chance to finish my sentence, the door opens, and in front of me are stairs that lead underground. This is cool, to a certain extent the conversation with my mother drifts away, and I'm impressed by the novelty of the situation.

We descend down the stairs, the beat of the bass gets louder, the stairs, wider. The flashing lights can be seen from the stairs, as I turn the corner...wow. The place is huge. There is a long bar that goes around the entire area that is shaped in a large circle. The centre is a large dance floor with colours flashing from the tiles on the ground. At the far end the DJ on the stage in pumping up the audience. Before I can truly absorb everything around me, I am dragged by the wrist by Cloud. 

"Let's DANCE!" she screams in my ear. 

"How did you even get into this place?" I ask her suddenly realising we might be somewhat lower class for this club. All around are girls with dresses more expensive than my tuition fees and guys with watches with more bling than I will ever own. 

"Hey, don't ask, don't tell!" she responds vaguely. I've learnt by not to question how Cloud manages to get things done. 

I start dancing. The music is great, the place is nice, but before I know it, I'm over it and slowly drifting towards the bar. It all washes over me again. I'm going to be here this summer. I need a drink... I reach the bar and reach for the menu. 

What strikes me first off is the price. Jesus, how does someone afford anything? Duh...they have Daddy's bank role! Before I can dwell on the price for too long a random guy comes and sits down next to me. His hair was heavily gelled, he had on a purple blazer, and to top it all off, his breath, imagine sardines, rotting in a glass of week old milk! Although I tried my best to ignore him, he didn't take the hint. 

"Hey, do you come here often?" he asks. 

"Considering this place just opened up, the answers no for all of us, just in case you plan on asking another girl," I offered in the driest and sarcastic tone I could manage. 

"I don't want another girl, babe. The minute I saw you I thought: You must be a photographer because I can picture you and me," he smiled. 

Gag  I thought. "Please, no. I'm not interested. I have a boyfriend."

"Bitch," he muttered as he walked away. 

This is something I don't get. If a girl is honest to a guy and tell them she's not interested and has a boyfriend, she's a bitch. If she leads him on and plays with him, she's a disloyal hoe. There is no winning. 

I go back to the counter and look through the prices on the menu, and find the cheapest thing, and... it's water. Urgh, maybe I'll just sit here, ooh, and they have peanuts! Guess I'm snacking on peanuts. Out of nowhere, the bartender comes over with a drink and places it in front of me.

"Um... Excuse me, I didn't order this," I try to get the bartender's attention.

He turns around and responds, "compliments of a young gentleman." 

"Who?" I question him. Before I can ask, he walks away without paying me any more attention. 

I stared down at my Martini. I am not usually one to accept free drinks, it feels like I'm using that person without offering anything in return (especially since I have a boyfriend). I like to be able to pay for my own things. Tonight, however, considering my situation, both emotionally and financially, I wasn't about to put this drink aside and buy another one.