Time and Again

Chapter 2 - Part 1: Making An Entrance

"Ladies and gentlemen, please! Do not crowd! If you have an invitation, be assured that you will be let in! There is plenty of room, please, do not push and shove." A stout man glared at the large group of us still waiting to be let in, the frustration on his face evident in his furrowed brow and unfortunate scowl.

"Ow!" I said as someone stepped on my foot. Hard. I felt claustrophobic as bodies pressed in on me from every side. "Seriously?"

"Straight line, please! Straight line!" The man kept shouting, waving his small arms around as if he could mold us into the correct order. "Ladies first now! Ladies first!"

I could hear the men's grumble as they moved to the back of the line. Clutching my invitation close to my heart in case it was ripped away from me in the mayhem, I found a spot in line behind a girl in an elaborate emerald green halter dress.

The process sped up after that much to the frustrated man's pleasure. I gave my invitation to a short, pudgy man who looked it over a few times before stepping aside to let me in.

I walked into what seemed to be the foyer. It was closed off on two of the four sides with large doors that went on to two different rooms. I decided to head for the doors directly in front of me. My steps echoed on the shiny stone floor as I reached forward with both of my hands and grabbed ahold of the handles. I pulled them towards me and, almost immediately, loud, grating music surrounded me.

I stood there, frozen by the sudden barage sights and sounds. Colored lights pulsed along to the music blasting from the large speakers hanging from the walls. A DJ swayed along to the rhapsodic music he was mixing and a few teens were already swaying on the dance floor. I finally forced my legs to move towards the crazy scene, descending a few steps when a small trio of girls passed me as they ran towards the dance floor, giggling.

"I'm going straight for Barrett. I've heard he's single!" One of the girls pouted her lips and smiled seductively. She couldn't have been more than sixteen.

"I'm the perfect birthday present," another one of the girls chimed in, high-fiving a brunette next to her.

Underclassmen. I couldn't help pitying them. If they were looking for a boyfriend, they'd have better luck with the other fish in the sea. Barrett garnered the attention of all of the ladies at school, but he wasn't one to pay that attention forward. The last girlfriend that he'd had was two years ago and after they'd split, she'd moved schools. Rumor was that it was quite the ugly breakup.

Following the girls down to the dance floor, I noticed that there were several punch bowls sitting on a table near the DJ. The loud vibration caused the liquid to frenziedly slosh up against the sides. A few chairs were placed around the edge of the room for those tired of dancing.

The room was rectangular-shaped and I squinted my eyes to discern the details of the space in the dark, chaotic light. Portraits hung high up on the wall, shadows of long past. A pink-tinted strobe light illuminated an ornate crystal chandelier that hung from the ceiling. I spotted a spiral staircase in the corner, but a rope sectioned it off from the general public.

Girls danced to the music in the center of the room- all of their actions exaggerated to catch the attention of the men just now pouring into the room.