Gems

In the Club

Preface

Gems is a collection of short stories that have been inspired by music, art, games, movies, everyday life. There is no central theme. So, theme, motifs, characters, setting and so on and so forth will most likely change every time. 

This piece was inspired by Britney Spears' 'Hold it Against Me.' Obviously.

If I said my heart was beating loud,

if we could escape the crowd somehow,

if I said I want your body now,

would you hold it against me?

'Cause you feel like paradise and I need a vacation tonight.

So, if I said I want your body now, would you hold it against me?

On the dance floor, nothing matters. No one matters in here. The darkness invites you, consumes you and becomes your best friend for a few hours. Leave yourself at the door. Trade it in for a stamp on your wrist and a little card with a number on it. Come pick yourself up, when you feel like you can't take it anymore.

But not yet. Now you want to be part of the crowd. Be part of the faceless mass that moves to the beat. In here, everybody is the same. Dancing, drinking, flirting, letting it all out. Pretending it is for fun when really, they try to forget. For a moment, a song, a night. A hybrid of souls, problems, fears. When the music is so loud, you can barely hear yourself think, you get lost. The beat carries you away.

If I said my heart was beating loud.

And when you can't think, you cannot worry. Bodies, people, they all become one, united in music. Strobes flash rapidly through the darkness and give glimpses of the crowd. Impressions. Shadows. Before the endless expanse of black nothingness and noises consumes you again and pulls you into anonymity. Makes you part of the enigma that is the dance floor. Some may fear it, some seek it, all crave it, when asked, no one cares. So, you keep on moving. Even the music asks for it. Get up. Grab someone. Lose yourself on the dance floor. Dance.

And you obey. Because what else can you do? Move to the rhythm. Sway your hips, pull your hair, slap your thighs, scream, slip into a trance.

If we could escape the crowd somehow.

Then you catch them staring. Because they always do. And you chose. Because that's what you always do. And you tell yourself they're just your thing, exactly your type which they never are. But you've convinced yourself that this is what it's supposed to be like. You've stopped believing in fairy tales years ago, you think romance is for the movies and love is for other people. Not for you, though. You take, what you can get. Little shards of happiness. That's why you're here. Because you want something different, you want to feel something. You're sick of waiting, you want something good and you want it now.

If I said I want your body now.

At least that's what you tell yourself. You're sure you're not making it up, there is a spark. That's what it's supposed to be like. Isn't this what life is all about? Dispersion?

So, you stop caring, if you're coming on too strong or if it's going to matter. Just make it clear. This is not about you any longer. You're not sure whether it ever was. After all, you left your self at the door. This is about life. And what it's supposed to be like. What you are supposed to be like. You've even lost track of your heartbeat, it submerges into the heavy beat of the music. And if you've lost your heart already, what does it even matter?

'Cause you feel like paradise and I need a vacation tonight.

Because in a moment you will feel again. You will once again grab someone and move to the rhythm. Sway your hips, pull your hair, slap your thighs, scream, slip into a trance. Pretending it is for fun when really, you're just trying to forget. Same darkness, same anonymity. Since you couldn't feel your heart on the dance floor, maybe you will find it here. Maybe they have it. Maybe they've had it all along and were taking good care of it until you felt ready to come and get it. Little questions asked. And if not, what does it matter? It's not like you were missing it before. What do you need it for anyway? Did you feel something? Did you not? Rinse and repeat then. After all, this is what it's supposed to be like, right?

If I said I want your body, would you hold it against me?