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It rings like in those old cartoons where you expect the phone to leap into the air and buzz based on the caller’s emotions. I answer it straightaway.
“Oh my gosh, Harper. I hope I didn’t wake you.”
“Girl, are you serious?” she shrieks. “Who cares about sleep when you’re going to Risqué?”
“I care about sleep.” I chuckle and I can hear her scuffing on the other end of the line.
“Serenity, don’t let me scream at you. Are you seriously going to Risqué with Dante?”
“Yes. We’re going tonight and I’m nervous as hell.”
She screams like actually screams.
“Oh my gosh. Why the hell did you pick now of all times to become so exciting? And you’ve been keeping things from me.”
“No, this happened today.”
“Today? But it’s only been today for a few hours on your side of the globe. Oh wait—” She suddenly stops, catching on to what she’s saying. “You spent the night with him again?”
“I did.” My voice holds a meaningful, reverence I never thought I’d feel with any guy.
Thinking of last night again makes my head light so I sit with my back pressed against the wall.
“Oh Serenity. I love this guy for you. Everything sounds good to me.”
“It feels good and I’m just trying to take each day as it comes. When Dad gets back next week, I won’t be able to do this. I’m hoping it won’t change things too much between Dante and me, but I think it will.”
“Don’t worry about that. You’re doing good and you’ll have a great time tonight. Yes it’s outlandish and a real eye opener to the things people can come up with but, if you’re there with someone it’s about the two of you.”
“That sounds doable. I think.” I sound more confident.
“You’ll be fine. Shocked but fine.”
“Tell me about the shocked part. What am I likely to see?”
She laughs, then sighs. “Stuff that will probably leave you feeling different for life, but you mustn’t freak out.”
“Really, Harper? Don’t freak? I’m fairly certain I already said I was freaking out. I can’t even believe we’re having this conversation.”
She laughs. “Relax, girl. It’s all about being liberal and exploration. The people who go to these places just want to explore their fantasies. That’s all it is.”
“And they do it all right in the open so people can see them?” I can’t imagine it.
“Some do and some don’t. Risqué is modeled after this other club in Chicago called Dark Odyssey. They have some kind of partnership so they can do similar things like a masquerade party pretty much every night. Which means you wear a mask if you don’t want to be seen or recognized.”
“Well I guess that makes it easier.”
“For sure, and obviously, that works perfectly for you.”
“It does. God knows what people would say if anyone saw me there.” This isn’t the same as going to Club X.
“Exactly, but the idea is you hide your identity until you're ready to reveal yourself to whoever you’re going to spend the night with, which you obviously know already.” Her voice raises an octave on that last part and I feel her excitement.
“I do. But oh God, what if he wants to tie me up or put a chain on me.”
She starts laughing hard.
“Harper this isn’t funny.”
