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Apparently, not so much anymore.
“They all look like they are having fun.” She smiled at me and pointed to the floor below. “Do you dance?”
“Not if I can help it.” I chuckled and started walking towards where I knew there was a set of steps down to the main level.
Lights flashed along with the beat of the music, an old Rob Zombie song that I happened to like. People were dancing on the walkway ahead of us and I gilded us through the small gathering without anyone paying attention to who I was. It was easy for me to hide up here on the dance floor even if I didn’t dance. Most of the people who were here were here to get drunk and have a good time. Unlike the lower levels. Down there it was more… civilized. People paid attention to the faces of the people walking down there.
Too bad that was where we had to go.
We walked down the single-file steps and at the bottom pulled Anita in close, wrapping my arms around her. I had never been this touchy with anyone in public, but it was like my anxiety lowered when she was in my arms. I buried my nose into her hair and inhaled her scent, comforted that it was now familiar and mine.
“Do you dance?” I asked her and she giggled.
“I love to dance, though I haven't in a very long time.” She admitted. “But I don’t know if I could dance to this music.”
“No? Why not? It’s all about the beat, right?”
“It is, but I’m more of a country girl myself. I listen to pop at the gym to get everyone upbeat, maybe some hip hop, but nothing this…” She hesitated, seeming to struggle to find the right words. She flailed her arms and gestured to everything around us. “This dark.”
“It is a little dark, I'll give you that.” I chuckled against her as a group of people passed us, all in black leather latex suits. I never could understand that style, but I never judged. They liked what they liked. “You get used to it though, coming here all the time.”
“I bet.” She smiled and turned so she was facing me and wrapped her arms around me so she could hug me back. She tilted her head up to look at me and gazed into my eyes as if she were searching for something. “You haven't been here since we got together. Do you miss it?”
I shook my head, knowing it was the truth.
“Not even a little,” I told her honestly and squeezed her tighter to me before letting her go. “Come on. We have to go downstairs.”
I took her hand again and led her through the crowds as the music changed to an even older Alice in Chains song that had many people leaving the dance floor to get more to drink. I passed by a few people I recognized, but didn’t say anything, and neither did they. It was too loud up here to socialize past a few words anyway, which I was thankful for.
As we reached the door that would take us to the lower levels, Anita tugged on my hand making me turn around. She pointed with her free hand towards a group of people leaning against the bar. All of them were dressed up as animals, complete with ears and tails. One was in a full-size wolf costume with purple fur and large furry feet.
“What in the hell is that?” She demanded though I had to read her lips more than hear her voice because we had gotten too close to the speakers. I pulled her along behind me, not answering her question yet, and hit the button. The door slid open revealing the elevator and I pulled her inside. When the doors closed, the music died to a dull roar and my ears rang from the sound difference.
“Those were furries,” I explained and hit the button for the second level. I had to talk to Zane before we went down to the basement. Certain social rules had to be upheld. “People who enjoy dressing up as animals. Next time if you have a question, don’t point. There is an unspoken rule around here that no one gets pointed or laughed at. This is a place of acceptance, not judgment.”
“I wasn’t judging them.” She countered and I nodded.
“I know you weren't, it’s just a warning.” I explained. The doors opened again and this time, there was soft jazz music being played in the background.
I guided Anita out of the elevator and into the dimly lit room. It was a large room with a bar in the center and 4 stages, one on each wall. At each stage a woman was dancing on a pole, putting on a show. In between the bar and the stages were tables and along the walls there were booths. The booths were private places with curtains surrounding them so no one could see them.
Topless waitresses served drinks to the men and women sitting at the tables, not that I paid them much attention. This was normal behavior down here and I was very much used to it. Anita wasn’t though and I could feel her back go ramrod straight as she looked at the surroundings. I gently rubbed the small of her back to remind her that she wasn’t alone and that I was here with her, not to look at the scenery.
We made our way to the bar where Courtney, a long-time bartender here, was filling a glass with what looked like the last half of a rum and coke. She smiled at me as we approached, but it was a true smile, not the smile she flashed to the other patients she served. We had had many talks sitting here at the bar and I would be happy to consider her a friend, or at least one of the friendly people I knew here.
“Hi Court.” I said and reached out to answer the fist bump she offered me. “This is Anita.”
“Well hello there Anita.” Courtney said and whistled as she took in all of Anita’s features. She was checking her out and it only sort of annoyed me. “Aren't you a pretty little pet. Where did this monster steal you from?”
“Raniero isn’t a monster.” Anita countered with a hefty amount of annoyance in her voice. I stilled, but Courtney just laughed.
“Fire! I like it. Clearly, she doesn’t know you very well yet, Niero. Is she the reason I haven't seen you here in a while?”
“Yes.” I agreed and took a seat on the stool in front of me. Anita stayed standing and I put my arm around her hip. She seemed to need to be close to me and I seemed to need it too so there was no need to fight it. She was mine and showing my possession over her would do good for our image. “Have I missed anything?”
“Not really.” She shrugged and passed the drink she made to one of the topless servers who came up to the bar. The server gave me a look that I ignored and she walked away. “One of the girls quit because her new boyfriend didn’t like the job. The new girl that replaced her has a coke problem, but that’s nothing new. Oh, and there’s a new guy here who seems to think he’s more important than Zane because of the amount of money he has. Zane kicked his ass two days ago and left him in the dumpsters out back. The guy hasn’t been seen since, but boy was it a spectacle. He did it right here in the bar.”
“The guy must have pissed Zane off.” I noted and she nodded.
