Encounter

I sipped my coke, scanning the club. It was the only one in this small town so everyone came here. It was probably the only place where you'd see a goth dancing with a girl dressed in a Barbie pink skintight dress. In this little world, everyone was equal, no one cared what anyone else looked like. It was like an alien world but right here on earth.

I couldn't tell you why this little rundown place was our hideaway from the world but with its black walls with random spots of colored paint, it was. Blackout felt more like home than my actual house did these days.

I loved how the bass from the state of the art speakers pounded through my body. It was a surreal experience. If you closed your eyes and just let the music take you away it was something almost spiritual.

"Hey!" My best friend yelled in my ear, "You should dance with me!"

Her face was reddish from the hardcore dancing, a smile that stretched across her mouth, curls bouncing around her dark face. She lifted the pink dress a little so her chest didn't fall out.

I pushed my empty bottle towards the bartender and smiled down at her, "Let's go."

She took my hand, the neon green bracelet on her wrist sliding up her arm as she lifted our entwined fingers to the roof. This club was one of the few that allowed those 18 and older to enter, as long as we had the bracelets.

A song with a steady hard baseline kicked in and we moved to the beat, getting lost in the sound, not a care in the world. At least for me, the music took it away. Forced my brain to shut off and let my bodywork.

My eyes closed as we danced, the hand gripping mine was pulled away. Catana was now dancing with the tall goth guy once more. A smirk on her face told me she was fine with this as his hands landed on her hips, mouth moving to her ear. It looked like she was going to get lucky again, didn't surprise me. The girl was stunning.

I also didn't mind dancing on my own, lifting my hair off my neck as I dropped to the floor, coming back up slowly. The song turned into something slower, a sensual beat, which caused the goth guy to pull Catana closer, her fingers going into his dark hair.

I turned to head back to the bar when I bumped into a tall guy standing right behind me. "Sorry." 

He wasn't watching me, his eyes were on the goth guy with my friend. His hands balled into fists. His eyes were an icy blue, something rather spectacular to behold. Was he jealous? I looked back at Catana and the goth guy, they were lost in their world, just dancing to the beat.

I turned back to the tall guy to see his eyes narrowed on me. I took a step back from him, the fury in his eyes was a little intense.

"Do you know that guy?" He asked, his voice deep and smooth. Full lips that just screamed 'kiss me'.

I shook my head, running a hand through my red hair. Never even seen him before tonight. What did that matter?

"You should tell your friend to stay away from him." He said, turning on his heel, walking away from me. He was dressed in all black, much like the goth guy but without the make-up and black nails. Also had a better hairstyle in my opinion.

I put my hands on my hips, well that was sure weird. Were they exes or something? I looked back to where Catana was dancing to see she was gone. No sign of her or the goth guy she'd been with. I scanned the rest of the club but came up short, there was no way she'd leave with him without telling me, it was our rule. We never left without making sure the other knew. A way to keep us safe.

I swallowed, a nervous feeling settling low in my stomach. I texted her quickly and when nothing came back, I called her, it went straight to voicemail. Was I just freaking out because of what that weird hot guy had said? The only place she could be was the restroom but that would still leave the goth guy out here on the floor, waiting for her.

I pushed through the dancing bodies, heading for the restroom, just having to check and see. She was here and the goth guy had slipped away when she was gone, to do his business. That was it, this feeling in my stomach was nothing more than worry over what the stupid tall guy had said, nothing more. I kept telling myself.

"Catana!?" I yelled, bursting through the door. The two women who were fixing their makeup in the mirror leaned back to look at me.

The older one with blonde hair raised her eyebrow, "Who?"

I touched my hand to my ear, "This tall, black, wearing a hot pink dress." That dress was hard to miss. There would be no way she'd slipped by them unnoticed.

"Not seen her. Everything okay?" The other one asked, placing her red lipstick in her clutch, a concerned look on her face.

I knew it was rude but I closed the door on them, breath coming out in little gasps. She was gone. I made my way out the door, past the bouncer, maybe the goth guy smoked and she stepped outside to be with him. Yeah, that was it. I told myself to calm down, I was overrating way too much here.

There was no one outside, like a ghost town out here. Fear dug its ugly claws into my spine, holding me tight. She was just here, how could she have left so damn fast? I checked my phone in vain, not a single message. "F**k!" I shouted into the warm night air.

Her beat-up old Honda was still in the parking lot, so she had to have left with the goth guy. But she'd never leave without telling me. Never. Did the goth guy kidnap her? Fear was now creeping up my throat, trying to close off my windpipe. I was going to have a panic attack if I didn't get ahold of myself fast.

I smacked my hand on her car, feeling the pain rattle up my arm. I just wanted to scream. I needed her to pop up laughing at how dumb I was acting. I wanted her to laugh so hard that she had to hold onto her stomach to keep from losing it. She was my best friend. I couldn't lose her. What was I going to do now? Never like this had ever happened before and yet I had this terrible feeling that something was terribly wrong. A voice in my head screamed at me to find her before it was too late.