Chapter 11
Jenny
We got back just as Sarah was finishing eating dinner. She leaned against the kitchen counter in tight sweatpants and a matching sports bra as if she’d worked out. Gauging by the fact that I’d never seen her workout before, her dry hair, her face that was clear of sweat and the pizza grease she was wiping from her face, I would say I was right.
“Hey, ladies. Pizza on me. I left you some,” she said over her shoulder as she walked past us to her room.
“Where are you going?” I asked, following her into her room, leaving Jo to get first dibs on whatever pizza Sarah had bought. “Don’t you want to eat with us?”
“I already ate,” she said, looking through the clothes hanging in her closet.
I obviously meant for her to keep us company, but it was clear that she wasn’t interested in doing that either.
“I see,” I said, leaning against the doorframe. I watched her slide outfits from one side to the other, determining which ones were worth considering and which weren’t good enough. “You’re still going out?”
“Yeah,” she said, holding dresses up in front of her and checking her reflection in the mirror.
I could have figured that out. Sarah wasn’t one to change her mind, and I still wasn’t sure if I’d convinced her just how dangerous Blue Nights really was. I couldn’t believe she wanted to go out anyway. Wasn’t she tired? I was… though I could attribute that more to the mind blowing sex I had instead of the dancing or stress of Blue Nights.
“Where to?”
She paused and crossed her arms over her chest. “Why do you ask? So you can check that I’m not going to Blue Nights?”
Yes, but I wasn’t going to tell her that. “No. I was just asking about your plans. I’m being a good friend. Sheesh. I can’t ask you anything about your plans tonight without a fight, can I?”
“No,” she said, flipping her hair. “You can’t.”
She picked up a blue dress and hung the yellow one in the closet. In my opinion, the red dress she put back in the closet two dresses ago was the cutest of the choices, but she didn’t ask for my opinion. I was already giving unsolicited advice. I didn’t need to give any more.
“But since you asked, I’m not sure since we can’t go to Blue Nights.”
“I’m not trying to be controlling, Sarah. I’m just saying that I highly recommend you don’t go there. It’s not safe. I would hate myself if I hadn’t said anything and then something bad happened to you. We might not always get along, but that doesn’t mean I don’t care about your safety."
“Uh-huh,” she said, pulling her bra over her head without any regard for nudity.
I’d seen Sarah enough times without clothes and it didn’t bother me.
“So are you still planning to go?”
“No,” she said, turning away from me as she pulled her pants off.
I could tell she was lying.
“Okay, seriously. Listen to me, Sarah. You cannot go there. It is not safe. I couldn’t make that story up if I tried. I did not want to leave you at the club, but I had to—I was rescued. The man I met on the dance floor attacked me. Jay attacked me then he tried to tie me to a bed. He tore my dress. I have no idea what would have happened to me if Solomon hadn’t saved me.”
“I still maintain that that sounds ridiculous. You probably just had too much to drink.”
“I could not have been drunk because the person who was supposed to bring me my drink never showed!” I took a breath and tried to calm myself.
Sarah pulled the yellow dress over her head and once it was in place, she shimmied her panties down her legs, opting to go without panties than her usual thong.
“I was sober, Sarah. I never had a drink that night. I was not drunk. So don’t blame what I said on that. If you don’t believe me, just say so.”
“Okay. Look, I understand what you’re saying and that sounds terrible, really it does, but it doesn’t matter anyway. Alex would never do something like what that Jay dude did to you. Alex probably wants to go to another club, not some weird sex club.”
How she could come to that conclusion, seeing as she’d just met Alex, I couldn’t figure out. Either she was delusional or she still didn’t believe what I was saying was true, but she didn’t know a thing about Alex.
“Sarah, you just met Alex. You have to look out for yourself. You can’t trust him to do that.” I found my throat tightening up just thinking about the same thing that happened to me happening to Sarah. “Please, Sarah, just be careful. Don’t go back there.”
My voice cracked a little, making clear how I felt about it.
“Okay,” she said, sighing deeply as she plugged in her flat iron.
“So you believe me now?”
She hesitated and then shocked me by pulling me into a tight hug.
“Yes. I believe you,” she said, rubbing my back briefly before pulling away. “I believe you and I’ll tell Alex to be careful.”
“Thank you,” I said, surprised at how relieved I felt.
“If you want, I can stay home and watch movies and veg out with you guys. If it’ll make you feel more comfortable, I can reschedule with Alex.”
It was touching that she’d even offer to do that.
“No. You go out. You like to party. You don’t have to change yourself for the couch lumps,” I said, using the nickname she used for Jo and I sometimes. “I’m not asking you to be an introvert. Just be safe. Stay away from that club.”
“Alright. I will,” Sarah agreed and kissed me on the cheek. “Trust me, I’ll call you if I need anything.”
This time she looked and sounded more believable.
“Good. That’s what friends are for. I’m going to eat some pizza now.”
“Good,” she said, using her flat iron to straighten her already straight hair. “I ordered your favorite. Jo’s side is triple vegetables and your side is pepperoni and bacon.”
“You’re the best,” I yelled over my shoulder as I made my way to the kitchen.
The pizza was delicious and after eating about three slices, Jo suggested we make popcorn and watch movies.
Jo got me to watch the art movies I missed out on Saturday. And although I already had my inspiration, we still watched Bob Ross reruns. There was something incredibly soothing about his voice and I loved his approach to mistakes: “We don’t make mistakes, we just have happy accidents.”
“This was such a good idea,” Jo said, reaching over for more popcorn. “The only thing that can make it better is some wine.”
“Girl, you ain’t lying. We won’t always be broke college students,” I said, standing to get a refill of lemonade.
“I hope Sarah is having fun,” she said as I came back in with my glass.
“I was thinking the same thing. I hope she’s safe.”
“You think she’s not?”
“I don’t know. I just have a bad feeling about it. I have the sinking feeling she went back to Blue Nights.”
I could only imagine how terrible her night would be if she went back to that place, especially if Alex decided he wanted to drag her up those stairs.
“Of course you do. It’s Sarah we’re talking about. She probably didn’t go anywhere else.”
I owed it to my friend to check on her. And if I were being honest, I wanted to go back myself, if only to get a chance to see my mysterious savior and lover again.
“You’re so right,” I said, sighing. I sat thinking about it and decided there was no other choice. “I’m going to check on her.”
I stood to get dressed.
“Of course you are,” Jo said, wrapping herself tighter into the covers I’d discarded.
“I won’t be gone long. I’m just going to see if Sarah’s there, discourage her from going to the second level for any reason and then come home.”
I stood in front of my closet, thinking too hard about what to wear. I wanted to appear casual. I might need to save someone or run. Pants were the best option for that.
I put on my tightest black jeans and marveled at the way they held my hips. Perfect bait for the man I was trying to catch as well as practical just in case some shit went down. I threw tops out of my drawer onto the bed in quick succession. I didn’t have any idea what I would wear, but I’d know it when I saw it.
No. No. No. No. Yes.
Yes to the silver tank top that glittered when I moved. This is the perfect way to make sure I was seen in a dark night club.
I couldn’t help the giddy feeling I felt as the taxi dropped me off in front of Blue Nights. I kept telling myself I was coming for Sarah, but Solomon was never far from my mind.
I knew Sarah too well to know that I couldn’t convince her to leave this place if she didn’t want to. I should just accept that she was a big girl and I’d already given her a warning. If she chose to ignore me, that would be beyond my control. In truth, I felt kind of ticked that she’d choose to believe a man she’d just met over me.
I stood in the street, not quite able to convince myself to go in. What if he wasn’t there? If Solomon wasn’t there and Jay or someone else grabbed me again, I’d have no one to blame but myself.
I waited a few minutes, away from the entrance. Paralyzing fear spread through my body like the chill of icy liquid. I clenched my fists and hesitantly took a step forward.
I could do this. I could go back inside there. I could feel my feet trembling in my flats. My legs twitched, fighting the impulse to whirl around and run all the way back home. But I wouldn’t do that. I couldn’t do that. I had to know that Sarah was okay and I had to know for sure if I’d lost my chance with Solomon.
Whoever he was, wherever he was, I had to know that I did everything I could to find him.
I took another step forward and could see the long line of people and the bouncer. The pizza and popcorn churned noisily in my stomach, betraying my nerves. I could not throw up in front of all these people especially when I was looking this cute.
“Alright, Jen,” I told myself. “Go in, check for Sarah and then leave.”
Sounded simple enough.
I entered the familiar lounge and looked around. Sarah was taller than me and I knew she couldn’t be dressed inconspicuously.
Sure enough I found her draped over a man I assumed was Alex. I tapped her on the shoulder, not wanting to yell over the loud music.
“Sarah!”
“What the hell?” she said, unlatching herself from the guy. “Ugh. Really Jenny. You tell me not to come here and then you show up? Hypocrite much.”
“I’m not here to hang out. I’m here to get you. I was worried about you,” I said, leaning in so she could hear me over the music.
“Well, don’t. I’m fine. If that’s all you wanted to know you can go now.”
“But Sarah.”
“Girl! Who are you? My mother? You need to chill.”
The guy interrupted, sticking out his hand. “Hey. I’m Alex.”
Something about his smile was as creepy as Jay’s. I had to stop myself from flinching back.
“Hi,” I said, shaking it quickly. “Come on Sarah. Please leave with me.”
Alex interjected again. “You didn’t tell me your name.”
“Jenny.”
“Jenny,” he said, rolling it in his mouth. “I like it.”
I didn’t care.
Sarah, on the other hand, seemed jealous of Alex’s attention on me. “Jenny, you are really cramping my style.”
“Jenny,” Alex said, sliding his arm around my shoulder. “I was just about to show Sarah to the VIP. Would you like to join us?”
My heart raced in my chest. Absolutely not. “No, thank you.”
“Well, suit yourself,” he said, turning to Sarah. “Ready?”
“Yeah,” she said, smiling. “Look Jen. I’m going either way, babe.”
If I let her go by herself, I would never be able to rest thinking of all the bad things happening to her and how to stop them. If I went with her I was putting myself in even more danger, but we were better together. So, resigned, I tagged along as Alex walked us up the stairs and down the dark hallway. The music was quieted enough for my pants to be heard.
“What is with your girl?” Alex asked Sarah. “She’s freaking me out.”
I was practically hyperventilating which only pissed Sarah off.
“Jenny please. Will you calm down?” she said, her forehead creased with irritation.
I knew what was on the other sides of the doors even if Sarah didn’t and when he opened the door to a room full of equally confused, nervous, scared women, I knew we were stuck.
Alex looked back at me, smiling, though the smile never reached his eyes.
“The way you’re acting, you’d think you’ve been here before,” he said before pushing us into the room.
Sarah raised her eyebrows at him.
“Alex. What the fuck? This is does not look like a good time. I want to go home. Ugh. You totally overpromised. VIP looks like a bad porno. Take me home,” she said with her hands on her hips, still oblivious to the danger we were in.
I wanted to escape, but I couldn’t leave Sarah behind.
“You are home, sweetheart. Your new home is right here,” he said, caressing her cheek.
“With these drugged-out wannabe’s? I don’t think so.”
“You’re right where you belong.”
He smacked her face quickly, shocking any delusions she had from her.
“Now be a good girl and change into your new uniform,” he said gesturing to the hanging lingerie on the side of the room. “Talk to the other girls. They’ll catch you up to speed with what this job requires.”
“Alex! You fucker,” Sarah screamed, launching herself at Alex’s back.
He yanked her from behind and threw her on the floor before putting a gun to her skull. “If you do something that foolish again, I will make you regret it. Do you understand?”
Sarah stared up at him and nodded her head, her defiance quickly fading. When he left, Sarah looked at me and burst into tears.
I tried to warn her. Now we both would suffer the consequences.