Anastasia’s POV~

“Get out, girl. We do not have the whole night.” Chloe shouts from the living room.

“Coming, coming.” I say back, putting on a gold bracelet on my hand.

I have on a black lacy crop top. It is shimmery and has a low square neckline. The ends have a flowery design. With this I am wearing a black leather skirt which ends just above my knees and has a side zipper. A gold necklace and bracelet. Just my nude stilettos to go with. That is it.

Chloe has done my makeup before I put on the outfit. Which consists of nude lipstick, mascara and nude eyeshadow. I insisted her to keep it low. This dress is already too much and I do not want to look like a stripper. Not that they are bad. It is just their profession. They do what they have to. I am no one to judge. It is just that I am not comfortable in it.

I take a last look in the mirror, running my hands through my hair. I have kept it down for tonight. My natural wavy strands flowing down my back. If I love something about myself, then it will be my hair.

Picking up my purse, phone and the black jacket from bed, which I took out from the closet beforehand, in case I have to cover it up, I open the door to a glaring Chloe. She is wearing a white short dress with red lipstick.

“I was going bang open that door if you took one second more. I swear you take the most time.” She accuses.

As if she does not!

But I keep that to myself, not wanting to irk her more than she is.

“A girl needs time.”

“Yes and I am a boy.” She ridicules.

“Very funny.”

“What is that?” She points at the jacket in my hands.

“A…jacket?” I answer which comes out more like a question.

“I know what it is. Why are you wearing it?”

“For cover.” I reply.

“You will not need that. Your dress is too sexy to cover.”

“That is the main reason to take it.”

“But, Stacey…”

“Who is making us late now?” I cut her off and put on my heels.

“Ok, let’s go.” She comes out behind me and locks the door.

It was Chloe’s plan to go clubbing tonight. We had back to back exams for two weeks. Except my bedroom, bathroom, exam hall and library I have not been anywhere in those weeks. Have not talked much to anyone beside Chloe. That too because we live together. And some calls from my parents.

According to my best friend, I would have turned into a worm, literally if I did not get away from the books. Her words, not mine.

After locking the door we walk outside and wait for our ride tonight at the gates.

A white Audi R8 stops before us and the window to the passenger side rolls down, revealing a handsome boy of our age.

“Hey beautiful. Want a ride?” He smirks at me.

“You are here for that only.” Chloe smiles at him.

“I said beautiful.” He replies.

“Whatever.” She mutters.

“So?” He looks back at me.

“Why not handsome?” I joke back, smiling.

He opens the door and we get in. I on the passenger seat and Chloe on the back seat. He is sporting a black printed shirt with jeans.

Oooh! I have some hot bffs!

“Where to, miss?” He asks, tilting his head to my side, his eyes on the road and hands on the wheel.

“To the stars.” I say, dramatically just as Chloe says, “To hell,” from the back. I burst out laughing at their childlike behaviour, and our designated driver for the night starts the engine, cursing at her.

They have always been like this. My two best friends. Chloe and Rodrigo, or Rodie as we call him. Bickering like babies, fighting over a candy.

Rodie and I are childhood friends. He was my first friend in fact. We have grown up together. There is nothing that we keep from each other.

I have never had a relationship neither did he. My cause being that I never felt attracted to the opposite sex, not that I am into women. I have just never felt the need. But I do not know about him. He is too handsome to be single. Sometimes I wonder if he likes boys. That would be okay too. Whoever he likes.

Talking about Chloe, she is different from us in this. Commitment is not her thing as she says. She is more into casual flings, healthy flirting and one night stands. She likes things with no strings attached.

Rodie’s father is in the police department, deputy sheriff to be exact. After studying in the same school we applied in the same university too. It is good to have some familiar faces in a new place. In the freshman year we met Chloe since she is my room mate. We instantly hit it off. Whereas Chloe and I live in the girls’ dorms, Rodie lives in the boys’ dorms. So we can meet anytime we want.

I thank God for giving me such friends. They are always by my side. In good and bad. I do not want anyone else. My family and them. They are all I need.

Today Chloe is taking us to the nightclub she has heard from one of her class fellows. She has been bragging on and on about it the whole week. The only thing stopping her from going there was our exams. She would not have stopped if we did not go. She said this is the best, most expensive and luxurious club in the entire state of New York as per her online research. Rodie agreed with this.

When I asked how would we enter if it were so expensive, Chloe said her class fellow, the same one who told her about this, knows someone there who will let us in.

I just hope she did not hook up with someone just to get inside a club.

About fifteen minutes later Rodie parks the car in a huge parking lot. Until now I thought Rodie’s car was expensive but as I am looking around, his Audi looks like a toddler compared to these super expensive cars. But I will never tell him that. He has an obsession with cars and god knows how many zeroes these ones have costed.

When we come to the front side it is the name of the club which catches my eyes. ‘Re della Notte’ is written in silver neon lights and above that there is a logo of a crown made with golden neons. There are two letters written inside the crown in cursive. ‘D’ and ‘L’. Neither do I know the meaning of it nor do I know in which language it is written. You will not even notice it if you are not looking too keenly. The letters are too small. But whatever it means the logo is beautiful. Unlike other clubs.

I mentally note to search the name on google tomorrow morning if I remember anything from tonight as Chloe wants me to let loose and her definition of ‘letting loose’ means ‘getting drunk your ass off”.

The worst part begins now. There is a long ass line in front of the club. And when I say long, it is l-o-n-g. With a capital L. I want to go back seeing this.

“So where is the man who is going to let us in?” Rodie quirks a brow at Chloe.

“Wait here.” She says and walks over to the front of the line where two bouncers are standing. They look like big bullies. Chloe stops before the nicer looking bouncer and whispers something in his ears which makes him smile in return.

Eww! This looks creepy.

“This girl.” Rodie groans from beside me and my inner self agrees with that.

When she walks back to us, the huge smile on her lips says she has won a lottery. Which she practically has. Getting inside this lavish club is a lottery in itself.

“What did you do now?” I ask her, worried that the bouncer might disturb her for this favour.

“Nothing you should be worried about.” She answers.

“We have to be when it is you.” Rodie says.

“Oh stop it guys. I did not do anything.” She turns to me, “Remember the girl who told me about it?” I nod my head. “She has something going on with that bouncer guy.” She points at the man she just talked to. “She told me to say her name to him, he will let us enter and he did.” She smiles mischievously at us.

My mouth forms an ‘O’ shape hearing her.

“Now come on. Do not let my efforts go in vain.” She tugs me towards the entrance and Rodie follows us.

The interior of the club is so elegant I have to stop my mouth from dropping to the floor. It screams luxury. The long ass line in the front was definitely worth it. Every inch of it is perfection. No wonder it is the most expensive club of New York and people wait for hours even after paying so much to come here.

The dance floor and and the bar is on the ground floor. This club has the biggest dance floor I have seen. Like right out of a movie. The first floor is for VIPs. Stripping, lap dance and pole dances are arranged there. Only people who have membership of the club are allowed there. The second floor is the VVIP section. No one knows what goes in there. Only the owners and their friends can go there. Normal visitors without permission are not allowed. The third floor has the control rooms, where all the footages of the CCTVs in the building goes.

Chloe informed us about all these. She really did a good research on it. The only thing she could not find was about the owner of the club. There was nothing on him or her. Which is quite interesting for an upscale club like this.

We go to the bar first. Rodie orders two shots for him and Chloe. Looking at me he asks, “What will you have?”

“The same as yours.”

“Make it three.” He orders the bartender.

The bartender serves us our drinks. Chloe and Rodie down it in one go while I look at mine, uninterested. Alcohol and I never settle well. Last time I was drunk I had a terrible headache for three days straight.

Chloe narrows her eyes at me and I empty my glass, scrunching my face and squeezing the lime in my mouth right after. The liquid burns its way down my throat.

Just as I finish my drink ‘Love Me Land’ by Zara Larsson blasts through the speakers. The only weird thing is this club does not have a DJ. I am not fond of mixed up songs anyway.

Chloe gets up from her seat, shrieking and pulls us up with her. “This is my favourite song. We have to move.”

She drags us to the dance floor and leaves our hands. “Time to shake that pretty ass off of yours.” She winks at me.

Do not get me wrong, I love dancing but I hate doing it in public places. I shake my head at her.

“Come on girl. I did not do so much to have you turn me down.” She pouts. “Please. Please. Pretty please?”

At last I give in to her pleadings and start moving my body to the rhythm of the song. She smiles and starts dancing with me.

“I am going to the washroom. Stay here.” Rodie leaves us on the floor.

Somewhere in between the song I am in the middle of the floor. People are dancing around me. I move my hands down my body and drag them up sensually. By now the alcohol I have consumed earlier is buzzing in my veins and I am too drunk to care about my surroundings.

Told ya.

Alcohol and I never go well. One shot and I am down. Plus I am fucking light weight.

I feel eyes on me when I am dancing. I look around myself but do not find anyone. I look at the first floor too, still no one. Then my gaze goes up to the second floor and freeze at a pair of mesmerizing dark brown eyes. I have never seen eyes so beautiful. They look like dark melted chocolate. I love chocolate. But as soon as he catches me staring they turn into pools of molten lava.

How can a person change their eye colour? It is scary. I must be really drunk to see things like these.

These eyes look familiar like I have seen them before. Somewhere close. Someone known. I want to divert my eyes from them and look at the face to recognise the person. Believe me I want to. But I can not. I can not will myself to do that. To take my eyes away from that burning passion these orbs are trying to hide. They have captured me in a dangerous way. No matter what I do, I can not seem to break free from their trance.

It feels like a déjà vu. I do not know why.

“Stacey.” Someone turns me towards them and that breaks the spell.

“Uhh…yeah?” I ask, still dazed.

“I said I got a call. Granny fell from the stairs. They are taking her to the hospital. I have got to go.” What she says pulls me out of the daze completely.

“What? When? I am coming with you.” I panic.

“It is okay. It is not that serious. But I have to go. Exams have also ended so I will stay there for a while.” She calms me down. “But you stay where you are okay? Or better go to the bar and wait for Rodie. I do not have time to find him now. I will inform him on the way.” I just nod at whatever she says.

“And do not drink.” She warns me playfully, leaving the dance floor and I flip her off.

“Bye” she waves.

“Call me after you reach safely.” I remind her.

“Okay, mom.” This time she flips me off and leaves though the exit.

I sigh and call Rodie. The line is busy. After waiting for some more, I get down from the floor and walk towards the bar to sit there and wait for Rodie, to take me back as Chloe has said. Not because I am drunk or tired. I was before but not now. There is not a single drop of alcohol left in my system now. It has left my body when I heard Chloe say that.

That news of Chloe’s grandma was really sad. I have met her. She is a great woman. Always so friendly and kind. It turned off my mood. Plus that incident with those mysterious eyes. I still can not forget them.

Urghhh! Where is Rodie? I want to go back already.