The Family

Prologue: Dark Places & Cigars

"Seriously Vanessa I need a job. Fast." We continued walking down the busy street, passing by different bars and little shops filled with people. The streets were crowded with men and women from all walks of life hurrying their way along the sidewalks trying to get to wherever they needed to go. There was some pushing and shoving, and not to far off was the sound of yelling, and construction could be heard. Cars were plastered one after another in the street, honking and trying to get through traffic quickly to get home to their families. The city itself seemed to be on overdrive. Not an usual thing for New York.

"We're gonna go broke and then get kicked out of the apartment and then I'm going to have to explain why the hell I'm living under a bridge to my parents!" My voice slowly started to raise in pitch with each passing sentence. My distress plainly evident. "Oh god! I'm going to have to live with them. I can't do that. I can't Vanessa. I ca-"

"Will you shut up please!" Vanessa cut me off before I could continue ranting about my life plunging into the toilet. Annoyance was visibly written on her face with her tiny little scowl, and her eyebrows that were knitted together."Stop being a drama queen. Please. I can't deal with it today," she muttered while glaring at me.

"I thought you like working at the club?" I questioned, arching my eyebrow.

She sighed. "What are you talking about El?"she genuinely looked confused and a little annoyed by my change of subject.

"I mean you're snapping at me. And you never snap, so the only logical thing is that something is seriously annoying you. And since you were fine before we started toward your work, it has to be that." A smirk was plastered on my face as I finished dissecting my friend and her worries.

"Ugh you're annoying you know that!" She tried walking a little faster most likely to squirm her way out of the conversation. But I wasn't going to let her go that easily.

"Come on," I sang while poking her side, "Tell little Elly welly why you're so sad!"

"I'm gonna punch Elly welly if she doesn't quit it!" Vanessa frustratingly yelled while whacking my fingers away from her side.

"Seriously V spill. You're not the stressed out type, so please just tell me." I was begging at this point, imploring her to tell me what was plaguing her mind.

We passed the gym that I had once visited but promptly left because the atmosphere in there was way too intense. The outside was normal enough with a neon sign that was crying out for attention since most of the lettering was out, and a picture of a man lifting weights. But once I walked in, the first thing I saw was some old man yelling at a twenty something year old guy about not punching hard enough. Needless to say I backtracked pretty quickly. I wasn't about to put my fitness in the hands of a disgruntled old man who has an affinity to yell.

Continuing to walk down the crowded streets, Vanessa and I weaved through people trying to get to the club Vanessa worked at as a bartender. She got the job her first year at Columbia. Vanessa and I met because we were forced into being dorm roommates for our first year of university. Honestly I'm lucky that we clicked instantly and became the friends we are today. By our second year, we had decided to rent an apartment together in Brooklyn. It's far from the Columbia campus but it's the only thing we can afford in this goddamn city.

When my mother found out I was moving to Brooklyn, she almost had a heart attack, screaming at me over the phone about rats and the smell of Chinese food finding its way into my little apartment and never leaving. But I repeat New York is way too expensive for a university student hence the shitty little Brooklyn apartment.

Vanessa turned a corner with me following closely behind, and we found ourselves looking at the entrance of the club. It wasn't anything spectacular from the outside. Honestly it was quite plain, but I think that's what the owners were going for. A low key, hidden paradise atmosphere. Because once you went inside, everything changed. It was one of those places where whatever happened inside those walls was sealed and protected from the outside world.