Blue (The Spectrum Series: #3)

Chapter Forty-Two

Neither of us spoke for an hour to the club. The only time coherent words came out of my mouth, my voice was small, and I said finding any place that's willing to let us stay would be a better idea than going out after what just happened. He just ignored me and sped walk us to the nearest subway. We were silent on the train to downtown. Silent as we took a bus close to the club. And extra silent as we waited in line to get in.

We're approaching the front of the line, and I let out a sigh and let go of his hand. It's cramping and he's too numb to even reach for it back, like he always does. He just faces forward, eyes intensely trained on the door behind the large man manning the door. He's staring as if, just beyond the translucent metal door is a world he can get lost in and forget about what happened. And maybe he's right. That is why people go to clubs nowadays, right? To drink and dance and, most importantly, act like outside world doesn't exist? I don't know if I should try to drag him away from this toxic place or just let him do this.

"Names and or I.D.'s," the burly man in front of the door demands. He stares us down and I look away, but Blue stares directly into his eyes. The man is about two inches short than him.

"Blue Montgomery. We're here for my friend's party—Hunter Hayes," Blue says in a monotone voice.

The bouncer flips through a clipboard and scrolls his stubby finger down a list before nodding. "You're on here." He turns his bored expression to me, pointing a finger. "What about you? Are you on the list?"

Blue rolls his eyes and bites down on his lip ring. He's losing his cool. Fast. "I told him I was bringing her. Just let us go in already, it's cold as fuck out here." He pushes his hands in his jeans, rocking back and forth on his sneakers. I can tell he's holding himself back from knocking this man down before storming in the club.

The man doesn't immediately reply. Just looks us up and down with a suspicious glare. Does it look like we're going to make any more trouble than the hundreds of people he's already let in tonight? Finally, after what felt like an hour of silence and apprehensive scowls, he steps back, lifts the red rope at our knees, and opens the metal door.

I slightly jump at the deafening music pouring out into the buzzing NYC street. I catch sight of so many people, too many to count, and lights flashing and blinding me momentarily, before Blue steps in my way. Blue merely grabs my hand, dragging me inside with him in front. I've never been to a club before. The sight before me leaves me both breathless and wordless. I'm a little dazed by the amount of flashing lights and pounding music and synthetic smoke filling the room. I cover my nose and mouth with my free hand.

Why would anyone pay to spend most of their night here? I can already feel a headache creeping in the back of my head.

Holding my hand tightly, Blue takes us through the crowd. Drunk guys try grinding on me but Blue shoves each of them away and pulls me closer behind him until I stumble a few times. I'm grateful for his tight hold and menacing glare. I already hate nightclubs. Once on the other side of the club, he leads us up some metal stairs to a small room made of sheer curtains. Inside there are two sleek black couches filled with more guys than girls, who sit on their laps, and a table with countless name-brand bottles of liquor. This must be the VIP section.

"Blue, you fucking made it!" A tall skinny boy wearing a black long-sleeved shirt and tight black pants stands up to greet Blue. Some sort of brown stick is aglow and hanging out of the side of his mouth, and when he pulls it out to exhale, thick gray rings leave his smiling mouth. A piece of metal is in his nose glints as he walks over to Blue, who doesn't look too pleased to see him as he is to see him.

"Hunter... happy birthday," Blue says simply.

Hunter nods, still smiling from ear to ear. "Thanks, man. Twenty-two years. Who would have thought? Am I right?" He chuckles all knowingly, and Blue smirks but doesn't reply. I wonder what he means... I move my curious eyes around the room. The bulbs in the high ceiling are colored, casting a light purple around the room, making everyone look both terrifying and beautiful. When I look back down, Hunter is staring at me, spewing smoke out the side of his mouth.