Red Shower

Palace Of Sleazeballs

Hours has passed since Smoke and I had made our deal. I sat down on the couch, staring at the tv as Ghost Rider played on the screen. The room got darker as the sun set. I sat with a bottle of a bud light in my left hand while my right leg shook due to nerves, the back of my head laid rested on top of the couch.

Smoke and I never spoke to one another after we settled on that agreement.

I mean, sure. What's the harm in delivering a ride? In fact it seems priceless enough consider what I done to her. I'm honestly wondering why I'm okay with this. My mom wouldn't have wanted me to settle with this...but Smoke had this vibe around her, like if I said no to her, it could be one of my biggest mistakes.

Suddenly there's a kick to the side of the couch, causing me to jolt my head up to see Smoke.

She wore a black tank top over a pair of white ripped shorts, revealing her curvaceous hips and bust, her sun belly tattoos was now hidden underneath fabric, she gazed down at me with an emotionless look on her face.

She tilted her head, her emotionless face contorting into a glare. "Are you just gonna sit there or are you going to get your shit together and take me to where I need to go?" She retorted, causing me to rise from the couch while made me tower over her.

Smoke rolls her eyes before turning towards the door, I grab her wrist earning a scowl from her.

"It's okay if I ask this one question right?" I ask, she furrows her eyebrows, but she kept her mouth shut.

"Why are you going to the Neon Lagoon?" I interrogated. "There are a whole bunch of pigs there."

Smoke shrugs. "Something I gotta do. Like I care about some limp dick men who prey on young girls who just turned eighteen."

She turned away once more. "Like it's any of your fuckin' business."

Slowly but surely, she was getting on my nerves. I'm an ass for not paying attention to the road but I'm only trying to help her out.

With her sour words said, we both headed towards the door.

--

It was hard to find a good park, I decided to avoid attention by parking at the back of the building. It was just like how I remembered it, I had gotten dragged out of the club once for getting into a fight for some guy trying to take a seventeen year old girl home with him. The Neon Lagoon had large windows, revealing the bright colors from inside, the music was so loud it was sending rhythms inside my chest.

"We're here." I said as I stopped the engine, Smoke had both of her feet propped on the dashboard, her bag laid rested on her stomach while she was mumbling things to herself.

She doesn't say anything, she grabs her bag and she steps out of the car.

"Is this it?" She asks.

Smoke surprisingly didn't say anything during the whole trip here. The whole time she smoked and looked out the window ignoring the radio that was playing relentless soul music throughout the entire ride.

She steps out of the car, dusting herself off silently with her back towards me, she strides her way to the entrance.

"Wait!" I hiss, jogging after her. As we enter, the place is a sight to see, there were round glowing chandeliers hanging above us which made the entire place glow in some sort of weird bioluminescent atmosphere. The purple floor glistened with our reflections. My eyes scan on the walls that had spray painted pictures of futuristic women in lingerie. Can't get any sleazier than this! The newly decorated bar in the center of the club had several people in nothing but white suits, drinking and having a good time. My feet stayed glued to the freshly polished floor as my hands found their way to slicking my hair back, a causal habit I usually do whenever I'm uncomfortable. I'm surprised Smoke didn't tell me to piss off right now. Instead, she turns to me.

Smoke purses her lips before talking. "If you're about to shit your pants like you usually do, go take a smoke outside." She avoids eye contact with me, something was going on. I just know it.

I would've left, but I felt that my conscience would eat me alive for it..along with my burning curiosity.

We both continued into the club, ignoring weird stares from onlookers as Smoke just came to a halt.

At the corner of my peripheral I could see a man leaning backwards against the bar, his arms rested on the bar top, his dark eyes studying Smoke as she stared off into space, the bright lights continue to flash in my eyes. The man ogling Smoke makes a small gesture towards another man who simply stood beside him, dressed in black clothing.

The man giving orders looked pretty wealthy, he wore a white satin pantsuit, a dark purple shirt underneath that revealed his dark, coarse chest hair along his lightly tanned skin. His graying hair was slicked down to his head, leaving several strands hanging at his face.

I didn't even notice the man in black fighting through the crowd, shoving people out of the way as he finally reached us. He was about my height, once he approached Smoke, she didn't even acknowledge his presence, she kept staring off into space.

Obviously the guy staring at her at the bar like a slab of meat wanted her to come over there, but Smoke didn't seen like the type to just jump into someone's arms and run off into the sunset...then again I know only so little about her.

"Hey girl." He begun, Smoke tilts her head to face him. "Sergio Reynolds wants to have a word with you."

I didn't like the sound of that idea.

He reached over to her shoulder, she scowls at him. "Fuck off."

I may not like this woman but she shouldn't have to to accompany someone by force.

"Hey, that's enough." I intervened calmly, stepping in between them. I couldn't read his face due to his sunglasses but he obviously seemed agitated.

"We have an issue here." The man mumbles into his headset.

Fuck.