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CHIARA: I’m going out to Club 67 now. It’s only a couple of streets away from here.
My brother replies to my message immediately.
DARIO: It’s a good place. Send me a message once you’re home, and be safe outside.
Just as my eyes finish reading over it, I spot the little blue dot blinking up at me from the top of my phone screen.
My lips pull up at the corners as my brother already begins to track my location, then I go back to get dressed for my night out with Tamana.
Tamana and I walk together with our arms linked as we make our way towards Club 67.
The streets of London are alive with energy; the city seems more alive at night, more electric too. People stroll all around us, chattering excitedly as they pass us.
When I hear the sounds of men howling with laughter, and the sounds of heels clicking against the cobblestones, I know we’re close.
We round the corner, and there it is.
Club 67.
The music is loud, the beat bouncing off of the walls inside as we can hear it from outside, and it makes my stomach flutter.
“Look at this place!” Tamana exclaims excitedly. “It’s packed already!”
There are floor to ceiling windows, and although it looks dark, there’s no mistaking how many shadows of bodies we can see inside under the coloured lights.
There’s a long line which snakes around the road, people slowly inching forward as the security at the front slowly lets them in, one person at a time.
I hesitate for a moment, turning to look over at Tamana.
“Maybe we can come back another day? There’s no way we’ll be getting in anytime soon.”
Tamana ignores me, deciding to pull me even closer to the entrance instead.
“Don’t even think about convincing me to leave now, Chiara.”
She says with a flick of her hair.
I keep my mouth shut as we both approach the front.
The line looks even longer from here, and I know that there’s absolutely no way that Tamana will ever be able to convince me to stand around in here with heels, waiting to be finally let inside. But before I can voice anything, Tamana tugs me even further towards the front of the line with a confidence I can only envy.
A few people glare at us, and some others even give us dirty looks. We both ignore them as Tamana drags us both to the security guard at the front. He’s dressed in all black, and a smirk appears on his face as the two of us step closer to him. His hair is light, and his jaw is sharp. His eyes sweep over us when we stop directly in front of him.
“Good evening, ladies.” He says in an accent so deep, it sends a shiver through me. “How can I help you both?”
Tamana is the one who leads the conversation.
She flashes him her most dazzling smile, offering her hand to him as he takes it without a sound of complaint, raising it to his lips before he presses a kiss to her knuckles.
“My friend here is new to the city.” She lies, her voice honey-smooth as she pulls her hand away from him. “I was hoping we would be able to show her how hospitable London can be for a beautiful woman like herself.”
Stepping to the side, she lets the man eye me up, and I feel my face burning up.
His gaze lingers long enough that my heart begins to beat a little bit faster, but he finally breathes out a soft laugh, stepping aside for us both.
“Two more beautiful women won’t hurt.” He says with a wink. “Enjoy your time here at Club 67, ladies.”
Tamana giggles softly, and I can’t help but smile, a little surprised that this even worked.