Page 15 of A Secret Escape
I step out of the taxi on the busy corner of Deansgate where the large building commands the street corner with a bright blue neon sign hanging above the entrance: Sapphire Lounge.
The neon is so intense it bathes the busy street in a vivid glow and the muffled sound of a pulsating beat reverberates through the air.
I look up in awe, taking in the grandeur of the massive structure in front of me.
It looks even more impressive in the dark, the city lights glowing around it.
The queue snakes down the street, but I pull my work ID out from my black clutch and walk up to the door, holding it out to the security guard who briefly glances at it and nods in acknowledgment before waving me through against a chorus of groans that rises from behind the rope.
Stepping in through the massive glass doors, a wave of music engulfs me, the pounding of the bass vibrating through me with every beat.
The ceiling stretches up high above the crowd, giving the club an expansive, almost ghostly quality.
Strings of twinkling blue lights drape across the walls, and sapphire ropes and vines hang just low enough to brush the tops of people’s heads.
Mystical beams of blue light circle the dance floor, creating an essence of moonbeams filtering in through a jungle canopy.
The only other light comes from the long bar at the right-hand side, casting an alluring glow across the space.
The decorations and lights had not been there when I took the footage of the empty venue earlier, and I appreciate the beauty that their addition brings to the space, bringing the otherwise blank walls to life with a sense of magic and mystery.
My eyes land on two large screens near the DJ booth at the opposite end of the dance floor and I hold my clutch tight to my chest as my eyes well up with tears.
My video is playing on both screens, my edits, my images, my effects.
I watch the screens, transfixed for a moment as the reel comes to an end and the image changes to one of Jenny’s posters promoting a drinks offer, before flashing back to my video.
Pride fills my heart, a wide smile spreading across my face.
“Lila! Hey!” Carter’s familiar voice cuts through the din and I whirl around to see him just coming through the doors behind me with a wide grin.
“Hey! Look!” I shout excitedly, grabbing his arm and pointing to the screens.
“Oh, sweet, check it out! That was all you , Lila!”
“I wouldn’t have been able to do it without you and Angie!” I insist.
“No way. Own that shit, babe! That’s your video playing up there!”
“Yea. It is,” I say, smiling at him. “Thanks.”
“Come on, let’s get a drink.” He walks over to the coat check, and I follow, slipping off my coat. After handing his over, he turns back to me – then freezes. His eyes widen and his jaw drops.
“Damn babe, you look… hot!” he states, his eyes slowly trailing up my body, a flirtatious gleam in his expression.
I laugh, enjoying the compliment as he shakes his head and takes my coat, handing it over to the attendant before casually draping his arm around my shoulders and leading us to the bar. “Two gin and tonics, please,” he calls .
I’m about to speak when Angela’s voice rings out as she runs towards us. “Lila! Carter!”
She’s wearing a low-cut white top under her trademark black leather jacket, with her usual black jeans and black high-heeled boots. Her long braids are swept back in a half-up half-down style, revealing large gold hoop earrings that glimmer in the light with every movement.
The bartender places our drinks in front of us and I eagerly take a sip, closing my eyes as the warmth of the alcohol spreads through me.
My pulse quickens as I scan the crowd once more, but I see no sign of him.
“What’s the plan?” Carter asks as Angela flags down the bartender.
I take another long sip of my drink, Carter’s question reminding me that there is still footage we need to get to keep the momentum going after tonight’s opening.
“Dibs on interviews,” he chimes, flashing a grin before I can answer.
Angela narrows her eyes at him. “Try getting at least a few blokes in this time, won’t you? Equal opportunity thirst content and all.” Her tone is dripping with sarcasm.
Carter gasps in mock outrage. “Excuse me, I am a connoisseur of all beauty. Besides, Harrison says I’m only allowed to flirt if it’s for work. And sex sells!”
“You’re right,” I say, trying not to laugh. “Sex does sell. And our audience includes a lot of women! So do them a favour and film some guys! Shirtless, ideally! Think of it as a kind of foreplay for when you get back with Harrison later,” I tease.
“I fucking love you,” Carter says with a wink as he knocks back his drink in one swift motion and bounces off into the crowd.
Angela turns to face me with a playful smirk. “What you going to focus on? ”
My gaze drifts across the room, looking for inspiration somewhere within the space before landing on the shimmer of the bottles bathed in blue light behind the bar.
“I’ll do some close-ups of the drinks,” I decide.
“Get a few good shots of the labels. Bombay Sapphire at Sapphire Lounge makes a great theme. Maybe we can tempt them into a partnership down the line. Might do a time-lapse of the bartenders mixing the specials, something like that.”
“Wicked,” Angela nods approvingly. “Love how your mind works, babe. That leaves me on crowd shots. Catch you in a bit!” She winks as she makes her way towards the dance floor, her hips swaying with each confident step.
Left alone at the bar, I pull my phone out and begin lining up shots of the drinks.
The image comes to life on my screen, and instantly, a series of reels materialises in my head, a stream of ideas forming one after another - creative angles to take and different spots at the bar that would allow different views of the lighting.
Part of me is excited about the creative possibilities of the night.
Leading this campaign has meant everything to me, and just because the club is open, does not mean the work is done.
We have to make sure it remains a success.
But another part of me - the part that spent far too long getting ready and skipped dinner thanks to the fluttery anticipation of seeing a certain Creative Director - can’t help but fantasise about getting lost on the dance floor and forgetting about the world for a night.
After all, part of my vision for this place was fantasy becomes reality.
Get it together, I chide myself.
I focus my attention on the ideas formulating in my mind and throw myself into the task, determined to create the best images possible. Yet even as the shots line up, a small part of me remains on high alert, my eyes occasionally darting to the entrance in hopes of seeing him.