"Huh?" The petite brown haired girl turned back to Nick, her eyes darting around him. "This place is amazing!"
"Yeah, it's pretty cool.." Nick replied, watching Kirsten coming towards him, obviously sizing Adriane up. "Hey Kirsten."
"Hey Nick... who's this?" Kirsten asked, reaching to grab Nick his usual drink.
"This is Adriane.. and..." he turned to Adriane, ready to introduce her to Kirsten, but found he'd already lost her attention to several people writhing in a cage in the middle of the dance floor.
Kirsten attempted to stifle her laughter as she handed Nick his drink, "Where'd you find her? The mall?"
Before Nick had a chance to reply, he saw Brandie come bounding down the bar towards Kirsten. As Brandie neared him he slipped his arm around Adriane's waist, pulling her close to him and leaning to whisper in her ear.
Brandie stopped short when she saw him, looking very cozy with a girl that could well be jailbait. She turned her back to him and asked Kirsten if she needed any help at the bar tonight.
Kirsten glanced down at Nick and whatever her name was, "Nah.. I got it covered... go play."
Brandie gave her a wicked grin, "Thanks. I think I will."
Nick watched as Brandie walked off- her long hair twisted into curls hanging down her back from underneath her black cowboy hat, the tiny tight jean shorts she had on that settled low enough on her hips to show her tattoo...
"Nick!" Adriane said for the third time.
"What?"
"I want to go dance!" she said, tugging on his arm.
Nick fought the urge to roll his eyes and allowed her to drag him onto the dance floor. He scanned the crowd, trying to find where Brandie was, to know just how much a show he was going to have to put on. As he glanced up to the dj booth, he saw her out of the corner of his eye. He watched as she led a tall dark haired guy to the cage and kicked the people that were in there out, pulling the guy into the cage with her. She turned her back to him and began grinding against him until he was backed up to the bars of the cage, his hands slipping over her thighs, a look of near ecstasy on his face. Nick turned away, having seen enough. He then realized that Adriane was putting on a show of her own, practically on her knees in front of him.
Brandie reached out of the cage, snagging a buff black guy as he walked by and pulling him up into the cage, booting her previous dance partner out. She could see what that little bitch with Nick was doing and she was going to make sure she was a step ahead of everything he might try. She squaled as her new bump-n-grind boy gave her a smack on the ass, but went along with him as he hoisted her up against his broad chest and wrapped her legs around his waist.
When he could take no more of Adriane trying to grope him, and not being able to resist watching Brandie and her 'friend', Nick excused himself to the bathroom. He stopped in front of the mirror, tousling his hair, and wondering why he'd let himself get pulled into this insane childish competition. He walked out, back to the bar to get another drink, the second of many the night would require, he was sure. As Kirsten handed him the drink, smirking, he heard the crowd hollering and turned to see Brandie walking on stage, microphone in hand and a devilish grin on her face. He made his way back to Adriane, who looked completely confused as to what was going on. He wondered for a second if he'd looked that same way the first time he'd been at the club. He watched as Brandie told Daniel to start the music and she began prowling around on the stage.
"Now boys they come, and they go through my revolving door, some boys they never come back, but most come back for more.. I got house by the Bay with a door that spins- goes in and out, out and in, 'round and 'round again. I live a life these player haters would love to be living.. highly advanced and got the game to get in any guy's pants. I more than hold my own.. I make them moan.. Yes, I'm the one. Between the sheets, I amaze and stun... ain't no need for me to brag.. let's just say I got the skills to get the flyest guy sprung, or to take and make and older man feel young..." Brandie tipped her hat to a group of guys standing near the stage and winked, causing them to howl and one of them to jump on stage with her.
She pushed the guy onto his hands and knees on the floor, and straddled him, "I keep my guys in rotation, door rotating... you looking for a good time, you could stop by baby... if you want to try your luck. But don't waste my time unless you're down to fuck. Unless you're coming back for more, well then you know what's up. You know the routine.. boy, you're not the one, you're just a one night fling.."
Brandie got up and gently shoved the guy back off the stage with a pinch on his ass. "I'll drop hot wax on your nipples, causing trouble.. and when I ride you, you'll be throwing up that triple double. My sex drive's kicking, I'm sexually exploring.. so many possibilities, it seems my life could never get boring. Cuz I'm not fucking around- I'll rub you down the right way.. I'll rock your world nightly, so, can I hit it lightly? Yo, boy, I Iike it like that... c'mon hit it from the back... I'm a natural aphrodisiac. Boys they come and they go through my revolving door.. some boys never come back, most come back for more. I got a house by the Bay with a door that spins, goes in and out, out and in, round and round again." (*)
As Brandie reveled in the crowd's applause and the wolf-whistles from the guys after the song ended, Nick manuvered himself and Adriane towards the steps leading off the stage where Brandie would be coming down. When he saw her starting to walk towards the side of the stage, he pulled Adriane close to him, giving her a deep kiss.
Brandie skipped down the steps, happy with her performance and sure he would have to have gotten her 'message', and stopped mid-step when she saw him wrapped up with his arms around that girl, kissing. She swallowed hard and brushed past him, intentionally bumping into the girl as she charged by. She went behind the bar, reaching into the cabinet and grabbing the first bottle she got ahold of and a shot glass.
Kirsten watched in curiousity as Brandie stalked off to the dj booth, bottle of scotch in hand and a scowl on her face.
"Hey Brandie! Gonna join me for... " Daniel stopped talking when Brandie set down the bottle and poured herself a shot, and then another one. He handed over the headphones when she held her hand out, he wasn't going to ask questions, and left the booth, heading down to the bar with Kirsten.
Brandie switched records, trying to transition from the slow jam Daniel had going to a noisy techno groove as smoothly as possible, so she could change the house lighting, make the colors brighter, and all the people become faceless silhouettes.
When the bottle of scotch was empty, she put on a long song and left the dj booth, pleasantly surprised to find the room was beginning to spin a little as she eased down the steps. She made her way across the dance floor, smiling at the lightness she felt, until the little girl who was fucking up her night appeared out of what seemed to be nowhere, giggling as Nick grasped her hips moving her in time to the music. Brandie bit her tongue and stomped to the bar, requesting a bottle of Everclear from Daniel and snapping at him when he asked if she was sure that's what she wanted. She snatched the bottle away from him and sauntered back to the safety of the dj booth.
About 45 minutes later, Daniel snuck back up into the booth to find Brandie wobbling in place as she struggled to stay standing in front of the turn tables. "Shit.." Daniel took the headphones from her and eased her down onto the floor, leaning back against the wall. He quickly put on an extended mix of a song and grabbed the 3/4 empty bottle of Everclear and ran over to the bar, waving for Kirsten to come to him.
"Oh fuck." Kirsten groaned when Daniel held the bottle up to her. "She's trashed, isn't she?"
Daniel nodded, while making a glass of ice water. "Yup... we still got any pickles around here?"
"No... just get her to drink the water for now.. I'll make last call and then we'll try to get her out of there." Kirsten replied, flicking the switch on the cowbell-sounding alarm that meant last call.
Daniel ran back to the booth, just in time to see Brandie's eyes about to close. "Oh no you don't." he said, lightly slapping at her cheek. "Stay awake and drink this." he told her, handing over the water.
Brandie mumbled something and took the glass, wincing at how cold it was. "I'm.. fine.."
"Yeah, I can tell. How many fingers am I holding up?" Daniel asked, without even turning to show Brandie his hand.
"Three." she replied, trying to focus her eyes enough to even be sure Daniel was actually standing there.
As the last call crowd thinned out, Kirsten reached for the phone, dialing AJ's number, hoping he'd pick up.
~~~~
Kirsten closed the door after the last club-goer had left and jogged back over to the dj booth. She climbed the steps to find Brandie half-propped against the wall and half-sprawled on the floor. She wished now she would have smacked Nick like she wanted to when she'd seen him leaving with that little girl on his arm. She knew he was the reason Daniel was now trying to coax Brandie to let him help her up off the floor.
"Can you get her up? Then I'll help you get her down the steps.." Kirsten said, as Daniel got frustrated trying to be nice and just reached down, pulling Brandie up as she protested.
AJ came in the back door of the club, walking by the bar just as Daniel and Kirsten managed to get Brandie to stumble down the stairs with their help. He stepped over to them, holding his arms out, allowing Brandie to fall into him. He hugged her, telling Daniel and Kirsten he had her, they could go if they wanted.
Daniel nodded and said thanks, and Kirsten said to call her if he needed her, and they walked out together, hoping AJ could handle her.
AJ helped Brandie stagger back into her office and got her to sit down in her chair. "What's going on, Brandie? Why'd you do this?"
Brandie shrugged weakly and looked like she was going to say something, then quickly got up, bolting to the bathroom.
AJ followed her, pausing outside the door as he heard her vomiting. He walked in, kneeling beside her on the floor, taking her hat off, and holding her hair back. He brushed the stray strands of hair from her face, quietly telling her she'd feel better soon.
Brandie started to cry as her stomach heaved again, she slouched over the toilet, throwing up and then just sobbing.
AJ rubbed her back lightly, "What is it? What's going on?"
Between cries she managed to choke out, "I- I'm tired... of this!"
"Tired of what?" he asked softly.
"This fucking game!" she wailed. "I don't... wanna play it.. anymore. I just... I just.. I want him..."
"Nick?"
"Yes" she whispered.
AJ gently turned her face to his, "Baby, you have to tell him that."
Wishing I could find a guy that would take me away
from the chaos of the city and the everyday part that I play...
[when] the right guy pass... I'll drop this lifestyle fast.
'Cuz what I'm really looking for is the one that will last."
(* "Revolving Door", CrazyTown w/ a few minor changes)