Page 13 of Synodic

So much for staying by each other’s sides. This night hadn’t even begun and I was already feeling on edge, especially from sitting in this infuriating traffic for so long. We would have been there by now if we had just gotten out and walked, but Harlan insisted on rolling right up to the front doors in style.

Claustrophobia and anxiety crept up on me like an invisible snake, slowly coiling tighter and tighter around my chest, and I tugged at my dress uncomfortably. I’d opted to wear a blush corseted number that draped loosely across my thighs. The thin straps, wired bustier, and sweetheart neckline accentuated my collarbones and décolletage while revealing almost all of my bare back and arms. The near flesh-toned piece clung to me like a second skin and emphasized my wavy brown hair and natural rose-toasted makeup.

It was a far cry from the tangled hair and holey shirts Rowen saw me in every night, and some part of me wished he could see me like this, but I immediately shut down the thought. I refused to let my mind wander any farther down that road.

Rowen’s words and touch were already written all over me as though I were made of paper. It was dangerous, and for the sake of my sanity, I had to scorch him from the pages of my mind. From this moment on, I would never think of him again. He was as good as gone, no more than burnt letters by the bedside.

Simple as that. Mind over matter.

“Here you go,” our driver spoke for the first time, bringing me back to the congested streets of the entertainment district. After the agonizingly slow crawl, we had finally arrived at the illuminated entrance of Prism. “Heard it’s nearly impossible to get in there tonight.”

“That won’t be a problem,” Harlan answered with a smile, following Natalie out of the car.

“Thank you,” I said to the man behind the wheel as I plunged into the smothering atmosphere of the night. The air was thick and smoky and had my lungs straining against my ribcage. It was all too much—the city, the smog, the people. Thankfully Harlan offered me his arm before extending his other to Natalie, linking the three of us together as we walked towards the club.

The long entry line wrapped around the building and disappeared out of sight. I was fully prepared to walk to the end of the queue and wait our turn, but Harlan guided us right past it, bypassing people who looked like they’d been waiting hours. The envying looks and agitated scoffs didn’t go unnoticed as we headed to a second entrance surrounded by photographers and flashing bulbs so bright they nearly blinded me.

Harlan gave his name to the burly bouncer who checked his clipboard and waved us through the doors noncommittally.

“That was amazing!” Natalie practically squealed, breaking apart our chain and rushing forward. She looked the definition of elegance in her tight emerald slip dress that cascaded in silky waves over her curves. Her honey-butter hair was parted down the middle and pulled into a tight chignon at the base of her neck, highlighting her creamy-soft features.

“It pays to know people,” Harlan said, flashing his ultra-white teeth. He wrapped his thumb and middle finger around my wrist like a leash and pulled me into the misty nightclub that smelled of fog, alcohol, and zested citrus. Saturated beams of pink and purple light strobed across the chic nightclub, piercing the smoke in hazy spheres that hypnotized the senses.

True to its name, it looked as though we had stepped into a black prism. The mercury-mirrored walls infinitely reflected streaks of light within each other’s planes, creating the illusion of a never-ending rave trapped within a jewel. Massive wrought-iron chandeliers and gilded birdcages hung from the ceiling like ornate teardrops. Curtains of dark sand crystals hung from the rafters, enclosing off private suites and alcoves on both this floor and the curved balcony above. Squared nicely in the center of it all was a pulsing dance floor that beckoned me to get lost within its carousel of light and limbs.

“I’ll get us drinks,” Harlan said, leaning in close enough that we could hear him over the ear-splitting music.

“Just a water for me, please,” I said out of habit.

He gently released my wrist and headed to the bar, expertly weaving through the crowd in his black slacks, white buttoned shirt, and name-brand everything. He looked so at ease and comfortable within the psychedelic circus that pulsed around us.

Natalie whipped towards me, and shouted in my ear, “Remind me of why you’ve been avoiding him again? He’s gone through a lot of trouble to impress you tonight.”

I rolled my eyes. I couldn’t think of a single topic I would rather discuss less. “If you’re so impressed, you can have him.”

“What? Seriously, Keira. He’s asking me if you’re seeing someone else.”

Okay, so there was a topic I would rather talk about less than Harlan, especially since I’d just sworn to never think of said subject ever again.

I was, in fact, seeing someone else, but not in a good way. More of a losing-your-mind type of way, but I couldn’t ignore the fact that my heart rate spiked at the mere thought of him.

Forgetting him was going to be easier said than done.

In that moment, I decided I wanted to be anything but sober tonight. I would make it my sole mission to drown out the dark-haired man from my thoughts, and with the plethora of alcohols and spirits around me, I knew it shouldn’t be too hard of a goal to achieve.

I had never really indulged in drinking before, just small sips here and little toasts there, never enough to impair me in any way. Track kept me from liberally imbibing any sort of alcohol; there was always the next big race or meet to train for, and retaining that competitive edge was paramount.

But my stringent track days were over, and for the first time, I had every intention of fully letting loose. I was more than ready to go wherever this night would lead me, as long as it was far away from green eyes, dying forests, and forgotten memories.

Natalie eyed me suspiciously. She knew I was hiding something and had expertly backed me into a corner with her line of questioning. She was going to make a ruthless lawyer someday. There was no question about it. “Well?”

“Everything just feels like a bit of a show with Harlan, don’t you think?”

She sighed and brushed a piece of my loosely waved hair behind my shoulder. “You are way too picky. I’ll never understand it.”

Harlan returned, skillfully carrying three drinks within his grasp. “Did I miss anything interesting?” he asked, handing a glass to Natalie.

“Not unless you find Keira’s finicky tastes interesting.”

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