Smooth Surfaces

[Ramlock]

Telling the truth was out of the question when Zed met Sophie's eyes, but when he didn't... Well, he could lie allright, despite the huge tell. Her question was simple enough, but it wasn't like he could just come out and say what he was doing here. It was much easier to pretend that he was just another young man for the moment.

"Just looking for something... Different, I guess. Something strange."

Again, it was a half-truth, but one he found acceptable. As they came up to the bar, Zed couldn't suppress a small smile at the bouncer's nickname. Why did every nickname have to be ironic? Zed knew all too well about that... Still, Zed wasn't going to begrudge the man's name, nor the fact that he might well resent it...

"Not many girls dressed like you who could make a bouncer like that move... You must have quite a reputation here."

Zed could actually meet Sophie's eyes for that one, if she was looking his way.

[Skylar]

There was something about his answer that made her heart flutter. There was nothing different about this place. In fact, there wasn't much at all. A couple mom and pop stores, a small shopping center, and a few clubs, other then that...nothing. She searched his eyes as he spoke, though at the moment his seemed to run from hers, only telling her that he was hiding something. Again, she felt uneasy...

As soon as they were inside, Aron bee lined toward a few of their friends, and Sophie headed toward the bar. She wasn't much of a drinker, but after the week she had had, she was ready for one. The bar tender waved, and Sophie just nodded. Within a few moments, she had a fruity looking beverage in her hand that she sipped on through a straw while watching the others around her dance.

She in fact did have a reputation here. Almost everyone that frequented the place knew of her, or at least her name. It was the one place she felt free. No one here cared who she was “really” they just came to dance, came for an outlet, and she could do the same without the feeling of scrutiny upon her.

“You dance?” Finally she said something. For a moment she had almost forgotten that Zed was even with them. She seemed like a different person in this place. A happier person in fact. It was an effect solely to be blamed on the music and her surroundings. But a good one none the less.

[Ramlock]

Zed went with Sophie to the bar, but didn't order anything alcoholic. Force of habit, perhaps. He got water, still leaving a dollar on the bar for the bartender. Just because he wasn't going to drink didn't mean he wanted to antagonize the bartender...

"Not often, no. It's been a while since I went out to have fun."

Zed looked about the club, watching the different people dancing. They were just kids, for the most part, looking to have a good time. A lot of people complained about the noise and the "crowd" these sorts of places attracted, but incidents really weren't that common. The seedier places may have had a degree of drug use, but there certainly wasn't a lot of violence attached to them, or crimes that would really upset people...

"I take it you come here often?"

[Skylar]

She believed his last statement without a doubt. He looked kinda tight. The guy that stayed in to read, instead of going out dancing. The guy that thought dinner and a movie was a fancy 5 star restaurant then a trip to the opera, instead of a movie theater with box of goobers on the side of the popcorn for dinner.

She laughed out loudly.

“Yeah, something like that.” Something in her wide smile contorted her face into something almost innocent. She placed the glass down on the bar taking one last sip of her drink, and pulled her hair out of the haphazard pony tail, unleashing a cascade of charcoal locks about her face.

“You comin?” She raised a brow as she backed away from him, her body slowly starting to bump with the music. Slowly, as if part of a routine, her hand raised and she beckoned him with her index finger. She highly doubted he would oblige her request, but even if he made him a tad uncomfortable, gave him a laugh, any kind of reaction....she'd be happy.

[Ramlock]

Zed set his glass back on the bar, seemingly almost full despite the fact he had been sipping from it, and cocked his head slightly, as if to judge her for something. Not that he was suspicious exactly, but... She was certainly strange. He'd never felt so odd about hiding things before...

"Yes."

Zed stood up, coming over to join Sophie in dancing. The music wasn't nearly what he would choose to listen to, but... Well, it had a beat, and that was what mattered. Whether he cared about the lyrics, the singers, anything like that... No one really did, he imagined. As he got close, he leaned in and whispered, near the edge of the dance floor.

"I have to confess something to you, Sophie... I lied."

Zed would slowly start to dance, waiting for her to similarly begin. After a minute, though, she might well notice something. His moves were similar to the other guys on the dance floor, but his rhythm... It was almost rigid. He was perfectly in time with the music, almost as if he was marching in his head. He didn't seem to be feeling the music at all, except as a tool, but he was being driven by something else. Confidence? Bravado? In any case, he didn't really take his eyes off Sophie while they were on the dance floor...

[Skylar]

Her brow raised further as he sat his glass next to hers. Serious dancer? She tossed her head back and laughed. Of course, she was not laughing at him, as in poking fun. Oddly enough she found him rather charming in his own way.

To her surprised he followed through. His simple answer almost caused her to jump up and down with excitement. Even more so to her surprise was the closeness that he dare pursue. Cautiously, she placed her hand on his shoulder. Thankfully nothing felt odd. It set her mind at ease about him, sure now that he wasn't out witch hunting....literally.

She freely tossed her arms over his shoulders, despite the size comparison. Placing her hand on the back of his head, she kept her eyes locked to his until she absolutely couldn't anymore, simply because her lips were dangerously close to his ear.

“I know you did. I just don't know why.”

She backed up enough for him to see her wink at him before turning her back toward him. Softly, she back into him, reaching back and grabbing his arms and wrapping them about her waist. Her hips would swing back and forth with the music, her head in the opposite direction, her lips uttering every word to every song they played. He may have been out of his element, but she was in hers, and she wanted to bring him with her for the moment..

[Ramlock]

Zed let Sophie place her hands where she wanted, having no reason to mistrust a cute girl in a club. At least, as long as her hands weren't going near his wallet. Not that his wallet was anything but the dimmest and most distant thought on his mind at the moment. As the music continued, she seemed to be having a good time, and so was he. The original reason he'd been out about the neighborhood was somewhat aside at the moment. No need to ruin pleasure by adding business.

With the music so loud, Zed didn't try to say anything, keeping his arms about Sophie's waist without them really roaming astray. At least, insofar as he could keep his arms around her waist while she was so into the music. As strange as this girl was, it was nice to not think much about death for a little while. As one of the songs came to an end, Zed leaned down to whisper in Sophie's ear.

"I don't know. Maybe I just wanted you to feel like the most special girl in the world."

If nothing else, Zed delivered his words in a smooth and unironic way. Not that it would be impossible to find either fault or charm in his actions...

[Skylar]

As the beat of this particular song picked up, so did her movements. It was almost as if every song they played, she had a routine set for them. Which of course, was not the case. She was simply free, expressive and almost lost in the environment as a whole.

She turned in his arms, her body lightly pressed to his as she wiggled and bumped. Her eyes never left his though. Down she traveled, knees bent, her hands roaming over his chest and down his stomach only for her to venture back up just in time for the music to stop. Her face was inches from his, her chest raising and falling rapidly as she smiled at him.

“I know I'm special.”

She allowed her eyes to linger on his for a moment before she turned away from him and headed back to the bar to sip on her drink a bit. Aron, again joined them. “Having a good time Sophie?” There was a bit of annoyance in his voice. “A lovely time Aron. Thanks for asking.” She narrowed her eyes at him, she hated when he got a complex about her actions. “Well, I'm ready to go. Let's go.” He grabbed her arm and tugged lightly on it. “What the hell Aron, let go of me. I'm not ready to leave yet!” She jerked her arm away from him and give him a glare to beat all.

[Ramlock]

Zed smiled as Sophie turned around, placing his hands on her hips and letting them run up her sides softly as she kneeled down. Fortunately, Zed didn't have to pay attention to the music. He had plenty of other things to think about, dancing with her. As piercing as her eyes seemed to be, there was also something a bit... Different about them. Exciting...

He didn't say anything as they walked back to the bar, moving besides Sophie. As Aron walked up, Zed didn't have much trouble recognizing his face and tone of voice. The poor guy had a thing for Sophie, and here Zed was, in the way of that "relationship." Zed watched Aron through the confrontation, but when he grabbed Sophie's arm, it was on the other side from Zed. Sophie pushed him away, but Zed would step forward in a protective sort of way, so that his shoulder was in front of Sophie's on one side.

"Lay off. If you want to leave, I'll make sure the lady gets home safe."

[Skylar]

“Sophie was right about you you know. You are weird. I was nice and invited you along, not so you can move in on her.” His index finger pointed at Sophie and she rolled her eyes. “Aron, you know you're my best friend. That's it. Stop this, now.” She turned toward Zed and placed her hand on his shoulder. “I'm sorry about this.”

That single act seemed to throw Aron overboard. “Don't you apologize for me! I'm outta here, I'll call you later.” She wanted to throw her drink in his face, but it did taste good. No need to ruin a good drink all because of his shitty attitude. “Don't bother, unless you wanna stop being an ass!”

She swirled around on her stool, and Aron stopped for a moment as if he was going to say something. Instead, he glared at Zed and went about his way out the door. Her relationship with Aron was complicated, least for him it was. He loved her and she was selfish enough to allow him to. She needed him. Needed someone that cared about her unconditionally. Though she couldn't offer it back to him.

With a sigh, she twirled her straw in her drink. “So much for a fun night. Don't worry though, he'll get over it. I've seen these outbursts before, though he's never grabbed me like that.” She felt the anger in her from his actions and fought feverishly to keep them at bay. These were the reasons she kept herself from getting close to people. A display of her prowess in a place as public as this could mean bad new for Sophie. Bad news of the worst kind....

[Ramlock]

Zed kept his mouth shut while Aron went off. It was true, to a degree... But for Aron, Zed wouldn't have been here at all, much less met Sophie. And it had to kill Aron to invite a contender for Sophie's affection into her life. But on the other hand... Sophie wasn't a prize to be won. Perhaps that wasn't the most flattering way to put it. She wasn't a passive prize to be won. It wasn't a matter of who was "better" at gaining her affection.

Zed met Aron's eyes as the youth stomped his way past, though he didn't really feel a need to glare or anything. He just wasn't afraid, not that Aron really seemed like a threat. Aron was likely always going to hate Zed, at this point, but in a way, maybe things would be better that way. If it helped him get over Sophie, at least romantically... It was doing him a huge favor.

"Just keep an eye out. Emotion can make people do things that don't really suit them..."

Zed held off from making a moral judgment about Sophie keeping him around, and to a certain degree, leading him on...

[Skylar]

“I'm aware.” She didn't pause for a moment after he spoke, her words followed immediately. Her gaze however held firm to Aron until he was out of sight. She held onto her glass so tightly her knuckles where turning white. He had a knack for making her annoyed almost beyond control. A dangerous knack to have.

She noticed the firm grip on the glass and quickly put it down and slid it across the bar. The tender passed her a glance and she simply shook her head no. Another drink probably wasn't a good idea. She took a crinkled five dollar bill from her pocket and placed it on the bar under the glass.

“I know you probably think I'm a real bitch, the way I am with Aron. But you need to understand something very simple. He and I had the commitment conversation, and more then once. It always ends the same way, my telling him how important his friendship is to me, and that I don't feel anything more for him.” Finally she turned toward Zed, perhaps that was a touch of sadness in her eyes.

“Even if I wanted to love him like he does me, I can't. I'm not willing to risk hurting him beyond forgiveness.” Sophie wasn't a naive little girl, not by any means. She forced a smile and placed her hands on her thighs looking around at everyone as she had done when they had first arrived. “Well, I suppose I should call it a night.”

[Ramlock]

Zed listened to her, knowing that in a way, he wasn't helping the situation. Aron just wasn't... Confident enough, perhaps. Didn't realize that the situation was really hopeless at this point... He'd never be with her as long as he was her friend, if nothing else. Their relationship had crossed a line it was highly unlikely to ever cross again.

"It's a tough situation. He's always going to be thinking about it, though. As long as he's your friend..."

Though he didn't say it, Zed thought that really, the nice thing to do might have been some distance. She had come out here so Aron could walk her home? That was... Well, everything else aside, that was strange. Her eyes had seemed... Lonely? And they hadn't run into any other friends here, despite the fact that everyone knew her. Things were starting to seem strange again... For now, though, the night's activities seemed simple.

"Well, since your escort is gone, do you want any company home?"

Zed was certainly willing to walk Sophie home, particularly since Aron had gone...

[Skylar]

She nodded to his words and looped her arm through his. “I suppose that's where the selfishness comes into play. Maybe if Aron didn't spend so much time with me, he would find the perfect girl for himself. But, I don't really have anyone else like Aron. Some one I can trust, and have faith in.” Or at least she trusted him to some extent, there was still so much about her he didn't know, and would probably never know...

To her surprise, Aron was waiting outside, but didn't speak to her. In all honesty it was kinda creepy. She flashed a look to Zed, the kinda that said...”What the hell?” She ran her tongue across her lips, tossing a glance back over her shoulder. “Least it's a nice night. No more rain.” It was nervous small talk, she wasn't sure what she should be saying.

Leading Zed in the direction she had came here in, she again looked over her shoulder to see Aron behind them. “What's he doing?” Her voice was barely a whisper, she could feel her heart begin to race, her nerves more then shot for the moment.

[Ramlock]

Zed gently pushed the middle of Sophie's back to position her in front of himself while Aron followed behind them. Zed didn't seem the least bit scared, despite his relatively innocuous appearance. Whatever Aron wanted here... Well, maybe Zed could pretend he was just trying to scare off Zed from entering Sophie's house. Ruin any moments along the way. The possibility of more sinister intentions, though, was enough to think about.

"Do you have good locks at home?"

Zed spoke softly and quietly to Sophie, hoping Aron couldn't hear. Zed wasn't afraid for Sophie while he was with her, but Aron certainly knew where she lived. There was a chance, however terrible, that Aron could return later. He sure as hell didn't want to hear about another crime in this vicinity...

"Hopefully, he'll give up whatever he's thinking about. He's probably just confused."

Zed put his hand on Sophie's shoulder in a reassuring and protective way, squeezing gently. He was still dependent on her to show the way home, after all...