Zylos is located downtown, and it’s one of a handful of clubs that make up Orlando’s “nightlife.” Lots of local bands perform here, but we didn’t start coming here until a few months ago when Robyn met Colin, the official ID checker guy at the door.
She saunters over to Colin so he’ll let us in without having to wait in line. And while Robyn, with her gypsyesque appearance of a thousand jangling bangles and flowy skirts may weird out some people, she has a certain charm that makes guys fall all over themselves to give her what she wants.
“Hey, there,” she says to Colin. He’s sitting on a ripped up barstool at the entrance of Zylos and he flashes a warm smile at us.
“Nice to see you back here again,” he says and looks at me. I shrug and look away. He must think that checking IDs makes him irresistibly cool, probably because the girls who come here usually flirt back. I guess some girls buy into the whole dark-haired version of James Dean, right down to the slicked-back hair and cuffed jeans. But to me it just seems a bit assholish.
“So what’s the story?” Robyn says to Colin.
“Same old, same old,” he says, chewing on a piece of gum and checking the ID of some guy with a huge lip ring. Colin puts a pink wristband on Lip Guy’s arm, and turns back to Robyn.
She props her arm on Colin’s shoulder and whispers something in his ear. He laughs and leans in to murmur something back.
“Well, that’s interesting,” she says, looking over at me. She smiles and winks before turning and whispering back. I suddenly feel naked, especially when Colin looks at me and raises his eyebrows. His light brown eyes glimmer with amusement.
“Oh, really?” he asks Robyn.
“Good as done,” she says and slaps his back. He grins and holds out a couple of pink bands for us. “Here you go, then,” he says. At first I’m totally floored and stand there like an idiot since he’s never done this before, but Robyn holds out her wrist without missing a beat.
He turns to me and wraps a band around my wrist. “Don’t get into any trouble,” he whispers. His breath smells sweet and minty from the gum. “At least, not without me.” I give him a dirty look, but this just makes him laugh as Robyn grabs my arm and pulls me into the club.
“Gross,” I say to Robyn once we’re inside. “What did you tell him?”
“Just that you’d sleep with him,” she yells back. “And maybe a couple of other things. Man, this rocks!” she says, holding up her wrist.
“Damn it, Robyn! What is your problem?”
“What? He’s cute,” she says.
“I don’t care! Now he probably thinks he’s awesome or that I would actually . . .” But she’s not listening to me anymore so I just say, “Forget it. Just so we’re clear, pimping me out is pretty much unacceptable. And, I’m not interested.”
Robyn shrugs me off and takes in the place. It’s crowded and loud and the heart-jerking beat of the music is pulsing through my body I can feel it in my throat, in my teeth, and it’s exactly what I should love. But tonight it just seems loud, monotonous, and grating.
Robyn shouts in my ear, “Let’s get a drink!” We head to the bar and Robyn yells at the bartender, “Suprise me!” He smiles and grabs a few bottles that he flips and tosses around. He pours faster than I can keep up with and makes two blue drinks that he sets down in front of us. Robyn takes out some money.
“Ladies drink free!” he yells.
“And now I officially love you!” she yells to the bartender. He winks at her and I predict we’re in trouble because Robyn is . . . well, Robyn. I grab my drink and take a sip that burns my throat and makes me cough, but Robyn takes a huge gulp.
We head outside to where the stage is and I spot Joel right away.
“Hey!” he calls out to us. Lily is with him and smiles when she spots us. Robyn and I head in their direction carrying our drinks.
“So glad you guys came!” Lily says and hugs Robyn and then me. I cringe when she does. It’s just that some people, like me, don’t like to be squeezed, touched, stood too close to, breathed on, etc. But Lily on the other hand, is a hugger and personal space invader.
“Hi, Lily,” I say.
“I can’t believe all these people came out for this show. It makes me nervous,” she confides and looks at the growing crowd spilling out onto the patio.
“Babe, don’t worry. You’ll be fine,” Joel says, grabbing her by the waist and pulling her into him.
I restrain from looking away in disgust.
“You guys will be great,” I force myself to say.
She smiles. “Thanks, Frenchie. You’re sweet to say so.”
Sweet. Something that nobody has ever accused me of before.
“I just hope we don’t have an off night and totally suck,” she says. Lily has the slightest hint of a Southern accent. The kind that makes you think she’s this sweet hometown girl and you almost forget she’s standing there in a purple off-the-shoulder top, red patent-leather pants that look as if they’ve been painted on, and sleek platinum-blond hair.
Some guy with headphones and a black Zylos T-shirt comes up to her and says, “You ready?”
Lily nods and Joel gives her a kiss. Then she turns to Robyn and me and says, “Okay guys, see you after the show!” She leaves and jumps up onstage and starts talking to her bandmates.
When she’s gone, Joel turns to Robyn and me and says, “I don’t know why she gets like that before a show. I mean, she’s always great.”
“Yeah. Great,” I say.
“All right, everybody!” Lily yells into the microphone, showing no trace of the nervousness she displayed just moments ago. “You guys ready for some Sugar?”
The crowd responds with hoots and hollers. “I said, are you guys ready?” Even louder hoots and hollers fill the air, followed by a few people yelling her name. She looks over at the lead guitarist and gives a nod. He lets loose a wicked chord. The band breaks out into full-fledged hectic playing as Lily starts dancing and the crowd goes wild. Then she opens her mouth and starts singing.
And here is the cherry on top of the sundae that is Lily. She’s good. Like someday, she will definitely make it big it’s-just-a-matter-of-time good.
I look over at Robyn who grabs my blue drink from my hand and chugs it down. “Come on, Frenchie!” she yells as she starts dancing. “Have some fun!”
I try to get into the music and enjoy myself, but I can’t. I feel stiff and out of sync. I trudge on, and pretend I’m having a great time, but I’m pretty sure I look like some kind of demented girl version of Frankenstein’s monster. The band goes right from the first song to the second. And nobody misses a beat. Except me.
The second song is even better. The catchy drumbeat at the beginning pumps up the crowd even more. A bony elbow catches me right in the ribs and I lose my footing. I bump into some big brute of a guy who steps on my foot with his big steel-toe boot. I shove him hard, but he doesn’t even notice. I bite my lip, and try to ignore the throbbing that’s starting in my toe. More people crowd in around me as the lights onstage flash and swirl faster. I feel like I can barely breathe.
I start pushing people out of my way and force my way out of the mob. By the time I get to the doors to the main room, I have a strange sense of not really being here. A fleeting worry that maybe I was trampled on the dance floor and I’m now having an out-of-body experience runs through my mind. I glance over to see if Joel or Robyn noticed that I left, but Joel is too enthralled by Lily, and Robyn is too busy dancing to care.
The main room is now less crowded because most people are outside listening to Sugar. I make my way over to a wall and lean up against it, trying to pull myself together.
“Having fun?” I look over to find Colin next to me. “You’re seriously going to have to tone it down or I’ll have to throw you out,” he says and laughs.
This is probably where a normal girl might giggle and say something profound like, “Haha, yeah . . .”
But I don’t. I just ignore him and keep looking out at the small crowd of people who have opted out of Sugar and are dancing to the music here instead.
“Ahh, the strong, silent type I see,” he says. He doesn’t leave, but instead leans up against the wall next to me and watches the crowd also. I have nothing to say, but he’s not leaving.
“So why aren’t you out back listening to the band?” he asks.
I shrug.
“I guess it is pretty crowded out there. I prefer more quiet places myself,” he says. He turns to look at me, and just then “I Don’t Mind” by the Blurs comes on. I lean my head back and try to focus on the song. It’s one that most people like because it sounds good, but they never stop to listen to the words, which are beautiful and quite poetic. People sing them, but without realizing their meaning.
“This is one of my favorites,” Colin says. I can hear him singing along and try to tune him out.
“Are you okay?” he asks. “You seem bummed. Did you just break up with your boyfriend or something?”
I sigh and just shake my head.
He nudges his shoulder into mine, trying to be playful, I think.
“The whole love-at-first-sight thing seems overdone and all, but it seems original in this song. Don’t you think?” he says. “I guess I believe in that kind of love, to some extent. You?”
I look over at him to see if he seriously thinks I’m going to fall for this crap. I may not know much about guys, but I’m pretty sure that anytime one asks you if you believe in love at first sight, he’s probably some kind of weirdo you should avoid.
“Nope,” I say. “But I believe in assholes at first sight.”
He stares at me with an expression I can’t quite read, and for a short moment, I feel triumphant. He says nothing for a while. And then the room starts feeling small and stifled. I can feel myself getting flushed and hot as he looks at me, trying to figure me out. I’m relieved when he finally turns his attention back to the people on the dance floor.
“Wow. Assholes at first sight,” he says with a laugh that makes me feel foolish. I wish I could just walk away now, but my body won’t comply and I stay there, like I’m Velcroed to the wall.
“That’s pretty genius,” he says, smiling. “You should put that on a T-shirt or something. Sell them for ten dollars each.”
“Listen,” I say, “I really just want to be alone right now.”
He acts as if he’s mulling this over. Like he’s giving careful consideration to what I’ve just said.
I try again. “I think I just need to leave,” I tell him. “Could you make sure Robyn gets a ride from Joel? Can you just tell her I had to go?”
“Uh, yeah, sure . . . ,” Colin says, the bemused look on his face replaced with confusion.
“Thanks,” I say as I start walking away. “Just make sure she has a ride, okay? Please,” I call out to him. “And tell her . . .” I try to come up with a plausible excuse, but Robyn will know it’s a lie. “Just tell her I’m sorry.”
“Okay,” he yells back since I’m already far away, but not fast enough. As soon as I step outside I’m practically running to my car. I try not to think of the strange expression on Colin’s face as I left.
When I get in my car I light a cigarette. I’m surprised my hands are trembling a little. I take a long drag and open the windows as I pull out of the parking lot, feeling only slightly more relaxed. The streets are dark and deserted and the air rushing in as I drive is warm and humid. And while I try not to think of him at all, I can’t help it. This night. This drive. All of this.
It reminds me of Andy.