I’m wondering how the girls managed to get me to come out. I’m not exactly a bar kind of girl, I never have been. As I look around the room, all I can see is the people drinking, dancing and even more drinking. Yeah, it was definitely not worth coming here. But, after everything that's happened? Both Christie and Holly thought it would be the best thing for me right now. I’m not entirely sure how, but I trust their judgement. But, as I, once again, looked around the room, I’m now second guessing.

For I, Cordelia, am a dumb bitch.

Yep.

Well, for the lack of a better word, I guess, but why should I sugar coat it?

I had my good looks, and that got me somewhere but, in reality? Good looks don't amount to much. The reason that my friends took me out to this lousy bar was because, once again, I failed another exam. When we left high school, I just barely passed, so I didn't stay back another year but, due to that, I had no way to get into a university or even a bog standard college. The exam that I failed? Well, it was an exam to see if I could get a place in the college that my friends go to. They had heard about this exam and told me, they even helped me study for it. But, as the dumb bitch that I am? I lost. I failed the exam and only by a measly eight points. It was pathetic. 

Honestly, what was even worse was the fact that I didn't have a job. Since I came of age, I had to leave the orphanage that I grew up in. Yep, you guessed it. I was an orphan too. Apparently, I was left at the doorstop at such a young age that I have no memory of what my parents looked like. My favourite person growing up there was Mother Mary. Apparently, she was the one who found me outside, took me in, and is the one that gave me my name. I guess, for all purposes, she IS my mother, even though she is a nun. But, in my eyes? Anyone with the right drive can be motherly, and Mother Mary was motherly to a T! 

But, luckily Holly managed to secure me a small job, working in a coffee shop until the option to take the college test comes round again. Luckily, I really love the smell of coffee, so it was a win-win situation in that regard. At first, I was adamant to try again, but then I second guessed myself. If I am truly, as I keep saying to myself, a dumb blonde, then how would I even fair in college? Would I ever keep up? Or would I just fail anyway, like I’ve always done before? I was leaning to the latter and, since I was leaning that way? That is the reason why I'm sitting in this bar with my girl friends. Since they knew me, they knew my thoughts, my actions and various other things that they somehow picked up over the years of being friends with each other. I guess that's what they thought could cheer me up? We were all of age now. I guess, since I was the youngest, they waited to hit the bars.

As I continued to look around me, part of me wished that they waited for much longer. Christie came over and swung an arm around me and pulled me into a half hug, her unruly red thick hair hitting me in the face as she did so.

“Oh Cordy, why do you have such a face of thunder?” She blew air into my ear to get a reaction out of me. It did not work. I knew she wasn't drunk, since that's how she always acts. “Is it the virgin stance you’re taking?” Heavens to God, I had no idea what she was on about.

“Christie…” A calm and collected voice called out to us, as a tall woman with sleek black hair and dark features took a seat opposite me. Holly. Always the voice of reason. “I think I know what Corde is going through.” I saw Holly scan the entire room, disgust showing all over her face. “You took us to such a shit hole.” It’s not often Holly swears, but when she does? She means it.

“It ain’t that bad.” Christie drawled out as she slung her arm off me and took the seat next to me. “I found a nice man in here not too long ago.” 

“That narrows it down to…” Holly checked her fingers, like she was trying to count, but gave up. “Absolutely nothing.”

“Well, if we get her laid, then she won’t have such a face of thunder.” Christie nudged me, giving me a wink with her blue eyes that complimented her freckled pale face.

“The only thing that she’s going to ‘catch’ here is a disease.” Holly looked really uncomfortable, as she squirmed on her seat.

“What will you have us do then, Holl’s?” Christie asked.

“A change of venue, for starters.” 

I was going to interject, but I knew very well to never interrupt these two.

“You have somewhere better in mind, then?” 

“No. But an alleyway is better than here.”

Christie roared with laughter. “Now you’re just being stupid. But….” She pointed with her long manicured hand. “Find somewhere else then.”

“Oh, I’m already on it.” 

It was then that I realised that Holly had one hand under the table and, when she said that, she lifted up her arm. Somehow, she was on her phone, probably searching for better places as they spoke, and now the gig was up? Holly was using both hands to type. Searching. Searching for a better place. In all honesty, the better place was back home.

“I’m just going to use the ladies, if you’ll excuse me…” I called them and Holly only nodded and Christie gave me a smile.

“Make sure you go to the second ladies. The first is for hookups. There's a hole in the wall shaped like a…”

“And that is precisely the reason why I’m Googling…” Holly had interrupted.

“But, by all means, go in there. I meant what I said earlier though.” Christie gave me one of her cheeky grins, and I heard the sigh from Holly. I think astronauts heard that sigh.

“I'll pass…” I dismissed her comment, with my hand, and went off to find this second ladies room.

However, I most definitely found the first ladies room. Since someone just came out of it, I just briefly saw a man with his pants around his ankles, and it looked like he was seemingly dry humping the wall. If I didn’t see the person even just briefly, on the other side, kneeling in front of the wall, I would have just gathered that he WAS dry humping. Seriously? That is the ladies room, and there is a man in there... But then I remembered what Christie said, that it was the hookup room. I’m now really questioning WHY she took us here, and I now understand one hundred percent. No. TWO THOUSAND percent why Holly hated being here. But I tore my eyes away from that room as the door shut and, as I turned to keep on walking, I hit something. Honestly, it felt like I hit a brick wall. But, since I was not in pain, I gathered that it wasn't a wall. But the cushioned feeling on my face felt like a jacket and, as I stepped back, I realised I bumped into a person.

“Oh, I’m so sorry.” I murmured out.

“It’s quite alright.”

The voice that said those words? It felt like it hit me in all directions. Just from those three words alone, I felt caressed, like a lover would have. I had to blink as I looked up to see who I had just walked into. But I could barely make out any features in the darkness.

“I couldn’t help overhearing your stern friend, if you girls are looking for a better place, then I’ll suggest going here.”

At first, I thought he meant ‘stay here’, but I saw him move and, in my line of sight, I saw this man holding a card. I took it. The card was simple, it had a simple design. The symbol looked like a dragon? But the name. The name in big bold letters said:

NOX

I flipped the card over, and I saw that it gave an address.

“I’m sure that you’ll have a better time there…” The voice seemed like it was floating off into the wind and, as I tore my eyes off the card, and looked up, I noticed that the man was gone. As I looked around, I saw no one else. As I stared back down at the card, I wondered to myself if this place was a nightclub? Or a bar? The man said that it was better than here. But the stranger ALSO said that he overheard MY stern friend. That was most definitely Holly who he was referring to. 

As I turned back on my heel, I returned to my friends. I didn’t actually need to use the ladies, I just kinda wanted to get away. As I returned to my girls, I saw that Holly was still furiously typing and scrolling on her phone, and Christie looked bored as she watched. Both of them didn’t notice as I slid back into my seat and placed the card on the table. Holly was then the first to notice.

“What’s that?”

“I think it’s a better bar.” I only replied. I didn’t really have an answer.

“Really? Lemme see.” Christie reached across and read it. “‘Nox’? Or is that ‘Fox’? Lighting is bad here.”

“‘Nox’, you say?” Holly perked up at the name and began typing. It wasn’t long until she showed her phone to us. “Is this it?”

I peered at her phone. True enough, it was a nightclub, NOT a bar, and I half remembered some of the address, and I noticed that it seemed to be the same as the address on the card. I saw Christie narrow her eyes, as she looked closer at the phone.

“Is that place new?”

Holly took back her phone and read the page a little. “It’s been open for a few months now, and has become the hottest spot.”

Christie made a sound and leaned her head on her hand. “I’ve not heard of it.”

“Probably because it seems to be classy, and you…” Holly moved her phone so her dark eyes could look at Christie. “Are not.”

“I am too.” Christie whined.

“You literally just admitted that you picked up a man in here. None of them are classy.”

Christie groaned, that particular groan always meant that she lost. 

“Anyway…” She turned her attention to me. “Where did you find that card?”

“On the way to the ladies. I happened to bump into someone, and they gave me that card.”

“Someone promoting, perhaps?” Holly wondered.

“Yeah, but if YOU say this ‘Mox’...”

“Nox…” Holly interrupted, and Christie just dismissed her with a hand.

“Is… classy, then why were they being promoted here?”

“Probably for poor ladies like me and Cordy.” Holly pointed out. “To put them out of their misery and say that there IS something better.”

I wasn’t going to mention that this stranger pointed out that they were overhearing us.

“Ouch, another jab Holl’s. You’re on fire today.” 

“Well, that's what you get for bringing us here, but….” Holly finally tore her eyes from her phone and looked at me. “This place checks out, since the night is young? Shall we go? I guess we should bring the riff raff too.”

In truth, I wouldn’t have minded going home. But, for the love of me, I’ve never said no, even when I don’t want to do something, so I plastered on a smile and said yes.