It was 7:30 pm on a Thursday evening, and Leonard stood in front of the dressing mirror in his room, nodding as he checked his appearance.
As far as he was concerned, he looked pretty good in his black shirt and jeans. And with an appearance this sharp, there was no doubt about it, a good night awaited him.
“Yep, this is the look of a man happily charting his own path in life, and slaying too well while at it,” he proudly declared to himself, rubbing his hands while turning to fully appreciate his look.
About a week had passed since he landed in Poki, and he was loving every single minute of it. Samuel, Allan and Sirus were the perfect companions and guides, taking him around the spectacular city and giving his eyes more sweet sights to feast upon. From the world-class bakery Wakey Bakey to the massive malls MARTAVO and CartCreek, as well as Millennium Arts Studio, the biggest gaming center he had ever set foot in, the young man was having the time of his life.
This evening, they were finally going to let him in on a night out at Club Obsidian, and excited would be too weak a word to describe how he felt.
It was safe to say that the ecstasy of landing in this prestigious city was nowhere near wearing off, and Leonard sure hoped it didn’t. He was loving every single minute of this new life he was living, and memories of life in Hollyland Manor were quickly becoming a distant memory resigned to the deepest and darkest parts of that part of the brain designed to store memories.
He hadn’t called his father since he walked out that door, and in all honesty, he had no intentions to do so. All the old man was going to do was to beg for him to return, and there was absolutely no way he was doing that. This was his life now, and he was enjoying it to the fullest.
As he straightened himself, his phone rang.
It was Sirus.
He picked it up and answered. “Yo Sirus! What’s up?”
“I’m good, man! We’re on our way! Just set off from the house. You ready?”
“Great, great. Yeah, I’m ready now, so I’ll just wait for you guys downstairs, alright?”
“Sure! See you soon!”
“Alright!”
As he ended the call, the giddy grin on his face grew bigger. He had been to a few nightclubs back when he lived in Hollyland Manor, and they had been fun. He knew without a doubt, though, that Club Obsidian was going to blow those experiences out of the water.
Add to that, the fact that he wouldn’t have to return to a long, annoying lecture from his father or that irritant he called a big brother, and he was overly hyped.
***
“IT’S TIME TO PARRRTTYYYYYYY! WHOOOOOOOOO!”
Leonard followed the boys enthusiastically through the entrance of Club Obsidian. The electrifying aura of the nightclub wrapped itself around him right from the moment the bouncers let them through, and he immediately understood why it was emblem of Poki’s pulsating nightlife. The spirit of the club was immense, hitting you from all angles the moment you were in. the music was banging, the place was rocking… it was set up to be an awesome night.
“Let’s get some drinks before we hit the dance floor!” Samuel suggested, moving towards the bar.
“Good idea!” Allen agreed. “I need me some of that Poki Sangria. Let’s go, guys!”
Leonard and Sirus followed. “I should definitely get that Poki Punch. They do have it, right?” Leonard asked. He had heard of this famous alcoholic beverage and was pretty fascinated by it. It was apparently a mixture of vodka, rum, gin, tequila, and orange, pineapple, and lime juices, and was usually served in a large bowl with ice and garnished with any available fruit.
“Of course, of course! If you can’t get it here at the bar of Club Obsidian, it probably don’t exist to begin with!” Sirus answered with laughter.
Arriving at the bar, Leonard waved at the bartender. “Mr. Bartender! Gimme one Poki Punch!”
The bartender nodded and got to work, while Samuel and Allen looked at Leonard, a bit of surprise on their faces. “Bro! that punch is pretty tough,” Samuel commented. “You sure you’re up for it?”
“Sam, bro, what’s life without enjoying something new?” Leonard responded, as carefree a look on his face as could be. The others laughed.
The bartender returned a couple of moments later, with a small bowl filled with Poki Punch with a cherry in it. Leonard grabbed it gratefully and gulped down its contents in less than a minute.
Man, that really hits the spot, he thought to himself as he placed it down. He turned to see the trio looking at him in amazement. “Whooaaaa!” Allen gasped. “Bro, I ain’t seen anyone down a Poki Punch like that.”
“I promise!” Samuel agreed. “Like, that was swift!”
A very satisfied look on his face, Leonard shrugged. “What can I say? It was on point. Too good. Hehe.” He then looked at the stage where the DJ for the night was busily delivering tunes for the night. “Which DJ is that, by the way?”
“DJ Munche,” Sirus answered. “One of the biggest across this continent. He’s on duty for the week, and when he’s on, this place is mad. It’s like he carries some energy with him.”
“Yep,” Samuel agreed. “He’s a crazy one right there. When he takes over, it’s something else…”
I got this feeling on the summer day when you were gone
I crashed my car into the bridge, I watched, I let it burn
It was like the sounds of Icona Pop’s ‘I Love It’ suddenly had the entire place in a chokehold. The cheers that greeted the start of this song took Leonard by surprise; even his boys were suddenly going crazy, jumping up and down and singing at the top of their voices.
“This is that jam!” Samuel yelled, pumping his fist into the air.
“Let’s move to the dance floor!” Sirus cried out, grabbing Leonard by the hand and dragging him along to the middle of the large room where many people were jumping about gleefully.
It didn’t take long for Leonard to get into the mood. He jumped along with the others, and when the chorus dropped, he didn’t hesitate to bellow it along with everyone else.
I DON’T CARE! I LOVE IT!
I DON’T CARE! I LOVE IT!
He loved the chorus, and not just because it was one heck of an adrenaline-pumping banger. To him, it was like a subliminal to his dad and brother.
No doubt, if they knew what he had been up to since he landed in Poki, they would have strongly disapproved and told him that this was no serious way to live.
And that chorus was a perfect response. He didn’t care; he loved it.
***
A couple of hours had passed.
The quartet had danced their heads off, briefly paused to take in some more drinks, hit the dance floor again, and were now intoxicated and admiring and ogling at the dancers on stage.
“You like what you see, don’t ya?” Sirus teasingly asked Leonard as they occupied the front seats, enjoying up front the seductive dances going on.
Leonard could only nod and bite his lip as the chocolate-coloured girl clad in a tight bikini did the naughtiest of belly dances before him. She could see how triggered he was by her, and was doing her best to excite him even more.
“Damn, I’ll do anything to have you in my bed tonight,” he whispered to himself, still spellbound by her moves.
She went down on her knees and crawled to him. He leaned forward, thirsty lust scribbled all over his face.
“Wanna take me home, honey?” she whispered.
“Hell yes,” he replied. “I’d do anything to have you next to me in the morning.”
She giggled and said, “Drop some kinans and I’m all yours.”
She then turned, rose to her feet, and with her bare backside in his full view, began to drop it low.
Leonard quickly reached into his pocket, grabbed a wad of cash and threw it at her feet. “I’m taking that booty home with me tonight!” he declared loudly.
His boys hollered in approval.
“Leo, you are the man!” Sirus declared.
“That’s what I’m talking about!” Samuel cheered.
Yep, Leonard sure was loving life. This was what he had been craving since the days of being stuck in his father’s house. Now here he was, enjoying it the way it was to be enjoyed.
He grinned as the girl winked at him and licked her lips while picking up the Kinan notes. It was clear the party wasn’t going to end once they left the club; a private afterparty awaited him in the comfort of his room.
I love this life.
Yep, it’s all about indulgence for Johannes’ young boy…
