Spectrum

52

Grayson's POV

"This is it!" Sofia exclaims, as she hops out of the Uber and skips towards the bar with excitement. As we get closer to the door, I can hear the music and people that fill the large space. 

"There's a ton of people here." Shane says, concern laced in his voice. 

I see Sofia's face fall for a second as she looks at me with her own look of concern.

"Yeah, you're right." She says, looking inside of the bar. There's probably over two hundred people in this bar. "We can go somewhere else! I'm sure it's taking forever to even get a drink." She tells the two of us with a smile. She's playing this off as though she doesn't care, but I know that she does care. 

I know her smile is for me. She has been excited about tonight all day. She has wanted to go to this bar ever since she watched her friend get in with a fake I.D. I can't be the reason that she doesn't get to experience this place. I can handle the crowd. I can handle the noise. I'll be able to be in a bar full of people for a few hours. If anything else, I have to at least try for Sofia. 

"No, we should go here. We're already here and it looks like it's pretty good inside." I insist, giving her a reassuring smile. 

"Are you sure? I know that you don't really like a big crowd. Or a ton of noise." She says with uncertainty. "Really, Gray. We can go somewhere else. I'm just glad that you guys came out with me tonight." 

"I'm positive. I want to go here." I reply, grabbing her shoulder gently and turning her body towards the door. I walk her towards the entrance playfully and Shane gives me a look and mouths a quick 'Thank you.'

The bouncer at the door cards Sofia and gives Shane and I a quick head nod, telling us that we are good to enter.

"Well I guess this really does mean that we're old." Shane yells over the music.

"What?" I yell in reply, leaning closer to hear him.

"He didn't card us. That means we look old as fuck." He yells in reply.

"Let's go and get drinks!" Sofia exclaims, leading us towards the bar. 

For someone who has never been to a bar in LA, she sure does walk as if she owns the place. 

We guides us through a crowd and pushes her way to the bar top. There are people on every single side of me, waiting for their turn in line. I only cringe when I feel a man brush his sweaty arm against my own, trying to push his way through.

I can do this. I can do this.

"Order me a drink. I'm going to see if I can get us a table." I yell to Shane.

"I reserved a table upstairs in the VIP Lounge. It should be under my name." He says, handing me  one of his credit cards. "Show them this and you can get in." 

"Put the drinks on my tab." I tell him, handing him my credit card.

"You sure? I can get this, man." He says.

"Yes. You got the Lounge so I can get this." 

He takes the card from my hand and I walk towards the staircase leading to the balcony. The music isn't as loud on this side of the bar, but it's still pretty loud. It's only when I get upstairs that I'm able to hear the sound of my own voice without yelling.

"Name?" A man asks once I reach the top of the staircase. 

"Shane Roberts." I reply, handing him Shane's credit card. He checks the name on the car and looks back up at me before handing it back.

"Right this way." He says, leading me towards a large table surrounded by black leather couches.

"I've got two others on their way up here." I tell him, handing him a twenty dollar bill as a tip.

"Yes, sir. Can I get you anything to drink?" He asks.

"I know she'll want a martini." I reply. "I'll take a beer. Anything imported." 

"Yes, sir. I'll have someone right out with that." He replies before walking away.

Although it's still crowded, I feel a bit more at ease. Thankfully, I don't have a stranger's sweat on my arm anymore. 

"This is so cool!" I can hear from behind me. I turn to see Sofia smiling as she approaches our table.

"I'm glad you like it, baby." Shane says, taking the drink from her hand so that it doesn't spill. 

"Thank you for everything, you guys." She says, giving the two of us a hug. "I'm so glad you came out with me tonight." 

"Of course." I reply with a smile. "I didn't know what you already ordered, so I ordered you a martini." 

"They have a bar up here?!" She exclaims, looking pleasantly surprised.

"They have people that will take our order up here." Shane tells her.

"Why did we wait in that line, then?" She asks, not seeming to care about waiting in the line.

"So you could get the full bar experience." Shane laughs.

Moments later, a man comes over with a few drinks on the table. My beer, Sofia's martini, and a few shots sit on the tray. 

"I have your drinks here and would like to offer the shot of the night." The man says, setting our drinks on the table.

"We'll take them!" Sofia says.

"You don't even know what it is." Shane reminds her.

"I don't need to know. Look at it. It's blue. Blue colored things always taste good." She smiles.

"We'll take three." Shane says. "Name for the tab is Parker." 

The man sets the blue liquid onto the table and leaves our table, walking to the next group to offer them the same shot.

"I really don't need all of this to drink." I reply, looking at the three drinks in front of me. 

"Please? I want you to have a good time, too." Sofia says, giving me the puppy dog eyes.

I hate the puppy dog eyes.

"Fine." I groan, reaching for the shot that is already in both of their hands.

We tip the glass back in unison and I feel the cold liquid run down my throat. It only feels hot as it hits my stomach. 

"That was so good!" Sofia giggles, using her martini as a chaser.

"God, that was straight vodka." Shane says, face contorting in displeasure.

"Tastes like college." I reply with a laugh.

Sofia laughs in reply and pushes my other drink towards me.

"What is it?" I ask, looking at the bright green liquid in the glass.

"Liquid Marijuana." She replies, looking very proud of herself.

I take a small sip, feeling very unsure of this drink. It's sweet, to my surprise.

"It's not bad. Kind of sweet." I reply, taking another drink.

"We're going to have the best night ever!" Sofia replies, quickly downing her martini and starting on her second drink. 

"Yes, we are." I reply with a laugh, loving the way that she's enjoying herself.

"Let the night begin." Shane says, lifting his beer in a cheer. 

'Let the night begin.' I repeat in my head.