0001: Under the Club Lights

After a lengthy day in court, Carlos found himself sitting in his car amidst the evening traffic. The stars shimmered above as the night unfolded. Suddenly, a notification flashed on his car display, revealing Toby's name, his close friend and colleague from work. Without hesitation, Carlos answered the call, skillfully navigating the traffic with the city lights as his backdrop.

"Hey, man, what's up?" Carlos inquired, his attention divided between Toby's voice and the changing traffic lights.

Toby, who had been awaiting Carlos's arrival at the club, raised his voice over the thumping beats of the background music, his concern evident. "Where are you? You were supposed to be here an hour ago. What's going on?"

Stuck on New York's bustling highway, Carlos defended himself, the frustration palpable in his voice. "I'm sorry, I'm stuck in this traffic," he snapped, punctuating his words with three sharp honks, venting his mounting frustration.

Empathizing with Carlos, Toby acknowledged the predicament. "Well, I just wanted to tell you everyone's here, and you're missing the party." Trevon, another friend and colleague from work, seized the phone from Toby, joining the conversation.

"Yeah, man, hurry up! You're missing all the fun."

Carlos, yearning to escape the traffic snarl, responded to Trevon, "Yeah, I know. I'll be with you guys in a couple of minutes." Determination fueled his words as he aimed to break free from the gridlock and join the celebration awaiting him.

As the call abruptly ended, Carlos, still ensnared in traffic, sighed and delved into his pocket, retrieving his mobile phone. The screen illuminated his face, revealing an email from a client. Intrigued, he tapped on it, hoping to find the awaited documents he had asked for.

Lost in the document's details, a sharp horn behind him jolted Carlos back to reality. The traffic was easing, and he hastily stashed his phone on the passenger seat, skillfully navigating through the diminishing congestion.

Upon reaching the nightclub, Carlos emerged from his car, entering a world of pulsating energy. The thumping music, the lively crowd, the aroma of alcohol, and the kaleidoscope of flashing lights engulfed him. Retrieving his phone, Carlos swiftly texted his colleagues about his arrival and received directions to their seating area.

Navigating the vibrant chaos, Carlos found his friends. Toby greeted him with a beaming smile, acknowledging his pivotal role in their recent legal victory. Proudly, Toby raised a glass in a toast.

"Here's to Carlos Wilson, the man of the hour, whose resilience led us to victory. The firm is fortunate to have you," Toby declared, toasting Carlos's dedication to justice. With raised glasses, the group celebrated Carlos, their shared success, and the relentless pursuit of justice that bound them together in their tight knit community.

Carlos seamlessly joined his friends and colleagues, engaging in friendly banter, a common occurrence when they gathered. Amidst their laughter and jests, a lady strolled past their group, catching Carlos's eye and prompting a bit of commotion among his friends. Observing Carlos's gaze as she heads to the bar area, Trevon playfully continued with the bantering.

"Yeah, that's true, he might indeed be gay," Trevon teased, tilting his head to have a direct view of Carlos. "Come to think of it, I've never seen you with a girl. Are you scared of girls? Awwn awwn Darling, they're not dogs, woof woof, they don't bite."

Carlos, attempting to deflect the banter, replied, "Shhhh! I bet she can hear us. Why are you guys doing all this? You know I've got the swag and I've got the game. I've just been busy with life, that's all."

Determined to test Carlos's skills, Toby continued with the teasing, feigning a sniff. "Hmmmm, what's that smell?" With a sudden scream, Toby added, "Yooooooo!!!! I smell fear. Bro just pooped his pants. Look at him shaking. Should I call mommy and tell her Carlos pooped his pants because he was too scared to talk to a girl?" Laughter echoed, and Carlos, playing along, responded, "What? No, you know what, just to prove you guys wrong, I'll go and talk to her. Are you satisfied?"

Eager to witness Carlos in action, Toby quickly replied, "You better, mate. How else would we know you're not gay?" Despite his nervousness, Carlos summoned the courage, stood up, and approached the lone girl seated at the bar area, determined to show his friends he had the game.

Upon reaching the bar, unsure of the right approach, Carlos signaled the bartender with a wave. This unfamiliar territory brought back memories of his college days, the last time he had a fling with a lady.

"Hey man, a lemonade for me and the pretty lady beside me," Carlos requested, directing his words toward the bartender in a bid to initiate conversation with the intriguing woman at the bar.

The pretty lady Carlos was referring to glanced at him for a few seconds before returning her attention to the phone she held, fully immersed in whatever occupied her screen.

During those fleeting seconds, Carlos had a chance to absorb the true view of her face. Stunned into silence by her otherworldly beauty, he briefly considered abandoning the mission. However, a glance back at his friends reminded him that if he retreated without securing her name or contact details, he would be subjected to their relentless teasing for the rest of his life.

In a determined move to introduce himself, Carlos shifted his stool closer to hers, extending his hand for a greeting, "Hi, I'm Carlos. What's your name?"

The unknown lady glanced at his outstretched hands and then back to her phone, ignoring him entirely. Sensing his unwelcome presence, Carlos quickly withdrew his hands.

"Is that how it is? Alright, nice meeting you though. Have a nice day," Carlos said, taking a sip from his ordered lemonade.

The lady glanced at him once more before sighing, "What do you want?"

Carlos maintained a hopeful smile, anticipating that his continued efforts might break through, even though he had mentally resigned to the impending banter from his friends. He persisted, "A name would be nice for a starter, but I can see you're not in the mood to chat right now. I respect that, so I won't take too much of your time. Your eyes, they're pretty. Are they natural?"

The lady remained silent, ignoring Carlos's attempts to engage in conversation. She sought solace in her alone time, hoping to reflect on her day before Carlos interrupted her thoughts.

After a few minutes of awkward silence, she spoke up, revealing her perception of the situation, "I know you're only here because your friends teased you to come over, the same friend who compared me to a dog. Is there any detail I am leaving out? I know people like you, you like to prey on young, weak, hopeless girls. Sorry to disappoint you; I'm neither weak nor hopeless. I'd advise you to get the hell away from me, you pervert."

Concerned, the bartender, who had been a bystander, intervened with a stern expression, "Ma'am, is this man bothering you?"

Feeling the escalating tension, Carlos swiftly backed off, reaching for his wallet to settle the bill for his drink. Without hesitation, he prepared to rejoin his friends, only to be met with unexpected laughter from the lady.