Page 78 of All the Discord

Tim looked my group over, his expression forming into a scowl as he tried to intimidate them. It worked on Toby and Bryan as they rocked back on their feet and looked around nervously. Seth just flashed the man a relaxed smile. I had a feeling he was used to places like this already. Paxon looked the man over with interest, his eyes going back and forth between Tim and me. Justin eyed him warily.

I smacked Tim’s arm. “Don’t scare them away. I want to show them how I like to have fun.”

Tim’s expression softened and he stepped to the side, ignoring the groans from the group of college students at the front of the line.

“Thanks,” I said and guided the boys inside.

Tim was a great guy. When partiers try to harass me, he was always the first one there, taking care of them for me. Our first encounter wasn’t here at the club, but at an event I was performing at. Lindie had been tearing into me because I refused to play a song she wanted, and as one of the volunteer security guards, he saw it happen. Not long afterward, I met him again here at the club while he was manning the door. He let me right inside, introduced me to Jose, whispered something to the older man, who flashed me a smile and hooked me up.

The two of them had been taking care of me since.

The man checking IDs inside the door recognized me and waved us through. Since we weren’t old enough, we didn’t get a stamp that would let us buy alcohol. The club let anyone sixteen and older in. If anyone without a stamp was caught drinking, they were kicked out and barred from coming back. Jose made sure the rules were followed to a T and many parents appreciated him for it. And once midnight came around, anyone under twenty-one was kicked out since it was a school night. It was common to leave the bar at that time with parents waiting in the parking lot.

I tighten my grip on Justin’s arm as we went further in, bodies pressing against me. I reminded myself of all the exits in the building and where all the bouncers were usually located. Justin sensed my unease and pulled me closer to him, wrapping his arm around me as we made our way to the bar.

Jose was working, like most nights, helping to keep up with the demand for drinks. When I flagged him down, his dark brown eyes lit up, and he dropped what he was doing to come over. Thankfully, there was another bartender to take his spot.

“Here to play, right?” He rubbed at his trimmed beard as he looked my companions over thoughtfully.

I nodded.

“I already got you set up.” He turned and talked to another bartender briefly before disappearing into the backroom.

Excitement flooded through me as I faced the guys. “This is where I leave. I suggest you make your way over to the stage. You’ll see me in a few minutes.”

“Where are you going?” Seth asked.

“Surprise,” was all I said as I slipped into the crowd, heading backstage.

Jose smiled as he talked with the emcee. The emcee looked at me and grinned, giving me a flirty wink that I didn’t bother to respond to. Jose smacked the back of the man’s head and said something that had him swallowing, eyes growing big from Jose’s clear warning. I didn’t need to hear what he said to know he had threatened the poor man. That time, I had to hold back a giggle.

Jose headed back to the bar but stopped next to me, resting his hand on my shoulder and giving it a supportive squeeze. “Glad to see you.” With that, he walked away.

Those simple words were enough to make me feel choked up though. There were times where I was here almost every week, and other times when I didn’t come around for a few weeks. Every time that happened, Jose always looked so relieved to see me when I walked through the door. I didn’t know how much he knew about me, and I wasn’t going to ask. He gave me a safe place to have fun, and I gave him more customers. That was what our relationship was like.

Finally, the emcee climbed onto the small stage. Tuesdays were normally when I came since it was the easiest time to get a slot in. During the weekend, they had live bands and were normally booked. Once in a while, I could slip in as a filler if someone canceled, but not often. And Jose still had a business to run, so he couldn’t keep giving slots away to me when others would be more profitable for him.

I pulled my laptop out and made sure it was all set to go before handing it over to the crewmember who hooked it up to the system for me.

“We have a surprise for you, ladies and gents!” the emcee roared into the mic, making sure to have everyone’s attention. “Tonight we have a special guest. She only comes out on a full moon, so to see her tonight is a real treat. She has the fingers and talent to get you going and keep you moving. She has the power to influence your very actions as she weaves her spells. Prepare yourselves and give it up for Miss Cadence Wiles!”

The crowd went wild, even if many of them didn’t really know who I was. I wasn’t naive enough to think the room practically shook because it was me on the stage. They were all having a good time and that bled into their frenzy for more entertainment.

As I stepped onto the stage, there was another wave of cheers once the few people who did recognize me realized it was me. The last two years, I’d gained a name for myself as a DJ. When I first started, my interest was as much of a shock to me as it was currently to the boys who were gaping at me, jaws dropped and all. But then again, maybe it shouldn’t have been much of a shock. I loved all music, and I was a composer. I liked to create and blend music together. I could probably do more than DJ only here, but I didn’t want to. This had always been my time to relax and let loose without Lindie looking over my shoulder.

This place was untouched by her influence.

Now that she was at the hospital, maybe I could come out more often. That little thought only made me smile bigger as I waved to the crowd. I gave them my signature curtsy as a salute to the classical music I normally performed.

I made sure everything was in working order. The crewman was awesome and had everything running smoothly. When I was ready, I straightened, looked out to the crowd, took in a deep breath, and the moment I released it, I pressed the first button, getting the music rolling.

I performed for myself and for the boys, knowing what music they preferred and making sure I included them. Everyone else didn’t matter.

The cheering and jumping picked up, and I tuned them out as I ignored the flashing lights and went into my own little bubble, mixing music, and keeping the crowd up with the perfect blend of fast and slow tunes, tossing in my remixes to throw them off when I could.

The boys eventually got over their shock and started dancing. Seth, Paxon, and Toby quickly found girls to dance with. Bryan and Justin stayed off to the side, dancing, but not really as they watched me. No matter what they all did, I knew I had their attention. That made me feel like I had the world at my fingertips. Such a simple courtesy for me. They were there for me at the charity dinner and now they were there for me as a DJ.

I smiled, feeling my trust and love for them growing. As the music took over my soul, I closed my eyes, letting the rhythm thrum through my body, shaking every cell inside of me.

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