It Was The Roar Of The Crowd That Gave Me Heartache To Sing

"So, what'd we miss?" Sam asked as she stopped next to me. I stopped poking my bottom lip and turned to look at her. I opened my mouth to answer, only to have a certain someone interrupt me.

"We don't know," Mikey said with a shrug.

"Quit stealing my lines!" I yelled.

"I'm sorry, sugar-dumpling. How about I make it up to you?"

"How?"

"I'll buy you a drink from that fine establishment all our friends are disappearing into." A hand was planted firmly in my back, and I didn't get a chance to see the sign hanging above the doorway before I was pushed inside.

Everything inside the...fine establishment was dark, with only subtle lighting here and there. I still couldn't see good enough to know where we were, but knowing the people I hang around...we could be anywhere. Suddenly, the lights blared out of every corner in the room and the sweetest melody filled the air.

Dirty, rotten, filthy, stinkin...

She's my cherry pie
Cool drink of water such a sweet surprise
Tastes so good makes a grown man cry
Sweet Cherry Pie

"We must be at a strip club," Zacky mumbled.

"Strip club? You pushed me into a strip club?!" I yelled at Mikey. His hands were thrown up in the air, but he was smiling like a little kid at Christmas. Like a little kid at Christmas who just got a chemistry set and already knows what he's blowing up first.

"Why are we in a strip club?!" Aiden yelled. I think she's somewhere in front of me, but it's kinda hard to tell. Bodies are packed everywhere, but our huge group is steadily working its way towards the front. Wait...the front...that's where...

"No! You can't make me go! I don't wanna see the ta-ta's!" I yelled and tried to turn around. Mikey had a deathgrip on one of my arms, and Ray came out of nowhere to grab my other flailing limb.

"I don't think we can fight them this time," Aiden said from my left. Ah, so she wasn't ahead. She was just higher up than me. Jimmy had one of her arms, and Robert was kind of hugging her other one while dragging her along.

"Trust me, you want to see this," Max said as he wheeled by. Tori's eyes were wide as she walked along behind him, and she shrugged when we looked at her. Before long we were at the back of the room, right in front of a large stage.

"Oh, this can't be good," Aiden mumbled. I looked over to ask her what she knew that I didn't, but then I saw where she was looking.

"This is either going to be really good, or really bad," Juliet said. There hanging from the ceiling on a nicely done banner were the words, Amateur Night.

"Oh, no," I groaned. Amateur Night, at a strip club, and all of us. Yeah, tonight could only go one of two ways: really good or really bad.

"Has anyone seen Frankie?" I turned my head to the side and saw Gerard standing next to Mikey, who had a blank look on his face.

"I can't find Bert either," Quinn said.

"We lost Craig about an hour ago. He said he was going to warm up, but we don't play until tomorrow," Max said.

"Brian!! Oh, Brian!! Hey, have any of you seen Brian?" Johnny asked.

Four guys are missing, and we're in a strip club. Four insane guys are missing, and we're in a strip club on amateur night. Oh...My...Christ...

(A/N: If you want to, here's something to listen to while you read: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UDAaevTq51I)

Let me talk to ya, let me talk to ya...
...let it rain...
Let me talk to ya...

"Oh, no," I groaned for the second time that night.

"Oh, yes! Jared and the guys are gonna love this," Paty said as she pulled her phone out. The lights were going crazy now, and they were all centered on the stage. Four shapes had their backs facing us, and I knew that things were about to...get low.

She had them apple bottom jeans, jeans
Boots with the fur, with the fur
She had the whole club lookin at her
She hit the flo, she hit the flo
Next thing you know
Shawty got low low low low, low low low low

Two of the shapes turned around, and my eyes nearly fell out. I think I bruised my jaw when it hit the floor. Frankie and Bert both had on skin tight pants (how did they squeeze into them?) and unbuttoned shirts. They also had on boots, with fur going around the top. And who knew that Bert could twist his body like that? Or that Frankie could get that low?

Them baggy sweatpants
And the Reeboks with the straps, with the straps
She turned around and gave that big booty a smack, ayy!
She hit the flo, she hit the flo
Next thing you know
Shawty got low low low low, low low low low

This time it was Brian and Craig who turned around, and I know Reina had to be happy knowing that she was the only one allowed to touch what Brian was showing off. They were both wearing extremely baggy sweatpants that hung from their hips and wifebeaters, and they're Reeboks had the straps. You could feel the sexual tension in the air as the two of them gave their big booties a smack, and we all sang the next part of the song.

The song continued on, and the guys did a few things that would make even the professional strippers blush. Their shirts drifted out above the crowd, and I could hear a group of women squealing beside the stage as they snatched Frankie's shirt. Paty was still beside me with her phone out, and I knew Jared and the guys were going to spend months laughing at this. I wonder if we can put these pictures on Christmas Cards? Now that's something to send to Granny...

She had them apple bottom jeans, jeans
Boots with the fur, with the fur
She had the whole club lookin at her
She hit the flo, she hit the flo
Next thing you know
Shawty got low low low low, low low low low

The shirts were already gone, and the view was absolutely amazing. The rest of the crowd obviously agreed. As the chorus started again, the guys started kicking their shoes off. One of the fur-lined boots even flew by my head, but I was too short to reach out and grab it.

Them baggy sweatpants
And the Reeboks with the straps, with the straps
She turned around and gave that big booty a smack, ayy!
She hit the flo, she hit the flo
Next thing you know
Shawty got low low low low, low low low low

"They actually did it!" Audrey screamed from the front. I didn't realize what she was talking about until I realized the guy's had their hands fisted on top of their pants. They each gave one hard pull, and then pieces of sweatpants and jeans went flying. The crowd went wild, and this time a piece of jeans landed on top of my head. I ripped the piece of fabric off, and then I stopped breathing altogether.

I've never given much thought to animals, but I've always considered them mostly to be cute and cuddly. But this...wow. Under Bert's jeans was an elephant trunk, and Frankie had been hiding a snake. Brian had been smuggling a lion under his sweatpants, complete with a mane. As for Craig, who knew he was part walrus?

"This is the best show ever!" Anna yelled. I wouldn't swear to it, but I'm pretty sure I saw Craig wink down at her.

The song continued as the guys showed off their...pets, and then the rain started. Dollar bills were being thrown everywhere, and Brian moved so Reina could stuff a few bills into the lion's mane. I think they were getting paid more as strippers than as rockstars. The chorus came around again, and we all waited for the big finale.

She had them apple bottom jeans, jeans
Boots with the fur, with the fur
She had the whole club lookin at her
She hit the flo, she hit the flo
Next thing you know
Shawty got low low low low, low low low low

All of the guys froze in nearly impossible positions, with their heads thrown back. Water sprayed down from the ceiling, and the screams in the room were so loud that I think a few windows broke.

Them baggy sweatpants
And the Reeboks with the straps, with the straps
She turned around and gave that big booty a smack, ayy!
She hit the flo, she hit the flo
Next thing you know
Shawty got low low low low, low low low low

The song ended, unfortunately, and the guys jumped off the stage. Well, Brian kind of tackled Reina, and the rest of the guys were tackled by the rest of the crowd. I looked down at the piece of jeans in my hands and shrugged. Frankie would have to torture me to get it back.

"Tell me you got all of that," Juliet said. I turned beside me to see Paty smiling.

"Oh, definitely," she replied.

"Now let's party!" Frankie and Bert screamed together. Party? Well, one night couldn't hurt, right?

.....................................

Mystery POV

The party was still in full-swing at midnight, and it didn't look like it would be stopping any time soon. Brian had put on a pair of pants because Reina was likely to kill the next person to touch Brian (who knew so many skanks hung out at strip clubs?), but the other three strippers were still running around nearly naked. Everyone else was dancing and having a good time; forgetting all about the problems that the next day would hold. They were living for the night. Except for one.

A small figure slipped out of the club and walked down a few blocks. She slipped into a dark coffee shop and ducked into one of corner booths. When a man approached her table a few minutes later, she barely looked at him. Her dark hair was held tightly behind her, and she couldn't even remember what drink she had ordered.

"Why?" Her word was whispered, but her companion flinched as if she had screamed at him. He sat down across from her with his own drink and sighed.

"It's complicated."

"Simplify it for me." He looked up and seemed surprised at the fire in her blue eyes. Yeah, she was pissed. And he knew she had every right to be. He reached across the table and held onto her hand, even when she tried to pull away.

"Do you trust me?" She had trusted him, once. Then he had gone and done this, something she never thought he'd do.

"I don't know anymore," she whispered. His eyes showed all the hurt she was inflicting on him, but she knew it couldn't be helped.

"Please, trust me," he said as he gave her hand a small squeeze.

"Goodbye," she said as he slowly stood up.

"Just remember that things aren't always as they seem. And keep your eyes open at the next show," he said as he walked away. She stood up and started after him, but she stopped as soon as the night's air hit her. He wouldn't tell her anything else; just like she wouldn't tell him anything. She would take his second piece of advice though, and maybe one day she'd accept the first one.