The line to the club was long enough to wrap around the block. Mostly due to UMed students and the neighboring high school students who probably had the same idea of winding down at the club as Eric.
Yuliang doubled checked the secureness of his mask, hyperaware of all the people around him. He had never been comfortable among crowds, to begin with, but the whole media situation added another layer of anxiety to his existing discomfort.
Eric reached down to squeeze Yuliang's cold, clammy hand comfortingly, "Don't worry, Yuliang. I came prepared."
He then pulled out his phone and pulled something up on the screen. Then he led them down to the much shorter VIP line.
"Damn, Eric. A VIP pass to Ambrose? I thought it was practically impossible for commoners to get one," Ahmed whispered as the pass was scanned, and they were ushered in through the dimly lit entrance.
Eric laughed, "It is practically impossible. I was just lucky enough to have a few connections to hook me up with one."
"Damn. Think you hook me up with one too?"
Yuliang ignored the chatter beside him, trying to will down the uncomfortable chill he had felt since they got there. He could feel his eyes itching and his teeth grinding from elongating reflexively. Amber-golden eyes darted back and forth, trying to identify the perceived threat that had his instincts going haywire without being too obvious, but a rough scan of the place gave nothing away.
He didn't like this.
He wanted to leave.
Ignoring his instincts wasn't usually something Yuliang did, and he was more than ready to call it quits and head back right then, but it only took one look at Eric's excited face as he spoke to the other interns to have Yuliang biting back his words.
Well, it wasn't as if he sure about what exactly was setting him off either way and for all Yuliang knew, it might just be the crowd that had him uneasy.
Right?
He inhaled and exhaled deeply through his nose, taking in all the foreign scents surround him. He shifted uncomfortably in his new clothing and stuffed his icy hands into his jacket pockets.
"C'mon Yuliang," Eric said, hooking their arms and dragging him along when he noticed Yuliang straggling behind.
Yuliang reluctantly acquiesced, but he couldn't help feeling like a mouse walking into a cheese trap.