Not really in the mood for "secret ingredients" tonight.

You decide to play it safe and finish your drink before taking to the dance floor. It also gives you time to observe how to dance so you'll fit in-- the last time you were on a dance floor was senior prom, and you only went out because they were, for whatever reason, playing "Bodies" by Drowning Pool and you just had to headbang in a prom dress (for as brief as the moment lasted) [true story]. You figure you can mimic what you're seeing now fairly easily. It might take a little time to really get into it, but the **** you've nearly drained and energetic music flooding your mind has you just about ready to let loose entirely.

You knock your head back, draining the last drops of your drink. You're ready for this, a statement the music reenforces in your subconscious. All around, glasses both fully and partially emptied rest abandoned on various tables, so you do the same, dropping from the chair to your feet carefully. You feel pretty steady on your feet now, even with the **** spreading through your system. You're not even buzzed yet-- you haven't had that much to drink. It takes more than one glass of anything to knock you out-- except maybe moonshine, but you haven't been particularly interested in testing that one. Now that it's crossed your mind, you make a note to consider trying it sometime.

Shaking yourself, you take a deep breath and walk forward.

As soon as you step onto the dance floor, the music seems to intensify, suddenly seems to be louder than it ever has been. You decide to write it off as a coincidence, stepping a little closer to the nearest group, but keeping roughly a foot's breadth from anyone else. Okay-- you may have gotten the courage to dance, but you're not quite ready to approach anyone yourself. You promise yourself you won't move away if-- and when-- someone else approaches you.

The colored lights dancing about the area flash and move in perfect time with the music, working in tandem to create an atmosphere that coaxes you to relax mentally, little unheard words telling you this is the best spot to be right now. You don't realize that the thought of one (or more) of the nearby men-- or even a couple of the women-- coming up and dancing close to you was something you wanted with increasing desperation is not entirely your own.

That desire is not a direct command-- at this point, the messages telling you what to do are registering less in your mind, those giving suggestions that trigger your own ideas gaining prominence.

You jump only slightly, not ceasing in the motions of your body as you feel a hand contact your hip, running up along your side as another body moves close to yours, joining your dance.