"Any plans for tonight," Alex asked Huff as they broke from muster.
"Don't know," he replied, "I might go to a club."
"I didn't know you were 21," she laughed.
"I'm not 21," he replied.
"Shut up," she said back.
"Okay," he laughed, "I am."
"What club," she asked.
"It's near downtown," he replied.
"Cool," she replied, "I may catch a movie down there."
"Maybe we'll run across each other," he smiled.
"Maybe," she laughed as they split up and went to there respective berths.
Alex dressed particularly well that night. She threw on her good sweater and jeans. And she put on the new pair of skimmer shoes she had purchased at the Navy Exchange a few days earlier. She took the trolley downtown and had dinner and watched a movie. She got a few stares but nothing more. It seemed like no one wanted her. She ended up walking all the way up Fifth Avenue. She started to notice rainbow flags and a few other things that were different. She soon realized she was in Hillcrest. She hadn't been there since her unfortunate encounter with Watson. She felt a bit out of place. She had gotten much more feminine since that encounter and let her hair grow out a bit more. She liked looking more like a girl. She noticed a few guys holding hands and a few girls looking at her, this didn't seem to phase her. She started looking into the clubs and saw the people dancing and having a good time. She wanted to get into one. She passed a club called "Digits" when she heard her name.
"Lundz," a male voice called out.
She looked around and didn't see anyone. She looked towards the clubs and couldn't find the person.
"Lundz," he called out again.
She looked towards the Digits place and noticed Huff on the patio area looking towards her.
"Oh my god," Alex said loudly as she walked up to him.
"How are you," he asked as he leaned over the railing to give her a hug.
"What are you doing here," she asked.
"What does it look like," he laughed.
"I see," she replied as she looked into the club.
"I'll get you in," he said.
"How," she replied.
"I know the bouncer," he smiled.
"Okay," she replied.
She waited on the sidewalk as Huff walked to the bouncer. They exchanged a few words and the bouncer signaled for her to come over. She walked up to him and pulled out her ID. The bouncer barely looked at it and quickly instructed her to turn her right wrist over. She complied and he stamped it.
"I can't believe you made it," he smiled.
"I didn't think I was going to come here," she smiled.
"Either way," he replied.
"Well," she laughed, "what are you doing here?"
Alex looked around and saw nothing but men dancing with each other and no other women. Huff looked a million miles away from the way he looked on the ship. He was dressed extremely well and had a nice shirt on. His jeans were not regulation and he couldn't have been let off the ship like that. The house music gripped her and she looked Huff in the eye.
"Oh my god," she started, " you're a fa....!"
"What were you going to say," he smiled.
"You're a fag," she said sounding bad.
"Duh," he smiled, "still that word really isn't accepted."
"I should've known," she smiled, "my brother's gay well, he's bi, well he likes me, never mind."
"It's all good," he laughed, "want a shot?"
"Yeah," she replied.
He walked off and she stood a few feet away from the bar as he got two shots. She saw a big older guy look towards Huff. He walked up to him and they began to talk. Huff seemed happy and smiled a couple of times. The big guy paid for the drinks and walked the shots over to Alex.
"This is George," Huff said as he handed her the drink.
"I'm Alex," she said to George.
"Hey," George replied, "Nice to meet you."
The three took their shots and put them down on a table near them.
"If you want anything just tell them it's under George at the bar," he said to Huff and Alex.
"Thanks," Alex replied, "is a long island okay?"
