Dining and Drama

The clinking of plates and the scent of freshly cooked food filled the air as Tracy and Janet sat at the dinner table. Janet was in her usual spot, casually picking at her food while wearing a smug smile that Tracy could only describe as infuriating. Tracy, on the other hand, was a bundle of nerves. Every time her mind wandered back to that man from the club, a shiver ran down her spine.

"Girl, I haven't even started yet!" Janet smirked, her fork poised in the air as if preparing for a dramatic recount. "So, there I was, shaking it like nobody's business when out of nowhere, this guy like, drop-dead gorgeous comes over and asks me if I've been to this club before."

Tracy wasn't listening, not fully. Her mind was still replaying that bizarre, supernatural encounter. She could feel Janet's voice buzzing in the background, but every detail of her experience kept surfacing, refusing to stay buried. That creepy man had appeared out of nowhere, disappeared, then reappeared in her car. It made no sense.

"Tracy!" Janet suddenly snapped her fingers in front of Tracy's face. "You're spacing out again."

"Huh? Sorry," Tracy muttered, blinking. "I'm just tired."

"Tired? More like haunted by something. I can see it all over your face. Spill!" Janet demanded, leaning forward as if this was the juiciest gossip she could collect.

Tracy hesitated, then bit her lip. "You wouldn't believe me."

"Try me."

Taking a deep breath, Tracy started to explain. "Well, there was this guy at the club too. Really hot. Like, out-of-this-world hot. I was minding my business, and suddenly he was just... there. Then, just as I was getting close to him, he vanished. Poof. Gone."

Janet's eyes widened, intrigued. "Wait, vanished? As in, disappeared?"

"Exactly! And then, just when I thought I was losing it, he showed up in my car like, actually inside my car. I don't even know how. He gave me the creeps, Janet."

Janet burst out laughing, holding her stomach. "What? That sounds like some low-budget horror flick! Did he tell you he was a vampire too?"

Tracy rolled her eyes, annoyed. "You're missing the point. It was freaky. I didn't even know how to react!"

"Wait, wait, wait," Janet said, struggling to suppress her laughter. "So, you met a guy who magically appeared and disappeared, and your first reaction was to freak out? Girl, you need to chill! Maybe he was just some weirdo with a fancy car trick. Or a magician. Ooh, maybe he's a magician trying to hit on you!"

Tracy groaned, shoving her plate away. "I knew you wouldn't take me seriously. This wasn't some cheap illusion. He wasn't normal, Janet. He looked... different. Not like us."

Janet snorted, waving a hand. "Please. You've just got the hots for some creepy guy with a dramatic flair, and now you're projecting it into some paranormal nonsense. Maybe you should've asked him for his number!"

"I'm being serious, Janet! He... he wasn't human, okay?" Tracy's voice dropped to a whisper.

"Not human? What are you talking about? Was he a werewolf or something? Oh, wait let me guess. he was an alien! Did he try to probe you?"

"Ugh, can you just stop it for once?!" Tracy snapped, feeling her cheeks heat up with frustration.

Janet held up her hands in surrender but was still grinning. "Okay, fine. I'll stop. But seriously, Tracy, it's probably nothing. Just some guy messing with you. No need to get all spooked."

Tracy glared at her friend. "Right, because creepy men in your car just magically show up all the time, don't they?"

"You're so dramatic," Janet teased, rolling her eyes. "But you know what? If Mr. Houdini shows up again, just give him my number. I'll deal with him."

Tracy threw a napkin at her, but Janet dodged it effortlessly.

"Anyway, back to my story because it's obviously much more exciting than your paranormal romance gone wrong," Janet continued, deliberately ignoring Tracy's exasperation. "This guy at the club? Total eye candy. He bought me drinks, complimented my dance moves... We were vibing, you know?"

Tracy groaned. "I really don't care, Janet."

"Of course you do. You're just salty because your hottie disappeared. Meanwhile, I had a great time with my guy. We even exchanged numbers. He might text me later tonight."

"Wow. Fascinating. Truly riveting stuff," Tracy deadpanned, twirling her fork in mock enthusiasm.

Janet gave her an exaggerated pout. "You're just mad because I had a better night than you. Admit it."

"You know what? Fine. I admit it," Tracy muttered. "I'm mad because instead of enjoying my night, I was being haunted by a disappearing guy who probably isn't even real."

"Oh, he's real, all right," Janet said with a wicked grin. "Real hot."

Tracy rolled her eyes. "Can we please talk about anything else? Anything."

"Okay, fine," Janet said, still grinning. "How about we plan another night out? Maybe this time you can pick a club where guys don't vanish into thin air."

"Yeah, and maybe you can find a club where you actually meet guys with a brain instead of just abs," Tracy shot back, smirking.

"Touché," Janet said, chuckling. "But you know what? Brains are overrated. Abs are forever."

Tracy couldn't help but laugh, despite the tension still gnawing at the back of her mind. Janet always knew how to lighten the mood, even when things felt heavy. Maybe it was nothing. Maybe that strange man really was just a figment of her imagination or a freak coincidence.

But something inside her told her that wasn't the case.

As they finished their meal, Janet leaned back in her chair, stretching lazily. "So, what's next? You gonna call Ghostbusters to deal with your mystery man?"

Tracy shook her head. "I think I'll just stay home tonight. No more clubs for me."

Janet winked. "You're such a grandma."

"Yeah, well, at least grandmas don't get chased by creepy disappearing dudes," Tracy muttered.

"Touché again," Janet laughed. "But don't worry, Tracy. Whatever's going on, you've got me. I'm your ride-or-die, remember?"

"Yeah, I know," Tracy smiled softly. Despite everything, Janet's annoying but comforting presence was exactly what she needed.

And deep down, she knew the mysterious man wasn't done with her yet.