"This is a bad idea and you know it" I said to my best friends Chloe and Lydia.
How I allowed them to convince me that this was a good idea is beyond me."For the nth time you got to live a little" Chloe whispered.
"Yeah right, we'll probably get skinned, not if, but when we get caught," I reply in an equally low tone.
"People escape all the time Dee, no one's ever gotten caught, this route is the shit" That was Lydia.
"Yeah, there's a first time for everything," I whispered back rolling my eyes.Chloe and Lydia are my best friends, we've been through hell and back together which mainly consists of studying for difficult exams and breaking curfews. But what we were about to do right now was legit crazy.
Probably sounds like we're breaking out of prison or something, I know.
This is crazy, I'm crazy for agreeing to this plan which is only going to get me in hot soup.We tiptoed quietly for the next few minutes. As crazy as it sounds Lydia thought it'd be a great idea to go partying a day before our final exams, I didn't really want to go I just didn't want to stay back alone in our dorm room alone. Damn, who am I kidding?? I guess I love the thrill of danger of being caught.
Then I could see the school's high brick walls. A few more steps and we were standing in front of Steele doors instead of the usual Titanium doors the academy had.
Chloe turned on the flashlight she brought from our dorm room grabbed the door handle and eased the door open. I half expected someone to appear from somewhere and yell 'busted' or something of that nature but nothing. The door was open and we could leave. Chloe stepped out first, then me, and lastly Lydia."I told you we aren't going to get caught," Chloe said shutting the door as we begin to walk down the highway where we'll get a taxi.
As we wait for a taxi a black Jeep pulls over. It looked new and shiny. Whoever had this car was pretty loaded. A few seconds later the tainted window of the driver sit lowers. The driver was a young man, I couldn't see him clearly because it was dark already, maybe early twenties sticking his head out the window."Well, hello there beautiful, you girls going somewhere?" He asked in what I assumed to be a flirting voice.
"As a matter of fact, we are" Chloe answered Crossing her long-toned legs that were currently in a mid-thigh red dress and black high stilettos.
"Aren't you too beautiful to be waiting, I can give you and your gorgeous friends a nice ride to where ever you want"
"Oh my God, that'd be great," she said flipping her blond hair.
What?! I almost screamed. I so did not agree to this. Getting in a stranger's car? That can go wrong in so many ways."What the fuck is she doing?" I asked Lydia with a straight face.
"Getting us a ride, that way we can save the taxi bill."
Is she high? The guy said something along the lines of 'hop in' while opening the door to his back sit. Chloe gets in first then Lydia gets in too."They are only giving us a ride to the club."
Yeah, that or sell us to slavers, I didn't say that out loud, didn't wanna give them ideas. Guess I didn't have much of a choice, I got in too, and slam the door."Who's your friend?" Lydia asks the guy in the driver's sit.
That's when I notice there are two guys in the car."Names Jackson" the one in the passenger sit said.
Lydia leans forward and places her hand in his flashing him a generous amount of her chest. The car begins to move.A conversation strikes up between Chloe and the driver, I later learn his name is Ryder. Lydia and Jackson seem to be having a great time getting to know each other but I mainly sit quietly thinking of how many ways this could go wrong.
We could probably end up dead in a ditch somewhere, violated, drugged, I mean these people could be rapists for all I know.The ride went in for about forty-five minutes, how do I know? Okay, I might have been counting every passing second.
Guess the party was somewhere fancy because it looked like we were in the uptown part of New York I could see lots of tall buildings and lights."How much longer is this going to take?" I ask in a low voice nudging Lydia with my elbow.
"We're already there," she whispered back her voice full of excitement.
Thank the Lord. Opening the door, I came out first so Lydia could come out next but when she didn't, I looked back in the car and saw both her and Chloe typing on cell phones. Guess they decided to give them their numbers too because I know for a fact that they didn't have phones, and the academy did not allow the use of cell phones in school.But seriously, didn't they know anything about stranger danger?
I'm the only sane one around here.
They came out a moment later."Thanks for the ride honey" that was Chloe.
"Anytime" he replied, then drove off. we turned and began to walk across what looked like a parking lot I could see a lot of cars."You know you could have been nicer to them, right?" Lydia asked.
"I didn't say anything."
"That's the point" she shot back.
"What was I supposed to say the both of you had it under control."
"You could have introduced yours-
"Girls! "Chloe cut in.
We were standing in front of the bouncer. Well, that was embarrassing. "Hello, can I see some IDs?" He asked. That was forward. We didn't bring any IDs not even fake ones. or at least I didn't, in my defense, I didn't know we were going to a club. So, we've come all this way for nothing. Why do I suddenly feel like crying?"Nice to see you too Freddy" Chloe replied. She knows him.
"Chloe? "He said but this time in a surprised voice.
"How do you not recognize me?"
She does know him. Leave it to Chloe to surprise me."It's been long, two years now?" He asked.
They hugged."I think they used to date," Lydia said beside me.
"Hm" was my only reply.
"These are my friends, Lydia and Dee," she said introducing us.
"Hello," we both say shaking his hand.
"Some kids from our school are having a party here, it's supposed to be a private room or something, we were hoping you'd let us in," Chloe said.
"Sure, I think it's the VIP section just keep it low-key, okay?"
"Thanks, Freddy you're the best," she said walking in and we followed.
As soon as we walked in, I was almost knocked on my butt by the loud music, the decor was really nice somewhat between Gothic and erotic, with red and black leather. Looked like a normal club, not like I know what a normal club looked like."Let's party" Chloe yelled above the music walking towards where I guess is the VIP.
I could feel eyes on me, some people looked at us as we walked most of them were guys with lust-filled gazes. The females looked mad at us, most of them were sending us death glares, what did we do to them?Normally I'd shy away from so many eyes. Hell, the Dee from two years ago would run out of there with a gold medal-worthy speed.
But today, I want to be someone else and have fun like a normal teenage girl... Yeah, I can do that. No one knows me around here.The VIP section looked like the rest of the club. The sitting area was separated from the dance floor.
Then the bar. It was exquisite. There were lots of teenage people around."Let's go over there, I think I see Caleb Lydia said.
Now that I think of it, most of the teenagers looked familiar."Caleb!"
He turned from the group of guys he was with."Lydia? You guys came" he asked
"Wouldn't miss it," Lydia answered.
"Hi, Caleb," I said.
"Dee?" He seemed shocked. His eyes wide.
"Yeah"
"I'm gonna get a drink," Chloe said walking away.
"Me too "Lydia followed.
Traitors!"You look gorgeous Dee". Caleb said when we were alone.
I flushed, heat rising to my face. Good thing it was dark in here."Thanks, you look good too." And he did. In a black button-down shirt that hugged his lean build and dark jeans.
"Let me get you a drink, come," he said holding my hand and making me follow him to the bar.
He pulled out a sit at the bar for me, and as I sat my black tight mid-thigh sleeveless dress rode up."What do you want to drink" his eyes were on my exposed thigh; I felt a bit uncomfortable.
"Hmm just coke" I replied
He leaned close to the bartender a guy in his mid-twenties, a really attractive guy."Am really glad you came" he said sitting on the chair closest to me.
"Me too."
"So, what about college?" He asked. After a few seconds of silence.
Like father will let me. Convincing him to allow me to enroll in the academy took a lot of insisting, begging, and tears from Mama. Almost everyone in the family is home-schooled. And I was too, until two years ago. Not like I was going to tell him that."I'm not sure yet, you?" That seemed to take the spotlight from me because Caleb began to talk about himself. The bartender brought our drinks while Caleb was saying something about studying a business course.
I caught myself staring at his brown eyes more times than I'd like to admit. His curly hair fell over his forehead almost covering his eyes. He is so cute."Hey Dee, I see you're having a great time," someone said directly behind me and I snapped my gaze from Caleb's face. Turning I see Chloe.
She seemed a little buzzed."Come do shots with us" she grabbed my arm and pulled me along.
"I'm not sure I want to drink," I said as she pulled me toward the booth with the rich kids. Don't get me wrong almost everyone in my school is an heir and comes from a wealthy family but these kids take wealth to another level.
"Hey everyone, remember my friend Dee?" Chloe yelled.
Some said 'hi' others ignored me but it's cool."Let's do shots" a girl yelled. Wait that was my friend Lydia. She was sitting on some guy's lap.
"Yeah!!!" The whole table agreed. Chloe already parked her butt on some other guy's lap. "Hey" Someone said and I snapped my head up. A guy I think his name was Michael smiled at me. He always Hung with the rich cool kids."Wanna sit?" He asked pointing at His left thigh.
What? "No," I said in a small voice."I won't touch you if that's what you want," he said smiling.
God, he looked fine. Why can't I be cool like Lydia and think of a flirty comeback? "fine" Yeap that's all I could come up with.A waitress already started handing out shot glasses filled with amber liquid.
F*ck this, I can be cool. I walked close to him turned around and sat on his lap.
He grabbed my hip and brought me closer so my back rested on his surprisingly hard chest."Here Dee" Lydia said passing me two glasses, one for me and one for him. Collecting them, I passed one to him taking a sip from mine. I squeezed my face as the liquid almost made my tongue fall off.
"What in the hell?" I said to nobody in particular.
"Not like that, you have to knock it back at once to feel the effect," a voice said from behind me.
"I'm not sure I want to drink this thing, it sucks." I almost cried.
I think I'm drunk, am not sure, I've never been drunk before, I suddenly understand the word buzzed. I feel confident, like I can have the entire word at my feat. I've done like seven shots of different brands of alcohol, it's probably eight or ten I'm not sure, I stopped counting at three. "Oh my God you are so funny Dee." Chloe said laughing so hard at something I said. "Shall we have another round?" A girl asked Abby, I think. "Damn right, this one's on me, oh wait it's a party everything's free"" I said in a serious voice and the entire table burst out laughing so hard. "I think you've had enough Dee" Michael the Guy who's lap I was sitting on said, his arm holding me down as I attempt to stand up. "You think so?" I asked leaning my back on his chest. "Yeap, I need some air, wanna come with me?" He whispered in my ear. "Hmm" I agreed standing up and straightened my dress. He grabbed my hand and lead me outside. The main club was packed as we walked pass it. Peop
MY head hurts so so bad. I want to die. I'd just finished my math exam. My mouth still feels like I have a cotton but on my tongue."Why again did I agree to go partying a day before finals? "I asked myself as I walk back to my dorm. Lydia and Chloe already finished and submitted early, my guess? To go back to the dorms and sleep. It was my plan as well. And opening the door I guessed right, Lydia was lying halfway on her bed the lower part of her was on the floor. And Chloe?? I can't say, her neck was in a really awkward positi
*** I don't know how to feel as I see the familiar buildings that lead to my home, can't really call it that, I mean a home is somewhere you feel save and happy. Right? I should probably feel thrilled as we got closer. Aren't you supposed to feel boundless joy over going home and seeing members of your family again? Chloe and Lydia always talk about how they missed their family back at the academy.
I heard loud voices outside my room, someone was screaming like a banshee. I really don't want to know who it is. After the delicious lunch with mama, I went back to my room. Throughout lunch mother seemed out of it. Like she was sad about something. I told her stories about the academy and about Lydia and Chloe. When I asked what was making her distracted or sad, she smiled and covered it up. I just have a feeling it'd be something related to father. Was he cheating on her again? Or mistreating her. She wouldn'
Last night as I walked away from the living room, I told myself that I wouldn't cry and that it wasn't true, it couldn't be true. I told myself That I'd be strong. But as soon as I walked into my room and locked my door. The water works started coming. Loud sobs from deep inside me. Because I knew, I just knew that it was true. I was getting married and there's no two ways about it. So, I cried my heart out until my eyes closed and I slept off.
"Good morning, Beatrice" Carlos said and I am reminded of his presence. "Carlos, I didn't see you there" mother replied. "I should get going. You two have a nice day." He said as he stood up and walked out leaving his cup on the table no doubt expecting someone to get rid of it. "You wanted to talk honey?" I snapped my gaze back to mother. "Mmm. Yes" well where do I start. "Well, who is it?" I asked am not even sure I want to know anymore. "Who?" Mother asked feigning ignorance This time I shot her a glare. "I'm going to assume you mean your future husband" she said calmly. I was anything but calm He's not my future husband! I wanted to shout but decided to keep shut. "His name is Dominko Salvatore" mother said dropping the bomb. My heart jumped. I inhale, knowing his name doesn’t make me feel different. This still doesn’t feel real. "Hmm, Salvatore?" I thought out loud. That doesn't make any sense. Last night before I slept off, I tried to remember
"What is this mother?" I asked as soon as I saw her. Immediately I left my room I walked straight to the kitchen where I knew mama would be assisting with dinner.She froze for a moment before she slowly turned to face me. Like she's being preparing for this confrontation. "I'm sorry Lola. But it could not be avoided or prolongedfor much longer" she said slowly. “Its not like its happening next week for God sake” “Actually dear, it is…” she drawled out Swallowing a lump in my throat I pinched the bridge of my nose “Next week? Next week?” I drew in a deep breath needing to yell. “are you people kidding me?” “I’m trying to come to terms with the news I just got, what? Two days ago? And now this? what’s with the rush?” “We cant keep them waiting any longer. You turned eighteen two months ago you know how things are” I burry my face in my palms. I refused to cry, I feel like I’ve being crying nonstop for da
Now grandfather Alonzo and I walked arms and in arms to my bedroom on the second floor."You have grown so well in this two years Delores. Almost good enough to eat" grandfather Alonzo said just as we got to the second floor. Yuck! What do you say to that? "Er mmm thanks?" It came out more like a question. He chuckled, his walking cane making a tap-tap noise as we walked down the empty hallway. “Answer me Dolores, did any of those little boys give you a hard time? Touch you? I would be happy to make them loose it” "Nothing I couldn't handle" Touch me? Weird. Glad we were already at my door. Wouldn't have to answer any questions."You are so special my dear Lola. So very special you have no idea" grandfather Alonzo whispered. "Grandfather Alonzo could you please tell my mother I decided to retire for the evening?" I asked, a sweet smile tugging at my lips. "Of course my dear" he said