2: Someone Like Me

It was boredom that made me leave the comfort of my room in a short dress and leather jacket with sneakers and come all the way to Block 24 where the party was happening. 

I made it my sole mission to avoid Bilen and anything that resembled Orion tonight. I came to this party to while away time and try to meet new people. I needed someone who was a child of woe like me to keep me company but truth be told, I don't care about anyone's feelings because it was irrelevant.

The party was crowded already and people were wasted. I pushed through the sweaty bodies in annoyance and pushed my way above the spiral stairs, trying to find something sadistic to keep me going for the night. 

Nothing seemed interesting and it all came pouring down on me like poisonous vines that sucked the strength out of whatever it got entwined with. I inhaled and exhaled at once since nothing seemed to amuse me in this party. I don't even get the fuss about it and according to the grapevine, this was tagged as the loudest, craziest party in the block, but it was too shallow and trashy.

"Sorry," I threw an apology the moment I opened a bathroom door and found a blonde guy sitting on the counter doing coke.

"Hey, hey," the boy called out as I was about to shut the door and walk away. He flashed what looked like a smile, but I could tell that he was off his face beat up by the drug. "You can come join me if you want an escape from the party."

Accepting his invitation with disgust, I stepped into the bathroom that was blinding with its white tiles and clean environment. I went over to the bathtub that was as dry as the back of a coconut and sat in it.

There was a deafening silence between us and no one said or heard anything except the noise from the loud music playing downstairs.

"You are Zamani, right?" Blondie questioned, taking a sniff of his substance, his gaze fixed on me.

I nodded, bringing out a lighter from my leather jacket. I didn't mind if he was going to watch me burn myself. I might do the same to him if he would allow me or I might just use force. "How do you know me?"

Blondie shrugged, as he jumped down from the counter. "I take art class with you. I'm Monty."

I chuckled. "I don't need to introduce myself. You already know me." I sparked the lighter when I felt the conversation was over and placed it on my inner thigh. I let out a gasp as the fire touched my skin and ignored Blondie's presence in the bathroom.

"You are a masochist?" Monty's voice snapped me out from the zone I had entered. My creature growled in annoyance as I met Monty's amused stare. "You are not doing it quite right if you truly want to reach your max."

"What do you mean?" I was getting offended by what he was insinuating.

Monty came closer to me and perched on the edge of the bathtub. He collected the lighter from me and sparked it as the flame rose. He placed his palm above the fire and allowed it burn for a minute. He shook his head and I took it as a sign that it had no effect on him. 

Monty grinned sardonically. "Pain is like sex. You keep going at it until you reach your climax. During sex, you accept every feeling at every thrust and it is just like pain too, you embrace the hurt." He dug his pocket and brought out a pocket knife. My heart skipped a beat, as a feeling cascaded through me. I might have found my soulmate. "Allow me."

My eyes grew wide when he moved closer to me and his hands moved over to my thighs that I was burning before. I kept my eyes on him and watched in silence as he sliced my thigh a little. I let out a wince, trying to disregard the blood that flowed.

"Take," Monty lit the lighter and handed it to me. "Try it again."

I placed the fire on the open wound on my thigh and immediately, my head was up above the clouds. This was a new feeling and it made my heart jump in euphoria. A smile made its way to my face and I let out a gasp, staring at Monty.

I was tempted to kiss him while hurting myself, but I don't do things like that and since he knew me and what I liked, there was a strong urge to just end him here once and for all.

A loud scream found its way up here and the music stopped at once. I was painfully dragged out my trance the fourth time today and it pained me to the core.

"What's happening?" I heard a chatter outside the door.

"Looks like someone fell."

"Oh my God. Who could that be?"

"I'm so scared right now."

I looked at Monty in oblivion as he helped me up, and wiped the blood that was starting to drip from beneath my thighs. Looked like he tore me up pretty bad. I walked out of the bathroom and the moment I got downstairs, everywhere was completely chaotic and in disarray and people were just colliding with one another.

"Someone fell from the balcony."

"I think he's dead. There's blood everywhere."

"They've called the cops already and an ambulance is on its way."

The voices around me were too much and I just wanted to see for myself, the pool of blood and maybe, swim in it for I took delight in other people's anguish.

As soon as I got to where people were gathered and fought my way inside, for the first time in my life my heart completely shattered and a loud, piercing scream escaped my lungs when I saw who was lying dead on the floor.