3

The more I thought about the party during the next day, the more anxious I became about it. I was busy with cleaning and chores for the majority of the day, and it was easy to tell I was distracted.

My mind was on edge about the party. It was a party, for God's sake! My first ever high school party.

I wasn't sure what would happen at the party. I knew there'd be a lot of alcohol there. I'd never drank before. Besides the incident that occurred when I was young, I'd never been drunk in my entire life.

I was only seventeen, and I hadn't done a lot of things that normal teenagers had done. Like go to a party, have their first kiss, have their first crush. I hadn't done any of that.

The things that I had done, no one that was my age had done. Cruel things... things that could send one person spiralling into a pit of darkness.

I shook my head as I walked towards Mia's room. There was an hour until we had to leave and I had no idea what to wear.

What there a theme at this party? Or was it casual? How casual did I have to dress? Jeans? Shorts? A dress?

I knocked on the door and waited patiently for Mia to answer. I heard the music that she had playing stop. The door opened seconds later.

"What's up?" She asked me, looking me up and down. She frowned.

"Why aren't you ready?" She asked me.

I looked at what she was wearing. She had on a tight black mini skirt and a cropped top they should off her flat belly and her chest. She looked great.

"I—I don't know what to wear," I stuttered. Mia nodded at me before she grabbed my arms and pulled me into her room. I raised my eyebrows when she shut the door.

Dear God... was she going to try and help me? I just wanted to ask if there was a theme.

I didn't even want to go to the party. I had no idea if it was safe. I wouldn't even know anyone there. I'd know Mia, and I was sure that I wouldn't end up hanging out with her. She'd probably be grinding on the dance floor with Aaron.

Is that what people do at parties? Grind on dance floors?

Damnit. I really was a loser.

"No offence, Nevaeh, but you really need to upgrade your wardrobe. You could be a really eye catcher if you stopped wearing jeans and oversized hoodies all the time," Mia told me.

I frowned at her and looked down at what I was wearing. Jeans and an oversized hoodie.

I didn't own anything else. I didn't have anything pretty to show off. I didn't have the curves of a supermodel or big boobs to show off. I certainly had almost no shape and I was embarrassed of the marks that I had on my body. They'd been put there when I was younger. They were gross.

"Put these on. Put this jacket over the top. Then wear some black shoes in your cupboard and you'll be fine," Mia told me, tossing me clothes from her open wardrobe. I nodded at her and left her room.

I changed in what she'd given me; a grey skirt and a white tank top which I tucked into my skirt. Over the top, I pulled on the black jacket Mia had tossed at me and then decided on a pair of black sandals.

I stood in front of the mirror in the bathroom that was connected to my bedroom and I found that I didn't look hideous. I definitely didn't look great, but it was a little nicer compared to what I normally wore.

I put on my normal makeup, foundation to cover up majority of the scars on my face and a little mascara to bring the life back into my eyes before slipping in my contacts.

I'd needed glasses since I was young. I hated wearing them. I always put in contacts. The glasses made me anxious that people were making fun of me for wearing them.

By the time I was finished, it was almost time to go. I headed downstairs and into the kitchen. Greta was stirring a pot of soup that she made last minute after remembering that I wasn't going to be home on time to make and have dinner.

She wasn't happy about that.

"If I found out from anyone that you've been drinking alcohol or doing drugs, I will not be easy with a punishment," Greta said without turning around.

"Yes, Greta," I nodded.

She spun around and looked at me. She eyed me up and down before rolling her eyes.

"You look like a prostitute, Nevaeh. You might as well stand on the corner instead of going to that party," she laughed mockingly at me.

I clamped my jaw shut and avoided her eyes. I had been worrying about the outfit for the past hour, and her comment didn't fix anything. She was a monster.

"You ready to leave?" Mia's voice came next. I turned and watched her walk into the kitchen.

I nodded at her, eager to get out the house and away from Greta and his disapproving looks. I didn't need any more of her nasty comments.

Mia and I left quickly. I got into the car and Mia hands me the keys. I started up the engine and sighed when I realised that I would be all alone at the party.

I hated that I was being forced to go. I hadn't planned on leaving my room at all over the weekend. I was going to sit back and read a book for the two days of freedom that I had.

The car drive was silent until Mia started to tell me the rules of going to a party, which only made my anxiety worse.

"First rule, do not drink anything that anyone tries to give you. You have no idea if someone has put something in your drink. Always get them yourself," Mia told me.

I panicked. People were going to try and drug me? Then what? Hurt me? Rape me?

I tightened my grip on the steering wheel as I tried to take my mind off what could happen to me. But Mia kept going.

"Don't go upstairs unless you absolutely need to. There are always people having sex up there and you probably don't want to see any of that. The bathroom is upstairs and that should be the only reason you go up there," Mia said.

I almost threw up. What? People having sex? In the middle of the hallway? What kind of party was this?

"If some guy is getting on your nerves, just tell him to stop. If he doesn't, find one of the security guards and they'll sort him out," Mia continued.

I raised my eyebrows. What?

"Security guards?" I exclaimed worryingly.

Mia nodded at me, not taking her eyes off her phone. I drew in a shaky breath.

"Aaron's parties always needs them. People tend to go crazy. Jumping the roof and stuff, getting into fights. You know, usual party stuff..." Mia trailed off as she continued to text on her phone.

I almost threw up again. My palms became sweaty and I felt sick to my stomach. My head was a little dizzy as I thought about what I would run into at the party.

Damnit. I never should have agreed to go.

///

The party was in full swing when Mia and I arrived. I'd been inside Aaron's house before when I'd come to pick Mia up from his house on the times she'd stayed there. I knew my way around the bottom floor, but with all the people crowded around the place, it all seemed different.

Surely enough, there were security guards surrounding the place. They were at every door and entrance. They didn't move or talk, but they watched everything.

I made note of where they were positioned in case I got into trouble. I didn't want to have to use the security guards as a last resort, but I thought about everything Mia had said about parties and I got worried again.

My stomach was painfully cramping as the anxiety took over. I followed Mia into the kitchen and watched as she grabbed a bottle of beer for herself, and then one for me.

I would hold it, but I would rather die than drink it. I knew that for sure.

"I'll be around here all night. If you need me, come find me," Mia told me. I nodded at her and then she disappeared in seconds.

I stood in the kitchen around about two minutes before I decided I was going home.

I had no one to talk to and no one to hang out with. The point of going to the party was to have fun. I wasn't going to have fun. That was obvious.

My anxiety was rising high as I put down the beer on the counter and then left the kitchen. I pushed my way through all the people, ignoring the feeling of having so many people touching me at once. I didn't like it.

I found Mia not too long after. She was dancing with some friends. I didn't see Aaron around. I assumed she hadn't seen him yet. They'd more than like be all over each other if they were together.

"I'm going to go home. I'll come back and get you later though if you want," I told her. She smiled and nodded. She didn't question why I was leaving. That irritated me.

Did she not care at all?

"I'll come back and get the keys in a second. I have to use the bathroom," I told her. Mia nodded at me again as I turned and headed towards the staircase.

Along some of the walls were in fact people making out. They were all over each other. It was disgusting at how they couldn't just find a room to do that in privately.

I found the bathroom and knocked before I opened it. I didn't hear anyone inside so I pushed open the door and headed inside.

Before I could shut the door, it was pushed open. I stepped back in surprise to avoid being hit by the door.

The familiar face grinned at me and I was quick to remember who the guy was. It was the man that was perving on me whilst I was sitting in the bench the night before. The one Stanley had threatened.

What the hell was he doing at a high school party?

"Scream, and this will be twice as painful as it's already going to be," the man said before he shut the door.

I stepped back as the fear quickly took over. What was the man going to do to me? Rape me? Beat me?

Mia didn't say anything about what to do when a guy followed you to the bathroom!

The man came at me fast. He grabbed me by my arms, gripping hard. I winced as his hard grip was definitely going to bruise.

He slammed me against the wall hard and I winced as my head knocked against the wall. I squirmed, trying to get away from him as he pinned me hard against the wall.

I felt the tears running down my face as I watched him fumble around in his pocket. I didn't understand how he was so strong, because I was trying my hardest and I couldn't free myself.

It was like I was paralysed. I couldn't speak and I could barely move. My arms were at my side, held down tightly. The man was pressed up against me as he tried to retrieve something from his pocket.

I sobbed as I looked around for a way away from the man. There was nothing, and even if I could tell, the music was too loud. No one would hear me.

I spotted the empty beer bottle on the sink and figured it was my only option. I lurched my body towards it, grasping it barely with one hand before I swung hard at the man's head.

I heard the sound of the glass smashing on his head and his loud yell and kind of curses. But I didn't look at the damage I'd caused. I ran.

I bolted down the stairs as fast as I could. I didn't care anymore. I had to get the hell out the house as fast as I could. I could call a taxi or something once I was far away from the house.

I looked back at the staircase as I ran through the crowds of people. I didn't see the man and I was more than relieved. If he were chasing me, I'd be even more terrified than I already was.

I smacked hard into someone and almost fell. But not before a hand grabbed my arm and kept me upright and standing on my feet. I stumbled backwards a little as I tried to catch my breath.

"I'm s—sorry," I stuttered as I looked up at who I just ran into.

My breathing hitched when I realised who it was.

One of the bad boys from school.