Chapter 38 Chapter 39 Sapphire. Just as we rounded the comer, Millicent bumped into us. Hern nasty glare didn't bother me one bit because I was feeling pretty good about myself. She looked at me then at Aragon before scoffing, "Well, don't you look nice! Where are you going?" pany!" Leah aid. Millicent rolled her eyes, "Mind if Lung along! It's been a while since I partied," Leah started to shake her head but Aragon interrupted, "Of course, 1 think 1 need a night out ton," His words deepened the sadness inside me but outside, I kept my smile intact. I could feel him looking at me but I just focused on Leah She mei my gaze and gave me a subilc nod. "That's even beter, everyone gets to have fun tonight" Marcelled us to the car while Aragon and Millicent went in the same direction. I made myself comfortable in the backen before we drove off. When we got to the club, it was packed. I could feel the bass vibrating through my chest as Leah grabbed my arm and dragged me toward the entrance. The line was so long I thought we'd never make it is, but she was nothing if not persistent. She flashed a grin at the bouncer, dropped a few names, and before I knew it, we were slipping inside, bypassing everyone else. (I couldn't help but smile. The thrill of doing something slightly wrong hand a way of creeping up my spine, electrifying me. Leah laughed, pulling me "closer as we made our way through the crowd "Come out" she yelled over the music. "We need drinks." We reached the bar, and she immediately leaned over the counter, waving at the bartender. I watched her feeling the infectious excitement off her. The air was thick with beat and energy, a pulsating rhythm that made my heart race faster. She turned to me, her eyes gleaming with mischief "So," she asked, leaning close so could hear her over the music, "how do you feel about Argon bringing Millicent tonight!" railiate I shrugged, though the question struck a nerve, "li bothers me a linde." Ladmitted, trying to keep my voice steady "But that's a normal reaction. Her unile widened as if she'd just won a bet. "Good," she said. "That's the spirit. We're here to have fun, remember?" The bartender slid two shots across the bar, and she caught them effortlessly. "To not lasting anyone ruin our night, the declared, raising her glass. "Tu that," Lechoed lifting mine. We climbed the glasses together and toned the shots back. The alcohol burned, but it was a good burn-one that felt like it was chasing away all the tension then had been coiling inside me. She grabbed my hand agam and tugged me toward the disce floor. I could feel the beat of the music thumping through my veins, vibrating through my bones. She tumed to face me, pulling me close, and then, with a wicked grin, the spun around and brought me to her front. I laughed si she pressed against me, urging me to grid with her to the rhythm. The song flowed through my veins, a hypnotic melody that made it impossible to think about anything else. I closed my eyes, letting the music take over. The tension in my shoulden mehed away, replaced by a sense of freedom I hadn't felt in ages. For a few minutes, I forgot all absoul Aragon, Millernt, and whatever drama waited outside those club walis 1 felt Leah's hand slip up to my shoulder, her laughter ringing in my car. "See!" she shouted. Told you we'd love a good time." I grinned back, the thrill of the night settling to my skin. "Yeah," agreed, losing myself in the brat. "you were right." After a while. I got tired of dancing. The heat of the crowd, the constant thumping of the bass, and Leah's boundless energy were starting to wear me down. "I'm going back to the bar for more drinks!" I shouted in Leah's ear, hoping she'd bear me over the pounding music." She gave me a thumbs up and a wink. "Get me something strong?" she called bark, already turning to join another group of dancers. I smiled and nodded, but the smile faded as I made my way back to the bar. I didn't want to admit it but seeing Aragon and Millicent dancing libe that like they were the only two people in the room, wrapped up in their own little world, sent a sour not through my stomach. They looked so... in love. Maybe they were. Who knows! If Millicent was actually as shitty as I thought, then Aragon must be just as ability for falling for her 1 tried to shake off the thought, but it clung to me, nagring at my mind. I reached the bar, and the bartender gave me a quick look, one eyebrow raised. He seemed to know, Without asking, he slid a drink toward me. I grabbed it and gulped it down in one go, feeling the burn spread through my chest, and handed the glass back to him. "Another," I demanded. He nodded fling the glass again and sliding it across to me. I took it and turned back to the dance floor, searching for Lenh. She had disappeared into the sea of moving bodies. I could hear her laugh echoing somewhere, but I couldn't see her. Oh well I was here to have fun, wasn't I? I moved back onto the dance floor, letting the music guide me again. I found myself next to a random stranger, a tall guy with a bright smile. He wasted no time closing the distance between us, his handh finding my waist. Normally, I'd push away, laugh it off, make a joke. But tonight, my reaction were slower. My movements were lethargic, like I was underwater. year He leaned in closer, his grip tightening, pulling me into his rhythm. "You alright?" he asked against my ear. I nodded, though I wasn't sure if I was. "Yeah, juși- enjoying the night," 152 D Chapter 20 His hands started roaming lower, his touch becoming more possessive, but I felt rangely detached, like I was watching it all from distance My limbs felt heavy, my mind hazy. The drink was stronger than I thought, or maylie it was my mood weighing me down. I could feel the stranger'ı bondsacaring to stray, his couch becoming a little too much. I knew I should pull away, beat my body wasn't responding quickly enough I laughed, though it sounded hollow even in my cars. "Maybe not that much fun." I muttered to myself trying to shake off the fog clouding my brain 1 tried to tell him to get his hands off me but my voice came out divined, "Schwap it." He smirked and continued touching me. My body felt like it was being torched in a fiery pit. I fch my eyes roll to the back of my head and the world Jilted. The guy caught me in his arms and the last thing I saw was his smug face. I felt him carry me somewhere mumbling to himself about having a delicious treat like me. Hands to my dress, trying to mise it up. The cool breeze caressed my thighs and gaped. "Shhh, keep quiet and I won't hurt you" I opened my mouth to scream but all that came out was a bunch of grebled nonsense, I was toast. I felt tears leak from the corners of my eyes as I lay there, my mind spiraling into a dark place I thought I'd left behind long ago. My body had gone numb, every nerve dulled by the cold realization that I couldn't stop this, I kept whispering to myself, over and over, that this was no different from when my father would lose his temper, his anger erupting out of nowhere, his punishment swift and cruel. Just get through it just survive. Lsqueezed my eyes shm, trying to detach from my body, to imagine myself anywhere but here. The tears streamed down, hot against my skin. One minute, he was on top of me, his weight pressing me down, his breath hot and heavy against my face, and the next mimite, I heard a loud crash. He was thrown off me, hurled across the room like a mag doll. I blinked through the bar of my tears, struzzling to make sense of what was happening I heard him yell, a guttural sound of pain, and then another voice, shrill and full of fury, screamed out. "Get away from her!" Hands reached for me, and I flinched, curling into myself, bracing for another blow. But the hands were gentle. Familiar, Leah. I felt her arms wrap around me, pulling me into a tight embrace. Her voice was a soft coo in my ear, a steady hum against the chaos. "It's okay, it's okay- you're safe now, you're safe." 1 buried my face into her shoulder, my breath coming in ragged sobs. "Leah," I whispered, choked with fear and relief. "I thought I thought..." "Tis bere," she murmured, stroking my hair, her touch light and soothing "There. I'm so sorry. I'm so, so sorry I wasn't here sooner." I could feel her tears, warm against my chock as they mingled with mine. "I should've been here. I should've protected you." Her words broke something loose inside of me. and I chang to her, my fingers digging into her shirt like she was the only thing keeping me tethered to this world. "I didn't know what to do," I cried, "I just couldn't She shushed me gently, rocking us back and forth like she used to do when we were kids and I'd had a bad dream. "It's not your fault," she whispered fiercely. "None of this is yolar fault. I'm here now, I won't let anything happen to you. I promise." I nodded araimt her shoulder, still trembling, my tears falling faster now. I believed her because I needed to Because the thought of being alone again, of faring this without her, was too much to bear. I felt her as aghten" round me. felt the steady beat of her heart against my car, and for the first time in what felt like forever, let myself believe I was truly safe. That's when the pain came,