Page 42 of Pretty Little Fears

Aspengrabs my arm and pulls me deeper into the club.

“Let'sget drinks!”Sheshouts, the only way to be heard over the blasting beat of the music.Comingup to the bar,Inibble on my bottom lip asIthink about what to get.I’venever been to a bar or a club.Anyand all drinksI’veconsumed have been in the privacy of someone’s home.

Aspenseems to notice my anxiousness because she leans directly next to my ear, “Geta vodka cranberry.They’rea common drink and they don't taste too bad.”Shesuggests.Shepulls back and gives me a soft smile.

“I'mgetting one too!” she declares and bounces her eyebrows a couple of times.Shewaves her hand, flagging down the bartender.

Thebartender greets us, his blue eyes sparkling as he leans with his elbows on the counter.Insteadof a nametag, his name is embroidered on his polo,Scott.

“WhatcanIget for you two beautiful ladies?”Ican’t help the blush that starts to coat my cheeks.Aspenquickly responds for the both of us. “We’llhave two vodka cranberries, please,” she says with a cheesy grin.

“Asyou wish, ladies.”Heturns and grabs a brand of vodkaI’mnot familiar with and pours it into a shaker, along with the cranberry juice.Iturn toAspen, bumping her with my hip gently andIsmile.

“Thankyou.”Shereturns it with one of her own while giving me a little nod.Thebartender returns and places our drinks on the bar. “Thankyou,Scott,”Aspensays in a flirtatious tone.Wepick up our cups andAspenhands him some cash before turning and heading into the crowd.

Ilet my eyes wander over the sea of dancing bodies as the colorful strobe lights shine down on them.Alook of pure euphoria covers their features.Anurging sensation washes over me, pulling me to join these strangers on the dance floor.

Ichug my drink and grabAspen'shand.Shethrows hers back and sets it down on a table asIpull her out towards the crowd.

Mybody sways to the music and my eyes flutter shut.Thefeeling of the rhythm pumps through my soul asImatch my movements to the beat of the current song,AgainstTheWallby 1111 andBIIANCO.Aspenreplicates my motions and dances alongside me.Werock our hips and let loose, enjoying the beat and the warmth the alcohol provides.

VerenaandLoreleicatch up with us, drinks in hand.Idon’t remember us getting separated, butIwas so focused on experiencing a place like this for the first time,Ididn’t realize they had wandered off.We’relaughing andI’mhaving such a good time, until all of a sudden the hairs on the back of my neck stand up as a feeling of unease flows down my spine.

Mydancing falters as a rock settles in my gut.Mymom’s words from our previous phone call ring through my head. “Trustyour gut,” repeats in my mind like a song stuck on replay.

Iscout out the club surrounding me, hoping to see ifIcan spot anyone who’s looking my way and determine the root of this uneasy feeling.Imeet eyes with a few people but much like me, they're taking in the electric atmosphere.

Warningbells go off in my head and the feeling intensifies.Goosebumpspebble over my skin.Ineed to leave.

Now.

Idon't know how or why, but my body knowsI'min danger and just as mom said,Ineed to trust my gut.

Turningback to alert the group,Ibump into someone from behind.Apologizing,Iwhip my head around, hoping to get an eye on the girls, butIcan’t find them in the crowd of people consuming us.

Iweave in and out of sweaty bodies asIpull my phone out of my purse and start a group chat with the three of them.Ifone doesn’t see it,Ihave two more chances of it being read.

Sendinga text,Ilet them knowIdon’t feel so hot andI’mgoing to head back to the house.Idecide not to tell them howI'mfeeling because there’s no need for them to worry.Itcould very well just be the nerves of being in a big girl place, doing big girl things.Iwouldn’t want to ruin their fun, especially whenI'mthe one that suggested we go out in the first place.

Glancingaround one last time,Iattempt to pinpoint where the danger is, before ordering a car to bring me home.Reachingthe front door,Isay goodnight to the security guard and wait on the sidewalk for my ride to arrive.I'mrelieved to see people littering the streets of downtownDevil’sLake.Myphone pings and a notification tells me my ride was canceled by the driver.

Fuckinggreat.

Walkingdown the street,Ibegin to order another car, but my spine rapidly straightens when the uneasy feeling finds me again.

Ipick up my pace down the sidewalk, trying to get away from the feeling of being watched.Iquickly realize my mistake when the sound of heavy footsteps pounds behind me and the amount of pedestrians significantly drops.

“Fuck, fuck, fuck!”Iwhisper-shout under my breath.

Myheart is hammering against my ribcage asIpick up my steady pace to a full-on sprint.Somethingis not right and every fiber of my being is screaming at me to run as fast asIcan.Thesound of their footsteps quickens behind me andIrefuse to look back, refuse to lose my footing, and become another student plastered on a missing poster.

Continuingto run as fast as my legs will carry me,Ifrantically unlock my phone to text the first name that comes to mind.Stillsprinting,Iglance over to my right and spot an alleyway that houses an abandoned car and in a split secondI'mdashing down the alley and ducking behind it, willing my breathing to slow down.

Thefaint sound of my short breaths vaguely registers asItry to listen for the stranger beyond the thumping of my heart in my ears.Lookingdown at my phone,Isee the messageIsent toEmmett.

Me: Help!

Mylegs shake asIcrouch behind the vehicle.Ihear the stranger’s pounding steps and without thinking,Icrawl underneath the car, hoping the darkness of the night will shield me from his vision.It'sa tight fit, my stomach scrapes the ground asIarmy crawl underneath.

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