I glared at my phone, the screen taunting me with its emptiness. It was almost midnight, and Slavvy still hadn't reached out. Maybe Sky was right; he didn't love me at all. Maybe I was just a pawn in his twisted game. I tossed my phone aside, the darkness closing in around me like a suffocating shroud.
The next day at school, I was on edge, my nerves frayed like a live wire. The teacher's voice droned on in tourism class, but I tuned her out, my mind consumed by thoughts of Slavvy. Where was he? Why hadn't he contacted me? I felt a knot in my stomach, a sense of unease that I couldn't shake. It was as if I was trapped in a never-ending nightmare, with Slavvy holding the reins.
At lunchtime, my friends chattered around me, but I was lost in thought, my mind spiraling down a dark rabbit hole.
"Ashly, are you coming to Haze's party today?" Trinity asked, snapping me out of my thoughts. "You know I never miss a party," Zikhona stated, and the girls laughed, their carefree laughter grating on my nerves. "And you, Testimony, are you coming?" Trinity asked. "Uhmmm... I don't know," I replied, my voice barely above a whisper. I don't do parties; I do church. Mum said I should never engage in such activities. But now, I was tempted to do the one thing that could ruin me - see Slavvy again.
"Well, if you decide to come, don't wear a church dress," Bianca said, her voice dripping with malice, and the girls laughed again, their laughter echoing through the cafeteria like the mocking jeers of a sadistic crowd. I rolled my eyes, my anger simmering just below the surface, desperate to break free.
The bell rang for after-school, and I packed my books, my heart heavy with foreboding. As I walked out of the classroom, I heard Sky and her minions talking, their voices hushed but unmistakable. "Well, since Slavvy is going to be at the party, I'm going to wear a very cute dress just to please him," Sky said, her voice dripping with saccharine sweetness, and her minions giggled, their laughter like the tinkling of ice cubes in a champagne flute. Slavvy? So he's alive but not talking to me. What a jerk. I took my bag, storming out of the classroom, my heart pounding in my chest like a jackhammer.
He has some big explanation to do. I'm going to go to the party, not to party with them, but to get answers and leave. "Ashly wait for me," I said, running towards her, my voice low and urgent. "So, have you decided yet?" she asked, her eyes sparkling with mischief. "Decided about what?" "You going to the party or not? It starts at six o'clock," she said, her voice dripping with excitement. Should I go? Is it worth it, though?
"Please, it's going to be fun," she begged me, her eyes pleading. "Just loosen up a little, would you? You'll enjoy it, trust me. Just this once, and I promise you I won't ask you to go to any parties ever again," she pleaded, her voice like a siren's call, luring me deeper into the darkness.
I agreed, and Ashly face lit up like a Christmas tree. "Yey, thank you, thank you," she jumped up and down, her excitement infectious. "Calm down, baby girl." "Sorry," she giggled, her laughter like music to my ears.
As we got ready for the party, Ashly pushed me to wear a black, long-sleeved mini dress, the fabric hugging my curves like a second skin. I felt a shiver run down my spine
I looked in the mirror, the dress transforming me into a different person - a person I didn't recognize. "I can't wear this," I said, my voice barely above a whisper; this is too short, even for...
"Come on, try it on; you're going to look adorable," ashly said, her voice coaxing. "No," I exclaimed, my heart racing with anxiety. "Come on, please; you're going to look good in it; please, for me, please," she begged, her eyes pleading, and I couldn't resist her. "Fine," I said, my voice resigned, grabbing the dress from her.
I couldn't wear this; I look like a prostitute. It's too small, too revealing, and too tight. This is not my kind of style. I appeared to Zikhona, and her mouth dropped open. "OmG, you're definitely wearing that," she said, speechless.
"What? no, this is too short," I said. "Short? Testimony, this is the longest dress I have; you're just being dramatic. You look cute and hot," she exclaimed, her eyes sparkling with excitement, and that's why I'm avoiding that, looking too appealing for men's eyes.
"No, I'm not wearing this," I said, my voice firm. "No, no, please wear it; please. I'll do your chores for two weeks," she negotiated, her voice persuasive. Well... it wouldn't hurt to wear it. "Deal," I said, walking back to my room and taking out my Nike Air Force sneakers and white Nike socks that were going to complement and finish off the outfit.
I'm not a girl who wears makeup at all. My mother believed in natural beauty. I only put on my lip gloss and a little bit of mascara. There, I said. I grabbed my purse to store my lip gloss and other accessories. It's best that I should leave my phone; I don't want it to get stolen.
"Ashly, I'm ready," I said, entering her room, but she wasn't there. I walked downstairs, where she was seating and waiting with the other girls. They all turned to look at me, and their jaws dropped. "O... M... G," Trinity, Bianca, and Kim spelled out. "Girl, you look gorgeous," Trinity complimented. "You know everyone will be looking at you tonight," Bianca said, her voice laced with envy.
"Thank you; you guys look..." I paused to look at them, and I can say I was really dressed compared to them. I looked at their heavy makeup, but I didn't want to comment. "You guys look amazing," I faked a smile. "We know," the girls simultaneously said, and they all giggled.
"Dad, we're out"ashly
"Be back by eleven o'clock sharp," he shouted, and we all headed out to a car parked outside. The atmosphere felt a little bit weird. We entered the car, and it was very warm. Loud piano music was playing, and the girls were already jamming to the beat. Trinity took out five Savanna bottles and handed each one of us. I know my limits
. "Yeah, I'm definitely not drinking," I said, putting it down. "Come on, just try it," Kim begged, but I disagreed. "Okay, then you're missing out," Trinity said, opening her Savanna, and the girls started drinking while dancing inside the car.
I immediately saw the worldly life I never thought I would leave one day. And all I thought about was God as I watched them. "For what profits a man to gain the whole world but lose his soul." A voice sprang from the back of my mind.
The drive was like forty-five minutes. The Uber stopped at a very big, luxurious villa. And I must say, my girls were dressed, because what I saw were my peers basically walking naked. I got outside of the car.
A young girl who was dressed in a gold dress passed me, and I could see the color of her underwear . Which parents let's out her child dressed like that???
And how are you dressed???
I turned my eyes as they landed on Slavvy, talking to a group of guys. He was wearing black trousers with a black hoodie, as usual, black. He walked inside the party without seeing me. I felt my heart sink to the floor.
"Let's go, girl," ashly said , grabbing my hand, pulling me inside the noisy house.