Guinevere had never seen a spot quite like this one. The music slammed into her like a huge wave when she walked in, and the bass shook the floor and went right through her. Flashing lights made her head spin, and lots of voices mixed together into one loud noise that was hard to handle. Right away, she felt like she didn't fit in, as if the walls were closing in on her.
Lina, who was always more outgoing, grabbed her hand and pulled her further into the crowd, going around people dancing and laughing loudly. "Chill out! Just have some fun, Guin! At least for a little while."
Guinevere tried, but it was hard to do. Every time someone bumped into her, or a stranger got too close, her heart jumped. She wasn't used to getting attention, especially the kind from creepy guys trying to win her over. Several guys tried to get lucky, standing too close, buying drinks, saying empty nice things, all wanting the same thing: to sleep with her.
She couldn't handle all these herself. She began to think this was a very bad idea, every face she saw was just another attack towards her.
Like everything in the party screamed at her, to either get out or to surrender to their every will.
She took a step back politely but firmly, until she was outside the club, breathing in the cool night air. She breathed hard, her heart racing not just from fear but from the heavy feelings she had inside. She kept thinking about her grandmother, the hospital bills, and the impossible amount of money needed to save her. Even here, in this loud, bright place, the stress didn't go away.
She slid down against the wall, pulling her knees up to her chest. "I can't… I just can't," she whispered, her voice shaking. Visibly shaking.
In there was like a war zone to her and she was like a lone cub going into this battle.
Her mind wouldn't just let her. Not when her grandmother needed her now more than ever.
Fun now sounded like a poison to her, one she would definitely die from.
"Guin," Lina said, kneeling down next to her and gently bumping her, "yes, you can. You're dealing with too much right now. Just for tonight, forget about it. Let yourself relax. Just a bit."
Guinevere shut her eyes, nodding slowly. And then she suddenly thought of something that stung, Bavkgy. He wasn't answering her calls. He wasn't replying to her messages. And for a moment, worry turned into suspicion. Was he… seeing someone else?
She opened her mouth, ready to say what she was afraid of.
"I swear, if he ever cheated on you, I'd " Lina began, her voice sharp and teasing, but sounding very serious. "…I would find him and beat him up really badly. You understand? Don't even think about it."
Guinevere blinked, surprised by how strongly her friend felt. Even with everything on her mind, she laughed a little. "Okay, okay... I get it."
Lina smiled, squeezing her hand. "Good. Now let's go back inside and have a good time. You need it."
It took Guinevere a few minutes to get herself together, to push her worries to the back of her head. Then, she slowly stood up. They walked back inside together.
The music touched her again, but this time it felt different. It was less of a threat. It felt less like she was being trapped. She relaxed her shoulders, letting herself move to the music's beat. With a drink in her hand and happy sounds coming from deep inside her, she let herself have fun for the first time in days. She danced, trying not to think about the worry that was still there in her mind, and for a short time, it worked.
Hours went by, and the night went on slowly, filled with happy sounds, glasses touching, and loud music from the speakers. Guinevere took small sips of her drink, smiling a little at the people around her. For just a second, she felt almost like things were normal, almost without the worries and fears that had been making her feel trapped.
But then, she started to feel tired again. She looked at her watch and knew it was getting late. She needed to go, needing to be home before morning came to face things again.
She started to head for the door, but Lina was nowhere to be seen. Guinevere said her name quietly, but her voice was lost in the loud music and talking. No one answered. She started to feel worried.
And then, from the side of the room, she saw him.
A man was there, leaning against the wall, watching her. He looked at her with great interest, not looking away, focusing on her as if he was watching everything she did. Guinevere stopped moving, and she felt cold.
He didn't move. He didn't smile at all. He didn't come closer. But she could feel him watching her, and it felt heavy and took over her thoughts. She felt like something about this man was not normal, maybe dangerous, but also interesting in a way she didn't know.
Guinevere took a deep breath, looking toward the door again, hoping Lina would show up. But the man kept watching her, and she didn't know why, but she felt like she couldn't move, as if everything was just about him.
She quickly thought to herself: Who is he? And why does it seem like he has been watching me for so long?
Guinevere's heart beat fast because she felt scared and curious, and for the first time that night, she felt like the world outside the party the world of worries, fear, and owing money was somehow, in a way that didn't make sense, meeting with something else completely. Something she didn't know about.
And from the side of the room, the man didn't look away. He just watched.
And Guinevere didn't move.
Not yet.
Not until something, somewhere, changed.