Smoke

CHAPTER 12

The week passes rather slowly as it's only Thursday and I constantly find myself counting down the days until Saturday. I admit that I am truly looking forward to my date with Dawson, but a part of me is also hesitant on committing to someone already. Back home, I had the habit of jumping from one relationship to another, never really having time to myself and being single. I really wanted to experience the city on my own and the thought of having someone to answer to, no matter how charming he may be, scares the f*****g s**t out of me.

My classes today consisted of American Sign Language, Human Sexuality, Abnormal Psychology and The Science of Happiness. They are relatively easy classes for the most part. My goal for this semester is to explore different areas of subjects to try and find something that I am passionate about, since I had already taken the pre-requisite classes back at IUPUI my first year. What makes this even harder is that I have found a passion for everything I chose to enroll in.

I get to work around 4:00 PM and it is relatively slow, so I decide to go and introduce myself to the café employees up front. The two girls seem a little stand-offish but they force small smiles and introduce themselves anyway. I didn't expect anything less of their attitudes. It is part of the reason I moved here in the first place. It wasn't to go around making a bunch of friends.

The girl with a short, black pixie-cut is the nicer of the two. Her name is Bobby. She is barely pushing 5 feet tall and sports a curvy figure. I notice quite a few facial piercings and a fair share of flowery tattoos that cover her arms and chest. I have a feeling her and I are more alike than she would like to think.

The second girl, who I believe said her name was Heather...I'm not completely sure because her snarky expression made me unintentionally block her out. She has stick-straight, medium length, platinum hair. Right away I can tell she is one of those prissy, high-maintenance girls that I will not get along with.

As I am wrapping up this poor excuse of what some would call an introduction, a guy with messy light brown hair bursts through the door, clumsily slipping on his apron while exclaiming, "Sorry, I'm late guys! My professor wouldn't shut the f-" his eyes land on me, halting his previous excuse. "You're new. Aren't you in my Psych class?"

I purse my lips, trying to think back to the class, but I honestly am the world's most oblivious human to ever grace this planet. I avoid eye contact with people at all costs. I have always been that way for as long as I can remember. I'm not really sure why. Maybe because I just hate actually connecting with another human being long enough to then eventually be let down by them.

"Uh...honestly I'm not sure. I tend to block out my surroundings," I confess, feeling embarrassment work its way up my cheeks.

"I'm pretty sure you are. I'd remember your face anywhere." His admission just causes my pink cheeks to redden further. He notices and allows his eyes to travel to my nametag that Charlie forced me to wear for the shop, against my many, pleading protests. "Well it's nice to officially meet you Austyn. I'm Graham," he holds his hand out to be met by my weak shake in return.

"Nice to meet you. I work back in the book lounge. Just started Monday."

His eyebrows raise in confusion, "Well you must have impressed Charlie, because he has avoided hiring anyone to work back there for a couple years now. He says he refuses to hire anyone who says their favorite book involves wizards, vampires or werewolves." We both laugh as I go behind the counter to pour myself a cup of coffee.

"Yeah that's not really my cup of tea," I scrunch my nose up at the thought of reading about another vampire romance.

"Well if you aren't busy tonight, you should join a couple of us for drinks at this karaoke bar a couple blocks down the road?"

I absentmindedly tap my fingers against my mug, debating if I want to turn down his offer or not. He's a co-worker and I would like to at least get along with the people I have to see every day. With that thought, I agree to meet him at 10 back at the shop to walk to the bar together since I am still unfamiliar with the area. After the last time of me walking alone, I am glad to have the company to escort me.

***

Once my shift ends and I am back at the apartment. I take a quick shower to freshen up and wash away the stress of my day. I turn the water off and towel dry while shaking out my hair to let it settle into its natural waves. I apply a light amount of makeup apart from a medium brown matte lipstick and pull my hair into a messy, high ponytail.

I go to my closet and decide on a tight black cami, leggings and my solid black, high-top converse. You can never go wrong with black on black on black. It's my favorite go to style. Even the ink staining on my body is all black.

***

I meet Graham at he shop and we make our way to the bar. It is a short walk, but he didn't stop talking the entire time, which I was secretly grateful for. Him being a chatterbox makes me feel more comfortable around him, because I think he could tell I was a little nervous and reserved to open up around him yet.

When we arrive, he leads me over to a group of people huddled up by the bar...seven I believe...nine including us. I previously informed him on our walk of my hesitance toward giving my first name out and he agreed to keep it under wraps.

"Hey guys! This is my new friend and co-worker. She just moved here. She goes by Bennett...or Benny...whichever you prefer," he announces to the group, earning a round of hellos and waves from each of them. I can feel my anxiety creeping over me, being around a bunch of new people. Eventually my mind wanders back to the present when I realize that I didn't listen to any of their names.

Well I'm an asshole.

Graham flags down the bartender to order the both of us a beer. Even though I know I shouldn't, I lean over his shoulder to order two shots of tequila, which I down quickly without even a flinch. I let the warmth of my poison snake its way through my body, allowing it to ease my tense muscles in its wake.

"Damn! Girl can handle her alcohol." I turn away from the group to look towards where the voice is coming from on my left. My eyes settle on a familiar face from which I had previously seen at the pub my first night here and in the group of men huddled in the boxing ring with Dawson. He was undeniably handsome of course, like the rest of Dawson's friends.

Shocker.

His shoulder length blonde hair is pulled up into a man bun with a few stray strands framing his face. His hands are running down his scruffy blonde facial hair when he asks, "You're Austyn right?" I nod while detecting a recognizable British accent before he adds, "You're the girl who has my best friend's head turned upside f*****g down...and you just got hired on at my brother's book shop."

Avoiding the comment regarding Dawson I say, "Oh! I thought I detected the same accent. You guys look as though you could be twins. Minus the beard and hair obviously."

I feel a nudge on my shoulder from Graham to grab my beer. He silently asks with his eyes if I am okay, glancing at the man to my left with narrowed eyes. I give a quick nod, earning a small smile from him in return as he focuses his attention back to his friends. I turn back around to continue my conversation, taking a sip of my beer.

He shakes his head at Graham, clearly noticing the look he was given before he resumes, "Well I would hope so since I am five minutes older than him." He chuckles, lifting his drink in a 'cheers' motion to which I oblige. "I'm Luca by the way," he continues as an afterthought as we both take a drink and I give a short nod towards his introduction.

"I feel sorry for your poor mom...because you both are massive!" I exclaim which induces a deep laugh to escape from his lips. Seriously though, even with him sitting, I still have to crane my neck back to look him in the eyes.

After finishing off my beer and 3 more shots of tequila while chatting with Luca, it's safe to say that I'm feeling pretty buzzed by now. That is one annoying thing about my prior party days...my alcohol tolerance is like that of a large, male lumberjack. Going out isn't even as enjoyable anymore because it costs so damn much to get me drunk nowadays.

After being summoned, I wave toward Luca and I make my way to the dance floor, joining Graham and his friends. I can feel the bass from the music vibrating throughout my body as I sway mindlessly to the beat. As the alcohol starts numbing my senses, I barely realize when I'm being pulled against a hard, warm body behind me belonging to a guy I don't recognize. His hands grip tightly onto my hips, trapping my body against his as his face nuzzles into the crook of my neck.

He slowly moves his lips up to my ear, brushing them against me ever so slightly; making me uneasy. "Mmm you are so f*****g sexy, baby," he whispers causing the hairs on the back of my neck to rise. "Let's get out of here so I can show you just how sexy I think you are."

Instantly repulsed by the sweaty man groping me from behind, I rip at his fingers that are digging into my waist to get him to release his grip with no luck.

"Remove your f*****g hands," I demand with disgust behind my voice, but my words only cause his grip to tighten around me.

"Oh come on, baby. Don't be such a tease. I just want to have some fun."

I turn around quickly, thankfully releasing me from his grasp. I push at his chest to put a physical distance between us, "I'm not your f*****g baby...and me dancing with my friends was not some mating call for douchebags to come up and grope me."

With that come back, his fingers wrap themselves around my arms firmly, his nails biting into my skin. The pain draws out an involuntary wince to appear on my face as I try and pull away.

"f*****g b***h," he hisses out through his teeth - his face only centimeters from mine now. So close that I can smell the whiskey oozing from his breath as he slurs.

Before I can even comprehend what is going on, the man is ripped off of me. A hand colliding with his face before he falls to the sticky, alcohol soaked floor. I blink repeatedly, trying to catch my breath before I hear someone shouting.

"She f*****g said let go you prick!" My eyes follow the sound, landing on the owner of the voice...Graham.

There is fire behind his eyes, growing darker with each passing second. He lunges back toward the guy who eventually makes it back to his feet, holding his face with one of his hands, while the other finds the nearest wall to keep himself upright. I reach out to grab onto Graham's arm, pulling him back gently before a full on brawl breaks out. I don't want him getting into trouble on my account.

I look up to him with pleading eyes as I say, "He's not worth it Graham. Let's just go grab another drink. I need a minute to gather myself. Please?" His face softens as he sees the look of desperation on my face and gives me a curt nod, following me over to the bar.

He flags down the bartender for another round of shots before looking back to me, his brown eyes travel down to the forming bruises on my upper arms. His lips form a tight line in what I can only guess is an attempt at containing his ever-growing rage. His calloused fingers raise up and graze over the marks lightly and his once angry expression is now replaced by a pained look that is slowly consuming his entire face.

"Are you alright Austyn?"

I nod, biting the inside of my cheek hard while trying to force back the tears that are threatening to spill over. Thankfully they stay put.

He doesn't say anything as he turns back to face the newly poured drinks in front of us. He slides two large shots in front of me, while he gathers the remaining two for himself. He raises his glass in the air as he declares, "To not going to jail for murder tonight."

I giggle softly as I raise my glass up with his and throw it back, followed by the other shortly thereafter. I gasp at the sudden sting traveling down my throat.

Fucking Christ!

"What the f**k was that?" I yell over the music as he lets out a chuckle, his smile finally returning.

"Jagerbomb." He throws back his second before slamming the glass back down on the bar with a loud thud.

We make our way back to the dance floor, rejoining the group. I can feel the effects of the alcohol creeping through my veins - my eyesight now betraying me as I start seeing double.

Shit I have to pee!

"I'll be right back," I lean closer to Graham so he can hear me and he gives me a thumbs up in response.

I stumble my way down a dimly lit hallway, located in the back of the club. While navigating my way toward the restrooms, I have to use the wall as support so I don't fall over.

All of a sudden I feel a large hand wrap around my mouth as I'm being yanked around the back corner of the hallway. My body is harshly slammed up against a door, causing my head to smack against the metal with a crack - generating a yelp that was instantly muffled by my assaulter. I feel a second hand move up, constricting around my neck, successfully cutting off my airway.

"Who's going to save you now princess?" The deep growl from his voice echoes around in my throbbing head.

My already blurry vision grows spotty as I struggle under the body weight pressed firmly against me, pinning me securely to the door. My anxiety begins growing as I see the face belonging to the asshole from earlier; rage and lust clearly written all over his expression.

A skull splitting headache starts forming, and I immediately know that I'm about to black out. I adamantly try to slow my breathing to prevent myself from switching out, but Rachel is trying to take over...and she usually gets what she wants.

Whatever is about to transpire next, I am positive I will not remember. Knowing I have absolutely no control of my switch that's about to happen, I close my eyes as everything surrounding me fades away and goes dark.