Triangle of Love

To new friends

We arrive at the bar and park not too far from the it. I see Nikki and his group have just arrived and make their way into the bar, we get out locking the car and walk in the same direction.

Stepping in the bar, looking around I spot Nikki leaning against the bar chatting to the bartender obviously flirting with him, I walk over waving to him. When we reach him he gives us two kisses each one on each cheek barely touching our cheek and more like kissing the air. He orders us a drink then leads us to the table where his group of friends are and introduces to everyone.

“Everyone meet Kali and we all know Penny...” saying the latter a bit in a dull tone.

Penny doesn’t say anything nor waits and just sits on one of the unoccupied chairs, I give a shy wave to the group. Nikki continues by introducing each person.

“This is Connie, next to her is Amber…that one over there is Brett and the last one is Mike.” They show a small wave as confirmation of their name.

I take the available seat at the table next to Penny. Chatting away with the group they ask me questions about my thoughts on their hometown, my job, have I been hiking yet and advise me to not to go alone, Mike changes the subject to wrestling the girls roll their eyes while Brett is teasing him about wrestling being fake and starts going on about UFC, I chuckle while observing them all, the boys debating which one is better while Nikki and the girls are talking about their outfits and some show on Netflix.

I noticed Penny is quiet and just stirring her drink with her straw, leaning back on her chair and looking bored, I give her a knee a little nudge to get her attention, when she looks at me, I scrunch my nose and cross my eyes and laugh, she gives me a light slap on the shoulder and lightly laughs. We continue drinking and chatting some more.

“We’ll be leaving soon, just waiting for my brother to arrive.” Announces Nikki.

“Oh I thought we were hanging out here?” I question.

“Girl you see a dance floor?” with his hand up as if presenting the bar to me.

“Oh ok…I forgot about the dancing bit.” I frown “So where are we going?”

“There’s a new club, just opened tonight so we’re gonna go check it out. It’s just down the road on the main strip.” Looking at his phone again “Oh nevermind, let’s go now, Mason said he’ll meet us there.”

Everyone gets up and picks up their phones, bags or quickly chugs back what’s remaining in their glass before leaving our table. Nikki calls out to the bartender and waves him goodbye then we all follow him out. I'm feeling a little tipsy but good.

Walking down the street you can hear the music and people chatting. The closer we get the louder the music. Nikki walking ahead of the group is dancing with his arms going up and down, side to side, mean while walking like he’s on the run way and girls are trying to imitate his actions and laughing I can’t help but giggle at the flamboyant show he is putting on. Penny and I walking are walking behind them all and Penny is just shaking her head in unamused with Nikki it kind of makes me laugh and I try to imitate his actions too which makes Penny roll her eyes at me.

“Just let me know when you’re ready to go home.” Saying loud enough so only my ears can hear, I nod and smile in reply.

Arriving at the door of the club the bouncer nods his head at Nikki and let’s us all in. Nikki goes straight to the bar and orders drinks and shots for everyone, I’m looking a bit worried cause I am already feeling a bit loose and tipsy from the drinks at Toby’s but against my judgement I pick up the shot glass and raise it like everyone else. Nikki is yelling over the music so we can all hear.

“Let’s get fcked up!”

Everyone downs the shot glass quickly and without a problem, I on the other hand down mine and oh my word I can feel the alcohol burning it’s way down on the inside of me that it makes me grab my chest and squint my eyes, grabbing my Smirnoff bottle that Nikki ordered, I quickly suck on the straw to help the shot of alcohol pass, everyone is laughing and those close to give me a pat on the back.

Now that the burning sensation has subsided I’m taking light sips of my bottle of Smirnoff and follow the group to a corner table. I stay standing and continue to sip my drink. A little while later I’m feeling good and starting to feel the beat of the music, watching the crowd on the dancefloor dancing and enjoying the DJ’s mixes, bopping my head and swaying my hips to the beat I start bumping my hip on Penny’s hip and giggling, she just laughs at me and takes my purse off me and holds it. Nikki arrives with another round of shots, I take one and again like before we all raise our glass and before anyone can say anything I confidently yell.

“TO NEW FRIENDS!” everyone is looking at me with excited eyes and repeat after me in unison and as loud as they can. I down the shot with no problems and so does everyone else.

I turn to Penny to let her know I’m getting me another bottle she nods and hand signals that she’s watching me. For the first time ever I’m having fun and letting loose, I’m not sure if it’s cause of the alcohol in me or I truly am enjoying myself, either way I’m enjoying myself.

I order myself two more bottles of Smirnoff’s I go to pay and the bartender waves no and points to Nikki, he see’s me at the bar winks and waves me to hurry up to go back. Bartender places the bottles on the bar in front of me for me to collect my bottles and just as I turn I bump into a muscly chest, I’m laughing to myself and stand there about to apologise, looking up and staring at the face it takes me a few moments to register who it is and when it does my face drops. Dane.

Standing in front of me looking down at me with that disgusting confident flirty smile, he takes a step towards me and I automatically take a step back bumping into the person behind me I apologize and realize I’m out of room and can’t move back anymore, I try to step around him but he grabs my wrist so rough I almost drop the bottle in that hand.

Just as he lets go someone takes the bottles out of my hands and lightly puts their arm around my shoulder, feeling a bit afraid I look up to see Nikki and he starts rubbing my shoulder, I feel better and start to relax again.

Penny steps in between Dane and myself acting as a barrier, it’s like a staring competition, they don’t say anything for a little while before Dane scoffs and walks off and heads towards the dancefloor grabbing the closest girl and dances with her then starts kissing her all the while looking at us smirking. I can hear Nikki mumbling under his breath and cursing him while Penny is still standing like a wall glaring at Dane.

We make our way back to the table and I take a seat next to the girls, grabbing one of my bottles that Nikki was and now placed it in front of me on the table, I scull half the bottle, the girls watch me and cheer me excitedly, obviously not aware of what just happened. I can feel the contents of the bottle going down the inside of my body and it helps me to relax and loosen.

Hearing the girls singing and seeing them enjoy the music by moving their shoulders up and down to the music helps me forget about Dane I loosen up some more and begin moving with the girls. Connie gets up and grabs my hand looking at me giggling and drags me to the dancefloor with Amber following closely behind us. Finding our way to the middle of the dancefloor we are in a triangle formation facing each other dancing.

Moving my body to the beat, raising my arms and swaying my hips side to side, bopping my head to the beat, flicking my hair back and forth, side to side, fist pumping the air.

We dance to a few more different songs, I’m beginning to feel slightly hot and a little light headed, needing some fresh air I motion to the girls I’m going to have a break, they nod and continue dancing while I walk in the direction of the front door of the club.

I'm staggering a little out the door and into the fresh air and feeling the cool air on my skin feels good. I lean against the wall with my back against it for support. Closing my eyes I’m suddenly grabbed roughly by the wrist and dragged away around the corner, it happened so quickly my mind is still trying to catch up with what’s happening.

Looking at my wrist, my eyes follow from the hand gripping my wrist tightly up to the arms and see the face of Dane grinning and dragging me further away from the club, I try to wriggle my wrist free but to no success. I start yelling at him to let me go and try to hit his arm but he’s too strong for me it makes him laugh. I keep trying to wriggle my wrist free, but the more I try to get free the tighter his grip on my wrist gets and I feel like he is about to snap it.

At this point I feel like I’m sobering up quickly and the alcohol affect is now quickly diminishing, confidence is leaving me and fear is now entering. My heart is racing with fear and I start to panic and plead with him to let me go, the more I talk or make noise the rougher he is with me.

Tears are now wetting my cheeks and my wrist is in a tremendous amount of pain that I am sure it is going to leave bruise. Thinking and hoping Penny or Nikki have noticed I'm missing from the dance floor.

He is dragging me further away from the club and with one last attempt at freeing myself while he is looking forward I take this time and I bite down on his hand as hard as I can till I feel his release, I hear him scream and curse but I don’t wait a second and try to make a run for it back in the direction of the club. I only get to take a few steps before I am yanked by the hair so hard a loud scream escapes my lips from the pain.

He yanks me back to him so that we are face to face, with a dangerous look on his face and a bit of excitement in his eyes he suddenly forces a kiss on me, I’m feeling so disgusted by his kiss I reach up and dig my nails into his face and scratch as much and as deep as I can, he pulls his face away from mine and screams, still holding onto my hair with one hand and holding my face with the other.

Suddenly he gives me a pain searing slap across the face I thought I saw black spots, he gives me another slap then throws me to the ground so hard I’m sure I rolled and hit my head on something. I’m looking around but my vision is blurry and dark spots begin to reappear. Trying to crawl away my face is wet from the tears and I'm sure that it is mixed with blood too.

“Got you now my pretty lady”

He’s now on top of me pinning me to the ground with a hand squeezing my neck, I'm gasping for air the black spots in my vision grow bigger making it hard to focus. Fighting to stay awake I can feel his free hand making it's way up my top. Still groggy from the fall and barely any energy from his grip on my throat, I keep trying with whatever energy I have left to try and push him away or slap his hands.

Suddenly I hear another voice but can’t make out what they are saying, before I go unconscious I feel Dane’s hands stop and finally leave me, leaving me to lay there and then everything is getting really dark.

…Kali…

That voice, that voice is the same voice I heard this morning,

…Kali…

I hear it again like it’s trying to wake me up,

…Kali stay awake help is here...

Like a shock I open my eyes but my vision isn’t any better and the dark spots still remain. Fighting to stay conscious, I can feel myself going in and out of consciousness. Each time I open my eyes I can't make out anything with my blurry vision, the blurry vision looks like there are people moving not too far from me. Unclear of how many there are I squint and can make out two men fighting growling at each other. Growling? did I just hear growls?

Still groggy I close my eyes and can hear a demanding voice giving out orders then I’m out again. Fighting again to stay awake I feel two strong arms carrying me, with no energy to fight him off I lay helplessly in the person’s arms, there is sweet smell in the air, I recognize it as it’s my favourite scent, Lavender. Before I give up my fight to stay conscious I hear a low calming sweet voice,

“Rest now, we’ll take care of you…I won’t let anyone hurt you again.”

And just like that I give up the fight, letting consciousness finally leave me.