Hellcat

Chapter 8

Wilder Sanchez

I do not know who I am trying to impress when I make the decision to put more effort into my outfit for Keith's party. I'm a regular party goer so it only takes a few minutes to piece together my outfit. 

I usually go heavy on the make-up even though I have been told my face is pretty without it. Even so, smoky eyes, cinnamon cheeks and blood-red lipstick are my go-to.

I'm a big fan of jewellery, I got my belly button pierced when I was thirteen and for weeks, Lucas raved in the house. He got over it eventually, and I pierced my ears at fourteen. I wear a single silver earring in each ear, a black choker necklace with a black star pendant and bracelets crawling up each arm. 

My clothes consist of a black tube top and a matching plaid skirt with fishnet stockings. My black boots are platformed and spiked. I grab a tricked out leather jacket in case I get cold. 

I am pleased with how I look, popping a few pills in my mouth to prepare me for the wild night to come and calm my racing heart, I flag a taxi to Keith's house. Josh texted me the address yesterday. I would have loved to show up on the bike, that would have been so badass but I do not have it any more and I have to make so with the cab.

Listening to Travis Scott because it is a Friday night and I deserve to be happy, I stare out the window as the environment slowly changes from rundown buildings and broken street lights to large stone houses and impressive gardens. Unsurprisingly, Keith lives in a rich people neighbourhood. He's neighbours with the Bennett brothers which is one of the reasons they are so close. I tip the cab driver and slam the door shut, excitedly walking into the house.

House parties are definitely my scene. 

The music is so loud it makes my skin tingle and my lungs turn to mush. The bass thumps in time with my heartbeat as though they ate one, filling me from head to toe with music. I like this song. Over the roar of music, a distant, hazy chatter can be heard. I can’t make out any words, but laughter rings in my ears and won’t seem to stop. The song that is playing gets louder, pulling me in and won’t let go. Neon lights flash everywhere like police sirens, but much more colourful. I blend with the crowd of sweating dancing bodies. It's easy to snake through if you are familiar with the feeling if hit flesh being pressed against you as you try to make your escape. I head to the kitchen.

It's much quieter. Only a few people longer around. Keith is manning the bar. I go over to him and hug him over the counter. 

"You look good, Eli."

"Thanks, " I smile. 

"So, what can I get you?" 

I look around, peering at the labels on the various bottles he has laid out on the island. "A vodka and Diet Coke."

"Vodka, huh? Do you plan on getting wasted tonight, Eli?"

"What's the point of going to a party if I don't plan on getting drunk out of my mind?" I ask. 

"Maybe you can get wasted with me. And we can some other things together." Keith winks. 

"Not that wasted, " I laugh and thank him when he offers me my cocktail. I take a sip and grin. The burn of alcohol and bubbliness of coke is a welcoming taste. "Have you seen Abe around?" 

"The Bennett brothers have not gotten here yet. Josh likes to make a dramatic entrance so you will hear when they get here."

Slightly disappointed, I only hang around the kitchen a few more minutes before wondering into the backyard where the copies usually convene for a level-headed pot dealing. 

"Yo! Eli!" A slurred male voice yells. I snap my head in that direction and grin slightly at the source. Stevie Eisenberg. 

"Stevie, " I say, hugging him with one hand. His breath is heavy with alcohol and my grin wavers. 

"Damn, you've really got your alcohol game on."

"What else do you expect of Stevie Eisenberg?" A girl asks. Only now, do I notice that she was sitting next to him. But she does not look like his type, she must be the best friend he talked about. "Chloe, " she extends a hand. 

"Eli, " I shake it loosely. 

"I've heard a lot about you, " she says, eyes crinkling in delight. "You're the girl who beat Zack Wick. I heard you even broke his rib. It's an honour to meet you "

I am not sure what to make of this and thankfully, Stevie comes to my rescue. 

"Here, " he grunts, offering me a syringe. I thank him, stick it into my neck and push down on the plunger. It is too dark for me to know the colour of the liquid I just injected myself with but it makes me feel lighthearted and happy so it must be good. 

"Come. Sit," he gestures to his lap. 

"No thanks," I laugh, the sound ringing in my ears. "What did you give me?"

"Some heroin, " he says. "It's a good mix."

"And you would know?" I ask wryly, resting on a cane chair because it is because difficult to think clearly while standing. 

"Of course. I try all my stuff before taking it to the market." I forgot to mention Stevie runs our school's black market. The commodities are drugs, old report sheets, cards and sometimes, test sheets. Stevie's uncle is on the school board so even though the principal is well aware of his 'business ventures', it is unlikely that he will get caught. And he has lackeys to continue when we graduate in June. 

"Don't you know the rules, Stevie?" I wag a finger at him. "Never get high on your own supply."

"I keep telling him, " Chloe adds. "Stevie is just so damn stubborn."

I nod swiftly and empty the contents of my red solo cup down my throat. Gulp. Gulp. It's all gone now. 

Someone offers me a lit cigarette and I slip it between my lips. 

"So, Eli, " Chloe begins. "What is the deal with you and Josh Bennett?"

"Who?" I slur because my thoughts are jumbled and I don't think I am associates with someone called Rock Hairnet. 

"Josh Bennett." She repeats patiently with a smile. Her teeth are so white I have to look away. 

I smile at the sky. "Josh is nice."

"I'm aware, " her words sound light-years away. "Are you guys dating?"

"No. Josh doesn't date."

"Oh."

"Come here, " Stevie grunts, grabbing me by the waist and pulling me into his lap. I squeal, trying to wiggle away but I only seem to amuse him. 

Chloe also finds the situation amusing. 

Neither of them laughs when I elbow him and escape. "I need to pee, " I say, tossing the cigarette into a shrub and heading inside the house. 

Keith's house is huge. There are giant paintings and mahogany doors and I can't find the darn bathroom.  I am not even sure if I want to pee or I just said it to escape Stevie's womanizing tactics. 

Somehow, I end up in the kitchen. Keith has been replaced by an attractive blonde boy in glasses who smiles with dimples in his cheeks when he offers me my tequila and sprite. 

I go to the living room, my aim to find either of the Bennett brothers. But the music is loud and the smoke is thick and I somehow get swamped into the throng of dancing teenagers. 

I'm dancing alone, flailing my arms and gyrating my body to the beat. I'm sweaty, tipsy and high. But most importantly I'm happy. 

A hand slips around my waist. 

I freeze.

I really did hope I could survive just this one night without some creep trying to hook up with me. I guess that plan already backfired when I met Stevie. 

I turn around, reaching for my knife in the thigh of my skirt, ready to hurl insults and possibly stab this i***t who dared to touch me.

The flood of words dies at the tip of my tongue when I see his face. It's dark but I know he's beautiful. 

The stranger has glossy black hair and a firm jaw, an aquiline nose and the most captivating limpid green-grey eyes. Handsome is too poor an epithet.

"Hey."

I groan. 

Even his voice is sexy. It makes my knees go weak. 

"Hi, " I squeak. His leather jacket and locked jaw confirm that he is indeed a bad boy. My type of guy. "I'm Eli."

This is officially the most uncool type of introduction I have ever made. 

"Ace, " he smirks. "Dance with me." It's more of a demand than a request and his dominance send a flush of excitement through my bloodstream that shows in the rosiness of my cheeks.

I drape my hand over his shoulder. I did not realise when the DJ switched to a slow song. 

Ace's grip on my waist tightens. He c***s his head to the side and smirks at me. "You dance well."

"So do you, " I reply smoothly. 

We're dancing like it's jive, twisting, turning, holding hands as we change sides. We're all grins, we look like idiots and I don't care, I think Ace doesn't either. Inside we're just cheerful, cheerful and more active than we can ever be in school. Somehow, I just know he goes to my school. It's something in me that tells me.

I feel the part of me that's really me come out to play, to feel the vibe of the music and let my body go free. 

The song changes and before I know it, I'm twisted in Ace's arms. My rear presses to his crotch, and he groans when I move slowly.

"Such a tease, " he murmurs, biting my ear slightly. "I wonder what makes you tick, Eli."

"Nothing, " I whisper, spinning in his arms and pushing my face into his chest. He smells like cigarettes and aftershave. Delicious. 

"Look at me, " he growls, cupping my face roughly and forcing my eyes to meet his. Those grey-green eyes are like a storm. They are hooded with emotion, curiosity, determination and lust. 

My nails are digging into his back, undoubtedly hurting him but he does not seem to be in pain. I smile, rubbing my crotch against his in tune with the beat. "Who are you?"

"Ace, " he answers roughly, dropping his face and cupping mine with both cheeks as he kisses me roughly. There is nothing soft about the kiss. His lips press firmly against mine, his tongue trying to poke its way into my mouth. I am stubborn in my resistance but he wins. His tongue slips into my mouth, filling it with warmth. Our lips move eagerly and hungrily and I feel a rush of adrenalin course through my veins.

He breaks away first, panting heavily as he rest forehead against mine.

Seconds later, we're kissing again. 

"Upstairs, " he moans, breaking our lips apart briefly as his hands slip under my hips and carry me. 

I sigh breathlessly and nod slightly.

I barely register the slight bounce if my body against his as he climbs up the stairs. I don't notice when he opens the door to a bedroom with one hand and kicks it shut with his leg while leading me to the bed. All I can feel is his lips. They are on mine, my nose, my ears, my neck. I unbutton his shirt, he helps me out of mine. 

"Shoes?" I ask, climbing on top of him on the bed.

Ace smirks and it's like nothing else matters. "Definitely."

Expertly, he flips us over. He's on top of me, supporting his weight with his hands on opposite sides of me. 

"You're beautiful, " he murmurs, ducking his head into my chest and trailing butterfly kisses on the skin. 

The skirt and pants are lost in our haze of alcohol and lust. He feels good. Very good. This is not the first time I'm hooking up with someone at a party. It's a regular occurrence actually. And it's always with guys like Ace. Neither of us expects this to develop into something else. 

Ace is good with his hands. He knows how to treat a woman to a good time. When he slips on his condom and is about to thrust into me, I'm already hot and wet. 

"What the f**k?!"

I don't react immediately. 

Because I don't want this to be over.

He hasn't even started yet. Ace sighs, pushing his body off mine and covering my whole body with the sheets. It's sweet that he's trying to protect me from the eyes of the intruder. 

"Keith, " he groans. 

I wrap the sheets around my chest, pushing my body up to lean on the headboard. "Hey, Keith, " I smile lazily. 

"Just give us a few more minutes bro, " Ace says and turns his head to wink silly at me. "As you can see, we're not done yet."

"You were going to do the nasty on my bed!" He screams. 

"So? It's not that big of a deal, " I shrug.

"My eyes!" He screamed. "My precious virgin eyes."

"What a cockblocker," Ace rolls his eyes, retrieving his jeans from where they knocked over a nightstand. 

"Right," I sigh. Standing up, I wrap the sheets around my body and shuffling around the room to grab my clothes. Skirt at the door, top on the desk, bra on the floor. 

"Where are my panties?" I demand.

Keith blooms red.

Ace chuckles. "Over there," he points to where Keith is standing. 

"I'm going to stand outside so you two can get decent," Keith mumbles, cheeks aflame as he practically runs out of what I must now conclude is his own bedroom. 

"You think we can get in a quickie before he gets back?" Ace asks with a dazzling smile. 

I laugh and it feels good. "Nah, he has seen enough horrors for one day."

Ten minutes later there is a tentative knock at the four and Ace assures him that we're fully clothed. 

"I am going to have to burn those sheets, " Keith mumbles sighing in relief when he sees that Ace and I are sitting on opposite ends of the bed. "I told you not to do this stuff in my room anymore Ace."

"Oops, " he shrugs unapologetically. "Wrong door?"

"You could always try keeping it in your pants."

Ace winks at me. "And what's the fun in that?" 

Keith rolls his eyes. "You asked about Josh. He's here. And he's looking for you."

So at last one of my compatriots has arrived. I glance at my wrist and remember I am not wearing a watch. Now I'll never know just how late you need to be considered 'fashionable'. 

"And Abe?"

"He's manning the bar. A bunch of us are playing beer pong in the living room. If you plan on finishing what you started please do so in the next room. Although that will mean I will have to tell Josh the unholy things I just witnessed."

"Why would I care if he knew? It's not like we're planning on getting married or something."

Keith glances at Ace wearily. "Maybe you won't. But he will." 

I look at Ace. Up to this point, he has just been a pretty face offering a much-needed release. But now, I'm not so sure. "What's Keith talking about?"

"I'm the captain of the soccer team."

"Is that supposed to mean something to me or...?" I trail off. 

Keith rolls his eyes. "Josh used to be the captain of the soccer team."

"Oh."

Now I know who he is.

Ace King. 

Josh's number one enemy.

I feel sick.

I almost slept with my friend's worst enemy. I take a step back from him. Ace reaches for me. I glare at him.

"Goodbye, " I saunter out with Keith at my heel.

Keith catches up with me. "You're not upset, are you?"

"Nope." I stomp my feet on the wooden steps. "Everything is great."

"He really isn't such a bad guy. Besides the obvious fact that he got Josh kicked off the soccer team."

"Why are you defending him if you just sold him out twenty seconds ago?" I demand. 

Keith calmly drops the second bombshell of the night. "Ace is my cousin."

At least now I know the connection between the two. And why they were so familiar with each other. And why Ace knows his way around Keith's enormous house. It all makes sense.

But I do not want it.

When I kissed Ace on that dance floor, he was supposed to be a one night stand. But now. Now, everything is just being blown out of proportion. 

"I never imagined you would be related to that motherfucker."

"You almost slept with that motherfucker."

"Yeah, when I didn't know what a prick he really is."

"And now that you do?"

"He better hope I don't see him or he's going to get the ass whooping he deserves for ruining Josh's life."

"Josh did that to himself."

"You really wanna add yourself to my list of potential murder victims, Keith?"

"Nah, I'm okay."

The first thing I notice when we get to the living room is Josh. But that's only because he's hanging from the chandelier in the ceiling like f*****g Mowgli. 

This boy is going to be the death of me.

"What the f**k?"

The second thing I notice is the colours. Josh is dressed like a gangster rapper living in 'the hood' from the twentieth century. His neon green jeans are baggy and he is constantly hiking them up so they don't fall to his feet which are clad in the cliche white Reeboks. His neon red singlet shirt has a giant ketchup bottle stencilled over it and the words 'Just Ketchup' around it. Heavy gold chains dangle on his neck and his hair is oily and slicked back. He's wearing diamond studs in each ear. 

"Classic Josh," Keith laughs. 

The click of a camera brings me out of my jumbled thoughts. 

"That pic is going on a wall," 

When did he jump down the chandelier and appear next to me?

"Josh," I breath. "What. Are. You. Wearing."

"Clothes," he answers with a cheeky smirk. 

I want to whack him. He seems to sense this as he jumps away from my range of damage. 

"You look like a gangster rapper," I say. 

Josh smiles. "That's the look I was going for."

I consider yelling at him for his poor fashion choices but decide against this. Lord knows my poor heart cannot take any more of his dramatics even though I have known him a total of five days. 

"We had to pause the game for you, now come on." He drags me away, Keith lingers to chat with a friend from biology.

The game has been set in the middle of the room. Josh adds me to his team, the others don't care. 

Marcus is the ref, although I doubt we need him considering most of us are intoxicated. My shots are sleazy and cheap, I down half a dozen cups of beer in the next thirty minutes. Josh is not faring much better. Somehow, we stumble over each other and end up in a heap on the floor. 

"I've gotta pee," he groans, trying to push me off. "Why is everyone laughing at me?"

I jump to my feet and climb up unto the table. "I've got a pea! I've got a pea!" Throwing my jacket into the crowd, I pick a salt shaker from the glass coffee table and use it as my pseudo-microphone. I don't even want to know how it ended up all the way in the living room. 

Josh joins me and we drunkenly chorus, "Why is everyone laughing at me?" 

I take on a base voice. "If you see a little pea-"

Josh joins as though we have practised this song a million times even though it is one hundred per cent impromptu. "On the floor before I leave-"

"Everyone else chimes in so I can only conclude this is a popular nursery rhyme. " I think it probably belongs to me!"

The crowd which I didn't realise had gathered erupts into cheers.

A few yells of 'encore' prompt Josh and I to break out into the second verse. 

"I've got a pumpkin, I've got a squash. I've got some lettuce I still need to wash!"

Everyone joins in for the big finish in which Josh discards his shirt and waves it in the air like a flag. 

"And if you see a little pea on the floor before I leave, I think it probably belongs to me!!!!"

The final word 'me' gets an additional four syllabi. 

The applause is endless. I lost off the table, expecting this to be my moment of crowd surfing. However, there are no hands waiting to grab me and I fall to the ground with an oomph. 

I don't which is more bruised, my ego or my butt which landed on the floor rather ungracefully.

The gallons of alcohol I have drunk, substances I have smoked and inhaled finally catch up to me as I realise I can't get up. 

My muscles are heavy and stiff, head splitting with pain. My throat is raw and dry and I scratch at it fiercely. My clothes feel hot and I am seconds away from stripping them away.

A ringing sound in my ears causes me to clutch at them but the sound doesn't stop.

"Help me, " I scream but it comes out as a whimper. 

Blackness clouds my vision. I fight against unconsciousness and win myself a few more seconds. 

I feel arms around me. They feel safe and I nuzzle into the person's chest. This elicits a deep chuckle that vibrates my holder's chest and mine as well. 

"You are okay with me." the voice says. 

And then, 

Nothingness.