𝐑𝐀𝐕𝐄𝐍

viii. scandal

ROSÉ's POV:

As soon as my eyes met his, I felt a sudden jolt of recognition run through me. My heart pounded faster in my chest as I struggled to process what I had just realized. He's that kid...from 18 years ago.

My mind raced as I tried to think of what to do next. Should I confront him? Should I walk away and leave him to his own devices? Before I could make a decision, he stumbled closer to me, his breath hot and heavy on my neck.

Suddenly, I felt his hands on my waist, pulling me in closer. Instinctively, I pushed him away with all my might, and he fell to the dance floor with a heavy thud. As he lay there, motionless, a small part of me felt satisfied, as if justice had been served.

But then, I heard a voice inside my head, a voice that sounded eerily like my mother's. "Help him," it whispered. "Don't leave him like this."

I hesitated, but in the end, my conscience won out, and I knelt down beside him, ignoring the disapproving glares of the other dancers around me.

As I gazed into his face, I saw a hint of vulnerability that tugged at my heartstrings. His eyes were closed, and his breathing was shallow and uneven. I knew that he was drunk, but something else seemed off about him, as if he were struggling with something much deeper than just a bottle of alcohol.

"Hey kid, can you hear me?" There was no response. I tried shaking him, but he remained unresponsive. I looked around, feeling helpless and unsure of what to do. Just then, a man with a thick Southern drawl approached us.

"Hey, what's goin' on here?" he asked, peering down at us. "I don't know," I replied. "I think he's passed out."

The man nodded, and then without warning, he leaned in and whispered into the guy's ear.

"Hey buddy, if you don't wake up, I'm gonna have to start givin' you mouth-to-mouth." I stifled a laugh, but the guy on the floor remained still. The man looked at me, shaking his head.

"I guess I gotta do it," he said, bending down and puckering his lips. Before he could make contact, the guy on the floor suddenly sat up, his eyes wide with alarm.

"What the hell, man" he slurred, pushing the man away. The man stumbled backwards, looking surprised and offended. "Dawg, I was just tryin' to help," he muttered. "He's all good now, I guess." the man said.

The guy mumbled and slurred his words, barely able to string together a coherent sentence. "I think he's speaking in tongues," the man joked.

The guy on the floor rubbed his head and tried to stand up, but his legs gave out, causing him to fall back onto the ground.

"Alright, you can leave now. I'll handle him." I said to the man next to me. "Are you sure you can?" I nodded confidently. "I've dealt with worse," I said with a grin.

The man seemed relieved "Okay, well, I hope you have a great night." and quickly made his exit, muttering something under his breath about crazy parties and the need for better judgment.

I turned my attention back to the guy on the floor. That's when I noticed the tattoos covering his arms and the piercings on his face. I couldn't help but chuckle inwardly. This was the same boy who wore a formal suit?

I wondered what had happened to him over the years. Had he joined a biker gang? Become a rock star? Maybe he was just going through a rebellious phase.

I sighed and looked around the club. It was loud and chaotic, with people dancing and shouting over the music. I realized that I had to get him out of here before something else happened to him.