Tainted Innocence

C H A P T E R 6

A dynamic woman is like dynamite, very rare but powerful. A dynamic woman knows how to multitask and still complete her tasks in time. In whatever she does, she shines.

☆

Leilani

Hot bodies surround me everywhere as music fills my ears.

Kaitlyn pulls me to the dance floor, shoving between grinding bodies. She's holding my hand trying to get me to dance. "C'mon loosen up Lei." Her voice is muffled through the loud music.

I feel my body swaying, moving to the music. I took ballet classes when I was younger but dancing had never felt this good... this carefree. It was a sort of surreal feeling like my body had a mind of its own, maybe it was the drinks or maybe it was because I finally felt free for once.

Suddenly I feel a pair of hands on my waist and I tense up, no longer feeling free but condemned. I turn around only to be faced with a funny-looking Zoé. She looked flustered and she obviously had to be drunk because why else would she be touching me like this?

"I never knew that you were such a good dancer," Zoé is now so close to me that I feel her lips burn a hole in my neck. Her touch is smoldering.

"U-Um yeah me neither, tbh," I cringe at myself for stuttering and saying tbh out loud like a total npc. Zoé's deep chuckle brings me out of my thoughts and the feel of her kisses on my neck nearly sends me to god.

I was so entranced by Zoé that I forgot about Kaitlyn. So despite my internal struggles I released from Zoé's grip and told her that I had to find Kaitlyn. She offered her help but I declined, Zoé was a distraction. Zoé confused me.

I wonder around the smelly house stumbling over my two feet when I finally find Kaitlyn in the kitchen. But when I find her she's sniffing some white powder off the table, line after line. Pill after pill. I was curious. And of course, I knew curiosity killed that cat but I just couldn't help myself.

So of course I let my curiosity ruin me, "What is that?"

Kaitlyn jumped at the sound of a voice while sniffling and rubbing her nose. The naive part of my mind wanted to say that she had a cold but I'm smart, I know better. I know it has something to do with the white powdery substance.

"Oh this here is just... is just some powder, you know. You know you should try some I-I bet it'll help you relax," Kaitlyn responded she sounded very different, jittering everywhere, slurring and stumbling over her words. But she did look happy. And she did look free.

So I accepted her offer because all I ever wanted was to be free. I watched her as she crushed the pill and lined it up with a razor. And it felt like I was watching myself as I snorted the powder, the feeling being unreal.

My nose stung from it but it was ok because I felt like I was floating.

☆

I wake up feeling dead. My vision was blurry and I couldn't tell what was around me, but I felt the soft mattress beneath my skin.

I blink my eyes a couple of times so that they can adjust to the light, in my peripheral I see a mountain of red hair beside me. Zoé?

I turn around on my other side to be faced with an alarm clock, 10:40 am. I hopped out of bed really fast, so fast that Zoé woke up looking startled.

"Leilani, what the actual fuck are you doing?" Zoé raised out of the bed with a sports bra and boxers. I take a long gulp.

"I gotta go, do you know what time it is!" I frantically try to gather my things, "Ugh papa's going to kill me."

"Calm down Lei, it isn't that serious-"

"Yes, it is! You don't know papa and you don't know my family. I'm not even supposed to be hanging out with you anyway. Do you understand what could happen Zoé? I snuck out and I blacked out, when I get home I'm as good as dead!"

I didn't mean to vent or yell but I did. Letting all my frustrations out at a shocked Zoé, to save myself from the embarrassment I just grabbed my clothes and walked out.

☆

Well, I tried to walk out. The only problem is I've been sheltered my whole life and don't know my way back home. So I just wandered around the town until finding a small payphone.

I sigh in relief upon finding ¢.75. I immediately insert the change and dial Matteo's number.

"Hello?"

"Hey Matty, can you come pick me up, please?" I closed my eyes hoping he'd say yes.

"Yes, of course. You know, you had us worried and sick Lei. Pa was not happy at all! You have a lot of explaining to do!"

I tell Matteo my location before hanging up and rolling my eyes at Matteo's long speech, he can live his life but when I live mine it's a problem.

Soon enough I see his car pulling up. I tense as I spot Papá in the passenger seat, and if looks could kill I'd be ten feet under with his intense glare.

I walk to Matteo's car and hop in the backseat, the car is tense so I try to break the ice. "Um..hey guys?"

929 words

I know this chapter is short but I wanted to get something out after not posting for so long, anyways guys Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays.