Take It or Leave It

3. Angel

Warning

This chapter contains drug use and sexual content.

KIARA

Somehow, our group moved to a nightclub in downtown LA. An upstairs section was bought and bottles kept coming. Early into the night, one of the guitarists, Frankie ordered an Uber home since he had to put his daughter to sleep.

In the few hours we were around each other, I learned that Andres was from Boyle Heights, a neighborhood in Los Angeles. His birthday was March 2nd, he was 24, he'd been playing music since he was 11, and his drink of choice was a jack and coke.

I was comfortably seated on the couch in our section between Lyla and Andrés. Next to Lyla was the drummer, TJ. He was flirting so hard with Lyla and she was talking to him as if he was her little brother. Next to TJ was their other guitarist, Leo. He was whispering sweet nothings in Laura's ear and she was eating it up.

Andrés' skinny, tattooed arm was draped around my shoulders and his fingers were grazing the skin on my arms, causing goosebumps to rise.

"Are you having fun?" he whispered, bending down slightly for me to hear.

It was nice to be next to a man that is taller than me. Standing at 5'9, it was nearly impossible to find a man I wasn't eye level with or taller than. Even James and I were at eye level at our standing height. There were times he would ask me to not wear heels to red carpet events because he wanted to be taller. I never listened.

I nodded my head, taking a sip of my drink. I quickly realized that I should not have worn a bodycon dress. The warm air of the club combined with the tingles I got from Andrés' touch caused me to fidget in my seat and made me want to rip my dress off.

The music in the club was bass-boosted hip-hop. Bodies on the dance floor grinded and danced together.

"Kiara, Lylaaaa, come on! Let's go danceeeee!" Laura yelled grabbing our wrists to get us off the couch. I could tell she just did a line by the way her eyes were widened and the way she sniffled and held her nose. Cocaine in LA was so common, I honestly forgot that not everyone has a coke guy. With the summer just starting and runway season fast approaching, every model was doing what they could to remain thin. Whether it was doing coke, smoking cigarettes, taking diet pills, or just plain starvation, we all had our vices when it came to staying thin. I stuck to a strict diet the month of my shows.

I did coke once when I first moved from Phoenix. I was 19 and impressionable, trying to appeal to the older crowd I was surrounded by. I hated it. I felt like my skin was peeling off and my core was on fire. Since then, I stuck to alcohol.

Since I'd never say no to an opportunity to dance with my girlfriends, I pushed myself up off the couch, only for another hand to tug me slightly. I turned around and met Andrés' eyes.

They were pleading as they raked over my body. My long legs were exposed, and I was wearing heels, so they looked extra defined.

"Promise me you'll come back?"

I let go of Laura's hand and bent down to his ear, "I promise," I whispered, leaving a soft kiss on his cheek. I had a dose of drunk confidence because the sober voice in my head couldn't believe what I was doing just a week after my breakup.