𝐒𝐮𝐫𝐯𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐝 𝐇𝐢𝐦

THIRTY

"I feel a little bit lost in here."

30

Past

"I saw him dancin' there by the record machine... I knew he musta been about seventeen." I sung sloppily on top of a bar table with a bottle of tequila in my hand. The place was packed with people for throwback night at this hole in the wall club not far from our campus.

"Amina your phone is going off!" My roommate Keya reaching to hand me my phone. "I think it's Archie!"

I ignored her shouting and dancing to Joan Jett & The black hearts 'I Love Rock 'N Roll'. I was a whirlwind of laughter and carefree abandon, my dress slowly rising up, oblivious to the cheers and laughter that erupted below me.

My movements were unsteady but exuberant as I swayed with the rhythm, the world around me didn't stand a chance as it blurred into a haze of sounds. I was a reckless twirling joy as the night was slipping away.

I sing, "Next we were movin' on, he was with me, yeah, me!" I chugged back the bottle feeling the crowd boost my energy. I caught a glimpse of my reflection in the mirror on the ceiling— a wild, carefree spirit, lost in the moment and the thrill of being alive.

For those few minutes, nothing else mattered; the world outside faded including my parents, leaving only the music, and the intoxicating freedom of dancing as if no one else is watching.

However, I was throwing my head from side to side when I caught sight of Archie watching me waiting for me to notice him, he nodded for me to follow him to the bathroom.

"Keya help me down!" I slurred rushing to get off the bar table to follow Archie, but I almost fall missing the step.

A random guy caught me, "Hey gorgeous." A leering smile spreading across his face.

"Your so wasted you should be more careful hm." The stranger grabbed my wrist, his grip firm and unwelcome, pulling me closer despite my startled expression.

"Let go of me." My voice shaky and intoxicated but mostly irritated.

"What's the matter? You weren't shy a minute ago." He chuckled obvlious to the discomfort in my eyes since his breathe was against my face.

I pull away and that's when Keya pushed him back shouting to let go of me, and a satisfying punch landed on the aggressors cheek knocking him into the surprised crowd. The sound echoed and the bar fell silent for a split second before erupting into chaos.

"Did you fucking touch her piece of shit?!" I looked at Archie lung to get on top of him repeatedly punching the drunk guy. Cheers and shouts rang out egging on the fight.

"Archie!" I reach to pull him away but Keya pulls me out the club, I drunkly continue to scream for him fighting to get to him.

"Amina his friends are there to help, you don't want to get in between a guys fight." People started making there way out the club. I run a hand through my hair then I saw Archie and his friends rush out the club— he was scanning the place searching for me I guess.