Intoxicating

Cold

⚠️TRIGGERS: physical abuse⚠️

Leia's POV

I was five years old, a little bundle of excitement and nerves as I held Courtney's hand tightly in mine. It was our first day of kindergarten, and though the building was huge, the halls filled with strange faces, I felt safe with her by my side.

Courtney and I had met in preschool, instantly bonding over shared crayons and giggles. From that moment on, we were inseparable. We had spent countless afternoons playing pretend, drawing in coloring books, and sharing snacks, our worlds intertwined.

As we walked into the kindergarten classroom, I remember how big everything seemed. The desks, the chairs, the big windows, all felt like a new world I was just beginning to explore. Courtney looked up at me, her face full of excitement. "We're gonna be okay, right?" she whispered, her voice small but filled with confidence.

I squeezed her hand tighter, giving her a smile I didn't feel on the inside but knew I had to give her. "We'll be fine," I assured her, even though my heart raced with the unknown.

The teacher, Mrs. Hayes, greeted us with a warm smile. "Welcome to kindergarten, girls. It's going to be a fun year!" she said, her voice sweet and comforting. I felt a little better, though I still wanted to be glued to Courtney. She was my rock.

Everything changed in middle school.

Courtney and I walked into the hallways of our new school, the halls buzzing with voices and excitement. The air felt thicker, the pressure of growing up suddenly more palpable. Things that had once seemed so simple-friends, classes, recess-now seemed distant, replaced by new, confusing elements we hadn't quite figured out yet.

For the first time, boys were noticing us. I could feel their eyes on me as I walked through the halls, my heart skipping a beat every time someone looked. Courtney caught me stealing a glance at a boy from the grade above. She smirked, nudging me with her elbow.

"Like what you see?" she teased, her voice full of mischief.

I blushed, my face heating up. "Shut up," I muttered, but I couldn't help the smile tugging at my lips. It was exciting and terrifying at the same time.

By the time we were in eighth grade, things had escalated even further. Parties had started to pop up on the radar-parties where the music was loud, the drinks were flowing, and the rules seemed to bend. The whole idea felt like something out of a movie, something I had only heard about in whispers or seen on TV.

Freshmen year was when I lost my virginity to a guy named roman, who I never saw again after that. Sophomore year was when I met Nic, and even though I don't have proof, I knew he was the one who posted my nudes online. There are so many private videos and photos that were seen by everyone at school and my mom didn't even care enough to protect me and help figure out who leaked them.

I was the whore for taking and sending them.

Then Timothée met Courtney during our junior year, and for the most part, I stayed on the sidelines. I knew who he was-everyone did-but we didn't really interact much. Just the occasional small talk when we crossed paths. He was always surrounded by people, confident, and he and Courtney seemed to be a perfect match, so I never really thought about him beyond that.

At the time, I didn't feel any pull toward him. Sure, he was attractive and charming, but he was Courtney's boyfriend, and I was happy for them.

I remember the first time I actually met Timothée directly. It was at Courtney's house, sometime during our junior year. Courtney had thrown a casual get-together, nothing big, just a handful of friends hanging out. I wasn't sure what to expect, but when Courtney introduced us, Timothée was nothing but polite.