Red

Chapter One

A/N: TRIGGER WARNING for RAPE near the end of this chapter! I will put three asterisks right above where it starts.

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Chandler POV:
This party fucking blows.

I have no idea where Duke and Mac are. Kurt and Ram have been eyeing me ever since they got here twenty minutes ago. Every time one of them looks at me, I feel shivers run up my spine. After what happened with Ram at the last party, I sort of want to go home. Duke would spread shit if I did, so I know it isn't really an option. Still, I hope they leave me alone just this once.

I see a flash of blue out of the corner of my eye. Veronica's here. Finally. I walk over, trying to act casual as I avoid walking past Kurt and Ram. I tap Veronica on the shoulder, and she jumps, turning quickly. I smirk. "Sawyer. I didn't peg you for the partying type."

"I, uh... I'm not," she replies. "I mean, I've never really been invited to a party before now."

"You want a drink?" I ask.

"Yeah, let's do it," she says, an excited smile spreading across her face. She's so naive. She probably hasn't had a single sip of alcohol in her life. I guess I'm about to fix that.

I lead Veronica over to the bar. I grab a highball glass, pouring in the cranberry vodka (probably Ram's mother's), some cranberry juice, and a splash of orange juice. "Here," I say. "Enjoy."

She takes a sip, and though her intial reaction is to scrunch up her face, she relaxes as a smile spreads across her face. "What is this?" she asks.

"It's a Vodka Cranberry," I reply. "You've got a lot to learn."

"I guess so," she replies, taking another sip. "Thanks, Heather."

"Call me Chandler," I instruct. "It's easier."

"Chandler it is," she says. "So, Chandler, what were you doing standing all by yourself earlier? I saw you as soon as I walked in. I figured you'd be the life of the party." She looks up at me expectantly. She's genuinely curious as to why I'm standing alone. It's almost as if she cares.

"I make an appearance to keep up the image," I explain. "Kurt and Ram have that whole 'Life of the Party' thing covered."

"Oh," she replies, a semi-disgusted look on her face.

"What's with the face, Sawyer?" I ask.

"I'm just not a huge fan of them, that's all."

"Why's that?" I push.

"God, sorry, I know you're friends with them and everything," she says quickly. "I didn't mean to-"

"I'm not friends with Kurt and Ram," I interrupt. I can tell by the look on her face that she's surprised. Then again, isn't everyone when I tell them that I'm not friends with the two jock kings of Westerburg? "Just tell me."

"I don't know, they just... they give off a bad vibe," she replies, running her finger around the rim of the glass. "They're also dicks, but mainly the 'bad vibe' thing."

"Bad vibes is just the beginning," I mutter.

"Hm?" Oh, shit, she heard me.

"Nothing," I reply. "I think there's a pool out back if you want to swim, and there's food on that buffet table over there." I nod towards the long, plastic tables all pushed together against the back wall.

"I don't want to swim, but we can go outside," Veronica says.

"What makes you think I'm tagging along?" I joke.