Chapter One

"This is a bad idea and you know it" I said to my best friends Chloe and Lydia. 

How I allowed them to convince me that this was a good idea is beyond me. 

"For the nth time you got to live a little" Chloe whispered. 

"Yeah right, we'll probably get skinned alive, not if, but when we get caught," I reply in an equally low tone glancing about apprehensively.

"People escape all the time Dee, no one's ever gotten caught, this route is the shit" That was Lydia, she walked on ahead of us, a flashlight in hand.

"Yeah,"  I wiped my palm on the smooth material of my dress, "There's a first time for everything," I whispered back rolling my eyes. 

Chloe and Lydia are my best friends, we've been through hell and back together which mainly consists of studying for difficult exams, cramming for tests, and breaking curfews. But what we were about to do right now was legit crazy. 

It probably sounds like we're breaking out of prison or something, I know. 

This is crazy, I'm crazy for agreeing to this plan which will only land me in hot soup. 

We tiptoed quietly for the next few minutes, my heart jumping with every suspicious sound, more than once I was tempted to make a U-turn,  the crazy as it sounded Lydia thought it'd be a great idea to go partying the night before our final exams, I didn't really want to go I just didn't want to stay back in our dorm room alone. Damn, who am I kidding?? I guess I loved the thrill of the danger of being caught, but I was really rethinking the whole thing.

They also dared me and I ain't no chicken.

And then I could see high brick walls. A few more steps and we were standing in front of steel doors instead of the usual titanium doors I was accustomed to seeing around the academy. 

Lydia flipped off the flashlight she brought from our dorm room grabbed the door handle and eased the door open. 

 I half expected someone to appear from somewhere and yell 'busted' or something of that nature but nothing. The door was open and we could leave. 

Lydia stepped out first, then motioned me along, I followed, and lastly Chloe. 

"I told you we aren't going to get caught," Chloe said shutting the door as we began to walk down the highway further away from our school to where we'd get a taxi. Chloe had ordered a cab with her computer before we left.

So far, so good the plan was going according to plan. 

A few vehicles drove past and I began to feel a little weird just standing at the side of the street, I moved from foot to foot, crossing my arms at the front as we waited for the taxi, Chloe and Lydia saying something about the driver being three minutes late as they stared at the watch on Lydia's wrist, and a black Jeep rolls to a stop. It looked new and shiny. Whoever had this car was pretty loaded. 

Seconds later the tainted window lowered. The driver was a young man, I couldn't see him clearly because it was dark already, maybe early twenties, stuck his head out the window slightly, his arm over the wheel.

"Well, hello there beautiful, you girls going somewhere?" He asked in what I assumed to be a flirting voice. 

"As a matter of fact, we are" Chloe answered with a flit of her hair, sticking out one long, toned leg that was currently in a mid-thigh red dress and black high stilettos. 

I arched a brow in the darkness because I knew that look, it was the same one she used when she wanted to get her way with the guys at school. 

She wasn't about to do what I think she was about to do, right?

"Aren't you too beautiful to be waiting? I can give you and your pretty friends a lift to wherever you're headed" 

"Oh my God, that'd be great," she said with another flit of her blond hair. 

What?! I almost screamed. 

I so did not agree to this. 

Getting in a stranger's car? That can go wrong in so many ways. 

"What the heck is she doing?" I whispered to Lydia out the side of my mouth.

"Getting us a ride, that way we can save the taxi bill" 

Is she high? 

Both of them.

The guy said something along the lines of 'hop in' while opening the door to his back seat.

And my friend Chloe hopped right in, the little purse hanging over her shoulder bouncing at her hip as she moved in making space for Lydia who gave me a look as she got in.

"They are only giving us a ride to the club." 

Yeah, that or sell us to traffickers, I didn't say that out loud, didn't wanna give them ideas. 

Guess I didn't have much of a choice, I got in too, and slammed the door, the leather felt cool beneath my thighs, and a faint smell of something herbal like weed in the air.

"Who's your friend?" Lydia asks out loud. 

That's when I noticed there were two guys in the car. 

"Name's Jackson, you can call me Jack" the one in the passenger seat said sticking his hand behind. 

Lydia leans forward and places her hand in his flashing him a generous amount of her chest. 

Great, just great.

"And you?" the guy asks, and I feel his gaze move to me, my brows scrunch and I blink. 

"This is Dee" Lydia supplied with a flick of her thumb in my direction and looked like she was trying not to laugh at my awkwardness. 

The car begins to move. 

A conversation strikes up between Chloe and the driver, I learn his name is Ryder. Lydia and Jackson seem to be having a great time getting to know each other but I mainly sit quietly thinking of how many ways this could go wrong. 

 We could probably end up dead in a ditch somewhere, drugged, violated, I mean these people could be rapists for all we know. 

The ride went on for about forty-five minutes, how do I know? Okay, I might have been counting every passing second. My eyes flash to the time at the dash in between staring a our surroundings.

I guess the party was somewhere fancy because it looked like we were in the uptown part of New York I could see lots of tall buildings and lights, it was my first time seeing the city at night time, it was... a sight, I wished I could relax enough to enjoy it.

"How much longer is this going to take?" I ask in a low voice nudging Lydia with my elbow. 

"We're already there," she inclined her head forward, her voice full of excitement. 

Thank the Lord. 

Opening the door, I came out first so Lydia could come out next but when she didn't, I looked back in the car and saw both her and Chloe typing on cell phones. 

Guess they decided to give them their numbers too because I know for a fact that they didn't have phones, and the academy did not allow the use of cell phones in school. 

But seriously, didn't they know anything about stranger danger? 

I shook my head sadly, I'm the only sane one around here. 

They came out a moment later grinning.

"Thanks for the ride honey" that was Chloe. 

"Anytime" The driver, Ryder replied, then drove off. 

We turned and began to walk across a large parking lot, I noted a lot of fancy cars, the paint job gleaming in the night lights. 

It had to be a club from the lights and scantly dressed girls lining up at the entrance.

"You know you could have been nicer to them, right?" Lydia muttered.

"I didn't say anything." 

"That's the point" she shot back. 

I waved a hand "What was I supposed to say the both of you had it under control." 

"Maybe offered your name so I shouldn't have had to come-" 

"Girls! "Chloe cut in. 

And I saw that we were standing in front of the bouncer at the entrance.

A beefy guy with slicked-back hair, an earpiece in his ear as he looked down at us. Well, that was embarrassing. 

"Can I see some IDs?" He asked. That was forward. 

We didn't bring any IDs not even fake ones. Or at least I didn't, in my defense, I didn't know we were going to a club. So, we've come all this way for nothing. 

Why do I suddenly feel like crying? 

"Nice to see you too Freddy" Chloe quipped. Did she know him? maybe she's been here before?

"Chloe? "He said but this time in a surprised voice. 

"How do you not recognize me?" 

She does know him. Leave it to Chloe to surprise me. 

"Wow girl, How you being?" he asked dropping the stocky facade, "It's been long, two years now?" He asked. 

They hugged the guy lifting her cleanly off her feet.

"I think they used to date," Lydia said beside me. 

"Hm" was my only reply. 

"These are my friends, Lydia and Dee," she said introducing us. 

"Hello," we both say with a wave, I even managed a smile.

"Some kids from our school are having a party here, it's supposed to be a private room or something, we were hoping you'd let us in," Chloe said. 

"Sure, I think it's the VIP section just keep it low-key, okay?" 

"Thanks, Freddy you're the best," she said and after another hug and a swift kiss on his cheek, she linked our hands with hers and stutterers ahead.

As soon as we walked in, I was almost knocked on my butt by the loud music, the decor was really nice somewhat between gothic and erotic, with red and black leather seats, shiny table tops, hmm, nice, Looked like a normal club, not like I knew what a normal club looked like. 

"Let's party!" Chloe yelled above the music walking towards where I guess is the VIP. 

I could feel eyes on me, and lingering glances followed our little group as we moved, a few lifted their glasses in our direction in a toast. 

The females looked mad at us, most of them were sending us death glares, what did we do to them? 

Normally I'd shy away from so many eyes. Hell, the Dee from two years ago would run out of there with a gold medal-worthy speed. 

But today, I want to be someone else and have fun like a normal teenage girl... Yeah, I can do that. No one knows me here and they'll never see me again.

The VIP section looked like the rest of the club only better, the sitting area was separated from the dance floor. 

Then the bar. 

It was exquisite. 

There were lots of teenage people around partying I took it all in feeding my eyes. music streaming through the speakers, the floor vibrated slightly beneath my shoes from the base, a thrill shooting up my blood, this seems fun. 

I was suddenly glad my friends talked me into coming. We looked at each other, sharing side grins.

Lydia leaned into me, shouting over the music, pointing "Let's go over there, I think I see Caleb," 

Now that I think of it, most of the teenagers looked familiar. 

"Caleb!" 

He turned from the group of guys he was with. "Lydia? You guys came" he asked 

"Wouldn't miss it," Lydia answered and they did a high five.

"Hi, Caleb," I said. 

"Dee?" He seemed shocked. His eyes wide. 

"Yeap" 

"I'm gonna get a drink," Chloe said walking away. 

"Me too "Lydia followed. 

Traitors! 

"You look fineee Dee," Caleb said when we were alone swiping a hand over his lips as he gave me a deliberate once over. "Damn girl"

I flushed, heat rising to my face. Crap, good thing it was dark in here. 

"Thanks, you look good too." And he did. In a black button-down shirt that hugged his lean build and dark jeans. 

"Let me get you a drink, come," he said grabbing hold of my hand and tugging me along to the bar. 

He pulled out a stool at the bar for me, and as I sit, my black tight mid-thigh sleeveless dress rode up. 

"What do you want to drink?" his eyes were on my exposed thigh; I felt a bit uncomfortable. 

"Hmm just coke" I replied 

He leaned close to the bartender and told him my drink order. 

"I'm really glad you came," he said sitting on the stool closest to me. 

"Me too." 

"So, what about college?" He asked atfer a few seconds of silence. 

Like father will let me. Convincing him to allow me to enroll in the academy took a lot of insisting, begging, and tears from Mama. Almost everyone in the family is home-schooled. And I was too, until three years ago. 

But I wasn't going to tell him that.  "I'm not sure yet, you?" That seemed to take the spotlight from me because Caleb began to talk about himself. The bartender brought our drinks while Caleb was saying something about studying a business course. 

I caught myself staring at his brown eyes more times than I'd like to admit. 

His curly hair fell over his forehead almost covering his eyes. He is so cute. 

"Hey Dee, I see you're having a great time," someone said directly behind me and I snapped my gaze from Caleb's face. Turning I see Chloe. 

Her eyes were bright, a half empty glass in her hand. "Come do shots with us" She grabbed my arm and pulled me along. 

"I'm not sure I want to drink," I said as she pulled me toward the booth with the rich kids. Don't get me wrong almost everyone in my school is an heir to some big corporation and comes from a wealthy family but these kids take wealth to another level. 

"Hey everyone, remember my friend Dee?" Chloe yelled. 

Some said 'hi' others ignored me but it's cool. 

"Let's do shots" a girl yelled. Wait that was my friend Lydia. She was sitting on some guy's lap. 

"Yeah!!!" The whole table agreed. 

Chloe already parked her butt on some other guy's lap. 

"Hey" someone called softly and I snapped my head up. 

A guy I think his name was Michael smiled at me, he always hung out with the rich cool kids. 

"Wanna sit?" He asked pointing at his left thigh. 

What? "No," I said in a small voice. 

"I won't touch you if that's what you want," he returned, a small smile tugged at the side of his lips.

God, he looked fine. 

Why can't I be cool like Lydia and think of a flirty comeback? 

I chewed on my bottom lip for a second, looked at my friends for help but they were caught up in conversations, I glanced back at the guy, he seemed cool, so I dipped my head, "Fine" Yeap" that's all I could come up with. 

A waitress appeared and started handing out shot glasses filled with amber liquid. 

F*ck this, I can be cool. I walked close to him turned around and lowered myself on his lap trying to ignore the heat in my cheeks and tried to ignore the fact that I was sitting on some dude I'd never spoken to before today. 

"Here Dee" Lydia said passing me two glasses. I passed one to him taking a sip from mine. I squeezed my face as the liquid almost made my tongue fall off. 

"What in the hell?" I said to nobody in particular. 

"Not like that, you have to knock it back at once to feel the effect," a voice said from behind me with a hint of amusement.

I shot hi a look over my shoulder, "I'm not sure I want to drink this thing, it sucks."