I wasn't really sure why I was doing this to myself again.

I heard my mom's voice in the back of my head telling me I was being stupid, reckless, and would probably get myself killed. I mean, she wasn't totally wrong.

Carefully, I put on a pair of gold earrings that were quickly disintegrating into green goo. I'd only just gotten my second piercings a couple of months prior.

"Kiera, are you ready, babe?! I'm so excited," Cassidy shouted from her room, just a door over.

No, I mouthed. "Yes!" I shouted back as I grabbed my favorite gold chain necklace from my plastic drawer. It'd been a 16th birthday gift from my mom.

My black boot heels clicked on the tiled dorm room floor as I stomped into the living room to grab a glass of water. I chugged it, squeezed my eyes shut, and turned towards Cassidy's door.

"Alright, I'm ready." I wasn't ready.

Cassidy came out of her room, wearing a risque get-up that I could never pull off. It was a tight brown crop top with two thin slips of fabric that criss crossed across her chest, just covering everything. I'd always wanted to wear something like that, but I knew it would lack necessary support for my chest. She wore a black leather skirt and a pair of high heels to go with the top. "How do I look?" she said, giving a quick twirl.

"Great," I replied. A spike of anxiety coursed through me at the thought of what we were stepping into. It was only a house party. I had to remind myself that repeatedly. Just a house party. It wasn't that big of a deal.

It felt like one, though.

I was dressed slightly more conservatively than Cassidy, but not by much. I had on a black bralette covered by a mesh gray top. I wore a pair of tight black jean shorts, and already they were digging into my thighs. I hated jeans, but they made my butt look good, so it was a worthwhile sacrifice.

I followed Cassidy out the door and she quickly locked the door behind me, keys jangling as she shoved them back in her pocket. I double checked that I had my phone, wallet, and a bit of eye liner just in case mine got ruined. I was set.

Cassidy nudged me with her hip as she stalked past me. "Hey. It'll be fine."

I nodded back, wordlessly. It would be fine.

I just wished I could believe that.

__________________________________________________________________

By the time we arrived at the party, it was already pretty packed. 

I heard the party before I saw it.

It was on the fifth floor of an apartment building down the street from our dorm. The building itself was known for its lax rules and the excessive number of college students living there. Cassidy and I had considered living there, but had stuck to the dorm life since it meant our other friends could live in the dorms neighboring ours.

As I walked down the carpeted hallway, I clenched and unclenched my fists. The smell of booze wafted towards us from the open apartment door, where a crowd hung out, chatting casually, some even saying goodbye to friends already.

"If it's too crowded, we should go, right?" I asked Cassidy, anxiously. I was kind of hoping she would immediately say yes and get us out of there.

"If you need to go, just tell me," she said. "I'm here for you, okay?"

Okay. I could do this.

We walked up to the crowd, which parted as we passed through the door into the raucous atmosphere. It was surprisingly less claustrophobic than I'd expected. The room consisted of a long counter covered in opened beer cans and liquer bottles, a large leather couch seated across from a TV, and a table where a handful of people were playing beer pong. At the other side of the room were long floor to ceiling windows, a luxury that I had never been able to afford.

Cassidy headed immediately to the counter, as I went to grab us a spot on the couch. I walked past a couple making out in the dark shadows of the hallway, and quickly turned the other way. I didn't recognize almost anyone here. Why had I come again?

Right, alcohol and for Cassidy. She didn't like going to parties alone. I did enjoy drinking socially, but I wasn't an addict. And I definitely wasn't planning on drinking tonight -- I was already stressed enough.

Cassidy rejoined me, sipping from a beer can. "What did I miss?"

"Not much," I replied, leaning back on the couch. I noticed a red-headed man across the room eyeing Cassidy's short skirt. She didn't catch his gaze.

"Okay good. I didn't miss anything." She paused and looked around the room, finally noticing the red-head. "Geez, some of these men are so thirsty."

I nodded numbly. I knew what she meant.

"But I won't abandon you here. Pinky promise." She held a pinky out to me and I interlocked mine in hers. "Anyway, I should introduce you to Nina! I feel like I've talked about her a lot but you've never met her have you?"

"Nope. I don't think so?" I responded.

Cassidy grabbed my hand and stood up, dragging me with her. We started heading towards the beer pong table, where two pairs of girls were going back and forth, tossing ping pong balls and cheering when they inevitably splashed into the cup filled with beer.

"You know I'm horrible at beer pong, right?" I joked.

Cassidy laughed. "I know, don't you know that's why we're going to play against Nina. She sucks, just like you. And I think it will be..." All of a sudden, Cassidy trailed off. She was staring at the door to the party, her face slack.

Oh no.

As I looked towards the door, I felt my heart drop into my stomach. Crap, crap, crap. My biggest fear was becoming a reality.

Because in the doorway stood none other than my worst nightmare, a walking demonic creep, and the last person I wanted to see.

David Walker.