Midterms were almost a breeze minus all the nightmares and lack of sleep. Everyone has gathered at Denny's to discuss tonight's plans, even Miss Candy herself has joined our group. She fits right in. Besides her snarky comments towards Damian and Clarissa, she suits us. Clarissa goes on to say it will be in a rented-out beach house. It's a private area so not many people will be able to get in unless they have the code. Which I guess we will not get till a later time. I'm trying to stay focused but I am so exhausted that I don't realize that I am starting to doze off. "Umm, am I that boring to you that you're going to just fall asleep." I sit up ready to apologize when Candy decides to tell everyone about the nightmares all week long and maybe having five hours total of sleep this week. "Well, if you need beauty sleep go get some but you are not missing my birthday party," Clarissa says in a bossy tone. I'm also glad that she wants me to be part of her birthday party. I won't argue but I am so exhausted that I don't think I could stay awake if I tried. Ezikel offers to walk me back to my dorm but I tell everyone it's daylight and that I'm fine to get back to my room on my own. Damian and Ezikel both give me a look that they ain't buying my bull shit but I am good. I also have a job interview today that I absolutely can't miss. Before I leave Faye insists on walking me out she grabs my hand and then hugs me tight when we get to the door.
I am back in my dorm room and kick my shoes off. I grab my AirPods and put them in. I make my music loud enough that I can hear anything I set my alarm for two and crash out. I wake to the sound of my alarm going off. It takes me about five minutes to register that I slept with no nightmares and feel energized. I get up and get dressed for my interview at the library by the food hall. I show up fifteen minutes early to the interview just like my dad always taught me. Four o'clock comes around and they still haven't come back to get me. Did I get the time wrong or did they already choose somebody else to work? I'm starting to psych  myself out when an old lady comes out,  "Nubia Di Rossi." I'm surprised this little old lady was able to say my name properly. Most people don't even get to my last name because they can't say the first one. I get up and follow her down the hall into an office. She asks me various questions about books and if I read. I go into detail about books I love ones I don't agree with but still recommend them from a good read. I also explained that I'm not a read-one-genre kind of girl. I like to read it all. The lady seems pleased with me. As the interview comes to a close I shake her hand and am ready to walk out when she asks, "After fall break you start that Monday night. We will work around your school schedule of course and we aren't open Sundays. Which gives you a full day of studying." " yes, mama I will see you Monday night."  I'm trying to make my voice sound less excited than I am. I text the group chat that I got the job and message my dad. They all congratulate me.
There is a perfume smell coming down the hallway of my dorm and guess what it is my dorm room. I open the door to see three girls getting ready and trying to figure out what they are going to wear tonight. The birthday girl has three red dresses and to me, they all look the same except one is strapless, one has lace and the other is a silk fabric. Of course, everyone else already has an outfit in mind. "Girl you're late to the game you better catch up." Clarissa hands me a shot after she's done yelling. Candy looks at me like she requires some help and some time to herself. "Let me take a shower first and then I'll come to take this shot okay? Candy can you go run and grab me some energy drinks here a twenty." I say handing the 20 to her to run out the door before these two girls tackle her down to the ground. My shower isn't long due to a very loud noise Clarissa comes in every couple of minutes asking if I'm don't yet. This also leads me to take two shots well I'm in the shower. Frye hands me a burrito and whispers that I probably should eat something before I continue my drinking. I thank her before Clarissa sees that I have food and she may tell me that I don't need it. Candy comes by in the nick of time to see that we are all pretty much dressed and ready to go. She doesn't like taking a long time to get ready. This girl is always dressed in thirty minutes or less. She goes into the bathroom to change and I crops the birthday girl. We all decided on lacy dresses except Candy who lives by her jeans, she put on a silk button-up to make Clarissa happy.
We show up to the beach out in a limo of course because Clarissa is all class. We get out to see that the house is fully decorated for her. "WE ALL NEED S ROUND OF SHOTS RIGHT NOW!" Clarissa pretty much yells before we can enter the house. This house is beautiful the front Lon has a tree and a couple of bushes against the side wall. There is a red rose bush before you come to the gate. The gate is wood and has a rugged look to it. We get up closer and I see the house is a grey-bluish close. The trim surrounding the house is white. We walk in and my breath is taken away by how gorgeous the inside is. The walls are covered in modern art and some classics. There is a library with a freaking ladder and the couches are dark grey. Whoever owns this house must adore it to upkeep how clean it is. "Welcome to my home you guys." Clarissa giggles and is proud at the same time. Everyone can believe this is her home until I realize the family photos over the fireplace. Clarissa's little sister is adorable in these photos. I start to look through them all and stumble across a card that is flipped over with a prayer on it. I flip it over with curiosity and see her little sister on the back side. 2015-2022. My heart aches for her and Clarissa. I flip the card back over before anyone else asks what I'm looking at. Clarissa stumbles over, "Don't look at those things over there come here." I don't know if she knows I have seen or if she is trying to make sure I don't see, but I do as she asks so that she can just have a good night.
Ezikel brings out the food and demands we all eat before we keep drinking and although Clarissa wants to keep drinking she comes to some realization that it is a good idea to eat. Damian brings out glasses of water and we all enjoy a meal together. I feel a little more sober than I did after eating all this food and drinking four glasses of water. The doorbell rings when I bring the last of the dishes over to the sink. Clarissa opens the door and people start piling in. Clarissa. Tells them to move outside and everyone follows her. She is beautiful and outgoing. Well, when she wants to be. The music is playing and we are all dancing. I am drunk by the time midnight comes and I'm feeling a bit more flirtatious. I turn around and go into to kiss Ezikel when all of a sudden a person bumps into me. "Hey, be careful man," Ezikel yells over the music. The guy looks at me and then at him and shakes his head. Ezikel has anger written all over his face but I grab his face to look at me and this guy behind me runs into me again this time pushing me and Ezikel. Ezikel grabs his arm and starts to walk him out. The guy shoves Ezikel so hard that he stumbles. Ezikel pushes him back and the guy falls down his friends come up behind him and one of them pulls a gun out. "What you gonna do now asshole?" The guy holding the gun asks Ezikel. Ezikel lifts his hands and people start to scream and try to move out of the way. Damian gets between Ezikel and the gun and says something but people are pushing past me screaming and yelling I can't hear what's going on. Finally, I see Damian lunge for the gun and it goes off. People scatter fast and try moving out of the way. Ezikel and Damian start beating the shit out of the guys. They are almost done kicking most of their asses when Clarissa looks at me and her eyes go wide. Faye runs to my side. What the hell is going on? Then I feel it when I touch my stomach. I have been shot.
Clarissa is screaming and telling them they have to do something Faye won't let go of my hand and Damian and Ezikel run to my side. I'm feeling a little light head so I try to go sit down but before I do Damian lifts me like I'm a sake of potatoes. Feta won't let go of my hand and Ezikel is walking ahead to grab something. Finally, I see that Clarissa and him cleared the table and Damian lays me down. I don't know if it is cause I'm in shock or that I may be dying that I haven't even said a word to them but I just lay there watching these people who truly care about me trying to figure out what to do. "We need to call 911. I'm sorry Clarissa for bleeding all over your table." Oh great I'm trying to joke but I know that something isn't right. My heart has slowed significantly which means I have lost too much blood. I know that I also won't make it cause welcome to California where traffic sucks and there is no way they are going to make it to the top of this house which is already a 30-minute drive to get up here. As I am getting ready for my death Ezikel digs his fingers into my wound. I feel it but it doesn't hurt. What the fuck are they doing. I don't scream I don't budge. My head is too light and I feel my body getting weaker. I start to close my eyes when I hear Ezikel, " I got it out, fucking kiss her before she dies." Then I feel Damian touch underneath my chin, "You have to kiss me. You have to kiss me to make it all go away butterfly. Please be willing and let me kiss you." I hear the pleading in his voice I know that he knows I'm going to die and I don't argue with him. I don't want to see him sad. I don't want him to feel this pain. So use my last bit of strength and I kiss him. Which then leads to making out which then leads to me feeling this energy coursing through me and then I open my eyes. I see that my mouth is and he is glowing blue, purple then pink. I start to taste heaven in his mouth I close my eyes and kiss him harder. Then it's as if my body stops and everything goes black.