"What happened to her?" Zubaida inquired worriedly.
Lucy sat on the bed with the others crouched over her. Her eyeliner was smudged, as if she had been crying and her left wrist was wrapped in bandages.
"Lucy's girl friend dumped her for a man and now she is being suicidal." Megan updated Zubaida.
Lucy's eyes welled up with fresh tears and Kristen shot Megan a glare.

Kristen motioned Zubaida to follow her out of the room, closing the door behind her.
"Don't worry, Lucy will be fine. It's not the first time this is happening to her, she had breakups before." Kristen said,once they were out of earshot, "All she need is a nice drink. Have you ever been to Marianna?"
"No," Zubaida said," what's that?"
"It's a pub, just a few blocks away." Kristen informed her.
"But how are we going to get inside?" Zubaida asked, "We are all underage."
"I turned eighteen just last year but have been smoking since a very long time," Kristen replied laughing, "I have my resources."
...................
Zubaida could hear the music blaring as she stood waiting in the line. When their turn came, Zubaida watched in disbelief as Kristen walked over to the bouncer at the front door of the club and raised her shirt, showing off her private parts. She flirted with him for a while and they were allowed entry.

Once inside, Zubaida had to adjust her eyes to the multicolored flashing lights on the dance floor. The friends made their way to the bar, sweaty dancers pressing and rubbing against them.

They all settled on the stools at the far end and ordered their drinks.
"I would take a tequila sunrise," Kristen told the bartender, then realizing that Zubaida won't be able to order a drink herself added,"and an apple martini for her."
"No! I can't drink, it's not right." Zubaida exclaimed.
"Oh c'mon now, don't be a ninny!" Kristen said, taking another chug of her drink and handing Zubaida's glass to her.

Zubaida hesitated for a moment, she knew she would be violating her religion by doing this but curiosity got the better of her and she downed the contents of the glass in a single gulp. She felt a stinging sensation in her lungs and felt her stomach turning. Zubaida scrunched her nose and placed a hand on her mouth.
"I think I am gonna be sick." She declared before darting towards the restroom.
...................
Zubaida could not stop feeling nauseous as much as she splashed her face with cold water.
She had just disposed her dinner in the toilet. She rinsed her mouth a countless times but could still taste the vomit.

"You okay honey?" A male voice asked from behind her, making Zubaida jump out of her skin.
"Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you." The man said with a smile as Zubaida turned towards him, breathing heavily, with a hand over her heart.

"Who are you?" Zubaida asked ignoring his apology, "And what are you doing in the women's washroom?"
"Me? Travis. Mary's friend." He said quietly, as if hurt, "You don't recognize me?"
"My friends would be waiting," Zubaida said walking towards the door,"I should leave."

This guy was giving her the creeps.

"No, you should not!" He exclaimed, taking hold of Zubaida's arm and pushing her against the wall.
He held both of her hands by the wrist above her head. He brought his mouth closer to Zubaida's but she turned her face just in time and the kiss landed on her right cheek instead of her lips.

He yanked at the neck of her dress, ripping it.
Zubaida twisted and turned but his grip was too strong for her.
"Stop resisting!" Travis snarled at her, fumbling with his belt.
"Let me go!" Zubaida pleaded with him, tears flowing freely from her eyes.
"Can you not see how hard I am for you?" Travis asked, his facial expressions softening, "I have been wanting you from the time we met at your place."

Zubaida found herself suffocating from the nearness of Travis, from his foul breath, from the humiliation of being cornered in a lavatory.

Just as Zubaida could take no more, she felt Travis's body being pulled away from her. The last thing she saw before blanking out was a blurry shadow moving towards her, holding her and keeping her from falling on the concrete ground.