Hey everyone!

This story has been with me for years now, and it's been rewritten so many times that I can't keep track where all my old drafts are. This is still a draft, however, and I'll probably rewrite it again in the future. That's how writers are, right? We're never satisfied with our work, lol. Anyway, I hope you like it. I'm not a teen anymore, but at least I wrote it while I was in my teens. Hopefully you guys can still relate...

Many thanks to @LoveIsPatient_ for editing this chapter!

PS: pic at top is Alex, the MC!

Should've known, I thought with piercing anger. It's my own fault this happened.

Looking at myself in the mirror, I saw everything in my expression that I'd sworn I would never feel in my life. Anger, loss, self-pity... They flitted over my face like I couldn't control myself. The feelings were so alien that I wanted to slap him just for making me feel this stupid.

My reflection scowled thoroughly at me with accusing eyes, but I knew that they were directed at the bathroom door behind me, not particularly me.

My black hair shone with natural highlights, bangs tucked carefully behind my ears. My sea-blue eyes were glassy and round, lips pressed in a bloodless line of grim determination. I noted the light sheen of sweat on my forehead and neck, although the night was cool, and my face was pale behind the little makeup I wore.

This was me, a girl who was just dumped.

My tearful eyes broke away from the traitorous mirror, unable to analyse my situation while looking so exposed. The stark white walls hurt my eyes. School bathrooms were always so austere and aggravating. I tended to avoid them until my bladder protested and I had no choice but to hover over a toilet.

That aside, I was totally pissed. I shut my eyes wearily. The little alcohol I'd consumed was making me a little lightheaded. I wasn't drunk, but I wasn't completely sober either.

Is this how it feels to be tipsy? I thought dazedly. Emotional and stupid and utterly mortified?

Despite my current disposition of emotions, I still tried to persuade my mind that what I'd seen was an optical illusion. I knew it was stupid to deny it, though, and I supposed I had to be strong and confront the two people who betrayed me. If only it were that easy.

I groaned and covered my face with shaky fingers, nausea combining with my perplexed emotions. Why did I even feel this sick? It wasn't as if I loved him. So why did I feel like such a loser? Oh, yeah, right. Because my best friend was involved.

I drew a shaky breath. Okay...

I straightened my spine and set my clammy palms on the counter. Acting as if what I was doing wasn't silly at all for a girl my age, I glared at my reflection.

"Alexandra Ribbon," I addressed myself, flicking the loose strands of hair from my face. "You are going out there, and you're going to have fun. You dated him only because she goaded you. You're glad to be rid of the cheating bastard!"

Even as my fierce voice bounced off the isolated school bathroom, I caught the truth in my own words. I didn't need Josh. People always crammed into my bubble of personal space, eager to talk to me and desperate to gain attention. It had always been like that, no matter what I wanted. I was willing to pay a fortune to turn into a loner that was actually lonely. I was sure it was Natasha's fault since she had been the one to hook me up with the hot senior in school, Josh Kinsley, not that he'd needed much coaxing.

Or so I'd thought.

Ugh. Technically, I wasn't really dumped on the night that was supposed to be the school's dance, it was more like I caught him coincidentally in the car with Natasha...

I shivered as I recalled the image of the two of them flung over each other in the car's backseat and dismissed it. His betrayal was just a legal notice of our impending breakup, already signed by yours truly.

I blinked back another surge of tears, tears of humiliation. Josh's unfaithfulness wasn't what made me want to fold over and melt into the grimy floor, but merely the thought that I'd accepted him in the first place. I mean, I'd seen all the signs when he and Natasha talked when they thought I wasn't looking.

I mumbled a string of curses at them and pushed away from the sink, readjusting my hair and applying a fresh layer of strawberry lip-gloss. Gathering most of my wits, I slid out of the bathroom and back into the school hall.

The hall, now a makeshift dancing floor, was heaving with the swaying bodies of hormonal teenagers, the faces unrecognisable under the flashing colours of the strobe lights in the dark room. I could feel the floor vibrating as the music beat an erratic pulse beneath my feet. I grimaced as I pushed through the clammy bodies. In some unseen corner of the room, a fog machine exhaled a generous amount of cold smoke, resulting in goosebumps and an itchy throat. The faint odour of sweat and perfume tainted the air, brewing a hazy mix of excitement and queasiness.

My moment of dizziness lifted when I spotted the drink stand. Loads of Styrofoam cups littered the table, and I had to hunt for a clean one. When I didn't find any, my shoulders sagged a little.

My throat was as dry as ice.

A hand extended from the corner of my vision, holding out an unblemished cup, and I flinched away. My eyes followed the hand to the person holding it out, and I squinted in the poor lighting. The person holding it looked like he was in his late twenties. He was dressed all in black, which made it complicated to ascertain his build. A blue beam of light flashed over his dark face, and I reconsidered him to be in his mid-thirties.

I continued to stare at him even as the beam passed, his face eclipsed by darkness once more. Had I really seen something silver flash in the beam of light, or was I just mistaking it as perspiration?

Realisation hit me then. The dance served alcohol, disguised as juice that was quickly being drained by the thirsty teenagers. The only teachers present tonight were supervising the doors to keep uninvited guests from crashing the party. Apparently, it was difficult to forestall the intrusion of pupils from other schools. I wondered if the man was a teacher, anxious that he was going to report me.

I didn't know how the person who had organised the dance had managed to keep the teachers from discovering the alcohol. Somehow, this guy diverged from the prevailing negligence of high school teachers.

And one thing was for sure, the majority of teenagers present tonight was going to wake up with a hangover tomorrow.

"Uh, I was just..." I trailed off, mainly because the man wouldn't be able to hear me over the music, and the other because my mind slammed into a blank wall.

The man shook his head, handed me the cup, and wordlessly disappeared into the horde. I stared blankly at the cup, not quite understanding what I was seeing, and then looked at the empty table. Only now did I realise that the man had given me a cup of clear, sparkling liquor.

I wondered what Kylon and Janine would say when I got home after this...

"Are you gonna drink that?" a voice slurred behind me, and I turned, very slowly, to face the infamous Queen of Popularity.

Natasha Winglet's face was puckered into a pout, her sleek brown hair slightly tangled on top of her head, and her lip-gloss smeared on her cheek. Natasha gave an uncontrollable giggle when I just kept staring at her, my heart pounding in my ears and my head throbbing in rhythm with it.

"Well?" she drawled, her blue eyes glittering in the dark. It shot her a vaguely wild look.

I composed myself and scowled at her. "Of course not!"

She tilted her head at me, her white teeth flashing for a moment as she grinned. Her body was clad in a skin-tight dress, the red fabric hugging her waist and propping up her breasts. Unlike her, I was wearing skinny jeans and a long sleeved shirt to stave off the autumn chill.

"Can I have it then?" She gestured to the cup still in my hand. "Where did you get it, anyway? You shouldn't accept drinks from strangers."

I flinched before I glanced down at the drink. Did she see the man give it to me? But he was a teacher.

"Why do you care, anyway?" She didn't hear my muttering.

"Eh? I can't hear you!" she shouted, shrugging.

Peeved, I shot her a dirty look and turned away. As I started to make my way into the crowd, she yelled at me to stop. People frowned at me as I pushed through them, some cursing crudely. Ignoring them, since they were bound to forget about their ire in the next few seconds, I proceeded towards one of the doors with the full intention of phoning my brother to come and take me home.

The dance hadn't turned out as I would have liked.

I only stopped when a slim hand snatched my wrist, reminding me that I was still holding the drink when it spilt a little.

"What the hell, Natasha? Leave me alone!"

I wrenched away from her hold, another splash of alcohol following and saturating my sleeve. The sharp scent of citrus and something bitter reached my nose as I twisted to spit the words in her dazed face.

"Why? What's wrong, Alex?" She actually had the gall to sound concerned, her eyes wide and her hand still hovering between us. The very sight pissed me off so much that I felt my mouth twist with disgust.

"You're such a backstabbing bitch, Natasha! Just go away."

She looked truly shocked at first, shying away at the vehemence in my voice. Painstakingly slow, our situation dawned on her.

"Oh, no. Alex, it is not like that, we were drunk—"

"And you still are! Keep your stupid amends. Feel free to take your new boyfriend and fuck off because I never want to speak to you again!" My voice was hoarse at this point.

Natasha looked bewildered right now, her eyes wide with panic.

"Please, Alex, it was a huge mistake!"

"Yes, it was. You're perfectly right—I made a massive mistake in being your friend."

I could see the effect of my words sinking into her, and she grimaced with sudden resentment. Bipolar much?

Her voice filled with venom. "You little ungrateful bitch. See if I care!" A sneer disputed with a smile on her face. "You should drink that. It might get rid of the stick in your ass!"

Containing my outrage, I watched as Natasha stomped away, elbowing everyone that was in her way. I shook my head, my hand quivering so much that I had to hold the cup with both in order to keep from staining my clothes any more. It was a hopeless attempt as people—those who had been watching our fight—proceeded to dance, uncaring as they jostled me. I probably looked like a hobo begging for scraps with the way I hugged the cup to my chest. I took a deep breath as a sudden urge to scream tried to take over. I didn't realise I was crying freely now until my cheeks were soaked and a bitter, salty taste entered my mouth.

I put a hand on my forehead. It was scorching hot, and I was getting claustrophobic. What was wrong with me?

I glanced at the liquid in my cup again, considering. What could one more drink do? After all, I just had two over an hour or two ago. What was the harm?

Natasha's right, I might need it, I admitted reluctantly.

Ignoring the twist of uneasiness in my stomach, I brought the cup to my lips and took a mouthful. I coughed as the liquor burned itself down my throat, shooting and sparking every cell of my body. It revived my senses, and I was overwhelmed by the bitter, citrus taste. I took another gulp of the strange drink, then another. Soon I was disappointed when the cup dried of its magical potion and swayed a little to the side as a wave of dizziness gripped me.

When I was sure that my stomach was steady enough for me to walk, I stood upright and slowly made my way through the crowd, aiming for the door so that I could take a breath of fresh air. I fully intended to call Kylon. After a few more steps, I noticed the reluctance in my own feet, how they slowed down on their own will.

Thud, thud, thud...

I could feel the beat of the music pounding in my limbs, and I became conscious of my body swaying in time with the beat. I was strangely lured by the beat of the song. It reverberated in my head, and the world grew strangely fuzzy around the edges. I'd never felt like this before, but I found that it didn't scare me. Not exactly. My limbs were restless, and I found it frustrating how the crowd limited my movement.

Thud, thud, thud...

A sudden bubble of laughter escaped me. It was startling, to say the least. I let my hips move a little to the music. I was aware of every part of my body. Perhaps I should enjoy myself a little. I thought I was entitled to forget about my earlier conflict for a while. No doubt Natasha would eventually slide back and try to suck up. She always did, though I was sure I wouldn't be able to forgive her. Josh I could understand, since our relationship hadn't altogether been that serious, but Natasha I'd known for most of high school. I knew she was a slut, but honestly, to risk our friendship just because she was drunk...

I was enjoying the dancing now, and at some point I was jammed between two people, laughing with them as I allowed myself to relax from the usual tension caused by someone breaching my personal space. I forgot everything and everyone; I only lived in the moment.

I started when warm arms wrapped around my waist from behind. I squeaked in an annoyingly feminine way when adrenaline chased through my veins, sweetening my pleasure of the moment. The arms dragged me to the side of the dancing floor, where I kept dancing in the cage of the strong arms, unconsciously making a trail of kisses up his biceps. Since when was I this bold? I was sure I would be horrified under normal circumstances.

I could feel his breath in my hair, reeking of alcohol, whispering something I couldn't hear. I smiled in response to his unknown words. I didn't know where we were going until he opened a door and I was blinded by a sharp light. I looked up to see the women's restroom and turned around as soon as his arms released me.

Shock made my heart leap when I recognised his face. Blond hair, blue eyes and a hint of stubble...

Josh.

He turned around and locked the main restroom door, then faced me again. I didn't get the chance to get over my shock when he kissed me, hard, on the lips. For a moment, I let myself fall into the familiarity of his arms and lips, but a vivid image of Natasha and him together flashed behind my eyelids.

I mumbled against his lips, "You and Natasha..."

"Nothing happened, I swear," he muttered, his sweet breath, tinted with alcohol, overwhelming all my senses.

I couldn't help it. With him pressed so close to me, his lips on mine... I believed him because at that moment, I was too tired of being angry.

Nothing happened.

My back hit the cold and hard surface of the wall opposite the sink. I opened my mouth, inviting him in as confused feelings rushed through me.

Happiness, uncertainty, lust.

I couldn't think about anything anymore, I could only lose myself in his touch. I moaned against his mouth when he ran his hand under my shirt, lifting it.

It's happening, I'm going to lose my virginity.

Realising what was really happening scared me a little, since I was only sixteen, but it vanished when my shirt landed on the floor beside us. Next was my jeans, hitting the growing heap. I automatically fumbled for his jeans' zipper, eventually getting it down without once breaking the kiss.

Josh was the first to break away, and I was disappointed. I gasped when he moved on to my neck, nipping at it harshly. The wall was cold against my back, absorbing into my skin, prickling my flesh. I winced when a sudden pang shot through my gut. My lungs exerted themselves with short, quick gasps.

I let out a painful moan. "Josh... stop. Stop, you're hurting me!"

"I'm not doing anything yet!" he mumbled against my neck. His hands tugged at my bra as he nuzzled the crook of my neck, inhaling loudly.

The pain extended to my chest.

"Josh!" I said more fiercely, trying to think through the fog of bliss and pain.

"It's going to be okay. I'll be gentle." He was kissing my collarbone now, and even though it felt good, I could only concentrate on the pain.

Something's not right! We haven't even begun doing anything, this isn't normal...

The pain spread over my cheekbones and up between my eyes. My eyes burned and tears flooded my eyelids. Unfortunately, the red-hot pain ascended to my forehead, gathering into a pool of pure agony. A shrill scream twisted out of my mouth. My mind finally cleared for a moment, enough for me to understand what was truly happening. Loathing and anger flooded my heart.

"Baby, what's wrong? Alex?" Josh finally noticed my anguish with a puzzled look, which enraged me even more.

I cursed him with words entirely shocking, and screamed, "Don't touch me, you cheating asshole!"

I struck him, my hand curling into a small fist before connecting with his cheek with a deafening thump. I'd never been violent, I'd never even thrown a punch, but it seemed that my first one went all wrong. There was a sickening crunch along with the sound of my fist connecting with hard bone, and shortly after that, searing pain fired up my left arm.

I vaguely heard and saw Josh crash against one of the stalls and slip to the floor, but by then I was already writhing on the floor myself, cries of endless pain making my voice hoarse. It was as if my muscles were lit up with hellfire, the skin on my forehead boiling. My gut was screaming at me, and I had the unquestionable certainty that someone was at the door, banging furiously on it. I didn't care. The fog had returned, smothering my brain. My senses perceived the world in a spectrum of black and white.

Sometimes I sensed the walls vibrating as someone tried to break down the door.

I'm dying!

Oh, please no! This had to be some dreadful nightmare, it had to! I was trapped inside my own mind, in my own personal hell. I truly believed that I was dying. There was too much pain to dispute it. There was no way I could survive this. Surely I would die of shock before I even realised the cause of my agony.

There was a loud enough noise that sounded like wood cracking and splintering, but it was a whisper of sound to my ears. A dull screeching sound echoed outside the barriers of my mind.

It must be me screaming. My eyes were opened in mere slits, black and red spots messing with my vision. But I thought I saw a familiar figure falling to his knees next to me, though the spots became an infinite abyss before I could be certain.

Please vote if you liked the chapter. I would appreciate it so much; this book is very dear to me, and I have a great desire to share it with as much readers as possible. Don't hesitate to comment; any feedback, even if just to rage at what a bitch Natasha is, is welcome!

Question:

Is Natasha really the cliche bitch that she appears to be?

Is Josh really a cheating jerk, or are circumstances more that they seem?

And what about Alex, what caused her to black out?

Let me know your thoughts!

Happy reading, and don't miss the next chapter!