Caylie's P.O.V.

All that I could do from my spot in the cab was watch Celestia. Her eyes scanned her surroundings with such uncertainty and disappointment - I could tell what she was thinking of.

The photo I'd shown her was etched in her mind, just as it had overpowered my thoughts when I first received it. It's hard to go back from that - to continue living here, accepting of what the world is like now, when you know what you're missing out on.

Celestia's long blonde hair was so flawless. She was flawless. I admired her, her strength despite everything she had been through, and how incredibly stunning she was in the pale dress.

Within no time, the cab had pulled up outside of the destination I had earlier decided - Club Antarctica, one of the safest clubs around.

We exited the cab and I paid the driver, before taking Caylie's hand and walking through the doors of the club. Loud music bounced off of the walls and vibrated my entire body, an experience that I had chased all my life.

Seeing the bar, I walked up to it, admiring the tall man pouring drinks. With every motion, the muscles in his forearm flexed and moved - he was a sight that I couldn't resist, especially when paired with his devilish smile that produced an adorable dimple in his cheek.

As his head turned to see me, his piercing eyes greeting mine, the strands of his long brown hair swaying with him. A shiver ran down my spine and for a moment, I was at a loss for words, unable to answer his question of "What would you like?"

Celestia distracted me from the man before me, saying, "I'm gonna find a bathroom."

I turned my attention to her, double checking she was okay with this new experience. "Do you want me to come?"

"No, no I'll be fine. Just order us something, I don't have a preference." Celestia replied to me.

Before I could reply, she had already left, so I turned my attention back to the man awaiting my answer - oh how I wanted him to just sweep me off my feet right there and then.

"Um." I breathed. "Anything good?" I couldn't think of the names of anything as he smiled at me, my mind filled with fantasies of what I would love for him to do to me - fantasies that I knew would never come true. But hey, a girl can dream.

He chuckled and passed me two drinks. I drank mine immediately and put my glass back on the counter, but held Celestia's for her, waiting for her to return.

"Hey K." I heard a familiar voice say behind me.

I turned with a smile. "Whatever are you doing here, Christian?"

"Looking for a certain lady." He smiled, resting his hand on my waist. "Looks like I found her."

His eyes met mine and I breathed a sigh - he was so sweet, so handsome... I wished that there was a chance that we'd actually be together one day, but I knew that in the end all I was to him was an occasional hookup.

He leaned down, his breath fanning my lips. "Who do you think will cave first this time?"

"Not me." I replied, a sheepish grin illuminating my features.

He leaned down just the littlest bit, his lips nearly touching mine. Oh, the cruelty... I wanted him so bad, and meanwhile he was teasing me.

My lips parted slightly and I became incredibly aware of his hands on my waist, holding me close to his body.

I caved, far too impatient to wait any longer.

I reached my arms up around his neck as he pulled me against him, my lips meeting his in a frantic yet delicate kiss. I ran my fingers through his hair as his hands roamed my body, an unfamiliar emotion flowing through me.

We broke apart, our eyes locking nonetheless, his body so warm against mine as both of us wished we didn't need air.

I blushed slightly as I stared into his beautiful brown eyes. I wondered what it felt like for him - while he was changing my entire world, what was I doing to his?

Hearing Celestia's voice I turned, leaving Christians arms. While I wanted to continue making out with him, I came here with Celestia - I wasn't gonna just ditch her.

"I'm here with a friend, so I'm gonna stick with her." I told Christian.

"Aren't I your friend?" He asked cheekily.

I tilted my head slightly as I looked deep into his eyes. No words needed to be exchanged between us for him to know the answer, my gaze said it all.

He sighed and gave a slight nod, before walking away. I watched him leave for a moment before turning my attention back to Celestia.

"Yours." I smiled, passing her the drink.

"I think I'm actually okay and I think I'm gonna go home." She replied.

I paused, disappointed as I looked at the indistinguishable expression on her face. Was she already done with me? We had practically just gotten here...

"Oh, you're leaving already?" I breathed. I didn't want her to feel like she had to stay, but I also didn't want her to leave.

I looked away, waiting for her to confirm she was done, while my insecurities worked their favourite job, telling me that I wasn't good enough for her and that just as I couldn't hold onto a relationship, I couldn't even keep a friend.

But much to my surprise, she didn't reply. Or maybe she did, and I missed it over the loud music. Either way, I hoped that maybe she'd stay if I could show her that this was in fact fun.

"Hey, hey, why don't we dance?" I yelled over the bustling chaos around us.

I couldn't hear her response, but seeing her nod, I pulled her with me to the dance floor. We danced among the countless other people, everyone focussed on their own movements and lives, caught up in the music flowing through us.

I looked to Celestia - she seemed unsure of what to do, hardly moving aside from the occasional shoulder shuffle and little steppety step.

"You needa relax a little, loosen up!" I laughed, passing her my cup.

I closed my eyes as my favourite song came on, the base sending vibrations throughout my entire body as I swayed to the rhythm of the melody.

I then felt someone bump into me so I opened my eyes, only to see the drink I'd passed Celestia draining on the ground.

I was hurt, and perhaps it was unreasonable, but I just wish she'd try - why couldn't she give me a chance? I turned away and walked through the crowd before Celestia could say anything, but a random guy stopped me in my path, stumbling a little.

"Hey, want a drink?" He asked.

I knew better than to reject a man's advancements so I took the cup he was offering, forcing my hands to not shake and show just how nervous I was.

"Thank you." I forced, before walking away with as much casual speed as I could, hoping to loose him in the crowd and find Celestia again - I regretted leaving her. Hurt or not, it sucked of me.

I paused once I'd walked for awhile, looking at the cup in my hand as the fear bubbled within me. Memories of waking up in the motel bed filled my mind, the regret of my choices and shame of my naiveness as a young girl - how could I have been so dumb.

I felt the urge to vomit as I dropped the drink. Trying to hold back the tears, I ran to the washroom, allowing the contents of my stomach to empty into the toilet.

Despite the years passed, I could still feel the pain in my body and see the bruises on my skin. I could still feel the fear of waking in a bed that wasn't my own and discovering my clothing on the ground instead of on me. While the marks on my body eventually healed, the ones on my soul still remained.

I heard footsteps behind me so I turned slightly only to see Celestia. She kneeled beside me and pulled my hair back as I vomited again despite my best efforts to pull myself together.

"Were you drugged?" She asked me.

Yes, my mind answered. But that wasn't what she was asking. She was asking if I'd just been drugged, and the answer was no, not this time.

I shook my head, leaning against the wall. Celestia passed me some toilet paper and I took it thankfully, wiping my mouth.

"What happened?" She asked.

On the one hand, I wanted to be completely honest with her, but on the other hand, I didn't want her to see me any differently. I had wanted this to be a fun night so that she'd hang out with me again.

"I was drinking, that's all. Alcohol, it makes you vomit sometimes." I shrugged.

"But I saw you with a random guy - he gave you a drink. How do you know that it wasn't drugged?" She asked me.

Though it was a fair question, she didn't know everything that had happened. "I didn't drink it. I needed the bathroom, so I went and found one. That's all."

"We should go home." She sighed.

I shook my head. "I'm fine." I didn't want us leaving just because of me.

"I don't wanna leave you here, but I don't wanna be here." She told me.

My heart sank. Had I blown it? Had I been too sad, or been away from her too much? Had I ruined the opportunity at a friendship that she had finally given me?

"Why? It's fun." I replied.

"No, not to me. I don't like this." She looked away from me, almost as though she was feeling bad for not wanting to be here.

That's when I realized, like a lightbulb flicking on in my mind. This wasn't about me. She didn't want to leave because she wanted to end our friendship, she just wasn't comfortable, and I'd been too caught up in my own stuff to notice.

"If you don't wanna be here that's okay. You gave it a try and I appreciate that you came. We can go." I smiled.

"Thank you. I'm sorry." She breathed.

"There's nothing to be sorry for, this isn't for everyone." I replied.

She offered me her hand and I took it, pulling myself up off of the dirty bathroom floor. Then, still holding her hand, we walked out of the bathrooms together and made our way towards the doors through the abundance of people.

As we passed the bar I saw him again, the incredibly hot, straight out of a movie type hot, bartender. His incredible eyes caught mine and he gave me a little smile - god he was irresistible.

I stopped in my tracks and looked at Lia sheepishly. "Can I have a moment to give him my number, pleaseeeee." I begged.

She shrugged. "Whatever."

"Yayyyy!!" I laughed, but remembering her discomfort I quickly added, "You can wait outside if you want, I'll only be a moment."

I watched her leave and then turned my attention back to the bartender, only to realize that he was looking right back at me. I walked over to the bar nervously and before I could think of something to say, he was already speaking.

"Who's the guy you were making out with earlier?" He asked.

Right. He saw that. "He's an occasional hookup." I replied.

Leaning against the bar he asked another question, "Would you still hook up with him if you were hooking up with me?"

"Depends how good you are at it." I laughed.

He smiled slightly. "I'd tell you to trust me that I'm better than him, but why don't I show you instead."

"Sounds like a plan." I breathed, not used to someone staring at me as intensely as he was, or being as direct as he was.

"My name is Ezra." He told me as he passed a napkin and pen.

"Ezra.. That's a nice name. Easy to say." I laughed.

God, what was I doing. This was terrifying, yet at the same time, talking to him, and the anticipation of his call, was so damn exhilarating.

"I'm glad you find it easy to say, that means you'll have an easy time screaming it too." He chuckled.

I froze. He didn't just say that, did he? Like, did he mean it in a sexy way or in a I'm a serial killer and I'm gonna murder you way??

"What's your name?" He asked.

"Caylie." I answered, as I tried to write my number, my hand shaking a little from the nerves of this encounter. What was I getting myself into?

"Caylie." He tilted his head at me as he repeated my name. "I like that."

"Thanks." I smiled, passing him the napkin.

"I'll see you soon." He smiled in return, his hand brushing against mine as he took the napkin. "Preferably all of you."

Holy. Shit. He really was straight to the point, wasn't he? What in the taco reincarnation was I doing?

"Um, yup." I turned away from him, my heart racing a mile a minute. "Cya."

Convincing myself he meant that in the way of seeing me without clothing and not in the way of I'm gonna kill you and study your internal organs, I walked towards the door.

By the time I reached it, I had blissfully decided that he was simply intending to give me the best sex of my life, and hopefully not hepatitis A through Z, so I walked through the doors excited to tell Celestia all about it.

But as the doors closed behind me, I stopped dead in my tracks, horror and shock taking hold of my body as I saw Celestia.

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