This is the worst night ever.

By the time I return to the bar, Romeo is no longer there. So, I walk around the room to search for him. After minutes of getting bumped around by the crowd like a pinball and almost squeezed into someone's armpit, I finally find him. But what I see makes my jaw drop to the ground. A fit of dull anger surges into me when I see he's now pinning a girl against the wall, their tongues super-glued to each other. One of his hands is squeezing her butt – which, unlike me, she seems to enjoy it – while the other is traveling down her private parts.

Why does this keep happening to me? What am I? A magnet for jerks?

I let out a heavy sigh and shake my head. It takes a while before I can pull myself together and return to the dance floor. When I finally do, disappointment and doubts about myself continue to haunt me. I suppose it affects my dancing because, after that, no other boys approach me. Minutes pass by and I feel like giving up. The laser lights spinning around me make me dizzy and the loud music begins to make my head pound. I drag myself back to the bar where I spot an empty seat.

Plopping myself on the stool, a heavy sigh escapes my mouth. I rest my elbows on the table and drop my chin onto my palm. I guess partying isn't really my thing.

"Can I get you anything?" the bartender asks.

I'm not exactly thirsty, but I suppose it'd be rude to sit here without ordering anything. So, I say, "Yeah, one Diet Coke, please."

The Malibu that Romeo ordered for me tasted great, but I don't feel like taking another sip of alcohol tonight. The bartender returns shortly with a small glass of Diet Coke. As I take a sip on my drink, the music comes to an end and a loud announcement from the stage causes me to look over my shoulder.

"And now, all the way from London, give it up for DJ... James... Higgins!" the sound reverberates throughout the room and it is greeted by the crowd's excited, loud cheer. A bearded man with long blonde hair steps up to the stage and the crowd's cheer goes even louder. The man's neon orange oversized T-shirt and neon green baggy pants make him literally glow in the dark. He's also sporting a backward cap and a pair of sunglasses. Really? Sunglasses in a dark place like this?

Then, he starts to spin the records and the crowd dances to the tune. To be honest, I don't think the man's remix is that good. In fact, I prefer the previous DJ's remixes. But people seem to enjoy the currently played music better. With a small shrug, I turn around and return my gaze to the glass that I'm holding.

"Sam," a boy takes his seat beside me and calls the bartender. "I'll have the usual one."

The usual one? He must go to this place a lot, huh? Probably like that jerk Romeo.

"You got it, Nate," the bartender replies. He returns with a small glass of Cola, causing an amused smile to form on the corner of my lips. It's nice to see someone – a boy, nonetheless – opts for the same non-alcohol drink as I did.

Out of curiosity, I turn my head to the side a little, trying to see what kind of a person he is. At first glance, he looks like an ordinary, simple boy who doesn't seem to belong in a place like this. His smooth, dark brown locks are cut neatly just below his ear, framing his egg-shaped face nicely, while his short, side bangs cover a part of his narrow forehead – a fairly simple haircut compared to other boys' more sophisticated or rather outrageous hair in this place. 

Hmm... Why does this boy look familiar? I narrow my eyes and tilt my head to the side as I continue to observe him. He has a cute button nose and slightly plump cheeks that give him a youthful, boy-next-door look. Where have I seen this boy before? 

After a while, it must've become too obvious that I'm staring at him because he turns his head to me, revealing those gorgeous blue eyes that stand out because of his simple dark-grey outer shirt and navy-blue T-shirt.

When our eyes meet, I finally remember where I recognize him from. The feeling seems to be mutual because we gasp in unison.

I mutter, "Aren't you..."

"You're that girl from the mall, aren't you?" His eyes light up with excitement. Yep. He's my initial target. That first trial that went awry. "The one who spilled that..." his voice trails away slowly as his lips curve into an apologetic smile. "Gosh, I'm being rude, aren't I? Sorry."

"No, no! It's fine," I assure him. "And thanks, by the way."

"Hmm?" His thick, rounded brows are lifted a little. "What for?"

"For calling the security at that time. It bought me and my friend some time to run."

"Ahh... It's no problem, really." He scratches the back of his head and lowers his gaze, trying to hide the shy smile that is slowly taking over his face. After a while, he shifts his gaze to me and offers me his hand to shake. "I'm Nate, by the way."

With a smile, I extend my hand. "I'm Ma–" My words are cut short as Sophia's warning rings loudly in my mind. Right, never let boys in the club know your real name. "I'm M."

"Well, nice to meet you, M." He flashes an adorable smile at me. "So..." He leans forward to the table and takes a quick glance around us before his gaze falls on me. "You're here by yourself?"

"No, actually, I came with a friend." My eyes scan around the room in search for Sophia, but I can't find her amongst the crowd.

A wave of disappointment fills my head. I thought tonight is all about my 'training', but I guess I shouldn't be too self-centered, should I? Right now, Sophia is probably sticking her tongue down a guy's throat, or licking his face, or probably even doing the deeds already. I roll my eyes and huff. "She's out there dancing somewhere. What about you?"

I glance at his half-full glass of Cola. I don't know why, but there's a slight disappointment in my voice when I say, "A regular, huh?" I suppose when I first saw him in the mall, I thought he's someone more like... me.

He gives a small chuckle. "Yeah, I work here."

I draw my brows together and slightly tilt my head. "Work here?"

The slim boy is obviously not tall enough nor buff enough to be a bouncer, he's definitely not a bartender since he's sitting right beside me as a customer, and he's way too young to be the manager of the club. So... that leaves him with what? A janitor?

Giving a few nods, his lips are pressed together as they form an innocent smile. He then glances at the center stage. "I'm the – well, was – the DJ tonight," he says, his disappointment is palpable in his voice.

The stage is now crowded with people. Some girls even hop on the stage, dancing in a lewd manner around the long-haired man. "Well, I guess I'm not that popular, but hey!" Trading his disappointment with a soft smile, he shifts his gaze back to me and shrugs. "It pays well!"

His positivity somehow brings a smile to my face. "For what it's worth, I enjoy your remixes better than his."

"Oh, well, thank you." His lips curve up into a slightly shy but proud smile. "So, why are you sitting here all by yourself instead of enjoying the night?" Somehow, I sense a bit of sarcasm in his voice.

"I... I'm just a little tired, that's all."

"Ahh..." He purses his lips together. "First time coming here?"

I shift my gaze towards him, awe spreading through my face. "How did you know? Is it that obvious?"

"No, no! It's just..." He narrows his small, upturned eyes for a quick second. "You kind of remind me of how I behaved when I first got here. You just look... nervous, that's all."

"Oh... I do, don't I?"

He replies with a warm smile. "Don't worry, it'll get easier. I know how scary it can be, going into a place like this on your own, but just... loosen up yourself and enjoy the night," he says and I have a feeling he means it this time. "For real."

His words bring a few genuine laughter from me. But then, I remember how Romeo ditched me easily for another girl and it wipes any traces of a smile on my face. This is probably his way to lure me into his trap, huh? Pretending to be the nice guy?

I don't know what possessed me but I mutter, "You must've done this a lot, haven't you?"

"Hmm?" He tilts his head to the side, innocence in his eyes.

"Taking advantage of lonely girls in a night club?"

Oh, God! Mackenzie, why did you say that? He's going to run away from you and think that you're some sort of a skeptical, rude bitch!

Ugh! What the hell is wrong with you, Mac?

To my surprise, instead of getting irritated, he laughs. "No, no. God, no! I must've sounded like a creep, huh? Actually, this is my first time ever talking to a girl." A shade of pink tints his cheeks. Before I can say a word, he quickly adds, "Here, I mean. I usually just... play the music and go straight home."

Somehow, I can hear the truth in his voice and the guilt inside me becomes even more aggravated. "Oh..."

"To be honest, I'm not really a night kind of person. I just..." He lowers his gaze and for a second, sadness radiated from his blue eyes; it's almost as if he's carrying a heavy burden upon his shoulders. But he quickly covers it with a soft smile. "I need the money, that's all."

See, Mackenzie? Look what you've done! You're such an evil person!

"That's really cool, though," I say.

"You think so?"

"Yeah, I mean... You're trying to make an honest living and I'm just... I'm acting like a total bitch to you." I purse my lips together and exhale. "I'm sorry."

"No, no. It's fine." He gives an assuring smile. "A lot of people have the notion that those who frequently go to a club or even work here are essentially bad people, and yeah, some people are total jerks, but... that's not always the truth. For example, Sam right there." He glances at the bartender. "He works as a construction worker by day and bartender by night to support his two young children."

"Wow, that's... admirable. How about you?" I ask. "What do you do during the day?"

"Oh, I'm a photographer," he replies, sounding really proud of himself. "Well, I'm still learning to be one. But yeah, that's what I really want to be."

Taking a sip on his Cola, he asks, "And you? A student, I guess?"

"Yeah. I'm studying Graphic Design in–"

My words are cut short by a loud thump on my left side, followed by a loud gasp from the crowd. Curious, I stand up and turn to the origin of the noise. Tipping on my toes, I see a girl is now lying on the floor with her back against the wall not far from me. When I finally get to see her face, I gasp loudly.

"Sophia!" I exclaim. She whimpers as she draws a hand to her back.

"That's your friend?" Nate asks and I nod repeatedly. "Wait here. I'll call the bouncers." He runs to the back of the table and picks up the phone.

"That's what you get for messing with my boyfriend!"

My eyes dart across the room. A blonde girl wearing a black sequin mini dress huffs. The tall girl looks like a giant with strong arms and legs muscles, which makes me think she could be a wrestler.

Uh-oh. That's not good.

But, Sophia won't go down without a fight. "Your boyfriend was the one who was hitting on me, bitch!"

With a loud growl, she stands up and lurches forward. Throwing her arm around the giant's stomach, Sophia pushes her head into it, sending the latter a few steps backward until her back hits the wall. As the giant stumbles around, Sophia uses the opportunity to jump onto her back. She flings her arms around the giant's large neck and wraps her legs around the giant's stomach. Then, she starts to pull the blonde girl's long, straight hair with a loud roar.

"Get off me, you bitch!" the tall girl screams frantically as she tries to shake Sophia off her back, but Sophia is still clinging to her back. After a while, the giant manages to grab Sophia's arms and yanks it off with such force, freeing herself while still gripping Sophia's wrist tightly. I let out a loud gasp when she throws Sophia across the room.

"Whoa!" Sophia screams loudly, flapping her arms and legs in the air before her body hits the wall in a loud thud.

"Sophia!" I exclaim, my voice filled with panic. Sweat falls down my temple and my heart rate rises quickly as I look around, hoping someone would help; but, people are busy filming the whole fight instead.

In the meantime, the giant is stomping towards Sophia. Her huge nostrils flare as she lets out a few grunts. She stops right before Sophia, whose face scrunches in agony. Bending down, the giant's bulky fingers grasp Sophia's neck, choking her and dragging her up. Sophia's eyes roll back as she struggles to breathe. She claws at her throat, but she can't get the giant to loosen her grip.

Oh my God! What should I do? I glance around me, seeking for a way to help her. Then, my gaze falls to the glass of Cola. The next thing I know, I'm running towards the giant with the glass in my hand. Screaming like a crazy girl, I bash the back of the giant's head with the small glass.

Smash!

The glass breaks into pieces and the mix of cola and a tiny bit of blood starts flowing down the back of her head. Uh-oh. Am I going to jail? Am I officially a murderer? I bite my lower lip before gritting my teeth.

Her grip around Sophia's neck loosens and Sophia is dropped to the ground. Sophia coughs for a while before she's finally able to breathe again.

The bad news is, the giant is now turning around in a slow-motion to face me. My eyes go wide when I see the anger that is written all around her face. Her square jaw clenches, her chest rises up and down while she grunts like a bull, her face as red as a tomato. Oh, shit! What have I done? My hands tremble and my mouth falls wide open while the rest of my body freezes. Before long, she stomps towards me.

Is this it? Is this how I'm going to die? Killed by some... drunk, angry female wrestler in a club?

Suddenly, water is splashed onto the ground from my left. The water's sudden appearance causes the giant to slip and fall backward. A loud thud echoes across the room as her big bottom hits the ground.

"Ouch..." she whimpers. She tried to get up, but the puddle of water and her four-inch heels make it harder for her to do so. I try to move but I'm too stunned to do so.

"M! What are you waiting for?" Nate's voice snaps me out of my trance. I turn to my left and notice he's holding a green bucket. So, he was the one who threw the bucket of water in front of the giant. "Run, M, Run!"

With a few nods, I scurry towards Sophia – who's still sitting on the ground, holding her neck with a painful look on her face – and helps her up. "Come on!"

"Mac?" the strong smell of alcohol lingers in the air as soon as she opens her mouth, causing me to scrunch up my nose and jerk my head back a little.

While Sophia struggles to get up, on my peripheral vision, I can see the giant has stood up, pupils dilated and nostrils flared. With a loud grunt, she's ready to launch another attack on us. My eyes are then drawn to my shoes. Running in these heels seems impossible for me to do, so I take one off and throw it to the giant. 

It misses by a long shot, gaining a smirk from her. Then, I take off the other one and aim it at her head before throwing it. This time, the heel hits her eyes. The crowd gasps loudly in unison and I blink, still can't believe I just hit my target. She moans loudly as she draws a hand to cover her right eye. I sure hope she won't end up blind, or else I'd probably be arrested for real.

Meanwhile, Sophia has managed to gain her footing. "Nice shot, Mac!" she says, awe spreading through her voice.

"Thanks!" I say before grabbing her arm. "Come on!"

Wasting no time, we run towards the exit. Right before the door, I stop and throw my gaze to Nate. With a smile, I wave goodbye. "Thanks!"

Waving back, he returns the smile, which is probably the most adorable smile I've ever seen.

"Come on, Mac!" Sophia exclaims and we run out the building.

Who knew my worst night would turn into the best night ever?

Author's Note:

Hey guys~! So, what do you think of this chapter?

And here's the second appearance of Nate! What do you think of him?

A little announcement, I'm probably going to update a lot more from now on. That's because I have a special Christmas chapter planned and I hope to release it in time for Christmas. :)

Well, hope you like this chapter! See you on the next one!

(P.S: Don't forget to vote!)