Readers, riddle me this if you will.

When it comes to teenage parties that are left unsupervised and are prone to teens sneaking in alcohol and drugs, can you guess how things might happen if a partygoer is unfamiliar with the etiquette?

For most scenarios, it can all go downhill when the partygoer is caught doing something that one should never do and will end up being mortified if not in danger of facing criminal charges.

If one is fortunate (or prepared for certain cases), it can go smooth sailing and he or she- or they- will more than likely come out mostly unscathed and know to be more prepared the next time.

It's little wonder that I never attended parties like Vienna's, however well-planned it would be. Then again, Mommy Dearest did remind me that my being at one of DeSean or Demarcus apartment raves would bring bad vibes since I was- and I quote you, "never fucking man enough to be cool like the pride and joy of the family" before I was tossed out on my behind and told to stay at a shelter or the Tuckers (the latter being more than likely since Vivian would threaten Mr. Tucker with phony charges if he didn't allow me to stay at his place).

Never let it be said that Vivian Bader liked to make sure that I stayed out of my hair.

Back to business.

Anyway, you may be wondering what happened that night after Oliver and I drunk the cups of punch at the party.

Well, friends, imagine if you will this visual.

I was currently struggling to open my eyes while my mouth was dry as the Mojave Desert and my body slightly sore. The first few rays of the morning sun continued to grow gradually until I found my eyes being opened and my blurry vision turning clearer until I noticed several things.

1.) I was NOT back at the Lomax household, but still at Vienna's place and in one of the guest bedrooms.

2.) I wasn't alone in the California-king-sized bed. Oliver was there...as well as one Ryan Peavey.

3.) And as we speak, the three of us were starting to grow more horrified as we discovered that we were fully naked. Or rather, Oliver and I were horrified while Ryan had a dreamy and smug look on his face as if he won the lottery.

4.) Oh, yeah. And there appeared to be bite marks and hickeys all over Oliver's body as well as mine.

And all we could say was this...

"WHAT THE HELL?" Oliver screamed, eyes nearly bulging from his sockets, looking around before turning to me with a panicked look on his face.

"That's what I'd like to know!" I exclaimed. "Oliver, what the fuck happened last night?! And what the hell was in that punch we drunk?!"

"I dunno, but the last thing that I remembered was the two of us starting to act like airheaded schoolgirls to this guy," he spat, sending a glare to a still-smirking Ryan. "What the hell did we do?"

Ryan purred sexily, sitting up in the bed and looking so smarmy with his tousled bed-headed hairstyle and sleepy-lovesick eyes. "We...well, we did what was natural," he teased. "And despite the looks in your eyes, Slade, I know that you and Demario liked being dominated by this quarterback right here!"

"Tell me that we used protection," I moaned, my face burning with embarrassment.

"Of course, babe. I'm not that daft since I know that you two are still virgins even though Ollie is post-op FTM all the way." Ryan gave me a leering grin. "But you can't deny that I rocked your world!"

My stomach churned as I felt the need to vomit. Forgetting that I was still naked, I raced for the adjacent bathroom and began dry-heaving into the toilet with my nerves rattling and shaking all over.

This can't be real, I thought to myself. Therefore, this can't be happening to me.

This can't be real. Therefore, this couldn't be happening.

This can't be real. Therefore, this SHOULDN'T be happening.

"Demario...Demario..."

Then came the party hostess's panicking voice as I heard footsteps. "Shit...did you do, Ryan...is going to kill you AND me!"

"I'm calling Mr. Lomax...panic attack...was a bad idea from the..."

The more that I heard these overlapping voices, the more that I realized that this moment WAS real and whether I liked it or not, this WAS happening!

I felt the first waves of vomit reach my throat as I began releasing the contents into the toilet while my vision grew blurry once more.

"Oh, God! Call 911! Dad, dad...an ambulance...stay with me, Demario!"

I barely was able to lift my head out of the toilet before the darkness greeted me once more.

***************

Beep. Beep. Beep. Beep.

"Demario, can you hear me?"

My eyes fluttered open, grateful to see the relieved yet teary faces of Joel, Taylor, Gianna, Jose, Judge McGillivray, and even Oliver with his uncle hovering over me. "Thank God that you're okay," my boyfriend breathed, helping me sit up before placing a gentle kiss on my lips.

"What happened?" I slurred.

"Panic attack," Judge McGillivray said crisply. "That, and you were recovering from a hangover. The doctors said that you had drunk some punch at Miss Walthall's party. It turned out that it was spiked with a date rape drug thanks to one Theo Blake."

I slumped on the pillow. "I should've guessed that," I muttered. To Oliver, "Were you affected as well?"

He nodded. "I had a slightly-minimal amount, but it affected me nonetheless," he explained. "Ryan was the same as well, but he admitted to leading the two of us on."

"Taylor and I decided not to press charges against Peavey, so things might be slightly normal soon," Joel told me.

I shook my head. "I should've stayed home. I should've told McNeese that I wouldn't be at that game or party to begin with and risked failing the project. I can't imagine how things will play out now that I lost my virginity to Golden-Boy Peavey."

"I just talked to Dr. Nguyen and his brother, and they'll be up to see you. The group therapy's been canceled for this week," Gianna said. "The members send you their best with JaMarcus planning to drop off some clothes."

"I'll let the Callaways know what's going on and tell them that you won't be in school Monday," Jose offered. "You look like you could use some R&R, anyway."

"Nah, I'll use this weekend to lie low and recuperate," I replied, though my voice was slightly edged with bitterness. "I bet Peavey is having himself a ball right now."

"Not if his mother or father can help it, since they grounded him severely before Mr. Peavey landed a punch to his son's face," Taylor grunted. "Can't blame him since he and his wife told him to back off from pursuing you any further. His sister's not too happy with him, either."

"What about Kendricks and Blake?"

Judge McGillivray huffed a deep breath. "Theo's not arrested, unfortunately," she said dourly. "As for Miss Kendricks, she is under severe lockdown by her family, though she did warn them what Theo is currently planning."

It was official. My life is a goddamned soap opera!

Child, you don't know the half of it! Same thing goes for you, readers! And let's just say that what happens in the next several chapters will lead up to the inevitable cliff-hanging chapter where Demario is facing the inevitable!

But coming up next, we hear from Ryan Peavey and join him on another trip down memory lane as he talks about how he introduces Artem to his friends...including one Jillian Kendricks!

Song: "Diamond Dogs" by Beck (from the "Moulin Rouge" Movie Soundtrack).

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