( gif by hazzawckd <3 )

The apartment is quiet when I finally get home, everything is standing still with the low volume of the tv playing in the living room. The chairs are pushed back into the table, the counters are spotless and there is a sticky note on the microwave indicating there is food stowed away in there for me to eat. The apartment for the most part has always been clean. Even just existing makes me feel like I am making a mess.

I peer into the living room, where Monique and Eliana are watching tv. Monique finally has her attention away from her laptop and Eliana has the next two days off, they are huddled under two separate blankets with the latest Love Island episode playing. "Hey," Eliana says, lifting her head. "How was your first day? I heard the company there is super laid back, did you know that in one issue of a magazine they said they do freezie fridays."

I laughed and spent a few minutes telling them about the assignment I was given and my first day at the diner, too. They tell me they're so happy I am settling in and both take turns telling me about their days. Monique showed me her latest project for her job, a design for a new movie coming out and this was the first ever promo photo that anyone would be seeing. Eliana tells me that today she got to sit down and talk with Tom and Zendaya, both who came discreetly for some food.

I smile and stand back up. "Where's Vanity?" I ask. "I have to talk to her about something, an upcoming project that I am doing and could use her advice."

"She's been in her room since this afternoon," Monique says. "You know, she seems to be doing well considering, well, you know, she has four projects due at the same time next week."

I don't know, but I like to pretend I do.

"You want to watch something with us?" Eliana asks. "Maybe a second vote will get Moni to finally let me rewatch Survivor."

I tell them maybe later and head down the hall to Vanity's room, past the row of pictures lining the walls. There are tons from the girls and their recent travels, some were outdo and others were recent. I know because Monique doesn't have blue hair anymore and Eliana has lost some weight.

I pass Vanity's room on the left and find her lounging on her giant bean bag chair, headphones around her neck with her stylus stuck in between her teeth as she finds the end of it to be a good way to stay focused. Her room was her, there was no other way I could describe it minus it was her. Blue LED lights hung around the crevices of the ceiling, neon posters scattered around the walls, hats from different countries she visited for shits and giggles. Her bed had no post or frame, the mattress on the floor with two mirrors facing away from one another, and the bed. She was the only one with a balcony, though it was cluttered with art canvases and potted plants. On her desk sat her art supplies scattered on the surface with paint markings and smeared notes.

"Hey," I say softly. "Can I ask you something?"

She pauses what she is doing and gives him a real smile, placing her tablet down next to her on the bean bag. "Yeah, everything okay?"

I start off by telling her what I told Eliana and Monique. She asks if there are any cute boys and I tell her I have only seen the back of their heads so far, but she will be the first one I tell when I see any. I never realized it at first, but Vanity has the same features of Hobie. Her nose shape and the way her lips softly curl into a smile whenever she talks, as if she is catching on to something, I meet her gaze once more.

I start to bring up the topic of Spider-Punk again, and I tell her once more about what happened recently, which she fully pauses at the mention of her being brought up.

I see her chest contract beneath her shirt. She takes in a breath, then quietly says, "I met Spider-Punk when he saved my life," She says at last. "I was walking home from the store and an attacker came out of nowhere." She pauses as though trying to find the right words. "They got me on the side. Woke up the next day in the hospital with a little note saying I wouldn't have to worry about him anymore." All of a sudden, this invisible thread snaps, and her body folds to the side to slightly lift her shirt to reveal the stab wound.

I bite back my tears, just the thought of being stabbed and left for dead has me shaking.

"Don't worry, it happened a while ago. I am okay." She reassures me before pulling her shirt back down. "I only told him to watch out for you because our neighborhood isn't exactly the safest. I wanted to tell you, but I didn't know how to.."

I pull her into a hug, pressing my cheek to her face. I had people look out for me, and although it was still weird that a man with webs shooting out of his wrists was watching out for us, it was still nice. I've been trying my best not to think of him all day, because if I focus too hard, or too long, I'll remember how much of this city is still unknown to me.

"Thank you for looking out for me." I say. After I pull back and go silent, I can't help but glance down at her tablet at the newest design she has before we fall into a conversation about my time here.

There's this second where she looks at me, like she is studying me, pulling her lip between her teeth. I try not to think too much about it, so I continue to tell her about the designs and she pitches in the idea to do something for Spider-Punk.

After a while, I head into the kitchen and grab an apple from the fruit bowl. Monique walks in after me, heading straight for the fridge. She pulls out a small little cake, popping the piece into her mouth before hopping onto the counter.

"Do you think Vanity looks like Hobie," I ask.

When she's finished eating, she puts the carton down and flashes a grin.
"I guess so, but then again, I think everyone looks like each other. One time someone said I looked like Margot Robbie."

"I see it." I scrunch up my nose before pulling out my phone after laughing, seeing a string of texts from Deja and June, the groupchat "Fashion Killas'" has a hundred new messages and I can only make out a few texts. "Party!" "When?!" "Been going on for like two hours."

I text back quickly, telling them that I am tired and don't know.

I spend the rest of the evening getting ready anyhow and trying not to think about anyone else. Deja knew I was going to decline the offer, that is why she said it is mandatory and I need to live a little, and she is right. I do need to live a little and stop letting the little things get to me. I put on tight blue jeans, black and white nikes, and pair it with a too little and too revealing white shirt with three suns on them. I text Sydni and Tiana letting them know what I have been forcing myself into, and they tell me to be careful. Sydni tells me to let her know if anyone cute is there and to hand over her number, Tiana just tells me to not get alcohol poisoning

June called me a ride to the party. The place is gigantic–not that it surprises me–I get the idea that being around June and Deja I will be around more money than I can make in twenty years.

I stroll through the front gates of the garden, where water shoots from fountains on either side of the lawn. Sculpted rose bushes coiled in fairy lights line the walkway. I scan the French-style balconies overhanging the top floor, where several are either grinding on their partners to music, or sucking the faces off one another.

"Is everyone fuckin' rich in this state or what?" I mumble, turning my body around to take in my surroundings. Again, I find another exit incase something goes wrong.

"(Y/N)!" The familiar voice calls from up above the balcony, I tilt my head back to meet Deja half way as she leans over the banister while waving her hands. I can tell she had been here longer than me, which makes no sense since the text messages showed she just found out about it. A man stands behind her with his hands on her waist to keep her from toppling over the edge, a red solo cup in between his front teeth to level the girl out. "Come on! There are some exciting guests!"

I follow the sea of people into the open-living room, where I'm handed a glass of mixed vodka and other liquids by the looks of a hired stripper. I go to decline with a polite "No, thank you," but the glass is already shoved in my hand. I clutch it tightly as I explore the house with my eyes, feeling out of place. Any minute, I feel as though I'll bump into a random group of strangers and be called an outcast with having no friends. I wander aimlessly now, taking intermittent sips of my drink to look busy.

Deja yells out drunkenly excited when we make eye contact, pushing herself through the crowd of people with her arm hooking through mine. "I am so glad I lied and said it was mandatory for you to be here." She admits, my mouth dropping as she laughs and pushes the cup back up to my lips for me to drink.

"You'll be fine! Live a little."

I sigh but drink, agreeing that I do need to live a little. I nod my head down towards the door that everyone seems to be going in and out of. How many friends do these people know? And how big is this place anyway.

"This is Kiana's house, she is one of our old models we had a few years back. Daddy's money, rich ass boyfriend who has ties to some mafia. You know the drill. Anyway, her parents made this giant ass basement underground, weird right?" She pulls me away after handing her drink off and we head down towards the stairs. "Parents are super into the whole 'the world will end so we need a place to live.' But Kiana turned it into a damn party room where only certain people can get into it."

I can hear the music bumping, the red lights and the atmosphere becoming a lot more uninviting than upstairs. There stands one bodyguard and we pass without having to show anything else. "When you get connections, you get cool access to places." She tells me as we head down the steps, each step I took felt like I was gravitating down towards a new world. The smoke filling my lungs, the sensual movements of bodies that lined the stairwell.

I clung onto Deja's arm as we walk down the steps and the only thing that goes through my head is;

Why did I agree to this?

Red lights flood the thick air in the room around the small dingy basement, music vibrating the dim walls and the smell of alcohol, sweat and sin fill my nostrils.

I grimace slightly, looking down at my nikes and lifting it off the floor before placing it back down again. The stares are slick, and sticky from the array of drinks the people dancing and stumbling have spilt throughout the night.

I look around anxiously once we hit the bottom step, there are couches littered all around against the walls, mostly covered with people sucking the air from each other's lungs, or probably sex, I can't tell. It's too dark to tell anyway, there's only a dark red neon glow that makes it to the edges of the room, with a brighter lightning focused over the bar.

Deja tells me Kiana is notorious for throwing parties when the clubs downtown are closed for the night. Her parties are the ones where bratty teenagers with too much money come, celebrities arrive that are married come to hide away their one night flings, and wannabes who buy their way towards the top come here. Not just anyone who knows anyone can come, Deja tells me that Kash is heavy on background checks, even if he knows them. Something about how he will never let his girl get caught in a problem.

I gag. I hate couples.

I grip my own drink tighter in my hand, scanning the room anxiously once more before I feel Deja slip away towards a group in the back. My hands find their way to fiddle with the end of my tank top, constantly side stepping and apologizing to the drunk people staggering past. I can't believe where I am, but, then again, I don't believe I am the same person I was a month ago.

There's a nudge to my shoulder and I look to my left to see June this time rolling her eyes at me. She leans over to my ear, just lightly raising her voice over the R&B music that had switched over.

"Drink this, it'll make all this anxious feeling go away." she pushes another drink into my hand, and I look down at my already mixed drink before combining the two.

I do need to calm my nerves, I'm horrible at new places and social situations and I can only see this getting worse without my mind being fuzzy to forget the night.

I look over at June, dressed in a tight black dress, knee high socks that stopped mid-thigh with bows decorating them, a choker, towering over me just a bit in her heels, her maroon painted lips wrapped around a blunt as she nods at me encouragingly. It is strange to see her in a different light, and I admit how attractive she looks.

I let out a heavy breath, closing my eyes and bringing the red solo cup to my lips, tilting my head back and gulping the drink in one swallow.

Fuck, that was strong.

I cough slightly, dragging my hand across my mouth before taking in another breath and repeating the same action with the next drink she gives me without a pause. I can already feel the warmth spreading through my body, and I squeeze my eyes closed waiting for the burning in my throat to die down. When I open my eyes, my whole body stills as my eyes focus on the figure in the corner who saunters in my directions with a commanding confidence and effortless mystery radiating off of him, his sharp hard features illuminated by the glow of the crimson lights as he reaches the bottom of the stairs to greet his friends.

I know him, but I don't remember where because my mind and body are starting to become light.

June leans in and I can hear the smirk on her lips. "Oh? Did Deja forget to tell you Hobie Brown comes to these parties?"