When It Hurts

Chapter 1

The party is in full swing tonight. There are men and women all over the club grinding on each other, practically having sex in the open. I am sitting at the bar looking out at the crowd. The club is dark as all the walls are painted black or a deep red. There are a few table on the outskirts of the floor and on the upper level where VIP mingle. The bar is along the left side of the wall and can be reached when you walk straight to it from the door. The bar top is lined with bar stools with plush faux leather fabric.

I spot my best friend Trixie with some guy, probably her next hookup for the night. Trixie stands five foot seven, has blonde hair that falls down her back in natural waves. She is stick thin and has artificially plump pink lips that sits on her blemish-free face. Her skin is a pale, milky, white with tan lines on her shoulders from last weekend's beach trip. She was wearing a tight fitted sequin dress. The dress hugged her figure in every way and saved little to the imagination. If she so much as bent too much forward, everyone who get a show, although I am not so sure she would mind that.

You see Trixie has always been a wild spirit if you will. She has always been the type to take what she wants and to hell with the consequences. That's gotten her in trouble every now and then, but she just rolls with the punches. Me, I am the complete opposite. I stand at five foot five, with mocha skin, deep brown chocolate eyes and dark brown curly hair. I am the reserved one of us two. I am the mom of our little friend equation. I am the observant one; the one who prefers not to be the center of attention but just a mere bystander.

My name is Starlight, yeah very strange right? I don't know what my parents were thinking. They could have picked Dawn or something, but no. My middle name is not much better. My full name is Starlight Moon Parkston. I guess since my dad was an astronomy major in college that he had to name me after his first love. It is the only thing that tied me to him as I didn't consider myself as having parents when he and my mom left me, at 18, to get away. You see, I was pretty close to my parents when I was younger, but that all changed when my little brother died from a drunk driver.

We were all on our way from my dance competition when a drunk driver t-boned our car. My little brother, Samuel, died on impact. The rest of us were in critical condition for about a week after the accident. My mom got it worse since she was on the same side as Samuel. My dad only sustained a broken collar bone and a broken leg. I had a concussion and broke a few ribs. My mom broke her arm, her leg and she lost the baby she was carrying. We hadn't even gotten to know what the gender was. I found out later that she was planning to reveal the surprise when we got home. She was bleeding so bad that they had to perform a complete hysterectomy and she can no longer bare children. That was pretty much it for my family. This was the event that took my entire family from me; we were never the same after that day. It always makes me emotional to think back on that day, the day that changed my life forever.

"Hey pretty lady," A guy with a slight accent said. It snaps me out of my daydream, and I remember where I am. He isn't attractive. He has on black jeans that hang low past his hips, and a white shirt that looks three sizes too big. He has this creepy smile on his face that shows off two gold teeth in his mouth and his breath reeks of alcohol. I had seen him when Trixie and I first made our way into the club. He was grinding on some poor girl who did not look particularly interested. I guess when he got the hint from her, he decided to make his rounds and seeing me siting alone, he made his way over.

"What's your name gorgeous? I'm Shawn." The guy slurred. The way he spoke, I could tell he was past his drinking limit. His words were almost unrecognizable, and I had to lean in a bit to even catch what he said as it was so loud in here.

"Sorry, I'm here with a friend. I'm not interested." I spoke. I try to turn around to face the bar, but a hand grabs my arm.

"I said what's your name. You don't have to try and play hard to get, bitch," Shawn shouted. I could tell my rejection was getting him riled up. I look down at the hand that was still wrapped around my arm. His grip was getting tighter with each second, I stayed in his grip.

"If you don't remove your hand from my arm right now, I'll show you who's the bitch" I said. I grab his pinky with my left hand and bent it back away from my arm. This caused him to release my arm and to back away from me with a dirty look. I looked up at him and dared him to continue. I think he got the memo and walked away. I turned on the bar stool to face away from the crowd.

"Hey Mike, can I get a shot please? Make it a double." I said to the bartender. Trixie and I frequent this club so often that we are on first name basis with the staff here. Mike comes and stands in front of me.

"You alright Star? I caught the end of what was going on because I was helping a customer."

"Yeah, you know me. I had it handled," I said as Mike makes my shot. He slid the shot glass towards me, and I pick it up "Thanks though." I say as I throw the shot back and slam the glass back onto the bar top.

I make sure I still have my phone and my wallet as I stand up. I lean over the bar and shout to Mike, "I'm out of here. You got Trixie?"

He looks up at me and then over to Trixie who's still dancing on the floor. This time she's got a new guy she is grinding on. "Yeah, I got her. You go ahead."

I spare one last look at Trixie and see her look up and catch my eyes. I signal towards the door and point to my watch. She nods her head, gives me a thumbs up, and goes back to getting lost in her guy.

It takes me longer than usually to walk out the door because there is a couple that is heavily making out in the doorway. I squeeze by them hoping not to catch anything on my way out. I finally get out of the club and am on the sidewalk. I look around for a cab and spot one coming towards me. I step up to the curb and raise my left hand to get the attention of the cab driver. He pulls over and stops a few feet from where I am.

A sleek black car pulls up right behind the yellow cab. As I walk towards the back door of the cab and reach for the handle, a familiar voice calls out, "You didn't think I would let you go that easily huh Light?" I turn to look to my left and see someone I thought I would never see again.

"Simon." I gasp.

"Now I don't know about you, but when I said till death do us part, I meant it." Simon starts to walk towards me. "If I didn't know any better, I would think you were hiding from me. Seeing as it has taken me six months to find you, I'd say you've done a good job of it. Well now it's time to come home." His mere presence stuns me so much that I don't notice that he's gotten closer until he is standing right in front of me.

"How'd you find me?" I say breathlessly. Even after all this time, this man still evokes so many emotions within me. His voice is so alluring and smooth. I remember when it was the one thing that put me to sleep as I laid on his chest.

He looks as handsome as ever dressed in his scrubs and white coat. Dr. Simon Bleu. His chiseled jaw with a slight shadow and straight nose framed by those crystal blue eyes that always held mystery. His blond hair was tousled as though he ran his hand through it a few times; there were a few strands that fell across his eyebrow. He must have just come from work, as the cologne that he usually wears has faded into a hint of a smell. I got it for him as an anniversary gift and he wore it every day.

"I always knew where you were, even when you started to use your maiden's name again. I just let you have your time, but now it's time to come home Starlight." Simon lifts his hand and brushes his pointer finger down my left cheek. I momentarily close my eyes and get lost in his touch. A touch that held so many memories. I am snapped out of it when the cab honks his horn.

"Lady, do you want a ride or not?!"

"Yes." I spoke.

"No." Simon said.

"Go back to your girlfriend. I wouldn't want her bed to miss you tonight." I said as I open the door of the cab and slide in.

"I don't know what you're talking about, but this isn't over. I will have you back. Mark my words my little Light."

The door closes and I give the cab driver my address. I look out of the window as we pull into the city traffic. I watch Simon until he becomes a blip I the distance. I reach for my phone and call Trixie. It goes to voicemail.

"Trix, he found me."