Risa slammed her shot glass back on the bar counter top. Like I said earlier Jack is wealthy enough to have a bar in his basement. Everyone cheered and ran up the stairs into Jack's foyer where they went out the door. Everyone split up into two different cars. Leanne, Jane and some boys went into Reggies white Mercedes. Risa, Erica and the others rode with Jack in his bright yellow Jeep. It was euphoric. The ride I mean. It was dark out now and warm. The widows down and and the top of the car off. Music blasting almost obnoxiously. Everyone buzzed. Risa took the four vodka shots from her bag handed three out to her peers keeping one in hand for herself. The tops were twisted off and the liquor was demolished. Risa was now 2 shots in. That was her second mistake.
The group arrived at the beach and it was packed. Everyone had a red solo cup in hand. The bonfire glowed a glistening orange. The water a deep and creamy blue covered in white crisp foam near the shore. "Let's get this party started" Hollered Erica. Everyone ran towards the crowd. Risa stood and studied the scene. Or she tried to but was interrupted by Jack's charm. "Hey" he said as he smiled all pretty. He handed her punch which was most definitely spiked various times considering it was a public punch bowl. Risa was already drunk so she didn't have a problem with her drink that was equivalent to toilet water. "So, I wanted to ask you something." 'Oh God' Risa thought. She didn't want to have 'a talk.' She braced herself for his confession. "I've liked you for a long time and..." he stuttered and broke eye contact. "I was wondering if you'd be my girlfriend." Risa now regretted not taking that lamp to her eye earlier today. If only she could go back in time she thought. "Listen Jack, I love you. Just not in the way you want me too. I wish I could feel how you want me to feel. I wanna be friends. okay?" Risa gulped. She did like Jack. Just platonically. "Oh that's..Don't worry about it Ree. Friends it is." He gave a small, weak and obviously fake smile. He walked away soulfully.
She was standing near the shore alone now and the alcohol was definitely affective. The base of the music was so loud it could cause waves. A tsunami even. Something caught her eye in the distance. Though she could only see his back she could tell he was attractive. He was built but still had a lanky appearance. He had dark hair. He turned, his face now viewable. She knew him. It was Levi Lantner. Gina's middle child son who answered the door when Risa arrived. She hated him. He was a snob. Suddenly Risa's heart started beating so fast she thought it was going to burst. Her lungs pulsating vigorously. Her throat felt like it was closing. Her legs gave out and she rolled into the water. She breathed in, inhaling salt water. She felt her body being pulled from the water however she couldn't see who it was due to her eyes being irritated from the salt. She was easily thrown over someone's shoulder. She assumed it was a man because she knew everyone in town and was well aware they lack six foot tall women. She could still barely breathe and the next thing she knew she was being plopped in the back seat of someone's car. She wondered if she was being kidnapped. Usually kidnappers will drive off however her kidnapper sat in the back seat with her. She could finally see clearly and was able to make out that it was indeed a man that rescued her. Not only was it a man but it was... well, it was Levi.
"You're having a panic attack" he said but to Risa he screamed it. There was a ringing in her ear. "I can't" she cried "please." She begged for release. He put his hand over her mouth and pinched her nose. This made it harder for her to breathe. After thirty seconds he let her go. "What the hell, are you trying to kill me?" She continued yelling at him for various minutes as he picked at his nails unamused. "How's that panic attack going for you?" He interrupted. She paused. She realized everything other than the fact she was wasted was back to normal. "Huh" he smirked. He was handsome. He got out of the back and into the drivers seat. He pulled out of the beach parking lot and her vision of his sparkling blue eyes staring deeply at her in the rear view mirror is the last thing she saw before she blacked out.
Saturday morning 11:00 AM
In the Lantners guest bedroom the window was cracked wide open allowing sunlight to beam inwards. Risa's head pounded as she suffered a massive hangover. She squinted and sat up looking for her phone. On her night stand was her phone that surprisingly worked even after taking a dip in the saltwater last night. Her phone was filled with notifications from Jane. 'Where are you' she read. 'Did you get a ride home?' Jane texted. Risa groaned and reached for the crisp iced water that was on the end table. As she drank she wondered how it got there. Which made her thing about how she got there. Her eyes widened with curiosity. She sat up. She gasped. The chair across the end of her bed was filled with a figure. Watching her. Levi.
