Our Toxic Love

Chapter Twenty One

*Ariana's POV*

Do they even serve water here anyway?

I'm making my way to the counter when someone stops me.

"Ariana?" Matt gapes. "What are you doing here."

"Matt," I say, "I'm-I just needed a drink."

"You drink?" He laughs.

"No, no, not that-" I start to say.

But Matt is already ordering me a beer. Whatever, it's not like I'm going to drink it anyway.

The place is noisy and I already have a slight headache. I really want to leave but I don't even know where to go.

I reach into my pocket and realize I forgot my phone back at Ethan's house. Great.

Matt places an arm on my back.

"How about you come and hang out with my friends," he says.

"No, I should really leave right now, I'm not even supposed to be here-"

"There are some people I want you to meet, come on."

I reluctantly oblige, knowing that if I don't, he'll just keep insisting.

I don't like this. I really don't want to be here especially with Matt. Our kiss hasn't changed the way I hate him.

He leads me to a group of his good-looking friends. My heart crawls up to my throat. I feel too alone here. Maybe if I had Danielle here I wouldn't feel so scared and intimidated but I'm here with Matt.

All I wanna do is run out of this place but Matt has me seated next to him in a second.

"What's your name, beautiful?" Asks a blond boy.

"Back off, she's mine," Matt laughs.

My eyebrow creases. "I'm not yours."

"Yet," he smirks.

Matt and Ethan are alike in so many ways. For one thing, they both have a habit of harassing me. But I can't help but feel like Matt is a little more on the dangerous side than Ethan is.

A waitress places a beer on the table in front of me. I ignore it.

"Come on, didn't you say you're here for a drink?" Matt questions.

"Not this kind of drink," I say.

He rolls his eyes. "Ariana, you really have to loosen up a little. You're always so tense and uptight. Just relax. You're here with me, okay?"

I don't know whether that last sentence is supposed to reassure me or alarm me. I glance at the beer on the table. One sip won't hurt, would it? My throat's already dry as hell.

I pick up the mug and drink up. My throat burns at its very first contact of alcohol but I ignore it.

Matt grins. "See? That wasn't so bad, was it?"

Actually it was.

"No," I say.

I finish my whole mug and Matt orders me another before I can even protest.

His friends don't consist of any girls which really intimidates me. They're all talking about some party they went to last night while I sit there with Matt's arm slung over my shoulder feeling like the outcast I am.

"What about you?" A black haired guy says to me. "What parties have you gone to?"

Matt stifles a laugh. The only party I ever went to was a complete nightmare.

"A few," I lie.

My second beer arrives.

"Drink up, babe," Matt says, handing me my drink.

I don't know why, but loosening up sure sounds good right now, so I do as he says.

"Can you take me home?" I ask.

"Sure," he says. "But later."

I don't know how many hours have passed. Every time I finish my drink, Matt orders me another. And another. Then another.

I keep drinking till I feel myself actually loosen up.

I lost count of how many drinks I've had till now. All I know is that I'm no longer scared or intimidated. I feel okay I guess. I'd feel better if everything wasn't so blurry.

"So this is your girlfriend?" One of Matt's friends ask.

"Yes!" I answer, laughing.

I don't know why I just said that.

Matt leans in to kiss me but my lips are too numb to feel anything.

"We're going to a party in a while, wanna come?" He asks me.

I nod. I want to have fun tonight while I'm still 'loosened up'.

"Can I have another beer before we leave?" I slur.