The Silence | ✔️

11. S

My heart was pounding, hard. I couldn't hear. I felt claustrophobic and trapped.

But surprisingly, I was having a good time.

The club music thudded a loud bass. I could feel the vibrations coursing through me. The combined scent of sweat, alcohol and perfumes were all that I could inhale.

As I moved to the music, I wished that I could have breathed in some fresh air. But Maddie and I were in the middle of the dance floor and the nearest exit lead to a designated smoking area. I doubted that I would have been offered a lot of pure air out there.

I had a feeling that going out again wasn't the smartest idea. It landed me in a hell of a lot of trouble last night. But lightening never struck the same place twice. I figured that Desmond wouldn't come home again. Especially not at nine at night. Which is when Maddie and I left the apartment.

We had a couple of wines each while we got dressed and dolled up. Maddie looked gorgeous in her dress. It was a simple satin slip paired with thigh high boots that she suited so well. Her legs were thick. Not enormous but more sizeable than my thin stems. I always wished that I had a more curvaceous figure. But it just wasn't how I was shaped.

I'd opted for stilettos, a pair of black high waist culottes with a sheer white tank top tucked into the waist band. My copper hair fell in loose waves around my shoulders. It was an unkempt sort of look.

Part of me struggled to relax. I was on a constant alert. Terrified that someone would see me here and it would get back to Desmond. But as worried as I was, I was having a good time. Maddie was fun. She wasn't here to get laid either, so there was no fear that she would ditch me for a one night stand. We danced together, drank and sang.

I had a method that kept me from getting too drunk too fast. In between each wine, I had a glass of water. It slowed me down. Kept me in control of my senses and it ensured that I was hangover free in the morning. It was advice that a friend in college gave me. Chels. She was a wild free spirit and last I heard, she was tripping across Europe. I hadn't been out on the town in forever so I was glad that I remembered her words of wisdom. As it was, I decided to cap it at five glasses. I had a light buzz but I was in no danger of total inebriation.

"I need another drink!" Maddie shouted over the music, fanning her face which was no longer her usual pale but blushing bright and red as strands of her auburn hair clung to her skin.

I leaned closer to her. "Of water?"

"No, vodka!"

"Yeah, water!"

"No, Arian—"

"Come on, let's go and get a water."

She gave me a playful punch in the arm but followed me through the crowd. Occasionally someone would elbow me in the side or whip me with their hair. My feet were numb at this point so it didn't matter if they were stood on. I must not have been pushing through the throng of people fast enough because Maddie switched our positions and took the lead, shoving and pushing at a much faster speed.

We reached the bar and requested two waters. While we waited, I couldn't help but feel as though I was being watched. It was stupid because there were hundreds of people and someone was bound to glance my way once in a while. But it was more than that. It was so intense. It made my skin prickle. But I brushed it off as alcohol induced paranoia.

Maddie tapped my shoulder when the waters were served and I turned away from the crowd that I had been watching. We stood beside the bar while we drank and swayed a little with the beat. Even if we weren't outside, it was a relief to be out of the thick of it. We finished our drinks and decided to go to the bathroom before we carried on dancing. I hoped that Maddie wanted to give up soon because I was keen on bed and some hot food.