2 The Pentagon

They were going to blame me. But I didn't do anything! He tried to kill me! I stumbled backwards into a stall then regained control of myself and ran out of the bathroom. My body throbbed but I pushed myself to get down those stairs. The alcohol suddenly drained out of me like magic.

I very nearly tumbled down the stairs like an idiot. I just wanted to find my friends and get the hell out of here and never return.

I ran past people who danced to Rita Ora. She performed on stage with backup dancers and props. I squeezed and bumped people to get to my friends. My body trembled and I couldn’t even marvel at the celebrity just meters away from me.

‘We have to leave,’ I said and grabbed Frankie’s arm, she stumbled forward and giggled.

‘Where have you been? Rita Ora is here! We have to meet her, where's Cassidy?! We have to meet Rita I'm a big fan!’ Frankie was wasted!

‘Yes, let's find Cass.’ I said trying to get her moving once I had all two of them, we would bolt out of here.

Cass sat on the meaty lap of a man in his mid-thirties. She toyed with his black tie and giggled.

‘Bitches! Where have you beennnn!’

What if he wasn't alone? And the others were looking for me? But when I scanned the room there was no one suspicious looking around us. The bouncers stood by their posts and everyone danced to Rita Ora.

‘Paul these are by bitches—’

‘Cass, we need to leave,’ I said quickly.

‘Why Val? It's not even 2 a.m. yet.’

‘I know but we just need to—’ A blast cut me off.

People screamed and began to scatter. Another boom sounded followed by yellow sparks on the stage. Rita Ora was ushered off the stage and Paul bolted from his seat, dumping Cassidy on the floor.

I helped her up to her feet.

‘Let's get out of here,’ I said.

We made a mad dash out of there; three drunk girls were bound to fall in the midst of the chaos. We had to hold hands to make it out together.

We got out and stood outside of the massive nightclub, next to Cassidy’s Subaru. I panted, trying to catch my breath as Frankie and Cass broke out in a fit of laughter.

‘Are you guys seriously laughing?!’

‘Of course, Val! Oh my gosh I lost a shoe.’ Frankie stumbled into a car and snickered at her naked foot.

‘It's okay Val it's the Pentagon crazy stuff happen all the time.’ Cass said.

Patrons of the Pentagon fled into their cars and drove like maniacs down the mountain and into the streets. I didn’t see any fire or smoke. I wasn’t sure what those blasts could have been. It certainly didn’t feel like part of the show.

***

We were back at my apartment. I let Cass use my bed while Frankie and I camped on the floor. Frankie was out like a light. She didn't even bother changing. My body still quaked and ached from being beaten by a beast of a man. I felt the burns and bruises on my body, but I just didn't want to know what I looked like. My friends hadn't mentioned it, they either were too drunk to notice it, or my injuries weren't as bad as I thought.

‘Cass?’ I started.

I wasn't sure if I could tell her what happened. I couldn’t stop myself from shaking. How had I killed that man? Cass sat on my bed texting rapidly.

‘Paul just texted me, such a douchebag.’

I wanted to keep my mouth shut forever and never utter a word to any living soul, but the guilt ate me up inside. The horrible imagine of the man's wide eye and stare of death were just stuck in my mind.

‘Cass?’ I said again.

‘Listen, Val…’ she put her phone down for a second. ‘I know it’s your first time going to an exclusive night club and you’re freaking but there’s nothing to worry about, okay? Mom’s not going to pop out of nowhere and scold you for going clubbing with your friends.’

‘That's not what I wanted to talk to you about though,’ I sighed.

‘Take some water lots of it or else you'll have a horrible headache in the morning. Go to sleep Val.’ She rolled over in my bed and turned off the tiny bedside lump.

I had a mini fridge in my room where I kept important stuff like water and chocolate bars and fruit and take out. I drunk three whole bottles my friends were dead asleep. No matter how hard I tired I couldn't sleep, the night was silent. The memories made so much noise I couldn't sleep.

I pulled out my Samsung from under my pillow and dialled the only person who would listen to me at three in the morning and not get pissed at me.

He picked up the second ring.

‘Ava?’ His voice came out husky and deep.

‘Yes, who else calls you this late?’

He chuckled the sound of his laughter always made me smile.

‘Everything okay? I told you girls night was a bad idea.’ He chuckled. ‘What’s up Ava?’

I thought about how great things were, how excited I was then I was nearly killed, or worse. There are worse things than death…

‘Maybe you were right…’ my voice broke.

I'd never been beaten up before. Mom slapped me for talking back once in a while but never had I ever been battered before.

‘Do you want me to pick you up?’ He offered.

‘No, Rider I just needed to talk to someone.’

‘Come on Ava let me pick you up, I know it's late—’

‘I'll come to you.’

‘No, please it's late and I'd never forgive myself if something happened to you on your way here. I'm already out of bed babe.’

I blushed at how protective he was off me, he'd gotten into a couple of fights back in high school, not because of me. Oh no, he just has a little temper. He once got into a fight, well they almost fought, but didn't get around to it. Rider almost beat-up Shane Norman - my arch rival. Shane was stupid for provoking Rider who at the time was two sizes bigger than him. I doubted Shane could take Rider now despite the fact he muscled up.

‘I'll be fine. I don't think I can sit around and wait for you to get here. I need to get far away.’ I whispered.

Rider fell silent for a minute before he said, ‘okay fine. Don't take more than 10 minutes to get here.’

I slipped into a pair of comfortable grey sweatpants and a yellow long sleeve top, no bra. I grabbed the keys to my rundown SUV. The car belonged to my grandmother who decided to travel the world when I turned eighteen a year ago.

I made sure not to wake anyone on my way out. I walked past Cassidy’s grey Subaru on my way to where I'd abandoned my scarred SUV. It was morning, but the night still lingered.

SilverLake isn't the safest place to be, day nor night time. But I grew up in these wild and mysterious streets, I knew them like the back of my hand. I knew anything could happen at any time on any street. No matter how lavish and posh.

SilverLake spared no one that's what my Dad always told my Mom before he vanished. Mom never let me say he left us, because according to her he didn't and he would never willingly leave us.

For some reason I found myself thinking about him, Caesar Carmichael, I only barely remembered his face. I had so many questions and anger. I bottled them all up inside. I had no reason to explode at the world. I packed up all my questions and frustrations, my insecurities about him leaving in a big old suitcase and tossed it in room that's located deep inside my mind. Two out of four times I found myself in that room, it hasn't been easy to control myself.

Tears rolled down my cheeks and I felt pathetic, I wiped them away quickly, touching a bruise as well. It burned, but I still refused to see what that animal did to me.

Maybe he did deserve to die.