Disoriented

Arell leaned back, his mind racing as he watched the stripper saunter away. It wasn't like him to let his guard down so easily, especially in a place where he needed to be vigilant. He took a deep breath, trying to steady himself. The warmth from the drink was spreading through him, and he couldn't help but feel a bit irritated at himself.

"Why'd I let that happen?" he muttered under his breath, frustration creeping into his thoughts. He knew better than to trust anything offered to him in a setting like this.

First, he needed to stay hydrated. Alcohol and whatever else might have been in that drink could mess with his judgment, and he couldn't afford that. He signaled one of the waitresses and asked for a bottle of water, making sure to emphasize that he wanted it sealed.

As he waited for the water, he pulled out his phone and sent a quick text to Geoffrey: "Hey, had a drink that might have been spiked. Keeping an eye on things, but just a heads up."

Geoffrey's reply came almost immediately: "Got it. Be careful. Stick with your friends and don't take anything else from anyone."

Arell put his phone away and looked around the VIP section again. He made a mental note of where everyone was and decided to stay close to Adolph and the others for the rest of the night. If anything happened, he wanted to be near people that would look out for him.

The waitress returned with the water, and Arell took it gratefully, twisting off the cap and taking a long drink.

He also decided to find a way to discreetly test himself for any substances. He remembered hearing about a simple trick: touching his finger to his tongue to taste for any unusual bitterness, a sign of some drugs. He discreetly ran his finger along the inside of the glass and then touched it to his tongue. There was a faint bitterness, whether it was because of drugs or not, he didn't know.

Arell felt a creeping unease as he put the water bottle down. He hoped the water would help flush out whatever might be in his system, but as he sat there, he began to notice the effects of the drink.

His body felt warmer than usual, and a slight dizziness began to set in. His heart was beating a little faster, and there was a strange, almost euphoric sensation spreading through him. He knew something wasn't right.

Trying to stay focused, Arell looked around for Devon. He saw him still on the dance floor, enjoying himself, throwing bills and surrounded by a crowd of people. Arell thought about calling him over but didn't want to spoil Devon's fun.

He got up from his seat, steadying himself against the table for a moment before making his way toward the balcony. The neon lights of the club seemed to intensify the dizziness, but he pressed on, knowing he needed to clear his head.

Once he reached the balcony, he leaned against the railing, taking deep breaths. He pulled out his phone, thinking about texting Devon to let him know he was leaving, but hesitated. Devon was having a good time, and Arell didn't want to be a buzzkill.

As he debated what to do, the pretty stripper from earlier appeared, this time with two other strippers in tow.

"Hey, Arell," she purred, her voice even sultrier than before. "We noticed you slipped away. Everything okay?"

Arell tried to muster a smile, but the dizziness was making it difficult. "Yeah, just needed some air."

The stripper moved closer, her hand resting on his arm. "You look a little out of it. Maybe we can help you feel better." She glanced at her friends, who giggled and stepped closer, surrounding him.

Arell's mind was foggy, and he struggled to think clearly. He knew he needed to get out of this situation, but his body felt heavy and uncooperative. "I think I should just head home." He managed to say, trying to keep his voice steady.

The stripper pouted, her eyes narrowing slightly. "Come on, Arell. We can take care of you. Just relax and have some fun." She ran her fingers down his chest, and the touch sent a shiver through him.

Arell's instincts screamed at him to get away, but his body felt like it was moving in slow motion. He needed to find Devon or Adolph, anyone who could help him get out of there. He glanced back at the club, the vibrant lights and swirling crowd making it hard to focus.

"Devon..." he muttered, trying to push past the strippers.

Arell's mind felt like it was moving through molasses as he struggled to push past the strippers.

"Come on, Arell," the pretty stripper coaxed, her grip on his arm tightening. "You'll feel better if you come with us. We can take care of you."

One of the other strippers joined in, her voice soothing yet insistent. "Yeah, we'll get you somewhere more comfortable. You don't want to be around all these people when you're feeling like this."

Panic started to creep into Arell's foggy mind. He knew he needed to get out of this situation, but his body felt like it was betraying him. The strippers were pulling him toward through the crowd, and he stumbled, barely able to keep his balance.

As they dragged him further, Arell's panic grew. He knew he needed to get out of this situation, but his body wasn't cooperating.

"Yo, what the hell y'all think y'all doin'?" Came a sharp voice, cutting through the fog in Arell's mind.

He turned as the stripper stopped, turning to see Adolph with a group of people around him, their faces serious and unyielding.

"Man' is ya'll trippin," Adolph said, stepping forward.

The pretty stripper tried to keep her cool, but there was a flicker of nervousness in her eyes. "We were just trying to help him. He looked like he needed it."

Adolph snorted, not buying it for a second. "Y'all tryna take advantage of my boy. Let him go, now."

The tension in the air was thick, and the strippers hesitated, before reluctantly, releasing their grip on Arell.

"You ain't gotta get all worked up," the pretty stripper said, her tone defensive. "We were just trying to help."

Adolph took a step closer. "Help? Y'all ain't helpin' nobody. Head outa' here before I get ya'll turnt up, for real."

The strippers backed off, shooting dirty looks at Adolph and the others, but they knew better than to push their luck. They turned and disappeared into the crowd, leaving Arell swaying on his feet.

Adolph stepped up, his face a mix of concern and irritation. He grabbed Arell by the shoulders, steadying him.

"Man, what the hell were you thinkin'?" Adolph's voice was a harsh whisper, barely contained anger in his eyes. "You should know better than to take shit from strangers in a place like this."

Arell tried to respond, but his words came out slurred. "I didn't... I wasn't thinking..."

Adolph shook his head, his grip tightening. "You damn right you wasn't thinkin'. You lucky we saw what was goin' down."

Adolph turned to one of his friends. "Get this nigga' friends. We gotta get him home."

Within minutes, Devon, Malik and Kenny showed up, their expressions a mix of worry and readiness. Devon knelt beside Arell, checking him over. "Yo, Arell, you good? What happened?"

Adolph interjected, "His drink got spiked. We stopped 'em before they could do anything worse."

Devon looked furious. "Man, this is messed up. Geoffrey texted us, said you might be in trouble. Good thing we got here in time."

Malik and Kenny helped Arell to his feet, supporting him on both sides. Arell tried to focus, but the dizziness was overwhelming. His legs felt like they could give out at any moment.

"Let's get him home," Malik said, his voice steady and calm. "He needs to rest and get that stuff out of his system."

They carefully made their way out of the club. The bouncer at the door gave them a nod, recognizing the urgency in their movements.

Outside, the cool night air hit Arell, helping to clear his head a bit. They helped him into the back seat of the Subaru, making sure he was comfortable.

Devon turned to Adolph, gratitude and concern evident in his eyes. "Thanks for having his back, Adolph. We owe you one."

Adolph shrugged, his expression serious. "Just take care of him. I'll check on him later."

Devon nodded, "You got it."

As Devon started the car, Adolph leaned in through the window, looking directly at Arell. "You listenin', man? We got your back, but you gotta be smarter. I'll message you later to check up on you."

Arell managed a weak nod. "Thanks, Adolph. I appreciate it."

Adolph patted the side of the car. "Take care, bro."

Devon pulled away from the curb, driving carefully through the quiet streets.