SATURDAY

Homecoming Dance. To say that I was nervous was an understatement. It was mostly because I was supposed to make a speech. Apparently, I was last year's Homecoming Queen.

And guess who Homecoming King was? Dylan. The person I was having a secret affair with.

At first, I was shocked when Dawn informed me, thinking she was being mischievous again and pulling some sick joke now that I couldn't remember, but then she had rummaged through my drawers and showed me a photo.

There I was with Dylan, standing hand in hand, smiling at the camera. We were both dressed in all white and as I recalled, the theme had been Snowball.

In that picture, I looked so happy. He did so too and I felt like I had missed a vital event in my life. If only I could remember.

I sat in front of my vast vanity drawer as I stared at myself in the mirror. I put a pixie cut wig on and had on bloody red lips. Since it was an 80's themed dance, I decided to go with Denim. Simple white shirt. A mini denim jacket and mommy jeans.

Dawn burst into my room. "Cliff won't make it. He's still at work. Call your friend to pick us up."

"What?!" I turned. "Who?"

Dawn rolled her heavily eyelined eyes. "Dylan or Valerie, duh."

She walked out of the room.

I looked at the time and saw that it was only one hour until the Dance officially began. We couldn't walk to school, so I had to carefully weigh my options.

Dylan? No way. Not after I had blatantly denied the affair we had and left him looking as pained as a child who'd just had their blanket taken away.

Valerie? We hadn't really talked ever since she pulled that stunt in the Rec Hall. I really questioned the friendship that she claimed to have with me so she wasn't an option.

Nigato? No car.

I sighed as I took my phone and scrolled through the contacts. "Hey, Jac."

***

Once Jac's car had pulled up in the school parking lot, Dawn was quick to get out and dash away. I watched as her Catholic dress fluttered in the wind as she ran to catch up with her friends who seemed to have been waiting for her. They all wore white socks matching dresses and looked like virginal school girls from the '50s.

"So," Jac said.

I was suddenly aware that we were alone in the car.

"So . . ." I drawled, feeling tense.

"Our date after this?"

In all honesty, as much as I had liked Jac in my freshman year, it felt weird that we were actually a couple. He had that otherworldly vibe who would only date people like Ariana Grande while I was just . . . me.

"Let's focus on the Dance first, hmm?" I told him as I opened the door to his car.

It was locked.

I looked to Jac nervously. "Could you open . . . the door?"

Jac remained silent as he stared ahead and I immediately began to freak out.

"You owe me a date, Redding."

Redding. I gulped at his tone of voice. It was very calm and collected, but it was a very unnerving calm and collected voice.

"Jac, please. You know I'm confused about . . . us."

"And I'm your boyfriend," he finally turned to face me, and there was something in his eyes that made me shudder. "What more do you need to acknowledge that?"

"Time!" I cried out in frustration. I couldn't believe he was cornering me into such a situation. Didn't he understand the memory chasm that was in my mind? "I need more time to process all of this."

I gestured wildly with my hands.

"We don't have time, dammit!" He hit the steering so hard that it beeped loudly and I flinched back in sudden fear. Veins popped at his neck and temples and my heart pounded rapidly at the sight of that.

"Jac," I said in a small voice as fear gripped my throat. "Please, let me out."

"No." His reply was menacing.

The tension between us choked me to the point that I felt tears prickling my eyes. Terror seized the very core of my bones as Jac inhaled deep and loud breaths.

Why wouldn't he let me out?

"Not until you say yes to our date."

His ominous and threatening voice did it for me.

Right now, I would choose to listen to my panicking heart over the factual and established relationship with Jac.

I turned to the window and began to frantically tap it in the hopes that someone was still in the parking lot and would hear me.

"Shit, Red, what the fuck are you doing?!"

I heard Jac shuffle in his seat and on instinct, I elbowed his nose.

"OW-Fuck!"

I continued to furiously tap at the window and saw someone strolling just meters away from the car.

"HELP!" I yelled as loud as I could hoping to gain the person's attention. "He won't let me out!"

The guy walking turned and I noticed something familiar in his walk. I tried to roll the window down but it wouldn't budge.

My frantic tapping on the window had definitely caught the guy's attention and a surge of hope coursed within me.

With heart pounding in my ear, I looked back to Jac and saw that he was still groaning and clutching at his bloody nose. Taking the risk, I reached for the controls and tried to push the buttons.

"Oh, no you don't bitch!" Jac made to block my hands and wrestled me so as not to reach the controls.

I bit him and his grip loosened and he groaned some more. Pressing the button, I heard the door click and I stumbled out.

My body would have collapsed and hit the tarmac if it weren't for the guy who had made his way over to the car. He caught me before I could collide with the ground.

All I could do now was grip tightly onto him and coughing hard while gasping for air. The space inside Jac's car had felt suffocating, hostile and intimidating but all I could think of is that I was finally out.

I felt hot wet tears run down my cheeks. Jac? Of all people? He'd threaten me like that?

"Hey," the guy's voice said and I instantly knew who we was. "Are you alright?"

I sniffed as he helped me up. I stood steadily on my feet and my eyes met-

"Ashton, th-thank you." I didn't like how my voice shook in front of him, but with our small conflict pushed aside, for now, I was very glad to see him at the moment.

A small frown was etched on his face. "What happened in there?"

I hastily shook my head, not wanting to talk about it.

"Okay, it's fine. It's fine, don't worry about it," he assured before sidestepping me and looking into the car. "Don't be a douche, Jac."

Ashton led me away from there and we walked in awkward silence. I had no clue what could have happened if Ash had not heard me, or worse if I hadn't managed to reach for the car controls in time.

I didn't want to think about that as the fear still gushed within me.

"You're shaking," said Ashton. "It was that bad?"

I swallowed the oncoming tears. This was Ashton after all. I was more than relieved that he'd showed up, but I wouldn't want him to put this situation as a moment of weakness.

"Redding."

I stopped once he grabbed my elbow and spun me around.

"Are you sure you're fine?"

"I'm good," I said as my voice shook. "Thank you for coming."

He let my hand go and I wanted nothing more than to have this night end. I walked away from Ashton, glad that he didn't follow me and I could finally have some alone time and mull over what happened, but a small part of me felt guilty for walking away as he had at the least showed me kindness, which I had not expected.

Although, I wouldn't be surprised if he acted as my arch-enemy once we declared war on who was a better best friend to Clark.

I followed the sound from where the music was coming from. The sound of my doll shoes as they hit the linoleum floor reached my ears as I made my way to the Rec Hall. Once I was in, flashing lights of different colors blinded me momentarily.

The place looked like a Disco. Beautiful ribbons of the colors blue, yellow and white decorated the ceiling. The Hall was something akin to a popular high school movie from the early nineties. I even spotted some students wearing high waist pants that made them look stylishly ridiculous. The current song that was playing was 'Living On A Prayer' by Bon Jovi and I saw a girl whip her head too hard to the rhythm of the song that her Marilyn Monroe wig came off.

The scene calmed down my jittered nerves nevertheless. I stepped into the Hall and was immediately bombarded by Dylan.

"I'm glad you came," he began saying. "They're about to announce the results. Did you carry the tiara?"

My eyes widened in horrible realization. I left my purse in Jac's car.

"I . . . left it in Jac's car," I said, not looking at him.

"Where is he?" Dylan's voice was edgy.

"I left him in the parking lot."

I felt his fingers come under my chin and he forced me to look at him. "Dee, are you alright?"

I managed a small nod and a weak smile. "Yeah, I'm fine."

Dylan's piercing gaze made me uncomfortable and judging by how his jaw twitched, I knew he didn't believe me.

"You can tell me anything," he said.

"Dylan, I'm fine." I insisted.

He dropped his hand and sighed. "Alright, let me go get it."

He left and I let out a breath that I did not know I was holding.

Out of the blue, a girl I didn't recognize gave me a blue Styrofoam cup.

"Here you go, Dee."

"What's this?" I looked at the cherry red drink in it.

"It's punch," she left as she handed a random person the other drink that she held in her hand.

I raised the cup to my nose. It had a sweet-sour smell and I was sure that alcohol was in it. I started wondering if I usually drank. Deciding not to contemplate too much on the matter, I downed the drink in one go. I felt its warmth traveling my gut deliciously and a slight buzz in my head.

"Whoa, that hit fast," I said to no one in particular.

Making my way through the crowd of students, I had no idea what I wanted to do. I felt completely and utterly lost here.

Just then, I spotted Clark. He was chatting with some girl who looked familiar from my freshman year memories but I didn't remember her name.

I reached the duo. "Hey, Clark. Is this your girlfriend?"

In the back of my mind, my thoughts berated me for suddenly blurting that out? What was I thinking? Was it really my business if Clark was dating or not.

Uh, duh, you have to know who his priorities are in order to win him back, hello?

I shook my head. No, that wasn't right. Even if Clark was dating, it really wasn't my business on who he likes or not. I just wanted him back as a best friend. It's not like I wanted him as a boyfriend.

Did I?

Dammit! Dammit! Stop thinking like that, Red!

Clark turned to me as I watched the girl walk away. I weirdly felt happy now that she was not hogging Clark's attention anymore, hehe.

"No, Red. That's not my girlfriend."

I felt myself smiling at that. I scanned his outfit and grinned at the biker vibe that he had going on. Leather jacket. Black jeans. Combat boots. A skull chain on his neck.

"Do you . . ." I cleared my throat. "Do you . . . have one?"

Clark seemed to have been amused by something as he grinned widely.

"Why do you want to know?" he asked and I could hear the humor in his voice.

I bit my lip and suddenly felt a wave flow through me that caused me to sway forward, losing balance.

I'd have fallen onto Clark's chest if he hadn't steadied me by the shoulders.

"Whoa, whoa. Easy. Are you drunk?"

"Drunk?" I looked at him in wonder.

Clark sighed. "I can smell the punch on your breath."

"It was only one!" I bite back defensively.

"One that was seriously laced with all kinds of vodka."

"Vodka?" Oh, wow, I'd really drunk vodka? How badass of me.

"C'mon," Clark tugged me by the elbow. "Let's get you some water. Aren't you supposed to be making a speech?"

Holy crap. I almost totally forgot about that.

As we weaved through the horde of students, I glanced at where Clark was holding my elbow.

This was progress. And he was the one actually making the effort. Wow! How the tables have turned. I felt giddy and a giggle escaped my lips.

"What are you laughing at?" he looked back at me curiously.

I bit my lip and shook my head.

The music throbbed with the beating of my heart and it was as if I had suddenly run out of breath. The lights in the Hall seemed to get brighter and there was a pounding in my head. I couldn't explain the nauseous and dizzy feeling.

"I don't feel good," I said.

A sour taste was in my mouth and I suddenly craved the sweetness of the punch in order to get rid of that sourness. It was a strange feeling. One that was similar to wanting to lick the smell of soil just after the rain hits the dry dust of the earth.

As we kept walking, I spotted a table that had the blue cups and I perked up at the sight. Just the thing I needed to stop the craving.

I tried to tug myself free from Clark's hold but he held on to me.

"Oh, no no, where do you think you're going?"

His voice sounded so far away and distant. I looked at him funnily and he seemed to be fading in and out of vision.

I pointed to the table.

Clark suddenly had a panicked look once he saw what I was pointing out. His wide eyes looked funny that I began to laugh.

"Red," he shook me. "Did you drink from the blue cup?"

I nodded slowly.

"Oh, god, this is bad." He said as he started looking around as if searching for someone.

"W . .Wh . .what is?" I struggled to talk.

Clark looks at me with a serious gaze. "That punch is drugged."

*****