Bad Intentions

1

Camila

"Hey, how about another shot, Mila?" Tess has to yell into my ear over the loud electronic music.

Why not? Just one more shot won't hurt.

She hands me the cup filled with liquid of a sweet-smelling, addictive aroma, and I take it without hesitation. Slowly swaying along with the beat of the music, I allow myself to get lost in the atmosphere and all the dancing bodies around me, alcohol and smoke in the air.

I can't believe I'm letting myself do this again. I'd promised myself over and over. Fuck. I stop dancing and blink a few times, trying to come back to reality.

"Tess, I have to go."

At first she doesn't hear me. Of course she can't hear me, I barely even said it out loud.

"Tess!" I try again, tapping on her shoulder. She turns, biting her lip and looking at me in one of those ways that I'm all too familiar with.

Tess and I aren't always just friends. Sometimes we end up making out and keeping each other company at night, which I always regret later on. It's very unhealthy, because it's so messy and I don't even know what to refer to her as anymore. She isn't exactly my girlfriend, because neither of us can really make any commitments, but we're definitely not friends.

I know exactly what's going through Tess's mind right now, and I know I'm going to let her go along with it anyway. I know I have to go, that it's for my own good. But both our waists are touching now, and she's beginning to grind on mine. Before I even realize, I'm reacting to it. I'm grinding along with her, along with the music.

Then I feel her lips brush against mine. As I'm about to give in and let another night go to waste, I feel my phone vibrate in my pocket. I quickly take that chance, drunkenly fumbling for my phone and checking who's calling. It's my friend Dinah. Thank god.

"I have to take this call, sorry," I mouth to a pissed-off looking Tess, because there's no use to try and talk over the music.

I step out of the crowded nightclub and into the cold air. It shocks me a little, waking me up slightly. Outside I can still hear the music but it's now faint and muffled. It's almost completely deserted, the streets mostly empty with the exception of a few cars passing by every now and then. I immediately assume that it must be very late. Or, very early in the morning.

I answer the call, and I can already hear Dinah's voice before I even put the phone to my ear.

"Camila! Are you still at the club?" Dinah speaks urgently. I take a few seconds to answer, processing things slowly in my drunken state.

"Yeah... I think so," I mumble. Dinah sighs with relief, which surprises me. Usually she'd be going apeshit if she found out that I was still out at this hour.

"Okay, good. I need you to do something for me, alright? I know it might be a little weird but please just help me, it's really important."

I nod, then I realize that she can't see me nod because I'm on the phone with her.

"What is it?" I ask, now beginning to get a little curious.

"Alright, so you know my friend Lauren? The rich author one? I think you've met her like once before," Dinah says. I think I can slightly recall a Lauren. Dinah had invited her over maybe two weeks ago for a little get-together along with my best friend Ally, after Dinah had returned from a trip to Paris. I think Lauren had also brought a girl called Normani along with her as well, who also knows Dinah. But right now I could barely remember anything about this Lauren girl.

"Uh, I think I might know who you're talking about. The hot one? With nice eyes?" I ask Dinah, still confused as to why Lauren had anything to do with this.