DRIVE

0:1

MIA

*

Friday night, June fourteenth. The first night of summer vacation. 

I guess the assumption that my life changed on this night could be deemed correct. The air of the dingy club was humid and heavy and the look of determination filled the eyes of almost every single guy in the room. The atmosphere of the crowded club made my stomach clench in fear and disgust. 

Sitting at the bar with a drink in my hand, I observed the crowd of people sway and bump bodies with each other, playful looks and kisses being exchanged at every corner I looked. My eyes travelled to Jocelyn and Rebecca and felt my heart twist as they both flirted effortlessly with two men. 

Clubbing was never exactly my thing; my best friends practically forced me out of my room, coaxing me using the fact that it was the first night of summer and that we needed to go out and celebrate that. I complied obviously, now finding myself alone in a room full of other people. I envied the way Jocelyn effortlessly flipped her long dark hair over her tanned shoulder and the way Rebecca's smile glinted prettily underneath the flashing lights. The current predicament I was in was not an unfamiliar situation; my two bombshell friends often flirted their way through boys the moment we stepped into any club, while I found refuge sitting in the darkened corner of the club; out of sight, out of mind. 

Friday night, June fourteenth. Something was changing.

Rebecca and Jocelyn gleefully made their way to me, their drinks sloshing out of their small cups and cheeks flushed red.

"Mia, stop being a buzzkill." Rebecca slurred, setting her drink down on the bar. She grabbed my hands and tried pulling me up but I stayed put. "You need to get out there, have some fun or something!"

"Come on, lets get you to meet someone. You're eighteen years old and still a virgin. We're changing that!" Jocelyn jumped in, eyes lightening up at the idea. My stomach twisted in nervousness.

"What do you even mean by that? I'm fine with the way that I am." I lied, clenching my teeth slightly. It did bug me more than I would ever tell either of my best friends; the fact that they both had so much experience and I could barely look a boy in the eyes without having a panic attack.

"That's a lie and we all know it." Jocelyn sighed, sitting down next to me. "I have an idea."

"What is it?" I asked nervously. 

"Rebecca and I came up with a bet the other night. If you can lose your virginity by the end of summer, then we'll stop forcing you to come out and pay for every single one of your meals when we go to Nando's." I squinted my eyes at them in suspicion. 

"Why was this a thing you two spoke about?" I asked, annoyed that they thought discussing my sex life and making a bet out of it was a good idea. The offer of nights spent alone in my room curled up with my cat and the endless chicken platters at Nando's were something hard to turn down, though.

"We didn't do it to offend you, we just want you to go out and have a good time. We want you to meet new people." Rebecca chimed in. My eyes flitted back and forth between my best friends, slight annoyance. I couldn't help but feel that this might be a good thing for me. The loud music pounded in my chest and the sudden feeling of adrenaline coursed through my veins. 

"I want to meet new people too. I want to do this, but on one condition." I couldn't believe I was agreeing to this, and I don't think Rebecca and Jocelyn thought I would be either. 

"What is that?" They replied simultaneously, leaning forward with excitement on their faces.

"When we get to university, I'm getting the biggest room in our new house." The excitement on their faces was quickly replaced with eye rolls and sighs.