The Sweetest Kill (SAMPLE)

Four: Epiphany

© Amber Kalkes 2015

Chapter Four: Epiphany

The downtown scene is lively. That much no one can argue. Its one of the reasons the city has such a high population of young people. The University being another equally good but less exciting, reason. As I move closer to the string of clubs and bars, I can feel my heart speed up in my chest.

Lights flash in my face, many noises fill my ears and the limited space between bodies is already overwhelming. I'm not even in the club yet. There is just too much going on. I eye the growing waiting line outside the door and feel my hands shake. I can't do this. I can't be like these people. Turning on a heel, I start walking back towards my apartment when I hear a voice call out to me.

"Shoshanna!" Someone yells but I don't stop walking. A hand grabs my shoulder and I panic. Spinning around I move quickly out from under their hold only to feel my eyes widen when I see who it is.

"Melanie?"

She grins widely as she looks me over, "You look so cute! I didn't know you came to these kind of places!"

"I-I don't usually."

Melanie looks...well, exactly how I would expect her to look, attractive. Her hair is perfectly straight and parted in the middle to frame her heart shaped face, while her makeup is perfectly put together. Every time she blinks her eye lids sparkle in the neon lights and bring attention to the clear, blue color of her eyes. She's dressed in a short white dress, despite the cold, and a black leather jacket with black ankle boots on her feet.

"Well, do you want to come in with us?" She prompts when I don't come up with idle chitchat.

"I don't want to intrude."

She waves a dismissive hand, still grinning. "Are you kidding? Trevor is dying to meet you! I talk about you all the time and I think he's starting to think I've been making you up." She says the last bit with a laugh before talking a step towards me with what I think is her begging face, "Please, come with us? It'll be so fun."

I open my mouth to decline but someone bumps into my shoulder, distracting me. I glance up at the person who bumped into me and feel my breath catch in my throat. I don't see much of him and what I do see doesn't make any sense at all. Red eyes meet mine for only a second before he turns his face back forward. I feel like my heart is in my throat and I have a hard time catching my breath. His eyes couldn't have been red, that's impossible. It had to have been contacts or something.

"What an asshole," Melanie gasps before touching my shoulder, "Are you okay?"

I flinch back from her touch and force a small smile, "I'm okay. Just a little overwhelmed. I've never been to a club before."

"Really?"

I hum a yes and run a hand through my hair with a shaky hand. Shivering, I frown at the line, "Seems like a long wait."

"Not really. My cousin is actually the bouncer. He lets me in all the time."

I sigh and chew my lower lip. I don't want to go in there but what choice do I have? There's a high chance that the guy I'm looking for is in there lurking around. Looking over the nearby club again, I take a deep cleansing breath and try to muster up any courage I may have. Forcing one of my best and hopefully less creepy of my smiles I decide to try.

"Well we don't want to keep your boyfriend waiting any longer do we?"

Melanie's whole face lights up as she claps her hands with glee, "Oh my god! This is going to be so fun!"

Grabbing my hand, she starts to drag me back towards the club. She keeps talking about something but I've already tuned her out. A guy standing near the front of the line must have heard her though because he turns around and grins at us as we approach. He's average looking with light brown skin and buzzed down black hair but he has very beautiful light green eyes that almost mesmerize. His full lips turn up farther at the ends as he turns his gaze to me. I try to find a word to describe the color of his eyes when Melanie starts to introduce us.