JS Marie
All Rights Reserved. 2012 ©
Four--Lexie
Darting my eyes open, my breathing is regular as I glance at my nightstand. Displaying a bright read, the electronic clock reads 20:26. I can’t believe I’ve only been asleep for a couple of hours. I don’t remember anything. I hastily leave my bed and cross over to the window. The night sky is littered with stars as I hear the stirring nightlife in the streets below enjoying the Friday evening. I shake my head as I grab my desolate cell from the dresser. A list of messages is displayed on the small screen. April…
I open the first text: Black Rafters playing at Kyle’s tonight at 21:00. Coming? Riley and Patricia will be there. I’ll get you at 20:45. See you then, mate. April.
The next message: Why won’t you bloody answer? No matter, I’ll still go to your place and force you to go if I have to. April.
And a message sent a little over ten minutes ago: I’m heading over to your place. Ready or not here I come. April.
I snap my phone shut as I scramble around my room getting ready. There is no arguing with April. In place of my wrinkled uniform, I am wearing a black skintight skirt with fishnet leggings, thick leather boots, thin black chains wrapped around my pale neck, and a blood red tank with glittering sequins. As I apply my dark heavy make-up, I hear knocking. I snatch my satchel from a hook and greet April as we leave my flat and head for the subway. A short ride later we are standing in line to Kyle’s, a bustling night club that features new musicians such as the Black Rafters, a popular alternative rock band. Neon lights hang above the entrance reflecting different hues of pink and yellow on the waiting crowd.
I am pulled into the conversation between April and Riley. With his platinum spikes teeming with gel, Riley’s face twists with disgust. “The bastard.” His gray eyes meet mine as he speaks to me. “Just give the word, Lex. I’ll rip the fucker’s throat out. He could have hurt you.”
I only offer him a small smile in response. I can always count April to fill them in on the details of my life. Riley stands a few centimeters away from me looming maybe a good four inches taller than me. His frame is average as a black jumper covers his torso and skinny jeans conceal his legs. Sliver loops are pierced over his right brow and both ears while thick studs are pinched through his lips and nose. Patricia stands next to him twirling one of her magenta braids in her hands. Thick-rimmed square spectacles hover over her brown eyes while piercings also are embedded on her face. Underneath her electric green tank, a tattoo of a serpent trails from her shoulder down her left arm. They have always been masochists enjoying the thrill of the needle to their skin. April and I on the other hand…
“Why are you here?” Patricia’s rough voice breaks through. Her hands quit twiddling with her braid as apparent boredom glares off her brunette eyes. “Shouldn’t you be at home resting? Since it was such a great fall…” I can sense the sarcasm saturating her voice. Jealously reflects off her movements as she grasps Riley’s free hand in hers. Looks like someone doesn’t want her man protecting another woman. I quickly lock the thought away. I’ve already been down that road. Remembering the times we used to hang out during senior school, I try to suppress a chuckle. At eleven years old, I first met Patricia and Riley when entering secondary school. Through our four years of school together, our group of four was as thick as thieves. But when Riley and Patricia decided not continue on to the sixth forms, our tightknit gang disbanded with the rare exceptions like tonight. I watch as Riley gives Patricia eyes filled with ardent passion as he responds to her tight grasp. We had once tried the whole relationship thing but it wasn’t for us. And Robert bullied him more than before…
I am brought back to reality as April pesters me in a mocking voice, “Do you have your fake ID?”
I glower at her. “Just because I’m not of age like the lot of you doesn’t give you the right to demean me. And yes, I do have it.”
“You know how we like to give you a hard time.” April smiles hugely, “Besides, your birthday is in a few weeks. You can finally join the world of the adults.”
Our small cluster burst out in laughter as I chuckle through a smile. As we approach the entrance, I am allowed in without a hitch as we entered the darkened club. Flickering colorful lights scatter all over the people on the tightly packed dance floor. People are wearing mass amounts of leather, lace, and black as our group squeezes through the crowd to the front of the stage. Black Rafters are already playing through a heavy number. The air is tense and warm as I start to feel sweat form on my back. April is harshly banging her head in time with the bass line while Riley and Patricia are all over each other. I roll my eyes.
After a few more songs from the band, I start to feel light headed as I grab April and head to an open area. Perspiration is dripping past her dark eyes as she heaves for air. “I bloody love them.” She shouts over the blaring music when we reach a less crowded part of the club. Wiping the sweat with her forearm, she reaches into the pocket of her black skinnies. A scowl crosses her flushed face. “Hell,” she desperately murmurs with a wild expression. “My mobile…I bloody lost my mobile.” I sigh. It never fails.
“Have you been anywhere else except the front of the stage?” I ask her as if this is a rehearsed routine. She quickly nods in agreement. “I quickly stepped out to go to the toilets. But it didn’t take me more than ten minutes to come back.”
That’s all I need. I take control of the situation to avoid any panic. April without her cell is like a monkey without a banana, absolutely addicted to the machine. “You go near the stage and look and I’ll go near the toilets. Let’s just pray it hasn’t been squashed like a bug in that crowd.” I hear a whimper escape her lips as we separate. Pushing through the mass of people I head in the direction of the lavatories. A blinding flash momentarily incapacitates me as a built bloke with short gelled, medium chestnut hair barges past me. His burnt sienna eyes glimpse at me as a grin flickers across his supple lips. In his hand, his is dragging someone through the crowd as men with cameras wildly snap photos blinding me again. Once I regain my sight I see the person who is trailing after the stocky fellow. His emerald eyes dizzily look around before seeing me as he is pulled through a door. The paparazzi look around disoriented before seeping back into the array of people with the look of defeat on their faces. I’m still staring at the door where the strange guy and Robert went through.
Annoyed, I shake my head and begin towards the lavatories once again. Must be his bloody bodyguard. Coward. I didn’t know the git went to places like these. Oh well… I don’t get far when I harshly collide into something. “Excuse me, I wasn’t looking where I was going.” A brunette girl stands before me speaking in a light Scots dialect while tenderly stroking her arm. I am completely taken back by this girl’s extraordinary but simplex beauty. Her soft wavy ash brown hair falls just right past her small ears and gleamed in the bright colors of the club. A powder blue bow is stuck in her hair matching her knee length sundress with imprints of flowers. Her complexion is smooth and porcelain while a benign and friendly smile favors her. Her dark mahogany eyes lock unto mine and widen as her grin grows much more.
“No, I should be the one apologizing,” I barely mutter as I begin to move away from her. How can the world be filled with so many beautiful people? “Wait,” the girl’s voice calls out causing me to face her again. She steps in front of me step bearing a contagious smile. What could she possible want? In her petite hands, she holds my counterfeit ID. I protectively snatch it from her as she willingly obliges.
“Should be really be careful with things like that,” her grin is astute as she fixes a strand of hair in place, “you don’t want the wrong kind getting ahold of your information, Annette Sterling.” I almost choke at the sound of the fallacious name trying to contain the laughter. It was just too ridiculous. “By the way,” she offers her hand, “I’m Susan. Susan Young.” I hesitate at first but grasp her hand in mine and lightly shake. “Lexie Walsh.”
“You mean you’re name isn’t Annette?” Susan mocks with a sweet smile on her face. It is becoming hard to ever hate this girl. “Come on now, anyone can see that’s a fake. I wonder how they let you in.”
“I’m going to be eighteen in a few weeks,” I counter in my defense.
She just nods her head as a grim expression suddenly dawns on her face. It only lasts for a second before she’s smiling again. And then I soon remember. Hell! April’s phone. “I wish I can stay and chat, “I begin, “but I’m helping one of my mates look for her mobile.”
“Maybe I can be of assistance.” Susan gives a willing look as I head in the direction of the toilets. “I have a skill for finding things. I did find your horrendous ID after all.”
Defeated, I respond, “That’s fine. Let’s go before April has a heart attack.” When Susan doesn’t budge, I harshly push, “I’m leaving now; with or without you.”
Her eyes are dazed as she shakes herself into attention. This girl is a little odd and spacey. “Don’t worry your friend’s been reunited with her device.” Susan says with complete confidence. How could she possibly know that? It could possibly be that April did find it near the stage…
I don’t question Susan but instead eye her doubtfully. Nothing about this girl screams mental. Odd-yes- but not mental. “If you don’t trust me, we can still look. Actually, I have just the place to look.” Excitement glints in her eyes as she extends her hand out to me. “Do you trust me?”
There is something in her tone of voice that I find highly familiar like an old friend I’ve known since birth. I don’t know what she has in store but I faithfully clutch my hand in hers. Intense warmth fills me from the inside out from her touch. I instantly know I can trust this girl as she drags me through the mass of people and through the same door just like Robert.
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Hey there!!! Fancy seeing you read up to chapter four. This one was a bit interesting plus it completely breaks the pattern of switching point of views with every other chapter. Please comment if that bothers you in any way and I'll see what I can do. Previously this chapter was added towards the end of chapter three but I felt that would have made the chapter way too long. But Robert's chapter following this would have made this chapter a bit awkward with the sequence of events if I placed this chunk after Robert's next bit. Like always, I support any feedback on anything and everything. Once please excuse any grammar issues or even lack of coherency since I have spent less time with this chapter than the last three.
As Always,
JS Marie
I am my toughest critic.