★JANIE★

"Oh my fucking goodness, Janie... You are gorgeous! Mind-blowing! Straight out of the oven like a freshly baked cookie!" Sandra exclaimed as her orbs traveled my body from head to toe.

I stood in front of the mirror, feeling quite unsure about my mode of dressing. Donned in a braless tank top exposing my stomach and a bum short, revealing the lower fraction of my ass, I felt somewhat uncomfortable.

"Don't you think this is showing too much skin? I feel like a whore." I expressed my displeasure, but it earned a snort instead.

"No, you are looking like a desirable snack." She countered. "Don't forget. We are going to the party to get you a good guy, remember. You need to look available."

She was also dressed in something much more similar to what I was wearing. Although, hers had a more bitchy and slutty vibe.

"Common, let's go." Sandra urged. She shoved my cell phone into the back pocket of my bum shorts, and we headed out of her hostel room, straight for the stairs that led out of the hostel building.

"Oh hi, Monica." Sandra greeted another girl dressed in what I even considered a whorish attire because her nipples were peeking out as if begging any bystander to grab them and suckle the hell out of her juice.

The girl addressed as Monica smiled back at Sandra. "Hi, Sandy. Are you heading for the party too?"

"Sure." Sandra slipped her arm around my waist. "My roommate and I."

It was then Monica's eyes drifted to me and I issued her an awkward smile. She returned the smile before beckoning. "Alright, the both of you can slide into the back seat of my car. Let's go and pop this party."

Without restraint, I followed Sandra into the car. And in no time, Monica ignited the car engine and sped off.

We got to the club in less than thirty minutes.

Sandra helped me out. Her hands held mine like a possessive older sister and I liked that she was being sweet and caring to me. Since I never had an older sister or knew what it felt like, I relished the way she treated me.

Getting past the entrance of the club, loud music boomed through the speakers. Disco lights flashed around, almost blinding the shit out of my eyes, and I had to press my eyes shut for a second before they adjusted. A massive crowd of people I presumed to be college students were dancing wildly to the music. Some were drinking, while others were making out. Tongue fucking each other, groping every part of their bodies and I mentally screamed at them to get a fucking room.

Just then Sandra looked at me and her lips curled into a smile. "It's time to get your groove on, Janie!" Her voice raised an octave, so I could hear her over the loud music.

Well, she's right. It's high time I got my groove on.

Just then, a tall dude snaked his hand around Sandra's waist, pulling her in for a kiss without caring that I was standing there, and I immediately felt like the third wheel.

Perhaps, Sandra noticed my discomfort, because she pulled away the next second and leaned into my ear. "This is Wesley. The hottest guy in my department. Every girl wants him, but since he's got eyes for me, I have been hitting on him ever since." She revealed while my jaw dropped to the floor in shock.

It wasn't even up to a month, and Sandra was already making out with random guys. Well, at least....it was better off fucking them with no strings attached. Unlike me.

"Wesley, meet Janie. My friend." Sandra introduced us while I tried to get a grip on my thoughts before smiling at Wesley.

"Hi, nice to meet you."

Wesley took one of my hands and placed a kiss on the back of it. "Hi Janie, I'm Wesley. And you look fucking hawt by the way." He complimented, eyeing me from head to toe.

"Thanks," I said casually.

Thereon, Sandra looked at me this time. Her hands were on my shoulders. "I'm going to leave you now to do your thing, Janie while I go do mine. Remember, get your grooves on!" And with that, she sifted through the crowd, alongside her fuckbuddy, Wesley.

After Sandra disappeared, I heaved a small sigh, feeling somewhat sad, and having a second thought about this party. But then again, I remembered the reason why I agreed to come in the first place, to relieve myself of the shit I did with Luciano.

Suddenly, the music reduced to a lower tone and everyone stopped dancing. Thereafter, someone's voice split through the atmosphere with a mic. "Hi everyone, thanks for coming to my birthday party. I'm glad to have people celebrate this with me. And by the way, congratulations to y'all on getting admitted into UC, Berkeley."

"Whoop whoop!" Everyone cheered after her.

"So let's all make merry, party, flex....we at least deserve this for getting into UC Berkeley!" She declared and they kept cheering her on, chanting her name alongside. "Jessica! Jessica! Jessica!"

The birthday girl, Jessica smiled and waved at everyone before stepping down the podium and the music intensified again.

As people resumed dancing and doing their thing, I looked around, wondering what to do to occupy myself. I then saw some beautiful chicks, taking some shots from the bartender, so I decided to try what they were having too. At least for the first time.

Beckoning on the Bartender, I took one shot. But it was harsh and it tasted pretty much horrible on my tongue, prompting me to start coughing.

Damn! What did they see in this thing? I questioned myself.

I was just about to make a life decree not to ever taste that again when I noticed those chicks laughing at me.

My stomach tightened.

Beating myself up, I decided to beat them down and change their notion about me. So I went for a second. Surprisingly, it didn't taste as bad as the first. Then I went for the third, fourth, fifth, sixth.....until I lost count.

I took so much that the bartender had to cast me a disgusted look before scurrying off. Perhaps, so I wouldn't drink myself to death.

But there was something about these shots. It was invigorating and, at that moment, I could feel the burden on my chest, lifting.

Thereafter, I began to wiggle my body. I danced wildly, feeling myself while people cleared the dancefloor for me.

If it was Janie before the shots, I would have felt somewhat embarrassed, and quickly scrambled off. But this Janie didn't feel shit.

Moving my legs in rhythm to the music, I whined my waist loosening up the ponytail so my hair cascaded down my back, flowing freely. And then, I continued to dance.

The guys began to cheer for me as their hungry eyes drank me in. While the girls had some jealous looks on their faces. But who gives a damn about what they think, when I'm getting my grooves on.

It felt as if there were some sparks buried within my guts for ages. And now, they were finally resurfacing.

I was still dancing, when someone's hand wrapped around my wrist and whipped me away from the dancefloor.

"Party crasher!" The crowd booed.

Struggling with the person, I looked up to see his face and my mouth fell open.

"Noel?" His name rolled off my tongue in a hushed whisper.

"This is unlike you, Janie. Look at how you are dressed." He began to scold me as if he was my older brother. "I didn't expect to see you in this party, much less create a scene."

Oh please, how is dancing creating a scene?

"You seem drunk." Noel pointed out and I laughed instead.

"Why? Can't I have a couple or two shots?"

Noel pulled me to him. "Let's get you out of here."

But I pouted and was about to protest when a loud gunshot filled the atmosphere. Instantly, the music stopped and everyone began to scamper for safety. Some jumped out of the club window, some hid around the corner, while others lowered themselves to the ground.

Despite being drunk, I could sense the danger, and I went, unresisting as Noel pulled me along with him, looking for someplace to hide.

Before I knew what was happening, someone hit Noel with the butt of the gun, and I was bundled and thrown over a large, hard shoulder.

A loud yelp escaped my lips.

Panic surged through my veins immediately. "No! Please no!" I yelled at the top of my lungs, wondering why they decided to take me with them.

My eyes drifted to Noel, who was now sprawled out on the ground, with blood seeping out of the inflicted injury on his head.

And then, numerous questions began to race through my mind in a millisecond. Why were they taking only me? What's my offense?

They were about five in number, but I continued to struggle with the one whisking me away the moment I remembered that man from my date with Luciano.

My heart beat thumped rather fast as I rained my fist on his back, hoping that was enough to let me go, but he didn't budge. It was as if I was hitting a wall, and my hands were hurting.

"Let me go! No, please!" I screamed. Tears welled up in my eyes instantly.

All of a sudden, someone covered my nose with a piece of clothing. And soon, my body felt numb, my heart began to thump slower, and my eyelids began to grow heavier.

"Get her into the car." Someone said, but the next voice that spoke sounded faint.

It was then my eyes drifted closed and darkness enveloped me.