All through the night, Carly appointed herself the one to get me juice and assist me in consuming it.
The first drink didn't feel like anything.
That's what I told myself.
It was just juice. That's what Carly said. That's what I believed.
I held the glass carefully, taking small sips, my eyes still drifting toward the entrance every few seconds. Waiting. Watching.
For them.
For the twins.
For something familiar.
For something safe.
"Relax," Carly said with a smile, sitting close beside me. "You're too tense."
I nodded, even though my body didn't agree.
The music was loud. The lights were dim. The room was full of people I didn't know, didn't trust, and didn't feel comfortable around.
And yet… I stayed.
Because I didn't want to seem difficult.
Didn't want to be the problem.
Didn't want to be left behind.
By the second drink, I felt… lighter.
Not happy.
Not relaxed.
Just… off.
Like my body was slightly out of sync with itself.
My limbs felt slower.
My thoughts… delayed.
By the third—
Something was wrong.
My chest tightened.
My breathing became shallow.
My fingers trembled slightly around the glass.
This feeling…
I knew it.
Panic rose instantly.
No.
No, no, no—
It reminded me of something.
Something I tried very hard to forget.
Mrs. Brown.
Grandma.
No—she made it very clear I wasn't allowed to call her that.
Mrs. Brown.
She used to have game nights.
Loud ones.
Filled with laughter that never felt kind.
Filled with people who looked at me like I didn't belong there.
I always stayed out of the way.
Stayed quiet.
Stayed invisible.
Because that was the only way to survive in that house.
But one night…
I made a mistake.
I was thirsty.
That's all it was.
Just thirsty.
I thought I could sneak into the kitchen.
Quickly.
Quietly.
Unnoticed.
I was wrong.
"What are you doing here, slut?!"
Her voice cut through the room.
Sharp.
Cruel.
I froze.
Then trembled in panic.
Her eyes were bloodshot.
Red.
Wild.
Filled with something that made my stomach twist.
"I… I just wanted some water…" I stuttered, my voice barely holding together.
"Water?" she repeated, her tone mocking.
"She wants water!" calling the attention of her friends.
Ugly loud laughter followed.
"Why don't you have some shame?" she continued, stepping closer. "You killed my daughter-in-law. You made my son leave. You killed my husband. What more do you want?"
Each word hit harder than the last.
"I even have to keep you until you're eighteen," she added bitterly. "Can't you just stay out of my sight?"
I trembled.
I couldn't speak.
Couldn't move.
Then she smiled.
And that scared me more than anything.
"You're thirsty?" she asked sweetly.
She poured rum into a glass.
Held it out to me.
"Drink," she said. "It'll quench your thirst."
Hands grabbed my arms.
Held me in place.
"Drink! Drink it! Drink it!" they chanted.
I shook my head.
Tried to pull away.
But I couldn't.
Then—
Alexander walked in.
Relief flooded me.
"Alex!" I cried. "Please—help me!"
This was my brother.
My twin.
The one who promised—
He looked at me.
And I saw it.
Disgust.
Cold.
Clear.
Unmistakable.
I finally believed then that he truly hated me.
"What are you doing with that, Grandma?" he asked casually.
"She's thirsty," Mrs. Brown replied. "But she refuses to drink."
He smirked.
"Maybe she needs some help."
Something inside me broke.
They dragged me to a chair.
Tied me down.
A cloth covered my face.
Then—
Liquid.
Burning.
Pouring over me.
Over and over.
I couldn't breathe.
It felt like drowning.
Like suffocating.
Like dying slowly while they laughed.
I tried to scream.
But nothing came out.
My chest tightened.
My throat burned.
My body fought for air—
I was panicking, telling myself to live, please live
Then everything went black.
When I woke up, I was on my bedroom floor.
A man hovered over me.
A vet.
One of their friends' husbands.
My throat was swollen.
My body is weak.
"She had a severe allergic reaction," he said.
"She could have died."
I didn't hear anything after that.
I passed out again.
From that day…
I stayed away.
From them.
From alcohol.
From anything that could make me feel like that again.
And now—
Here I was.
Feeling the same thing.
My breathing became shallow.
My chest tightened.
I turned to Carly, panic rising.
"Did you…put something in this?" I asked weakly.
She laughed.
"It's just to loosen you up," she said. "You're so uptight."
Her hand came up suddenly, gripping my face.
Hard.
"Relax," she whispered. "People want to talk to you. Dance with you. And you're just sitting here staring at the door."
My heart pounded.
"We want to enjoy ourselves too," she added. "We're not here to babysit."
Babysit.
The word stung.
Before I could react—
The girl's hands grabbed mine, holding them down.
"Drink," Carly said.
And she poured the rest into my mouth.
I choked.
Coughed.
But I couldn't stop it.
The room tilted.
Voices blurred.
Faces shifted.
And then—
I wasn't fully there anymore.
It felt like I was watching everything from far away.
Like I was inside my body… but not in control of it.
People came.
Talked.
Sat beside me.
The girls would smile.
Then leave.
"Giving us space."
One of them was him.
Demetri.
He sat beside me.
Spoke.
But I couldn't hear the words.
My body was heavy.
My thoughts slow.
He touched my shoulder.
I flinched.
But I couldn't move away.
He stood.
Pulled me up.
My legs barely worked.
And then—
A room.
A bed.
He pushed me down gently.
Too gently.
I wanted him to leave.
I needed him to leave.
But he didn't.
He leaned over me.
His hands—
I froze.
My body shut down.
I couldn't move.
Couldn't fight.
Couldn't speak.
Inside, I was screaming.
Outside—
Nothing.
I felt his hands.
His weight.
His breath.
Wrong.
Everything felt wrong.
My breathing became erratic.
Tight.
Panicked.
I tried to say stop.
But my voice didn't come out.
Then—
Pain.
Sharp.
Sudden.
A slap.
My head snapped to the side.
Another.
The world spun.
A hand covered my mouth.
I couldn't breathe.
Something in me snapped.
I fought.
Thrashed.
Not thinking.
Just surviving.
He lay on me.
He started kissing me.
His hands traveled my body.
He took off my shirt and squeezed my breasts
It hurts.
I did not feel safe; my mouth felt heavy, and my breathing got more erratic than it was before.
I was crying
He licked my nipples while his hands traveled down to my skirt.
I screamed.
The music was too loud.
I screamed louder.
I felt something hit me across my face repeatedly, and a hand covered my nose and mouth.
His body pressed down on me so I couldn't move, and I felt the tip of something starting to enter me.
I thought, 'This is it; I can't go on anymore.' My body started to convulse.
And then—
A loud crash.
The door slammed open.
The weight lifted.
Air rushed back into my lungs.
I gasped.
Shaking.
Barely conscious.
Hands touched me again.
I flinched violently—
Then paused.
This felt different.
Gentle.
Careful.
Safe.
A voice.
Familiar.
I couldn't process it.
But my body recognized it.
Relief flooded through me.
Something sharp pricked my skin.
Then darkness came again.
But this time…
It didn't feel like dying.
It felt like an escape.
SASHA'S POINT OF VIEW
I thought she'd be fine.
That's what I told myself.
Carly was giving her drinks.
Helping her relax.
Dria always seemed so tense.
So quiet.
I didn't know everything about her past.
But I knew enough.
And I knew one thing for sure—
She didn't talk about her brother.
Ever.
They are twins, but the hate is felt.
And yet…
I liked him.
I had liked him for a long time.
So when I saw him at the party…
I went to him.
Just for a moment.
Just to talk.
I told myself she'd be safe.
I was wrong.
The scream—
It cut through everything.
I ran.
And what I saw—
I'll never forget it.
I immediately called the twins, as I knew she would need them.
I tried to pull him off her.
But he was too strong.
I was thrown.
Pain exploded in my head.
And then—
Darkness.
KARLA'S POINT OF VIEW
Sasha left to find her man when Carly was giving Dria alcohol.
I just wanted one night.
One night to be free.
To not feel like I had to watch her.
Care for her.
Be responsible.
I like her.
I do.
But I have a life too.
And Jared…
He was my chance.
Because of the relationship between her and Alex,
I don't have a chance to be with him
So I took it.
I just wanted to be free with him.
Without a third wheel that I must babysit.
I ignored everything else.
Jared and I were kissing.
It started to get heated.
I lay on the bed, still kissing
His body followed mine.
I heard Dria's scream
Not wanting to stop when his hands caressed me
I dismissed her.
Until I heard her scream, Sasha.
I ran.
I saw the twins flying up the stairs with a murderous expression.
I reached the room to see Sasha flying across the room, hitting her head, and fainting.
The state Dria was in frightened me.
I saw that she couldn't help herself.
And saw everything.
Too late.
All that was running through my mind was ' I failed, I hurt her, and caused her to be hurt, and this is my fault.'
CARLA'S POINT OF VIEW
I thought it would be worth it.
Demetri.
He chose me.
Or at least…
I thought he did.
I have liked Demetri since we were children.
I was so happy to have gotten his invitation.
I told Dria and the twins it was the graduation party, not a party hosted by Demetri.
I braved it and told him to save me a dance.
I was elated when he said, "Ok."
The night of the party, he said that he would make my dreams come true
He'll take us, as we don't know the way
I just had to free myself from my baby.
He told me what to do.
What to say.
Said tonight would be mine.
So I listened.
I gave her the drinks.
Freed myself.
And waited.
So I'm here now in his room, where he said to wait for him.
I'm nervous yet excited.
Then a scream was muffled because of the music.
Then I heard it again, much clearer, and it sounded like Sasha.
I ran out screaming her name
And froze at what I saw—
The guy I liked was trying to rape my friend.
Everything broke.
He never wanted me.
He wanted her.
The reason he invited me and told me to do all those things to Dria was to lower her inhibitions so that he could get with her.
And I helped him.
I betrayed her.
We, she, and I meant nothing to him. I betrayed my friend for what?
For nothing.