Chapter 2 The Pentagon

They were going to blame me. But I didn't do anything. He tried to kill me. I stumbled backwards into a stall then regained control of myself and ran out of the bathroom. My body throbbed but I pushed myself to get down those stairs. The alcohol suddenly drained out of me like magic.

I very nearly tumbled down the stairs like an idiot. I just wanted to find my friends and get the hell out of here and never return.

I ran past people who were dancing to Rita Ora, she was performing on stage with backup dancers and props. I was so shaken I couldn't even be mesmerized.

‘We have to leave,’ I said and grabbed Frankie’s arm, she stumbled forward and giggled.

‘Where have you been? Rita Ora is here! We have to meet her where's Cassidy?! We have to meet Rita I'm a big fan!’ Frankie was so drunk!

‘Yes, let's find Cass.’ I said trying to get her moving once I had all two of them, we would bolt out of here.

Cass was sitting on the lap of a man in his mid-thirties. She was playing with his tie and giggling.

‘Bitches! Where have you beennnn!’

What if he wasn't alone? And the others were looking for me? But when I scanned the room there was no one suspicious looking around us. The bouncers stood by their posts and everyone danced to Rita Ora.

‘Paul these are by bitches-’

‘Cass, we need to leave,’ I said quickly.

‘Why Val? It's not even 2 a.m. yet.’

‘I know but we just need to—’ A blast cut me off.

People screamed and began to scatter. Then another loud blast and Rita Ora was ushered off the stage and Paul bolted from his seat and dumped Cassidy on the floor.

I helped her up to her feet.

‘Let's get out of here, ‘I said.

We made a mad dash out of there; three drunk girls were bound to fall in the midst of the chaos. We had to hold hands to make it out together.

We got out and stood outside of the massive nightclub, next to Cassidy’s Subaru. I panted, trying to catch my breath as Frankie and Cass broke out in a fit out laughter.

‘Are you guys seriously laughing?’ I asked, dumbfounded.

‘Yeah, that was so funny. Oh my gosh I lost a shoe.’ Frankie said, leaning into the car, staring down at her naked left foot.

‘It's okay Val it's the Pentagon things like that happen all the time.’ Patrons of the Pentagon fled into their cars and drove like maniacs down the mountain and into the streets. I didn’t see any fire or smoke. So, I wasn’t sure what those blasts could have been.

***

We were back at my dorm, I let Cass use my bed while Frankie and I camped on the floor. Frankie was out like a light. She didn't even bother changing. I was still shaken and in pain from being beaten by that man. I felt the burns and bruises on my body, but I just didn't want to know what I looked like. My friends hadn't mentioned it, they either were too drunk to notice it, or my injuries weren't as bad as I thought.

‘Cass?’ I started.

I wasn't sure if I could tell her what happened. I was terrified. How had I killed that man? Cass sat on my bed texting rapidly.

‘Paul just texted me, such a douchebag.’

I wanted to keep my mouth shut forever and never utter a word to any living soul, but the guilt was eating me up inside. The horrible imagine of that man's wide eye and stare of death were just stuck in my mind.

‘Cass?’ I said again.

‘Listen, Val…’ she put her phone down for a second. ‘Stuff like that happen all the time at the Pentagon, it was probably just a prank anyways. Not everything that happens at the Pentagon is legal, that's why people freaked out so much. There is nothing to worry about.’

‘That's not what I wanted to talk to you about though,’ I said.

‘Take some water lots of it or else you'll have a horrible headache in the morning. Go to sleep Val.’ She rolled over in my bed and turned off my tiny bedside lump.

I had a mini fridge in my room where I kept important stuff like water and chocolate bars and fruit and take out. I only drink bottled water because the water at Silverlake College wasn't exactly safe.

I drunk three whole bottles and by then my friends were dead asleep. No matter how hard I tired I couldn't fall asleep, the night was silent. The memories were making so much noise for me I couldn't sleep.

I pulled out my Samsung from under my pillow and dialled the only person who would listen to me at three in the morning and not get pissed at me.

He picked up the second ring.

‘Ava?’ His voice came out husky and deep.

‘Yes, who else calls you this late?’

He chuckled the sound of his laughter always made me smile.

‘Everything okay? I told you girls night was a bad idea.’ He said, suddenly sounding more awake.

I thought about how great things were, how excited I was then I was nearly killed, or worse. There are worse things than death…

‘Maybe you were right…’ my voice broke.

I'd never been beaten like that before. Mom slapped me for being disobedient once in a while but never had I ever been battered like that.

‘Do you want me to pick you up?’ He offered.

‘No, Rider I just needed to talk to someone.’

‘Come on Ava let me pick you up, I know it's late—’

‘I'll come to you.’

‘No, please it's late and I'd never forgive myself if something happened to you on your way here. I'm already out of bed babe.’

I blushed at how protective he was off me, he'd gotten into a couple of fights back in high school, not because of me. Oh no, he just has a little temper. He once got into a fight, well they almost fought, but didn't get around to it. Rider almost beat-up Shane Norman - my arch rival - I had to break it up because I knew Rider was on his last warning.

It was an impulsive thing that could have landed one of their fists in my gut.

‘I'll be fine. I don't think I can sit around and wait for you to get here. I need to get far away.’ I said in a medium tone so not to wake my sleeping friends.

Rider was silent for a minute at the other end before he said, ‘okay fine. Don't take more than 10 minutes to get here.’

I slipped into a pair of comfortable grey sweatpants and a yellow long sleeve top, no bra. I grabbed the keys to my rundown SUV that belonged to my late grandfather. He'd always joke about giving me his car, he'd say ‘wait for me to die then you can have mine’. He was only sixty-three when he passed unexpectedly.

I made sure not to wake anyone on my way out. I walked past Cassidy’s grey Subaru on my way to where I'd abandoned my scarred SUV. It was morning, but the night still lingered.

Silverlake isn't the safest place to be, day nor night time. But I grew up in these wild and mysterious streets, I knew them just like the back of my hand. I knew anything could happen at any time on any street. No matter how lavish and posh.

Silverlake spared no one that's what my Dad always told my Mom before he vanished anyway. Mom never let me say he left us, because according to her he didn't and he would never willingly leave us.

For some reason I found myself thinking about him, Caesar Carmichael, I only barely remember his face. I had so many questions and anger that I kept bottled up inside. I was born in Italy to a Mexican father and Indian American mother.

I had no reason to explode at the world. I packed up all my questions and frustrations, my insecurities about him leaving in a big old suitcase and tossed it in room that's located deep inside my mind. I often found myself in that room, it hasn't been easy to control myself I'm not going to lie.

Tears rolled down my cheeks and I felt pathetic, I wiped them away quickly, touching a bruise as well. It burned, but I still refused to see what that animal did to me.

Maybe he did deserve to die.