Chapter 1
Chapter one
Night had fallen and the vibrant nightlife was brewing with restless energy. The flickering neon signs and the pulsating,intense music made it impossible not to move to the beat.
It was autumn, with a slight chill in the air,But inside club 798,teenagers and young adults filled the space, dressed in outfits that barely matched the cold outside.
18year old Jessica Reed stood among them. She could still feel the butterflies dancing in her tummy earlier when the school’s heartthrob Kolton Moore invited her to his party.
Jessica has had the longest crush on Kolton. She was just too nervous to talk to him. She could clearly remember last year at a Halloween party, the music? Loud enough to burst open your eardrums and somehow…. She got a chance alone with Kolton.
She could still remember the way her heart had been beating—fast, uneven, like it was trying to escape her chest. He had looked too good that night, too confident, too aware of the effect he had on her.
“You’ve been avoiding me,” he had said.
She hadn’t been. Or maybe she had. She couldn’t even remember anymore. All she remembered was how nervous she felt standing there, like her entire body was on edge.
And then it happened.
She had stepped back—why did she step back?—and her foot landed directly on his.
Hard.
She had gasped, mortified already—
But that wasn’t even the worst part.
No.
The worst part came immediately after.
A small sound.
Unmistakable.
Unforgivable.
Jessy squeezed her eyes shut just thinking about it. Yep she farted In front of her crush.
She had stood there, frozen, her brain completely blank, her soul practically leaving her body. She didn’t even know whether to apologize for stepping on him or… for that.
And Kolton—
God.
Kolton had laughed.
Not loudly. Not cruelly. But enough.
Enough for her to know he noticed. Enough for her to wish she could disappear.
She remembered apologizing—rambling, actually—her words tripping over themselves while her face burned like it was on fire. And then, as if the situation wasn’t already terrible enough, realization hit her.
That wasn’t random. That had happened before.
Every time she gets nervous… every single time her heart raced like that…
Her stomach dropped even now just thinking about it.
She had discovered her own body’s worst possible secret in front of him.
Jessy groaned, dragging her hands over her face as the memory played again for what felt like the hundredth time.
“If I ever get the chance to rewrite my life,” she muttered to herself, “that moment is gone.”
Forever.
And yet...
Annoyingly—
A tiny part of her still remembered the way Kolton had looked at her afterward. Amused, yes… but not disgusted.
If anything, he had seemed… entertained.
Which, somehow, made it both better—
And infinitely worse.
Everything about him screamed beauty. His chiseled jaws and thin lips made him stand out, and no one could possibly ignore those forest green eyes that carried warmth and sparked with playfulness. Her fantasy was to push her hands into his curly hair and he made her orgasm.
She sighed as she wondered when she was going to finally get the chance to be with him. Kolton Moore was a playboy, seventy percent of the girls have been on his bed.
Jessica took another shot. She thought about all the girls Kolton had been with. Her eyes scanned the party looking for her friends, Sophia and Maya. She found them near the bar.
At a corner, Kolton was pressed against Reike, the cheerleading captain, kissing her like no one else existed. Her heart tightened. It was always like this.
The music was really intense, Kolton outdid himself, he hosted the coolest parties.
‘I feel a little tipsy. I think my mom will want me home by now.’ Jessica said to her friends, Maya and Sophia.
‘Com’on Jessy, Maya will drive you home,just stay a little longer,Sophia coaxed, besides you haven't spoken to Kolton Moore yet.’
Jessy hesitated but agreed,afterall the night was still young and she couldn't let Kolton ruin the mood for her.
Sophia, under no supervision, walked to Joe, the bartender, whispering things no one could comprehend, her eyes nervously scanned the bar.
To Jessica’s disappointment, as the night slipped away and darkness drew close, Sophia and Maya were no where to be found. Some people had already started making out, some were even having sex. Typical teenage party.
‘those bitches’ Jessy groaned and stood up, stumbling out of club 798,the cool autumn, a welcome respite from the sweltering dance floor. Sophia must have hooked up with one guy, and Maya must have passed out drunk.
She walked down to the parking lot. It was quieter than expected. Just as she was about to open the car, a hand slammed the door back.
‘what the hell……?’ annoyance etched on her face, she tried to make out the person’s face but he wouldn't let her.
‘shhh…..’ a low voice whispered
a cold metal pressed to her neck….A knife.
Her body froze as realization crept in.
"Let's play a game Jessy, the voice said. ‘Just two questions. Get them right, I let you walk away.
Get them wrong…..
A soft pause.
‘....and I decide what you become.’
Jessica’s chest heaved ‘what…..w….what game?’
‘Relax Jessy, just play by the rules, are you a rule breaker Jessy?’
‘Please…..please…let me live.’ her knees weakened.
‘Wrong answer,the blade pressed harder. A thin line of blood slid down her neck. The blood stained her beautiful blue jacket.
‘it hurts…please…stop, I beg you’ Jessy’s heart raced. Tears flowed from her eyes. She just wanted to go home.
‘shhh…. you're making it harder Jessy.’
‘Second question, will you help me?’
‘Yes ... .please don't kill me…..’
The man smiled before whispering, ‘great choice.’ a slow satisfied breath.
And then she was dragged, roughly against the cold floor.
Jessy screamed as her skin peeled off. ‘Please someone help me…’
Sophia…
Maya…
Mom…
Dad…
‘Shut up bitch, no one's coming.’
About a second later, Maya stepped out for some fresh air and she was greeted by such a sight. Jessy had already passed out, and he just dragged on mindlessly.
Her legs ran faster than her voice.
‘Jessy….’ she screamed. But the night swallowed her voice whole.
She ran as fast as she could, ‘stop now, who are you, let her go…’
He finally turned, those green eyes only held hatred and the kind of madness that no one could understand.
‘I’m calling 911, let her go you psycho.’
He pulled out his dagger and flung it towards her, aiming directly for her hand.
Her mind was frozen but the pain brought her back to reality, ‘what the hell?’ she screamed.
She crouched to the ground, nursing her injured hand, and moving backwards and he approached her.
A slow deadly chuckle followed. ‘most people would have ran.’
‘Please….’ Maya crawled backward.
He crouched slightly, studying her like she was broken. ‘do you know what Jessy said first?’ he asked.
Maya froze.
‘She begged first…’
‘and so did you..’
And somewhere in the chaos, Maya’s screams faded into the night.
****
At the bar, Joe smiled knowingly to Sophia.
Sophia nodded, Jessy was away,it was her cue to leave. The guilt was already sinking deep into her skin,she couldn't sit still anymore and walked out of the bar.
Where was Maya anyway? Sophia said to herself.
