Riya
Boom. Boom. Boom.
The bass thumped from the speakers next to me, vibrating through my body and syncing with the rhythm of the track the DJ was spinning. I swayed my hips in time with the beat, letting the music wrap around me like a second skin, lifting me into my own little world. In that moment, nothing else mattered.
Down on the dance floor, my friends were having the time of their lives—a sea of bodies bumping, grinding, twirling under neon lights and pulsing strobes. I’d chosen the balcony above to get the full view. There was something calming about watching the chaos from a distance, detached and safe.
I closed my eyes, letting the music take me higher, floating on every beat like it was a lifeline. This was my heaven—a space where I could exist without expectations, without judgment. But just as I was slipping into bliss, a tap on my shoulder brought me crashing back to reality.
It was my bestie, Kelly. Hip-bumping me with a goofy grin and laughing from the buzz of one-too-many vodka shots. Her glossy curls bounced with every move, and her eyes sparkled like she didn’t have a care in the world. Meanwhile, our other friend Renee was in the cage on the dance floor, twerking on some sexy dude she’d been eyeing all night.
Yep, she was definitely going home with him. They hadn’t stopped grinding on each other since they locked eyes. As if reading my thoughts, Renee turned toward me, shot me a wink, and gave a thumbs-up. She was good for the night.
I just shook my head and laughed. That girl was the definition of “love ’em and leave ’em.” She didn’t do attachments—not after the hell she’d been through. Heartbreak had turned her heart to steel. Kelly, on the other hand, had been with her boyfriend for over a year now. Loyal. Faithful. Steady.
Then there’s me.
Single as a one-dollar bill, and totally okay with it. Believe it or not, I’m still a virgin. Yeah, I’ve been tempted, but I never let it go further than kissing. Call me old-fashioned or just cautious, but I’m not giving myself to just anyone.
I know I’m not ugly. Guys have straight-up thought I was a model. Long wavy hair down to my waist, warm caramel-mocha skin, and hazel brown eyes that I got from my mom. My dad’s Native American roots gave me my strong bone structure and smooth complexion.
People used to stop my siblings and me in the street, asking if we were in a magazine or on TV. We all inherited our mother’s eyes and the combined beauty of both our parents. My sister even dabbled in modeling for a while but gave it up. Wasn’t her thing.
Lost in my stroll down memory lane, I suddenly felt something shift.
A chill crawled up my spine.
That feeling... like I was being watched. I turned my head slowly, scanning the shadows, the balcony, the crowd below. Nothing seemed out of place. Maybe I was tripping. I had downed a few drinks, after all.
Still, the hairs on the back of my neck stood up.
Kelly bumped my arm, snapping me out of it. “Hey girl, I’m heading to the bar. Want another drink?” she shouted over the thumping music.
“Nah, I’m good. I gotta drive,” I yelled back.
She nodded and disappeared into the crowd. I tried to shake off the unease and lost myself in the beat again. But that feeling didn’t leave.
In fact, it got worse.
This wasn’t the buzz of alcohol or a random chill. This was something else. I could feel the stare like heat against my skin. It wasn’t Kelly. It wasn’t Renee. And it wasn’t the guy she was grinding on.
This was someone else.
Something else.
I looked around again, more urgently this time. Still nothing.
But I knew what I felt. And that sobered me up real quick.
I decided it was time to go. No more lingering. No more pretending I was imagining things. My gut screamed at me to leave, and I’d learned a long time ago to trust my instincts.
Still, I didn’t want to bail on my girls without at least letting them know. I turned to check the cage where Renee had been, but she and Mr. Sexy Mystery were gone.
Figures. They’re probably off sucking face in a corner or already headed out. That girl moved fast, but hey, she was just playing the game the way guys did. She didn’t owe anyone an explanation.
If men could be players, so could women. We just played it smarter.
I tried scanning the crowd for Kelly. She was probably still at the bar, ordering another round. I was glad she’d taken an Uber tonight. Renee had driven, but she wouldn’t get as drunk as Kelly. If things got out of hand, I knew she’d call her boyfriend to come grab her. They had a whole system.
My friends were wild, but they were smart. And I loved them for it.
But that feeling...
It didn’t go away.
I stayed longer than I should have. I waited too long. I could feel it. Something wasn’t right, and I had wasted precious minutes. I needed to go—now.
I wasn’t about to be that girl in the horror movie who sticks around to investigate a strange noise. I watched enough movies to know how that ends. Nope. Not me. I’m grabbing my purse, heading to my car, and I’m out.
The crowd pulsed beneath me like a living thing, and the lights suddenly felt too bright, the music too loud. I moved fast, weaving through bodies and noise, phone in hand, keys ready.
Still... I couldn’t shake the sensation that someone—or something—was following.
And that tonight, everything was about to change.
