I parked several houses down and killed the engine. I could hear the music and hear shouts already. I checked my reflection in the mirror. I had on high waisted black skinny jeans and a band tee under my jacket. Hardly party attire. Sighing, I pulled the scrunchie out of my previously braided hair and undid my titanium dyed tresses and used the hair tie to pull my shirt into a makeshift belly shirt that showed several inches of my flat stomach and silver belly button piercing. As I shook out my hair, I pulled my jacket off and threw it in the back seat. I used my fingers to smudge my makeup into a semi decent smoky eye. Good enough.

Getting out, I slipped my keys, wallet, and phone into my pockets.

I let out a breath and willed this evening to come to a speedy end. I'd get high, hopefully get a dime bag, and then I would bounce. Easy peasy.

As I approached the house, I had to repress a groan. This was not just theatre kids. The front yard was littered with people and by the looks of it, so was the rest of the property.

"News spread quick," I muttered bitterly as I made my way past groups of mingling teenagers. The sun was dipping into the west, painting the sky pink and blue. It would be night soon.

I had to squeeze past a group of boys chanting in encouragement to their friend who was downing a bottle of something pink as quickly as he could. My eyes scanned the crowd, trying to find a familiar face and eventually landed on Tallulah who was chatting with a boy who couldn't be over thirteen years old.

What the fuck was a child doing here?

"Devi you made it," her voice was collected and smooth as she winked at me. "Nice outfit, you look hot."

"Thanks, it was a last-minute decision. Where's Leah?" I had to speak up over the loud pop music playing from somewhere in the living room.

"She's around here somewhere waiting for Daniel to show up I think. Stay and mingle. Oh, this is Nick," she was motioning to the kid standing beside her who was very obviously ogling her body.

"Hi."

"H-hey nice to meet you Devi!" His voice was slightly slurred. "I'm Leah's brother Nick."

Makes sense.

"Where's the alcohol?" I could see the resemblance in his and Leah's features now that I was looking at him. He stood a full foot shorter than both Tallulah and I but had the same pleading cornflower blue eyes and baby face. Especially the baby face. I doubted this kid had even hit puberty yet.

"Everything is in the kitchen," Tallulah answered before turning her attention back to Nick who looked ready to fall over at any second.

Stay away from the cotton candy brandy!" Nick warned and pointed a finger at me, eliding his words and allowed himself to be caught by my friend.

I gave him a hesitant look before breaking away. These New York people were weird.

I needed to start drinking if I was going to be here much longer.

You can't even have fun without being high or drunk. How lame can you be?

The alcohol consisted of ten bottles of various wines. I would've groaned if I didn't have better composure of myself. What pussy ass shit was this?!

Sighing, I grabbed one and popped the top, downing half the bottle before heading towards the backyard to continue my search. At this point I didn't care if I found Leah or weed first.

The familiar scent of dope hit my nostrils the moment I opened the sliding doors. There was a small group of people sitting around the firepit getting high. My eyes zeroed in on the blunt they were passing back and forth and my feet carried me on autopilot to the source of the smell.

"You guys know where I can buy some weed?" I asked coolly.

"Yeah, upstairs. Second door. You can't miss it," one of the guys motioned towards the house. His eyes were blood red and glazed. I shot him an envious glare and considered momentarily asking to join them but decided against it. The idea of sitting by myself sounded much better and I was now a step closer to that goal. Turning on my heels, I headed back the direction I came.

The moment I stepped back into the house, I noticed Leah. She and a group of others were all standing loosely in a circle playing some game that consisted of holding a playing card to your mouth and trying to pass it to the next person with no hands. I watched with second-hand embarrassment as Daniel tried to pass the card to Leah before dropping it and causing their lips to touch briefly. Leah's face was suddenly beet red.

Skirting around the horny teenagers, I managed my way up the stairs. The air was hot and thick from all the bodies around me and the wine was making my mind fuzzy.

The hallway was dark but the nightlight at the end of the hall gave everything enough of an outline I could make out where I was going.

My brain barely registered the 'stay out' sign and yellow caution tape on the door as I grabbed the doorknob and pushed it open, walking in confidently.

I was suddenly hyperaware of something cold and sharp being held against the side of my neck.

"Can you not read?" The voice was familiar. Unsympathetically red-hot like a shot of whiskey going down your throat.

Judd.

Suddenly, my brain was working in overtime. Obviously, this was his bedroom. I felt a tinge of humiliation for not figuring this out. Stupid ass wine.

He was positioned diagonally to my right and he was holding what felt like a blade to my throat.

I took in the room in milliseconds. There was a bed nestled to the right, a plain desk sitting below shelves of various types of weapons six feet in front of me, and a flat screen tv mounted on the wall amidst several posters. 'Head Like a Hole' by Nine Inch Nails was playing from a set of speakers below the tv.

"You're Judd right?" my voice was inquisitive as I noticed a half empty bottle of Jack Daniels sitting at the writing desk.

"What?" The knife hesitated minutely against my exposed skin.

"You're Leah's brother," I said like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"Get the fuck out of my room." It wasn't a suggestion.

"I don't even want to be at this lame ass wine mixer. Just sell me some weed and I'll be out of your hair," I explained, raising my hands defenseless.

He said nothing but lowered the weapon enough, so it wasn't perched precariously against my jugular. Big mistake.

I whipped around, taking the wrist of the hand closest to me and bending it in such a way he had no choice but to fold. The blade fell to the ground with a dull thud and I kicked it, so it went spinning into the hall.

Now that we were face to face, I got up in his, attempting to match his height but literally falling short. He was a full head taller than me. I grabbed the front of his shirt and brought his face down to mine the best I was able.

"Come at me again and I'll stick that knife so far up your ass you'll be choking on it." My voice was all venom. It took me a few hazy seconds to soak in his features.

His hair was buzzed on all sized except for an outcropping of blue-tipped raven locks that fell haphazardly around his face which was pulled down in a scowl. He had a cleanshaven jawline that went on for days and a prominent but masculine nose. Settled just above it was a pair of the most enchanting green eyes I'd ever seen. They were unnaturally colored, almost cat-like.

He was a dangerous type of handsome. The type that you couldn't bring home to your parents but was good for sneaking into your bedroom at midnight when they were asleep.

He was no good and I knew it. And yet suddenly, caused something to flicker alive inside me.

Danger meant adrenaline. And I was a junky for norepinephrine.

I could feel my eyebrows lifting slightly in surprise, but I quickly put on my poker face.

This brother of Leah's was a bad boy. He fit the stereotype perfectly. And I knew the type. And if I knew anything about this stereotype, it was that it was a façade. This guy had some underlying anxiety or depression and instead of coming up with healthy coping mechanisms, allowed himself to be consumed with rage because as a male, it was easier than dealing with his mental illness or past trauma. But he was a junkie just like me and took risks. I bet he drove fast and didn't wear rubbers.

Delicious.

His left eyebrow arched high as he took in my words. But just as quickly as it raised it was gone, replaced by his angry glare.

"You're one crazy bitch."

One his hands enveloped mine and pulled my fingers off his shirt and suddenly I was looking at his back as he turned away and crossed the room to the desk. I stood there unmoving. He snatched the bottle off the desk and took a swig before offering it to me absently.

"Uh, thanks." The venom in my voice was gone whether I like it or not. I gripped the cool glass in my fingers and took a long drink. It was like liquid fire in my mouth and I could feel it slipping down my esophagus and settle in the depths of my stomach, stifling the unease I'd been feeling since my encounter at the school. Perfect.

"What do you want?" Judd was pulling out a shoebox and lifting a gram scale and a large bag of marijuana out to set on the desk. His back was still to me as he readied his supplies.

"A quarter." My feet had a mind of their own as I joined him at the desk and I set the bottle of Jack down, watching him rhythmically work.

He weighed out the green fluffy buds before dumping them into a sandwich baggie, twisting it in on itself and tying it in seconds and tossed it lightly to me and placing everything back in the box it came from. The only sound was the evocative guitar to the right of us filling the room with its haunting melody.

"You gonna pay me?" His harsh voice was annoyed, and it snapped me out of my trance. Fumbling with my wallet in my back pocket, I pulled it out and handed him the cash, our fingertips brushing. His fingers were warm and calloused and sent my blood pooling down south.

"T-thanks," my voice came out more uneasy that I liked.

I cursed myself. He's just a boy.

"Whatever." He rolled those attractive juniper eyes and gave me a look like he was waiting on me to leave.

I got the hint and walked out, my heart racing despite the odd feeling of rejection blossoming in my chest.