Liza: 16 years, London
Ice cold wind brush against my skin making me shiver. The black crop top that I wore barely covered my upper body. It was still early in the morning and as I walk down the street clutching onto the sheer piece of fabric, I see the sun slowly rising from the horizon, spreading pink orange and yellow hues making the sky look like it a cotton candy.
Sometime later Jessica arrives in her car to pick me up. She gets out and looks at me with an expression that seemed to resemble a situation where a person won a fake lottery, both surprised and disappointed.
"Whoa!! You look a homeless hooker!" Jessica laughs hitting the trunk of the car.
"Yeah right." I tell her raising my eye brows.
We enter the car and I immediately turn on the heater. The warm air seep through the crevices of my fingers making me melt.
"O my God, I can't stop laughing. What happened to you donkey ?"
"I can't remember anything Jess." I say with a blank expression. I was just as surprised as Jessica.
"This is not what you wore yesterday. This is a Gucci top. Where are your clothes? Please don't tell me you got wasted and hooked up with a stranger. " Jessica says pointing to the clothes I was wearing.
"I... Uh.. I.. really can't remember anything Jess." I lie because that's what I exactly did. I didn't want to admit it to her out of fear and embarassment.
"You silly girl!! Oh God!! I'm glad you're safe." Jessica says patting my shoulders.
Mom would kill me if she comes to know I consumed alcohol and slept at a strangers house and possibly done things with a girl or a boy or anyone for that matter. So I decided to stay over at Jessica's house for the rest of the weekend.
" Jess, What the hell happened yesterday?" I ask Jessica, sipping her mom's special hangover soup that she prepared for me.
"Well nothing much except, you got really drunk and kept saying you wanted to see Joan and that you miss her .... Oh and after that you killed the dance floor with some sick moves." Jessica grins.
"What the? I did what?" I almost choke.
"Yeah, that was not even it ..Well AFTER that you made a mess in the bathroom and I had to send you home." Jessica says showing a picture of me throwing up in the bathroom.
"Delete it"
"Never. I'm gonna treasure this picture with my life."Jessica giggles.
" Don't expose me okay....Ahhhhhhh!!!!! I'm never ever gonna drink again in my life." I shout furiously.
" Well after that I called a taxi for you. Since I knew the driver personally, I was sure that he'd get you home safely and he did." Jessica says sipping the soup.
"Well then.. what happened after that?" I ask Jessica confused.
" I don't know. You tell me. I'm sure you went back to the party but for what?" Jessica responds.
" I don't know. I don't remember anything Jess." I answer her bluntly.
What happened at the party remained a mystery. I still couldn't believe myself. I almost revealed to Jessica about Joan. I was sure that Jess wouldn't judge me if I told her the truth but I chose not to. It was unrequited love afterall.
Later when I went to take shower, I noticed that I had multiple red bite marks on my shoulders, neck and waist.
Love bites?
My body began to shiver at the very thought and I sat on the cold floor trying my best to remember something, anything but ended up failing miserably. Whatever happened at the party had been completely erased from my mind.
One week passes and I still couldn't recall anything. I finally decided to close that chapter from my life.
After the party, videos of my drunken dance began to circulate among students and soon, I was promoted into the category of the famous girls list. Everywhere I went eyes followed. Unlike others, I hated the attention I was receiving.
"Whoa you're famous now girl! Look even Jason is checking you out." Jessica grins.
" I'm not interested in all that Jess. Hey!! I have to return this book. I'll meet you at the cafeteria okay?"
"Yeah bye. See ya "
I was headed to my most favorite location in school. The library. Thousands of books, with their spines facing outward, stood proudly upright in the wodden shelves waiting to be read. I poured myself into the books. It helped me escape the harsh reality as characters conquered my brain and body leaving them in a state of trance.
I walk between the wodden book shelves, engrossing myself in the vellichor scent of the old books. Suddenly, I felt a tickling sensation around my waist. Someone had grabbed me from behind and was biting my ears.
"What the!!! Get off!! " I shout
My body reacted fast, I hit the person on the stomach with my elbow causing them to fall onto the floor I turn to face "her". It was the mystery girl from the party.