The Next Contestant

The plan had been for all of us to go out and party. So, we all piled into three vehicles and made our way to the strip of clubs that was the place to be on a weekend. It was situated right on the edge of campus, and the college students overwhelmed the street once classes were out. It was a historic area, the buildings old and appearing to fall apart, but inside, there were pulsing lights, loud music, and smoke-filled room. It was the perfect place to go, especially if you didn’t want to remember the night.

I was perched on my boyfriend’s lap, my legs splayed across my best friend’s legs, who was next to us. It was cramped, but we were all so pumped that we didn’t care. It had been such a long time since the lot of us had gone out and really just partied like the young adults we were are supposed to do. I swung my head to the rhythm of the music that was blaring out of the speakers as we pulled into a parking spot. We got lucky, and managed to find one where we didn’t have to pay. We all climbed out, the girls tugging down their skirts and shouldering our purses.

Laughing and chatting with one another, we made our way to the first bar. After getting the band snapped around our wrists, we entered the main floor. Lights were flashing, swirling around in different directions. The music was so loud it felt like it was making my head thump. People were crowded together, dancing with drinks in their hand. The DJ up at the front was dancing in his little cubicle next to some blonde chick who quite possibly could’ve been a stripper. She definitely looked like one. I immediately pulled Daniel onto the dance floor. We found a relatively empty spot, and I turned to him, interlacing one of his legs with mind. I grinded against him, tilting back slightly, letting my long black hair flail around me. His hands found my hips as he moved with me, smiles on both of our faces.

After a few songs, I realized that I was sweating balls, and leaned forward towards Daniel. “I need a drink!” I yelled. He nodded and made his way towards our group’s table, and I went to the bar. After a few minutes of trying to get the bartender’s attention, she took my order, and then turned to make them. I tapped my fingers on the polished wood of the bar top as I waited. Once the drinks were in my hand, I slid the money across, and wove through the crowd to find my friends. It didn’t seem to take long. However, after noticing what was going on, I paused, cocking my head to the side as I inspected the vision in front of me.

They were all crowded around the high tables. Daniel was perched against one of the tables, a delicious looking brunette pressed up against him. His hands were behind his back, and he appeared to be a little bored. Or maybe it was wary? One of the two. My friends were a mixture of nervous and amused, and I could faintly hear Mara tell the woman that she didn’t want to be there when her friend showed back up, as that was her boyfriend. It only took me a few seconds to realize that she must’ve been talking about me. I smirked. Mara knew me way too well.

With sure steps, I pushed through a couple and stood just behind the woman, waiting for her or Daniel to notice me. When he did, he nodded once in my direction, causing the woman to turn, a smirk playing across her face, as if daring me to tell her to back off, as if testing me. Well then. So be it.

“Mind backing off my boyfriend?” I said, arching one eyebrow as I realized the grip I had on the glasses were surprisingly tight. My knuckles were white and my hands were shaking. Oh yes, it was going to be one of those nights.

She ignored me and turned back towards Daniel. Mara, across the table, maneuvered around it to come stand next to me. “That wasn’t a good idea,” she said, laughing. She always enjoyed it when I got into my fights. They were the highlight of her life, according to her. I think she just enjoyed seeing people in pain.

I cleared my throat loudly, though I doubt it was heard over the music. “Hey. Bitch. I’m talking to you. Mind backing the fuck off my boyfriend?”

She finally turned completely towards me, one hand on her hip. The gesture stunned me, and my eyebrows shot up. Did she really think I was going to allow this kind of behavior? That snotty ass bitch had no idea what she was getting into when she picked my boyfriend for her next fuck buddy. I could feel the familiar pull of the anger riding up inside of me, swallowing me whole until the red blurred the corners of my vision. My teeth clenched together as she waited for me to do something, almost as if she thought I wouldn’t.

With a flick of my wrist, my vodka and cranberry splashed out of the glass, right into her face, instantly drenching her. I could hear her shriek faintly beneath the music, and the shock on her face was definitely worth losing my booze. I sat the now empty container on the table, along with the still full one I had in my other hand. “I warned you once. The next time I have to tell you to get off my boyfriend, it’s not going to be a drink flying at your face. Am I understood?”

“You fucking whore!” she screamed at me. If looks could kill, I’d be dead in a heartbeat. But since they couldn’t, and she really wanted to go there, I was going to give her want she wanted. And that was a beat down.

The red enveloped me completely, and I swung as hard as I could, connecting with her nose. I could feel the crunch beneath my knuckles and a spray of blood shot down, covering my toes in thick red ooze. Great. Her head snapped backwards, and then she fell to the floor, holding her face. In an instant, my friends surrounded me. I could feel hands on my arms, but I wasn’t sure who they belonged to. And then, I was being dragged away, out of the club, and into the night air.

There goes the next contestant.