CLARA

"When are they coming? I am seriously getting bored now," I said, turning to Duke. He looked outside, then shouted, "Bro, over here." Finally, maybe someone came. I looked outside the window at a man with hair combed in a British style, a cigar in his mouth, giving something to Duke. "Duke, keep this. You will need it while going inside," that man said, and Duke nodded. "Okay, thanks, bro. Come on, Clara, let's go inside." I looked at Duke before taking my purse with me. "You can leave your purse here in the car. Who will take care of your purse when you are enjoying?" Duke said, but I replied nonchalantly, "No thanks. I have to touch up my makeup, so I can't leave my purse here." "You mean you don't have money in that?" he asked, and I raised an eyebrow. "Why would I bring money? It was you who said you're taking everyone to the club!" “Yeah, yeah, I mentioned it. Thanks for reminding me. I was just kidding. Now come on, let's go," he said, getting out before opening my side of the car door.

I got out; the area seems creepy, whatever... I am enjoying today, and that's it. I won't back down. I am fed up with my life.

As soon as we were about to enter, two guards stopped us, but that cousin of Duke's whispered something in their ears, and they let us enter. Finally, we got inside.

I looked back at the guards, and they smirked. Like, what the actual fuck!?

I frowned my brows, but Duke placed his hand on my shoulder, turning me towards the front, saying, "Don't mind them. Let's go inside."

Even though it was creepy, I still nodded and went inside, but the joy that was inside me from yesterday was now vanishing for sure.

"You wanna dance or drink?" Duke asked, making me raise my brows.

"We are underage. Not 21 yet. We can't drink," I replied, crossing my arms.

"Come on, it's not like you drink every day. Just one sip won't hurt, and don't you want to know how it tastes?" Duke asked. I looked at him for a moment; actually, I do want to know how wine tastes, how beer tastes.

He is right. One sip won't hurt. No one ever gets drunk just from one sip. I swear I will take just one sip. So I just nodded and sat on a nearby sofa. "Alright, one sip it is then." "That's the spirit," Duke said before going towards the counter, probably to order. I pulled out my phone from my bag and looked at its black screen for a moment before turning it on. I will play games. Still, I am not receiving his calls, but I need something to kill time. As soon as I turned the phone on, there were 102 missed calls from Leo. What the heck is he doing?? I rolled my eyes before opening Candy Crush, the best way to kill time. I am not a novel girl like Sara, so games are the best thing for me. Anyway, there he called again in the middle of my game. Damn it, Leo Fernández. I cut the call this time before resuming my game again. In the meantime, Duke came with several glasses; I mean, some of them were filled with cocktails and some of them were wine. "Duke, why this many?" I asked, looking at the tray.

"Come on, we are so many people, and as far as I know, you won't want to take the glass from which another person took a sip."

I made a yucky face as soon as he mentioned shared drinks... Never!!!!

Rolling my eyes, I took a cocktail; I am really not planning to drink raw wine. Everyone started talking, and I didn't even realize how 30 minutes went by.

And don't worry, in the middle of that, Leo already called at least 30 times.

My phone buzzed again, and I took it, but why are the numbers blurry? My phone's gone? Who the heck called me with a blurry number!?

I picked up the call, saying, "HeLoOOO~ Clara's HerEEEEE~"

"WHERE THE FUCK ARE YOU!?" the person with the blurry number suddenly shouted, but why is he shouting at me? I don't even know him.

"HeLoOOO~ Who is ThiSS??" I asked again, only to be greeted by dead silence on the other side.

"STAY WHERE YOU ARE. DON'T WANDER AROUND, AND DON'T GO IF ANYONE CALLS YOU ANYWHERE... NOT EVEN IN ANY ROOM. GOT IT?" the person on the phone said.

But why is he getting mad? I don't even know him. Still, I nodded my head.

"TALK TO ME, DAMN IT!!! ARE YOU CLEAR?? DID YOU GET WHAT I TOLD YOU?" he shouted, making me pout.

"Hey, mister, I doooon't know you~ why should I listen?" I said, my tongue feeling heavy; I don't know why... Even talking to someone feels different.

"YOU CAN'T EVEN RECOGNIZE ME? DAMN IT, LARA.... DON'T EVEN DARE TO TAKE A STEP. STAY RIGHT WHERE YOU ARE!!!"

I stood up suddenly and went to another sofa, sitting there while saying, "I took a sTEp~ hehe..."

"DAMN IT, CLARA JONES, I AM PUNISHING YOU HARD WHEN I REACH THERE, IF YOU DARE TO DISOBEY ME!!!" he shouted.

"Hehe, I will disobey. Only Leo can make me listen... But today I also won't listen to him." I pouted. I don't know if he can see me or not, but my lips aren't under my control; my whole body isn't under my control, as if someone is controlling it.

"Clara... Clara, listen... don't cut the call, okay? Talk to me. Aren't you a good girl? Listen to me, hmm? Talk, please..."

I made a yucky face as soon as I heard that. What am I? A baby? Who needs to take medicine and is refusing it? So he is pleading like that?

I stared at the phone; he is continuously talking, but his voice is soothing...

"Hey, you listening? Clara? Talk to me, baby."

Baby? Someone called me baby?

"WHO THE HELL ARE YOU TO CALL ME BABY???" I shouted. I don't care if people are watching or whatever, but no one can give me names except my loved ones.

"Damn it!!! You didn't recognize me till now? I am Leo... Leo Fernández."

I pressed the red button as soon as I heard that name, ending the call.

Fuck you, Leo Fernández!!!

I looked over the whole club; nothing's interesting!!!!

"Hey, sweetie, seems like you're alone here!?" Someone sat beside me. I glanced over; OMG, he is handsome!! Not more than Leo, but more than everyone else.

"Already lost, sweetie?" He waved his hand in front of me.

I looked at his hand, then at his face. Damn!! He is really handsome.

Suddenly, my eyes dropped to his lips; they were plump, and I wanted to bite them. I had never seen lips this juicy and tempting.

“Hey, come back to Earth, girl.” He waved again, scooting closer.

Seizing this opportunity, I pulled him by his collar, biting his lips—not like those gentle nibbles, but really hard, as if I wanted to rip off his mouth. I wanted to chew it.

"Mmmmhhh~ Mmmmhhh~" He struggled, pushing me by the shoulder, but I grabbed his collar hard—way too hard.

Suddenly, I felt a metallic taste on my tongue, but I didn't stop and sucked hard until...

BANG~ BANG~

The person I was holding went completely still; no more pushing or anything.

A hand suddenly grabbed my arms, pulling me up before pinning me hard against the nearest wall. "THE HECK ARE YOU DOING, CLARA JONES!!!!!"

Leo...

He? How?

"I just wanted to kiss, and you killed him?" I blurted out, only for him to grab my neck—not hard, but not gentle either.

"JUST!? You can't kiss any random person like this. DAMN IT!!" he hissed.

"I CAN!!! I WANT TO EXPERIENCE IT!!!!!" I shouted.

"FUCK YOUR EXPERIENCE!!!!!" he shouted back, only to get pushed by me harder than he almost stumbled.

“HOW DARE YOU!!” He pinned me against the nearest wall, hands above my head; his one hand pinned my hand hard so that I couldn't even wiggle.

"Kiss me," I blurted out.

"WHAT?!" Leo's eyes widened.

"I said KISS ME!!!!" I shouted the last part.

"Lara Jones, you have gone mad!" He grabbed my cheeks with his hand.

"Then leave me... Let me find another man to kiss," I glared at him.

"You dare not." Leo pressed me hard against the wall.

"Oh, I dare," I chuckled.

"Lara Jones..."

"I love you," I blurted out, cutting him off in the middle of his sentence. I said it again; I said that cursed word again that I swore not to even think about.

"You're going to regret each and every word of yours tomorrow. Trust me!" Leo pressed his forehead against mine.

"I would never. Till my last breath, I would never regret any of my actions." A tear slipped down my face, and that’s when I felt something warm and soft against my lips...

My eyes closed automatically, savoring the moment, which I could never experience while being sane. I will never forget this moment, I swear.

I hold his collar tight, pulling him closer; my lips are clumsy—it's my first time. I don't know how to do it. He holds my cheeks, guiding me, making my knees weak. An overwhelming sensation spreads all over my body. I shudder at the feeling; my pulse beats so wildly that I can't hear anything else. His lips are warm and firm, making me want to wrap my arms around his body and kiss him until our lips are swollen. My hands go behind his neck, gripping his hair in my fist.

He groaned inside my mouth, his chest rising and falling with harsh breaths under my tentative touches all over his chest. I clutched his shirt tightly around him as he ran his tongue along the seam of my lips, seeking entry. I gasped hard as he pulled me flush towards him, syncing his tongue with mine and deepening the kiss. Then he suddenly backed off, saying, "There you go... Now you're experienced too."

My heart shattered... So it was all just to make me experienced? I looked at him, giving him a chuckle before pressing my forehead against his chest and saying, "Mom and Dad can't know that I drank." And then I passed out.