NYE Pt. 5

"Vi, they're rubbing their love in my face. I wanna go downstairs."

"Yeah, I agree. Are you two lovebirds coming?"

"I'd rather—"

"We should join them," Illia said. Her voice sobering slightly. "It looks fun."

"Fun?"

"I guess we'll go down with you then."

"Yay!" Kirian cheered, jumping up and down after tossing something into her mouth. "Cress never joins us dancing!"

Despite her reservations, Cress followed the group out into the deafening rave below. Whether out of courtesy or just because it was easier, they kept to the edge of the crowd near the bar Kirian promised was free. Illia remained at Cress's side even when Vianna and Kirian vanished into the crowd and Cress couldn't help but feel frustrated that even with drinks and medication, her anxiety would never allow her to join them.

"What's wrong," Illia asked into Cress's ear. Even then she was barely audible over the music. "Did you want to join them?"

"I'm fine."

A sudden cozy feeling welled in Cress's chest and she felt Illia's hand on her shoulder.

"And now?"

Cress sighed and smiled. "Only if you ask properly."

With a pointed grin, Illia gave Cress a small bow and extended her hand. "Would you do me the honor of this dance?"

The pounding of Cress's heart deafened the bass of the music and she could feel herself breaking out into a cold sweat as she took Illia's hand. She'd never danced in public.

"I-I'll be in your care."

Without another word Illia pulled Cress to the edge of the dancing crowd, only for the two to stand awkwardly, neither knowing what to do and too embarrassed to mimic the people around them.

"CRESS? ILLY?" Kirian's voice cut through the noise of the warehouse as Kirian dragged a sweat drenched Vianna, smiling from ear to ear, over. "Vi, we need to teach our baby girl how to dance!"

"Cress? Dance?! Are you sure we're not dead upstairs?"

"Enough of the jokes! Are you going to teach us or not?"

"What's there to teach? Just move to the music! No one cares what you look like."

"I see. So there is no formal technique." As if the final piece of the puzzle had been placed, Illia began to sway and gyrate in sync with the music.

"Like that!" Kirian screamed, pushing in close to Illia and joining her. Noticing Cress still standing awkwardly, Vianna took her hand and spun her like they were ballroom dancing.

"You're overthinking this. Like Kir said, no one cares! And it's not like we're in the middle of the crowd."

"They're right. I literally live with a serial killer. That's way scarier than dancing around strangers."

Brimming with confidence, Cress did her best to match Vianna's peculiar style of dance that mixed old-timey moves she was sure Vianna learned from her Victorian movies with Kirian's freer style. If she was being judged, her efforts would have earned her three out of ten points, but she couldn't deny that she was enjoying herself.

"Vi! I need to pee and top off!"

"It seems like it's your lucky day," Vianna said, pointing her eyes at Illia. "I'll make sure to keep her busy."

Excitement bubbled in Cress's naval. The air was rank, and the music was blaring, but just imagining Illia's lithe body moving against hers made everything else irrelevant. But as Kirian and Vianna ran upstairs again, Illia disappeared.

"Did she go with them?"

Cress looked at the steps Kirian was stumbling up with Vianna's help, but Illia was absent. Steadily, the gnawing anxiety Illia's magic had suppressed festered, spreading its choking vines through her until she wanted to curl up and cry in the corner. She frantically searched the edges of the building anywhere remotely deserted, doing her best to ground herself in the overstimulating environment. Then she saw Illia leaning over a dark haired woman with a lascivious smile.

Anxiety gave way to anger and Cress clenched her fists imagining she was ringing Illia's neck. Drunk or not, how could she flirt with another woman?

Rage muddled with insecurity and Cress scrutinized the woman closer. She was pretty, as pretty as Kirian with a body to match. Her hips and waist curved into a perfect hourglass that Cress could only dream of, with each curve accentuating her ample, shamelessly exposed breasts covered with small pieces of tape.

"After everything… Should I confront her? Then what? Our relationship started with an expiration date anyways. Whatever, I'm over this. This night has been a fiasco and I just want to go home. I don't care if she comes or not."

One frustrated step was all Cress managed before a blond haired man, who bore a striking resemblance to Dian, blocked her way. He wasn't alone, either; behind him several other greasy men stood, arms crossed, leering at Cress.

"I don't normally go for girls like you," the blond man said smugly, "but I gotta say, you're pretty sexy for a fluffy girl."

"Thanks," Cress said flatly. Her eye twitched behind her glasses and she wished she had her pepper spray on her. "Now fuck off."

"Don't be like that," the man said. He stepped closer and Cress suddenly realized she was surrounded by half-a-dozen wannabe frat boys. "We just wanna dance with you and your friends."

"First you call me fluffy and now you're bringing up my friends? Just say you're using me to get to my friends. I just wanted to go home, and now I have to deal with this tropey-ass predator. If Illia wasn't being such a skank… Ah. I'm all alone. I might actually be in trouble right now."

"Please move," Cress said, softening her demeanor in hopes it would deescalate the situation. Of course it only did the opposite.

"At least let us buy you a drink."

"I'm fine, so you don't have to waste your money."

The blond man's expression soured. "Are you saying I look broke to you?"

"What? No one said that. I just—"

Cress's soul left her body as the man grabbed her blouse and yanked her closer. "Learn your place, piggy. My mother raised me to be polite, but I'm getting sick of your attitude."

"Let. Me. Go."

"And if I don't?"

"You'll regret it."

"Is no one going to step in? We're surrounded by people, there's no way no one sees us. God, people suck. I threatened him, but without Illia, I can't back it up. Why'd I leave my things upstairs like an idiot?"

"Do you really think my friends are going to hook up with you if they catch you bullying their friend?"

"Who's bullying? I'm just helping their loser friend get home."

With a curt nod, one of the man's friends grabbed Cress by the wrist and dragged her behind him. No matter how hard she struggled to break his grip, his hand held steadfast and with each step Cress's faith in humanity lessened. Several people locked eyes with Cress only to turn away pretending they didn't see anything and the rest just avoided looking at all.

"Let me go!" Cress yelled, kicking the man in the back of the knee. His leg gave out and he dropped, giving Cress the chance to run.