Strange and Unusual - Beetlejuice x O/C

6. Gosh It's Awful, Ain't It Tragic?

Ruby led me quickly to the car, leaving me to climb into the back seat as she climbed back into the drivers chair. Inside the small vehicle already was three other girls, all wearing outfits similar to that of Ruby. Low-cut bodysuits, crop tops, heels, bikini bottoms, and the like. I stood out like a sore thumb.

"Girls, this is Addy! She may not look like it, but she's hella fun at these things. Right Addy?" Ruby prompted me, and I gave the surrounding girls a chuckle and an enthusiastic nod. I hated parties, I hated drinking, I hated all the people. But I was the life of the party. Drowning out something I hate by pretending I loved it always seemed to work.

We were at the party in a matter of fifteen minutes, and before we even stepped out of the car I had a headache. We'd sung along to shitty rap music that Ruby had chosen, the whole car thumping with the bass, our voices spilling out of the windows in the same instance. I already wanted to go home.

I followed the little troop inside to where we were immediately greeted by even louder music, a mess of people, and the reeking smell of cheap beer. My hand was soon filled with my own cup, and I was downing the sour alcohol like it was water. I stuck close to Ruby, following her about as she danced and socialized like she always loved to. I would dance right beside her, my back or my shoulder pressed against hers.

There was always a signal that she'd give me when she saw someone cute, and a different signal when she saw someone cute with an equally cute buddy. We had an effective system. In the case of the latter, I'd be her wingman. 'Just entertain the other guy until I can get the other guy around my finger, okay?' shed always tell me, until I just knew. I'd been to enough parties with her that I already knew who she'd go for before she gave me the signal.

Her drunken fingers wrapped around my wrist, squeezing three times. My gaze immediately flashed up to follow hers, landing on a pair of twins that were lined up at a table, ready for their turn to do a line. Ruby wanted in. And thus, I was roped in too. I couldn't say no to Ruby.

Not even five minutes later, the twins were dancing with us in the middle of the hot-bodied crowd that had formed in the living room. Some popular Pitbull song played around us as our ears rang with noise, throats burned with alcohol, and noses stung with drugs. It certainly wasn't my highest moment, but it certainly felt like it.

In what seemed like no time at all, Ruby was lip-locked with her preferred twin. I was keeping the other entertained, but was sure to direct my attention to others surrounding us as well. I didn't want to lead him on- Ruby could do that all she wanted, but I wasn't that type of girl.

I hadn't touched him until I felt him place his hands on my hips. I respectfully placed my hands on his own, tugging his fingers away from my clothing. He forced my hands away, his hands landing on my hips once more. I pulled away this time, stepping into a small crowd of girls to dance with them instead. I couldn't let Ruby down, I knew that. But this boy was making my heart race- and not in a good way.

The buzz of alcohol in my head tricked me into tripping on the foot of one of my fellow dancers, sending me to the floor. My pursuing twin made his way over, drunkenly chuckling as he reached down to help me up. When I had my footing, I attempted to pull my hand from his own. His response? His fingers tightened around mine, and he jerked my arm as he began pulling me from the dance floor.

"Let go.." I slurred, noticing as I looked up at him that my vision was particularly hazy, too.

I must've blacked out, because the next thing I knew, he had me pinned underneath him in what seemed to be a garage. From what I could see there was a car parked beside our couch, and work tools on the wall beside us. The lights were flickering, as though the lightbulb was about to give out. They were flickering just as quickly as my heart was beating in my chest.