Eyes Up, Little Girl

CHAPTER 004: Eyes Up, Little Girl

Kill me, Universe.

Ramsey and Naomi exchanged worried glances as my cheeks flushed with embarrassment.

Hud stopped laughing immediately and turned sober.

“Maybe not. Ramsey has been with our clique since high school, so he knows—"

“Enough. Hud. You’ve made your point.” I said and stood up, my body trembling with humiliation mixed with anger as I walked over to the bar.

"Tee," Hud called, attempting to follow me but Naomi waved him off.

“I’ll talk to her.” She said, leaving the boys back at the lounge and settling next to me at the bar.

“Aren’t you making it a little too obvious he’s the absolute love of your life?”

I turned to her, trying to keep my head up.

“Well, thank goodness. That’s an improvement because the last time I checked, it was all rotting away in my head.” I finally said it.

I’d hate to see sympathy in Naomi’s eyes, so I quickly turned away.

Pathetic.

I faced the bar guy, slipping a wrinkled bill over the counter.

“One margarita. Extra shot," I ordered.

"And maybe be nice enough to slip in a roofie just the right amount to make me pass out.”

The bar guy looked stunned as he eyed me, like he suspected I just got out of rehab or something.

“Ignore the roofie request, please." Naomi intervened before turning to me.

“Gwen is a playing with his feelings. Soon, Hudson will realize that."

"Then he'd come to terms with the fact that you're the only one who truly cares about him.” She consoled,

But we all knew that Hud's obsession was deep in his bloodstream.

No one got rid of that kind of obsession that easily.

“See, can we just stop talking about this? I also came here to have fun.”

Destructive kind of fun.

To let loose and let bad decisions rule me.

The moment my drink came, I grabbed my glass and drained it.

“Now that’s my girl. Get this sexy ass on the dance floor!” Naomi cheered in excitement as I eased off the bar stool.

I shrugged off my jacket and tossed it to her.

She caught it midair, screaming 'Go girl' at the top of her voice in more encouragement.

I was almost as scantily dressed as the other girls on the dance floor.

But something was missing.

A man.

“Hey baby.” A slender guy with curly hair and a leather jacket said in a smooth voice as he came up from behind me, lightly touching my waist.

“May I?”

I looked down at his hand resting on my hip, irritation getting the best of me as I could smell weed on him.

Then my eyes fell on a stripper giving Hud a lap dance like her life depended on it.

Hud threw his head back, chuckling while he ran his hands over her naked thighs.

Ramsey and Naomi were cuddling next to him, and I veered my face away.

Something bitter settled at the back of my throat.

Hurt.

I didn't know.

Because people only got hurt when their feelings were invalidated.

“Say the word and I’ll give you a time of your life. Right over there.” He said, pointing at a dark corner tucked beside the entrance.

I shrugged his hands off, turning to him.

“Not interested, homie. Now run along," I said, and he only gave an annoyed look as he disappeared into the crowd.

I wasn’t a saint. I’ve had my own share of men. Flings rather.

But I was very particular about them.

I wasn’t so desperate that I’d let some random pretty-haired guy that reeked of weed drag me into a dark corner.

All because of what?

Hud hurting my feelings?

That wasn't new.

I swayed my hips, dancing to the rhythm as I strolled over to the bar to get my second glass.

Right after I grabbed my drink, someone familiar moved from the corner of my eyes, and I looked again.

My blood went cold, and the glass in my hand automatically became too heavy.

Gwen.

Hud had already left his seat.

Of course, he was too predictable.

The stripper he’d been with was sprawled on the couch looking abandoned while he guided Gwen to a corner of the room.

From their gestures they were arguing as usual.

How did she manage to find us?

Oh, now I get it.

It was partly a frat-themed party, and Gwen was apparently hooking up with one of the frat guys.

These guys were dangerous.

They could hurt him if he ever got into a fight with one of them because of Gwen.

Forget it.

He obviously didn’t care about his own safety, so why should I?

I left for the bathroom, washed up, and started to navigate my way back to the club.

After a good ten minutes, I ruffled my hair in frustration.

I was lost. How was that even possible?

The building didn't seem complicated on the outside.

At this point I was freaking out but I had to relax and figure things out.

I could ask someone.

Making my way up to an illuminated hallway, I took three turns and saw a “Reserved” sign on a doorpost.

Great.

It must be a restricted area, meaning I was lost deep inside as the sound of the loud music was dull from here.

I sighted a half-opened door and heard noises.

People were in there.

Without wasting time, I hurried over there and went it.

What I saw next made me stop short.

Four bulky-looking guys taking one skinny-looking girl.

“Oh, sorry.”

“Get out!” She screamed, and I slammed the door shut, running off.

"Yes Attorney, yes, I’m around the block. Oh…the papers. Yeah, email them to her first in the morning.” A baritone voice drifted out at the end of the hallway.

Well, he sounded calm and less busy than the people in the other room.

I’ll just pop in and ask him.

He could be the manager.

Deciding it was civil to knock this time, I did.

One—

At count of two, I heard,

“Come—“

Before he finished his sentence, I pushed the door open and walked in.

The blue-lighted room reeked of sex, men's and women’s perfume, and the harsh smell of what I guess was tobacco.

“Who said you could come in?” He asked, and my muscles stiffened as I noticed I’d walked past him.

The dim lighting and heavy shadows concealed the room’s details, making it hard to notice him.

Then I heard someone moan.

I turned around slowly, like someone put a gun to the back of my head.

A stripper was on her knees, butt naked, her head moving between his thighs.

My eyes widened on seeing his full, veiny erection.

“Eyes up, little girl."

Almost immediately, my eyes traveled up his figure as though his command had hypnotized me, and that was when I saw him.

Hud's dad. Derek.

I staggered backward, my hand flying over my mouth in shock.