The Club Incident
Title: The Club Incident
Word count: ~4,100
Summary: When Kelly's old roommate comes to visit, she starts a chain of events that could break Carolyn.
The Club Incident
I had just gotten out of bed when the doorbell rang Saturday morning. Instead of letting Kelly answer, I did. The morning’s cool air was just starting to warm up, making me shiver slightly in my tank top and boxer shorts (they’re awfully comfortable to sleep in). I knew the visitor was a woman before she opened her mouth since her fruity perfume wafted in on its own accord. The woman gave an approving whistle and leaned closer, her perfume becoming stronger with proximity.
“How dare Kelly not mention that you’re a hot little sex bunny!” The woman said by way of introduction, sounding indignant. “Such tan skin, slim thighs, adorable cheekbones. Where do you work out and can I get a membership?”
“Eh?” I took a step back in case the strange woman decided to try and molest me. I would’ve shut the door but I didn’t want to piss her off just in case she was really Kelly’s friend.
“Yes, brilliant figure.” She agreed with herself. “Who does your hair? It’s such a pretty blue colour. Though you have a pretty bad case of bed head at the moment it still doesn’t look too bad. I wish I could say the same for mine, what do you think?”
I’m ashamed to say that I only stared in her direction blankly. I’m not really awake in the mornings.
“My dear, why are you staring straight through me? Is it that bad? And what's with your eyes? They’re such a pretty blue-green but it looks like you have a bad case of cataracts or something.” A pause. “Do I have the right house? I’m looking for Kelly.”
I think I would’ve laughed if I hadn’t been wondering what a cataract looked like. The stranger was saved by Kelly’s timely arrival from the kitchen. “Carolyn, what’s going- Ah, I thought I heard your voice Anita. Have you been traumatizing my housemate?”
“Of course not.” The woman’s voice was cheerful again. “How dare you not mention your housemate’s a hottie. It’s unlike you.”
“I think I’m going to go change.” I excused myself, hoping that Kelly could handle the stranger on her own.
“You really shouldn’t answer the door in your sleepwear dear.” Anita chided, walking across the threshold. “A pervert might steal you away and make you into a love slave.”
I ducked into my bedroom and closed the door quickly before Anita got any ideas. I could hear Kelly’s scolding “Anita!” easily though.
“You just need to get laid, Kelly my dear, and then everything will seem peachy again.” Was the woman’s unashamed answer. “Speaking of which, what are you doing Saturday? I was thinking about checking out that new club on St. Peter’s and I can’t possibly go alone.”
I didn’t hear Kelly’s reply.
“Don’t be an old prude! If you’re not doing anything, you can escort me. Don’t look at me like that! I just moved back here so I’m a little thin on clubbing buddies. Please Kelly luv?” The woman wheedled.
“No!” Kelly snarled, sounding like she had a really bad headache.
“Come on! We haven’t done anything in years and if I know you, and you know I do, you haven’t done anything in months! Please come with me as a ‘Welcome Home’ present, you can bring your housemate if you want. It’ll be fun. You know you want to…”
“I’ll have to ask Carolyn if she wants to come.” Kelly said after a minute or so, sounding defeated.
“Brilliant!” Anita said smugly. “I don’t suppose you have any Green Tea handy? I’m not due at the office for another hour and we have so much to talk about!”
They moved over to the kitchen and I decided I might as well have a shower. I’ve been to clubs before but I don’t see why some people made such a fuss about them. I simply found them loud and stinky. Still, I didn’t want to leave Kelly to deal with Anita by herself all night. I had a feeling Anita would be a hyper (probably even a perverted) drunk and Kelly didn’t need to deal with that. She had been acting strangely for a couple months now, ever since her meeting with Peter. It was almost as if she didn’t know how to talk to me anymore, and she was spending more and more time in her room or her ‘office’.
‘Maybe going out with Anita will get her out of her slump.’ I thought, drying off my hair with a towel.
With that idea in mind, I brushed my hair quickly and put on my clothes (Anita would definitely molest me if I went out in my bathrobe). Keeping the towel around my neck to absorb excess water, I went into the living room where Kelly was happily telling Anita about some type of plant her favorite herbalist was breeding. By the speed of which it took Anita to notice me lurking in the doorway, I decided that she had as much interest in plant lineages as I do. “Carolyn darling, you look much more awake now and just as lovely. Please, sit down.”
“Thank you.” I pointedly sat by Kelly, though I heard Anita scoot over on the couch. I gave her an innocent smile and winked at Kelly.
“Minx.” Anita pouted good-naturally. “Where did you find her Kelly?”
“Actually, she found me.” Kelly corrected, sounding slightly relieved. “I was putting up a sign advertising for a roommate in a corner store when I heard her talking to the store owner. She moved in a week later.”
“I was at the end of my lease.” I explained shortly.
“That’s such a nice story.” Anita said politely, sounding like she wanted more details. I had a feeling she would have loved to hear about a sordid affair, some type of tragic romance that made me leave my former home with all due haste. She just seemed like the type of woman who loved soap operas.
I did not feel like indulging her. “So how do you know Kelly?”
“Oh, we were roommates in college. Now those were the days… plenty of parties, women, and student discounts.” Anita said dreamily.
“Hangovers, one night stands, heartbreaks, and cranky teachers.” Kelly added dryly.
“Pfft, details.” Anita dismissed the other side of college. “That reminds me, you’ll come clubbing with us won’t you?”
“You don’t have to come if you don’t want to.” Kelly said quickly.
“Don’t listen to her.” Anita leaned forward, her earrings jingling at the sudden movement.
“I’ll go. Someone has to look out for you.” I told Kelly.
“Aw… Kelly, you’re blushing.” Anita cackled. “I’m starting to love this girl.”
“Don’t you have to be somewhere?” Kelly said pointedly, sounding a little odd. If I didn’t know better, I’d say she was jealous.
“Damn, you’re right.” Anita said after a moment, probably after checking her watch. “Well, I’ll be off then!”
“I’ll be right back.” Kelly said softly to me, getting up.
They talked quietly at the door for a moment, just out of my hearing range unfortunately, before Anita’s voice suddenly rang through the house. “Don’t you two try to weasel your way out of coming Saturday! I’ll drag you out of the house in your underthings if I have to!”
Kelly shut the door then, muttering about pesky college roommates who never grew up. I had to agree. She came back into the living room and took Anita’s vacated seat. “Sorry about that. I knew she was moving back to Halifax but I didn’t think she’d track me down so fast.”
“It’s ok. I thought she was interesting.” I said brightly. “It’s always interesting to learn more about you. Is she always so flamboyantly gay?”
“Pretty much.” Kelly admitted. “Does that bother you?”
“Of course not. My best friend when I was growing up was gay, just not that flamboyant.”
“Good.” Kelly sounded relieved.
“Why? Did you think it’d bother me?” Kelly’s embarrassed silence was answer enough. “Well, it doesn’t.” I insisted. “I don’t know why you’d think it would.”
“I have to go to work.” Kelly basically ran out of the room.
It was only after I heard the door slam that it occurred to me that Kelly didn’t usually work on Fridays. Deciding it wasn’t worth pestering her about it, I got ready for work and locked the house on the way out. ‘Do I even have clubbing clothes?’
*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*
“I can’t believe I did this every other week in college.” Kelly muttered to herself as she stood in front of our full-length mirror. “A silver dragon on a black background is something a kid would wear proudly, especially on fine silk; but I’m almost thirty! And this, I mean what was I thinking? I haven’t worn a short skirt in ages, jeans are so much more comfortable these days you know?”
“You’re twenty-five. That’s not ‘almost thirty’.” I said mildly.
“I pulled out a gray hair yesterday!” She revealed indignantly. “I swear, Anita’s presence gave me a gray hair at twenty-five. I’m going to kill her! My mother’s forty-six and she doesn’t have any gray hairs! Why are you laughing at me?” She demanded incredulously.
The doorbell rang, saving me from having to answer an irrational Kelly. I’m not quite sure why she was acting so oddly but I had to assume Anita had something to do with it. The idea of going clubbing seemed to revert the normally sedate Kelly into a younger woman, one I could easily imagine being friends with the outgoing Anita.
With an amused grin, I opened the door for Anita. “Kelly’s in her room acting like a teenager.”
“Good for her.” Anita declared smugly, walking into the house like she was its owner. Then, she stopped abruptly and I could feel her staring at me. “My dear Carolyn, I wish you could see yourself.” She set her hands on my shoulders. “You may not have the same physique as a grade A model but I think that’s what makes you beautiful. You’re young, healthy, strong, and comfortable in your own skin.” She said seriously, sounding like a real person for the first time. When Kelly told me Anita was a straight A student in college earlier, I had a hard time imagining the ball of energy sitting down long enough to attend a lecture; now, I could. “It’s really too bad you’re not my type.” She added theatrically, immersing herself in energy once again. “And I just love that shade of purple! Where did you get that shirt? It’s classy but still shows off your tits. Now, I don’t particularly like the pants, fake leather never agreed with me, but the white rose on your ass is plain cute.”
“There’s a rose on them?” I blurted out as she pulled me across the hallway towards Kelly’s room.
“It’s a very nice rose.” The woman said absent-mindedly as she opened the door to Kelly’s room. “My dear girl, you look positively scrumptious. You’d be amazed at how many of the old crowd let themselves go.”
“I’ve seen most of them a lot more recently than you have and what did I tell you about barging in?” To my relief, Kelly’s voice was reasonable. I don’t think I could stand both Anita and an irrational Kelly. My mind would surely explode under the strain.
“To not do it but it’s not like you're naked or anything.” Anita answered, sounding just as reasonable.
“I sure feel naked.” Kelly muttered, walking towards us. “The black mini-skirt isn’t too bad, you have nice legs, but where did you find that awful red velvet shirt? It’s too tight across your boobs and makes you look like a scarlet woman.”
“Thank you!” Anita said gleefully. “Just the look I was going for. Now, let’s go and make people drool with envy.”
And so we set out for this mysterious club.
*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*
After listening to Anita’s extravagant stories about Kelly's dodgy past (I still will not believe that Kelly drank everybody under the table at a party and then scored 90% on a test the next day), with random physical threats from my housemate when Anita went too far, and equally extravagant stories about her own college life, I was in high spirits. They faded slightly when we reached our destination. Catcalls came from my right, accompanied by female giggles and hushed whispers.
I should have realized Anita would only be interested in a gay club.
I felt Kelly give my hand a reassuring squeeze. I had left my walking stick at home, knowing I would never be able to use it in a popular club without injuring someone, so Kelly offered to lead me to our destination. Anita soon copied her without pausing in her telling of a story. “Wear this.” Kelly gave me one of her earrings, a medium sized hoop with beads dangling from a small chain. “It should discourage most of them.”
“And I’ll take the rest of them off your hands.” Anita added cheerfully, though I could feel her body tense. I had a feeling she was giving Kelly a Look, unwilling to say anything I could overhear. It didn’t elicit a reaction I could detect.
“What aren’t you saying?” I demanded, refusing to let them get away with it.
“Only that Kelly's going to screw herself over if she isn’t careful.” Anita said pointedly without answering my question.
“Identification please.” The bouncer rumbled. He sounded slightly bored.
“Come on, do we look like we’re underage?” Anita grumbled.
“What she means to say is that she doesn’t want to let you know just how old she really is.” Kelly said wickedly.
The bouncer gave an amused snort as Anita shouted “Kelly!” indignantly. “Go on through.”
“Thank you.” Kelly’s voice was serene.
Upon entering the club, I realized that I had forgotten how loud the music tended to be. It covered me like a thick blanket, the bass making the floor vibrate and the guitar made my heart beat faster. The smells were also overwhelming; sweat, cheap perfume and alcohol dominated the area, making it hard for me to even smell anything else. My grip on Kelly’s hand tightened as she followed Anita to a side table near the bar. I could dimly hear the chink of glass and the sound of drunks hollering for more beer. I had only been sitting down for a minute when someone pressed a glass into my hand, and by the bracelet I felt on their wrist, I had to guess it was Anita. I downed the glass, wondering whether or not alcohol would dull my senses enough that the music wouldn’t be overwhelming.
I heard Anita’s laugh before my glass suddenly became full with alcohol again. By the taste of it, it was the same as the first, some type of vodka judging from the burn in my throat. Kelly said something to my right but I couldn’t hear. “WHAT?”
She leaned closer, her lips almost touching my ear. I could dimly smell rum in her breath. “I said: are you okay? You look a bit pale!”
“I’m fine!” I yelled back, downing my newly filled glass. The buzz in my ears seemed to spread through my head and down into the rest of my body. I probably shouldn’t have drank two glasses of vodka so quickly, I had gotten out of the habit of drinking regularly so my tolerance wasn’t particularly good.
Suddenly, I felt a pair of hands tug me out of my seat and heard Kelly shout “Wanna dance?” in my ear. I nodded and she lead me down a flight of stairs, taking care to go slow. Then, we were out on the dance floor amidst many bodies. Kelly grabbed both of my hands, pressing herself against my body and swaying with the beat. I moved along with her, letting the music control my movements and giving into the situation. A familiar song started to play and we danced like we did at home, weaving in and out, comfortable with each other and our own bodies.
I was actually having fun when I felt another pair of arms circle my waist, Anita’s velvety top touching my bare skin. She stole me away from Kelly and I allowed it, feeling lightheaded from the alcohol and the atmosphere. We danced closely for a while, getting used to the way each other moved. The DJ melded one fast song into another, making Anita’s movements become wilder and wilder. Her velvety top rubbed against my bare belly and suddenly she was kissing me, hips grinding against mine. I broke away, stumbling backwards into the mass of bodies, almost all of them women. I felt a hand brush my breasts, another my ass as I flailed about, trying to find a wall to brace myself against. Someone tried to pull me into a dance but I was having none of that. I broke away, searching in front of me with my hands, blind and deafened by the music. It pulsed in my mind as I searched for something solid to lean against, something inanimate that wouldn’t try to grope me.
By the time I found a wall, I was shaking so bad I was half-expecting someone to think I was having a seizure. I followed the wall to a corner, pressing my back against it and shielding the rest of my body with my arms. I felt adrift, as if I lost my anchor and was lost in a sea of bodies. Terror spread throughout my body, making my knees weak and my shivering worsen. I screamed for Kelly, for my mother, for anybody I knew to come and find me but nobody came. I was lost in the darkness, unable to move because of the bodies around me, unable to find my way out because of my blindness and the deafening music.
Rough hands grabbed my wrists, lifting them above my head and leaving me exposed. I screamed as someone kissed my neck, their hard body pressing me against the wall. I barely felt tears run down my face as the person went from my neck to my collarbone, then to the side of my mouth. Then my mouth. Alcohol permeated my senses, my awareness of it sharpening with my horror.
I struggled for freedom but I was disoriented, unable to focus in this noise as a tongue explored my open mouth. I was helpless and my attacker knew it.
A hand found its way between my legs, kneading the sensitive skin with skill born of practice. I tried to struggle but I was pinned by someone much stronger than me and I couldn't remember any of my karate lessons. I don’t know how long this went on before my attacker was suddenly gone, knocked to the ground so suddenly I didn’t even realize I could move. I felt a hand touch me tentatively on the shoulder and freaked, flailing wildly in the hopes of hitting the newcomer. I felt my palm hit flesh before the newcomer caught my wrist, setting it gently against her face.
It took me a minute to trace the familiar features; a sharp chin, high cheekbones, a small nose, a forehead creased with a mixture of fury and worry, a pair of lips slightly parted in an unhappy shape.
Kelly.
I threw my arms around her, holding on for dear life. I felt my tears soak into her silky top but didn’t care. I let her lead my trembling self past dancers and up a flight of stairs. The crowd gave us some room, probably intimidated by Kelly. I could feel the tenseness in her body, fury making her tremble as terror made me do the same.
A dull buzz stayed in my head as we found our way outdoors. Fresh air clung to me, whispered that I could breathe again without being overwhelmed. I did so, unable to think of when I had been so glad to smell the night air, heavy with the scent of rain. Another hand rested on my shoulder and I shrieked, clinging to Kelly for dear life. Her arms held me close, comforting me as I’d imagine her voice would have if I could hear it. The person backed away quickly and my trembling lessened a little.
We slowly walked through the streets of Halifax and I was quite surprised when nobody tried to attack us. My trembling had subsided by the time we got home. I breathed in the scent of Kelly’s perfume, an unassuming lavender mixture, the scent of our garden and all its herbs and vegetables, the lilies Kelly planted in a pot that adorned the porch. I could also smell Anita, her perfume overpowering and loud, her clothes soaked with sweat. She held open the door for us, not daring to come close.
Kelly led me to my room, helping me sit on my bed. I tore off my shoes and got rid of my clothes, hating the feel of the soiled fabric. Someone handed me a pair of boxer shorts and a tank top to cover my naked body. I did so, scrubbing my face with the corner of a blanket. A damp cloth soon took its place, given to me by Anita I think. I scrubbed my skin for a long time, trying to get it off. Kelly stayed by my side, an arm around my shoulder, another rubbing soothing circles into my back.
After awhile, Kelly pried the washcloth out of my hands, pulling me gently towards the head of my bed. At some point, she had removed her sodden clothing, replacing her shirt with one of my tank tops and her skirt with a pair of her own running shorts. Anita must’ve gotten them for her. She tucked me into bed and was about to leave when I held onto her with a deathgrip. I really didn’t want to be alone.
She climbed into bed beside me after a moment’s hesitation, holding me gently until I drifted off to sleep. It seemed to take forever.
*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*
The next morning, she was still there. I could hear her breathing softly, still asleep. I was content to lie there for awhile, knowing that I was safe.
After a few minutes though, I noticed another’s presence in the room, hovering in the doorway. “What do you want Anita?” I asked, wincing as it came out as a croak.
I heard her take a sharp breath, surprised that I knew she was there I suppose. “I… I wanted to say I was sorry.” She sounded terrible, as if she had been crying for most of the night. “I’m so sorry! I just wanted to have some fun but I ended up screwing everything up and now Kelly won’t even talk to me without snarling.”
Part of me wanted to say “You deserve it” and “Fuck off” but the other part of me knew that Anita hadn’t meant for this to happen. The kiss had been a thing of impulse, driven by the loud music and the dancing. She had no way of knowing that I would react that way.
Still, it was hard: hard to forget the terror, the hands on my body, forget feeling defenseless; hard to forgive. I struggled against my anger and the terror it was covering, torn between tearing her apart and comforting her. “Give her time.” I said finally, resting my head against Kelly’s stomach, listening to her heart beat and her lungs fill with air as she breathed. “I know you didn’t mean for it to happen. Kelly would never be your friend if you meant for it to happen. Just… don’t talk to me for a while, okay? I don’t want to remember.”
Remember feeling lost, feeling overwhelmed, feeling as if I would never be found before my soul shattered. I started to tremble and felt Kelly’s arms wrap around me, comforting me even in sleep.
“You’re lucky to have Kelly.” Anita said. “I think I’m going to go home now and leave you two alone for a little bit.”
“Didn’t you want to say good bye to Kelly?”
“We already exchanged words last night while you couldn’t hear. Believe me when I say that Kelly won’t be disappointed to find out I’m gone. The only reason I stayed was to make sure you were okay.”
“I’ll call you when she calms down.” I said after a moment, hearing the hurt in her voice. Kelly was very slow to anger but when she did, harsh words and harsher truths were often spoken. “Give her a little time.”
“… Thank you.”
I heard her let herself out, locking the door with a key I later found shoved under the door, and fell asleep again.
It would be a few days before I felt like leaving the house.
A Picnic In Winter ~~ Encounters ~~ The Club Incident ~~ Kelly Part 1 ~~ Kelly Part 2 ~~ Kelly Part 3 ~~ Interview With Anita ~~ Vacation ~~ Anita's Truth ~~ Aftermath ~~ Needing You ~~ Attack At The Gardens ~~~ Attack At The Gardens Part B ~~~ Don't Tie Me Down
Word count: ~4,100
Summary: When Kelly's old roommate comes to visit, she starts a chain of events that could break Carolyn.
The Club Incident
I had just gotten out of bed when the doorbell rang Saturday morning. Instead of letting Kelly answer, I did. The morning’s cool air was just starting to warm up, making me shiver slightly in my tank top and boxer shorts (they’re awfully comfortable to sleep in). I knew the visitor was a woman before she opened her mouth since her fruity perfume wafted in on its own accord. The woman gave an approving whistle and leaned closer, her perfume becoming stronger with proximity.
“How dare Kelly not mention that you’re a hot little sex bunny!” The woman said by way of introduction, sounding indignant. “Such tan skin, slim thighs, adorable cheekbones. Where do you work out and can I get a membership?”
“Eh?” I took a step back in case the strange woman decided to try and molest me. I would’ve shut the door but I didn’t want to piss her off just in case she was really Kelly’s friend.
“Yes, brilliant figure.” She agreed with herself. “Who does your hair? It’s such a pretty blue colour. Though you have a pretty bad case of bed head at the moment it still doesn’t look too bad. I wish I could say the same for mine, what do you think?”
I’m ashamed to say that I only stared in her direction blankly. I’m not really awake in the mornings.
“My dear, why are you staring straight through me? Is it that bad? And what's with your eyes? They’re such a pretty blue-green but it looks like you have a bad case of cataracts or something.” A pause. “Do I have the right house? I’m looking for Kelly.”
I think I would’ve laughed if I hadn’t been wondering what a cataract looked like. The stranger was saved by Kelly’s timely arrival from the kitchen. “Carolyn, what’s going- Ah, I thought I heard your voice Anita. Have you been traumatizing my housemate?”
“Of course not.” The woman’s voice was cheerful again. “How dare you not mention your housemate’s a hottie. It’s unlike you.”
“I think I’m going to go change.” I excused myself, hoping that Kelly could handle the stranger on her own.
“You really shouldn’t answer the door in your sleepwear dear.” Anita chided, walking across the threshold. “A pervert might steal you away and make you into a love slave.”
I ducked into my bedroom and closed the door quickly before Anita got any ideas. I could hear Kelly’s scolding “Anita!” easily though.
“You just need to get laid, Kelly my dear, and then everything will seem peachy again.” Was the woman’s unashamed answer. “Speaking of which, what are you doing Saturday? I was thinking about checking out that new club on St. Peter’s and I can’t possibly go alone.”
I didn’t hear Kelly’s reply.
“Don’t be an old prude! If you’re not doing anything, you can escort me. Don’t look at me like that! I just moved back here so I’m a little thin on clubbing buddies. Please Kelly luv?” The woman wheedled.
“No!” Kelly snarled, sounding like she had a really bad headache.
“Come on! We haven’t done anything in years and if I know you, and you know I do, you haven’t done anything in months! Please come with me as a ‘Welcome Home’ present, you can bring your housemate if you want. It’ll be fun. You know you want to…”
“I’ll have to ask Carolyn if she wants to come.” Kelly said after a minute or so, sounding defeated.
“Brilliant!” Anita said smugly. “I don’t suppose you have any Green Tea handy? I’m not due at the office for another hour and we have so much to talk about!”
They moved over to the kitchen and I decided I might as well have a shower. I’ve been to clubs before but I don’t see why some people made such a fuss about them. I simply found them loud and stinky. Still, I didn’t want to leave Kelly to deal with Anita by herself all night. I had a feeling Anita would be a hyper (probably even a perverted) drunk and Kelly didn’t need to deal with that. She had been acting strangely for a couple months now, ever since her meeting with Peter. It was almost as if she didn’t know how to talk to me anymore, and she was spending more and more time in her room or her ‘office’.
‘Maybe going out with Anita will get her out of her slump.’ I thought, drying off my hair with a towel.
With that idea in mind, I brushed my hair quickly and put on my clothes (Anita would definitely molest me if I went out in my bathrobe). Keeping the towel around my neck to absorb excess water, I went into the living room where Kelly was happily telling Anita about some type of plant her favorite herbalist was breeding. By the speed of which it took Anita to notice me lurking in the doorway, I decided that she had as much interest in plant lineages as I do. “Carolyn darling, you look much more awake now and just as lovely. Please, sit down.”
“Thank you.” I pointedly sat by Kelly, though I heard Anita scoot over on the couch. I gave her an innocent smile and winked at Kelly.
“Minx.” Anita pouted good-naturally. “Where did you find her Kelly?”
“Actually, she found me.” Kelly corrected, sounding slightly relieved. “I was putting up a sign advertising for a roommate in a corner store when I heard her talking to the store owner. She moved in a week later.”
“I was at the end of my lease.” I explained shortly.
“That’s such a nice story.” Anita said politely, sounding like she wanted more details. I had a feeling she would have loved to hear about a sordid affair, some type of tragic romance that made me leave my former home with all due haste. She just seemed like the type of woman who loved soap operas.
I did not feel like indulging her. “So how do you know Kelly?”
“Oh, we were roommates in college. Now those were the days… plenty of parties, women, and student discounts.” Anita said dreamily.
“Hangovers, one night stands, heartbreaks, and cranky teachers.” Kelly added dryly.
“Pfft, details.” Anita dismissed the other side of college. “That reminds me, you’ll come clubbing with us won’t you?”
“You don’t have to come if you don’t want to.” Kelly said quickly.
“Don’t listen to her.” Anita leaned forward, her earrings jingling at the sudden movement.
“I’ll go. Someone has to look out for you.” I told Kelly.
“Aw… Kelly, you’re blushing.” Anita cackled. “I’m starting to love this girl.”
“Don’t you have to be somewhere?” Kelly said pointedly, sounding a little odd. If I didn’t know better, I’d say she was jealous.
“Damn, you’re right.” Anita said after a moment, probably after checking her watch. “Well, I’ll be off then!”
“I’ll be right back.” Kelly said softly to me, getting up.
They talked quietly at the door for a moment, just out of my hearing range unfortunately, before Anita’s voice suddenly rang through the house. “Don’t you two try to weasel your way out of coming Saturday! I’ll drag you out of the house in your underthings if I have to!”
Kelly shut the door then, muttering about pesky college roommates who never grew up. I had to agree. She came back into the living room and took Anita’s vacated seat. “Sorry about that. I knew she was moving back to Halifax but I didn’t think she’d track me down so fast.”
“It’s ok. I thought she was interesting.” I said brightly. “It’s always interesting to learn more about you. Is she always so flamboyantly gay?”
“Pretty much.” Kelly admitted. “Does that bother you?”
“Of course not. My best friend when I was growing up was gay, just not that flamboyant.”
“Good.” Kelly sounded relieved.
“Why? Did you think it’d bother me?” Kelly’s embarrassed silence was answer enough. “Well, it doesn’t.” I insisted. “I don’t know why you’d think it would.”
“I have to go to work.” Kelly basically ran out of the room.
It was only after I heard the door slam that it occurred to me that Kelly didn’t usually work on Fridays. Deciding it wasn’t worth pestering her about it, I got ready for work and locked the house on the way out. ‘Do I even have clubbing clothes?’
*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*
“I can’t believe I did this every other week in college.” Kelly muttered to herself as she stood in front of our full-length mirror. “A silver dragon on a black background is something a kid would wear proudly, especially on fine silk; but I’m almost thirty! And this, I mean what was I thinking? I haven’t worn a short skirt in ages, jeans are so much more comfortable these days you know?”
“You’re twenty-five. That’s not ‘almost thirty’.” I said mildly.
“I pulled out a gray hair yesterday!” She revealed indignantly. “I swear, Anita’s presence gave me a gray hair at twenty-five. I’m going to kill her! My mother’s forty-six and she doesn’t have any gray hairs! Why are you laughing at me?” She demanded incredulously.
The doorbell rang, saving me from having to answer an irrational Kelly. I’m not quite sure why she was acting so oddly but I had to assume Anita had something to do with it. The idea of going clubbing seemed to revert the normally sedate Kelly into a younger woman, one I could easily imagine being friends with the outgoing Anita.
With an amused grin, I opened the door for Anita. “Kelly’s in her room acting like a teenager.”
“Good for her.” Anita declared smugly, walking into the house like she was its owner. Then, she stopped abruptly and I could feel her staring at me. “My dear Carolyn, I wish you could see yourself.” She set her hands on my shoulders. “You may not have the same physique as a grade A model but I think that’s what makes you beautiful. You’re young, healthy, strong, and comfortable in your own skin.” She said seriously, sounding like a real person for the first time. When Kelly told me Anita was a straight A student in college earlier, I had a hard time imagining the ball of energy sitting down long enough to attend a lecture; now, I could. “It’s really too bad you’re not my type.” She added theatrically, immersing herself in energy once again. “And I just love that shade of purple! Where did you get that shirt? It’s classy but still shows off your tits. Now, I don’t particularly like the pants, fake leather never agreed with me, but the white rose on your ass is plain cute.”
“There’s a rose on them?” I blurted out as she pulled me across the hallway towards Kelly’s room.
“It’s a very nice rose.” The woman said absent-mindedly as she opened the door to Kelly’s room. “My dear girl, you look positively scrumptious. You’d be amazed at how many of the old crowd let themselves go.”
“I’ve seen most of them a lot more recently than you have and what did I tell you about barging in?” To my relief, Kelly’s voice was reasonable. I don’t think I could stand both Anita and an irrational Kelly. My mind would surely explode under the strain.
“To not do it but it’s not like you're naked or anything.” Anita answered, sounding just as reasonable.
“I sure feel naked.” Kelly muttered, walking towards us. “The black mini-skirt isn’t too bad, you have nice legs, but where did you find that awful red velvet shirt? It’s too tight across your boobs and makes you look like a scarlet woman.”
“Thank you!” Anita said gleefully. “Just the look I was going for. Now, let’s go and make people drool with envy.”
And so we set out for this mysterious club.
*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*
After listening to Anita’s extravagant stories about Kelly's dodgy past (I still will not believe that Kelly drank everybody under the table at a party and then scored 90% on a test the next day), with random physical threats from my housemate when Anita went too far, and equally extravagant stories about her own college life, I was in high spirits. They faded slightly when we reached our destination. Catcalls came from my right, accompanied by female giggles and hushed whispers.
I should have realized Anita would only be interested in a gay club.
I felt Kelly give my hand a reassuring squeeze. I had left my walking stick at home, knowing I would never be able to use it in a popular club without injuring someone, so Kelly offered to lead me to our destination. Anita soon copied her without pausing in her telling of a story. “Wear this.” Kelly gave me one of her earrings, a medium sized hoop with beads dangling from a small chain. “It should discourage most of them.”
“And I’ll take the rest of them off your hands.” Anita added cheerfully, though I could feel her body tense. I had a feeling she was giving Kelly a Look, unwilling to say anything I could overhear. It didn’t elicit a reaction I could detect.
“What aren’t you saying?” I demanded, refusing to let them get away with it.
“Only that Kelly's going to screw herself over if she isn’t careful.” Anita said pointedly without answering my question.
“Identification please.” The bouncer rumbled. He sounded slightly bored.
“Come on, do we look like we’re underage?” Anita grumbled.
“What she means to say is that she doesn’t want to let you know just how old she really is.” Kelly said wickedly.
The bouncer gave an amused snort as Anita shouted “Kelly!” indignantly. “Go on through.”
“Thank you.” Kelly’s voice was serene.
Upon entering the club, I realized that I had forgotten how loud the music tended to be. It covered me like a thick blanket, the bass making the floor vibrate and the guitar made my heart beat faster. The smells were also overwhelming; sweat, cheap perfume and alcohol dominated the area, making it hard for me to even smell anything else. My grip on Kelly’s hand tightened as she followed Anita to a side table near the bar. I could dimly hear the chink of glass and the sound of drunks hollering for more beer. I had only been sitting down for a minute when someone pressed a glass into my hand, and by the bracelet I felt on their wrist, I had to guess it was Anita. I downed the glass, wondering whether or not alcohol would dull my senses enough that the music wouldn’t be overwhelming.
I heard Anita’s laugh before my glass suddenly became full with alcohol again. By the taste of it, it was the same as the first, some type of vodka judging from the burn in my throat. Kelly said something to my right but I couldn’t hear. “WHAT?”
She leaned closer, her lips almost touching my ear. I could dimly smell rum in her breath. “I said: are you okay? You look a bit pale!”
“I’m fine!” I yelled back, downing my newly filled glass. The buzz in my ears seemed to spread through my head and down into the rest of my body. I probably shouldn’t have drank two glasses of vodka so quickly, I had gotten out of the habit of drinking regularly so my tolerance wasn’t particularly good.
Suddenly, I felt a pair of hands tug me out of my seat and heard Kelly shout “Wanna dance?” in my ear. I nodded and she lead me down a flight of stairs, taking care to go slow. Then, we were out on the dance floor amidst many bodies. Kelly grabbed both of my hands, pressing herself against my body and swaying with the beat. I moved along with her, letting the music control my movements and giving into the situation. A familiar song started to play and we danced like we did at home, weaving in and out, comfortable with each other and our own bodies.
I was actually having fun when I felt another pair of arms circle my waist, Anita’s velvety top touching my bare skin. She stole me away from Kelly and I allowed it, feeling lightheaded from the alcohol and the atmosphere. We danced closely for a while, getting used to the way each other moved. The DJ melded one fast song into another, making Anita’s movements become wilder and wilder. Her velvety top rubbed against my bare belly and suddenly she was kissing me, hips grinding against mine. I broke away, stumbling backwards into the mass of bodies, almost all of them women. I felt a hand brush my breasts, another my ass as I flailed about, trying to find a wall to brace myself against. Someone tried to pull me into a dance but I was having none of that. I broke away, searching in front of me with my hands, blind and deafened by the music. It pulsed in my mind as I searched for something solid to lean against, something inanimate that wouldn’t try to grope me.
By the time I found a wall, I was shaking so bad I was half-expecting someone to think I was having a seizure. I followed the wall to a corner, pressing my back against it and shielding the rest of my body with my arms. I felt adrift, as if I lost my anchor and was lost in a sea of bodies. Terror spread throughout my body, making my knees weak and my shivering worsen. I screamed for Kelly, for my mother, for anybody I knew to come and find me but nobody came. I was lost in the darkness, unable to move because of the bodies around me, unable to find my way out because of my blindness and the deafening music.
Rough hands grabbed my wrists, lifting them above my head and leaving me exposed. I screamed as someone kissed my neck, their hard body pressing me against the wall. I barely felt tears run down my face as the person went from my neck to my collarbone, then to the side of my mouth. Then my mouth. Alcohol permeated my senses, my awareness of it sharpening with my horror.
I struggled for freedom but I was disoriented, unable to focus in this noise as a tongue explored my open mouth. I was helpless and my attacker knew it.
A hand found its way between my legs, kneading the sensitive skin with skill born of practice. I tried to struggle but I was pinned by someone much stronger than me and I couldn't remember any of my karate lessons. I don’t know how long this went on before my attacker was suddenly gone, knocked to the ground so suddenly I didn’t even realize I could move. I felt a hand touch me tentatively on the shoulder and freaked, flailing wildly in the hopes of hitting the newcomer. I felt my palm hit flesh before the newcomer caught my wrist, setting it gently against her face.
It took me a minute to trace the familiar features; a sharp chin, high cheekbones, a small nose, a forehead creased with a mixture of fury and worry, a pair of lips slightly parted in an unhappy shape.
Kelly.
I threw my arms around her, holding on for dear life. I felt my tears soak into her silky top but didn’t care. I let her lead my trembling self past dancers and up a flight of stairs. The crowd gave us some room, probably intimidated by Kelly. I could feel the tenseness in her body, fury making her tremble as terror made me do the same.
A dull buzz stayed in my head as we found our way outdoors. Fresh air clung to me, whispered that I could breathe again without being overwhelmed. I did so, unable to think of when I had been so glad to smell the night air, heavy with the scent of rain. Another hand rested on my shoulder and I shrieked, clinging to Kelly for dear life. Her arms held me close, comforting me as I’d imagine her voice would have if I could hear it. The person backed away quickly and my trembling lessened a little.
We slowly walked through the streets of Halifax and I was quite surprised when nobody tried to attack us. My trembling had subsided by the time we got home. I breathed in the scent of Kelly’s perfume, an unassuming lavender mixture, the scent of our garden and all its herbs and vegetables, the lilies Kelly planted in a pot that adorned the porch. I could also smell Anita, her perfume overpowering and loud, her clothes soaked with sweat. She held open the door for us, not daring to come close.
Kelly led me to my room, helping me sit on my bed. I tore off my shoes and got rid of my clothes, hating the feel of the soiled fabric. Someone handed me a pair of boxer shorts and a tank top to cover my naked body. I did so, scrubbing my face with the corner of a blanket. A damp cloth soon took its place, given to me by Anita I think. I scrubbed my skin for a long time, trying to get it off. Kelly stayed by my side, an arm around my shoulder, another rubbing soothing circles into my back.
After awhile, Kelly pried the washcloth out of my hands, pulling me gently towards the head of my bed. At some point, she had removed her sodden clothing, replacing her shirt with one of my tank tops and her skirt with a pair of her own running shorts. Anita must’ve gotten them for her. She tucked me into bed and was about to leave when I held onto her with a deathgrip. I really didn’t want to be alone.
She climbed into bed beside me after a moment’s hesitation, holding me gently until I drifted off to sleep. It seemed to take forever.
*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*
The next morning, she was still there. I could hear her breathing softly, still asleep. I was content to lie there for awhile, knowing that I was safe.
After a few minutes though, I noticed another’s presence in the room, hovering in the doorway. “What do you want Anita?” I asked, wincing as it came out as a croak.
I heard her take a sharp breath, surprised that I knew she was there I suppose. “I… I wanted to say I was sorry.” She sounded terrible, as if she had been crying for most of the night. “I’m so sorry! I just wanted to have some fun but I ended up screwing everything up and now Kelly won’t even talk to me without snarling.”
Part of me wanted to say “You deserve it” and “Fuck off” but the other part of me knew that Anita hadn’t meant for this to happen. The kiss had been a thing of impulse, driven by the loud music and the dancing. She had no way of knowing that I would react that way.
Still, it was hard: hard to forget the terror, the hands on my body, forget feeling defenseless; hard to forgive. I struggled against my anger and the terror it was covering, torn between tearing her apart and comforting her. “Give her time.” I said finally, resting my head against Kelly’s stomach, listening to her heart beat and her lungs fill with air as she breathed. “I know you didn’t mean for it to happen. Kelly would never be your friend if you meant for it to happen. Just… don’t talk to me for a while, okay? I don’t want to remember.”
Remember feeling lost, feeling overwhelmed, feeling as if I would never be found before my soul shattered. I started to tremble and felt Kelly’s arms wrap around me, comforting me even in sleep.
“You’re lucky to have Kelly.” Anita said. “I think I’m going to go home now and leave you two alone for a little bit.”
“Didn’t you want to say good bye to Kelly?”
“We already exchanged words last night while you couldn’t hear. Believe me when I say that Kelly won’t be disappointed to find out I’m gone. The only reason I stayed was to make sure you were okay.”
“I’ll call you when she calms down.” I said after a moment, hearing the hurt in her voice. Kelly was very slow to anger but when she did, harsh words and harsher truths were often spoken. “Give her a little time.”
“… Thank you.”
I heard her let herself out, locking the door with a key I later found shoved under the door, and fell asleep again.
It would be a few days before I felt like leaving the house.
A Picnic In Winter ~~ Encounters ~~ The Club Incident ~~ Kelly Part 1 ~~ Kelly Part 2 ~~ Kelly Part 3 ~~ Interview With Anita ~~ Vacation ~~ Anita's Truth ~~ Aftermath ~~ Needing You ~~ Attack At The Gardens ~~~ Attack At The Gardens Part B ~~~ Don't Tie Me Down