Chapter 1 YOLO Gone Wrong

~Sierra~

"This is not some friend's party. It's a freaking club!!"

I screamed at the top of my voice, ignoring the blasting music that hit my ears as soon as we stepped into the club, and fixed a glare on Brianna who had already started shrinking into the nearby wall. She had deceived me.

At my words, she shook off her shrinking state with a shrug. "Come on, Sie, YOLO, right?" She asked, prompting a scoff to escape my lips.

"You and I know I don't buy that YOLO shit. I have resumption tests to think of tomorrow." I reminded, getting a dramatic eye roll from her as she eased away from the wall like a tigress.

"And you and I know that you don't need those goddamn endless hours of studying to make A's. Heck, your IQ is higher than this building."

Now, it was my turn to roll my eyes. I knew what she was trying to do. "Buttering me up won't get you anywhere," I said, my fingers digging into my waist as I did an overlay of the surroundings.

Young adults filled the hall, grinding against each other to the loud beat that emanated from the speakers.

The smell of booze and sweat mixed with colognes and perfume filled the air. My nose burned.

Alcohol, damp and sweaty bodies, coupled with loud music: there was no way this was my scene.

With a determined look, I stared back at Brianna, who by now was sashaying to the beat of the music.

I shook my head. "Oh! No, sweetie, stop dancing. I need to get out of here."

I would have left already if we hadn't come in her car. A very big mistake, and otherwise, a calculated one.

She shook her head defiantly. "That glare of yours isn't going to work on me young lady..."

Just then a server paddling a tray filled with champagne flutes passed by and she stopped him immediately, sliding two flutes out of the tray with a smile.

"I brought you here to loosen up. Gosh! You could camp in your room all day, buried in a stack of books. Allow the poor books to breathe!" She finished off with a playful eye roll.

I bit back the urge to laugh. This wasn't the time to fan Brianna's weird sense of humor. If I ever allowed a spark of my teeth to show, she would abandon me and disappear into the crowd.

"Hey, Douglas!" I turned sharply to the sound of my surname, my glare already fixed in place, at whoever it was that was yelling my last name with so much disregard.

My brows instantly arched as I found out who the disrespectful jerk was. It was no other person than Mart, my secret rival. He was the only person who managed to score straight A's as I did for two semesters, except that in the last semester, two B's managed to slip in, keeping me ahead of him.

"Didn't peg you for a club girl."

He was wearing that signature smug smile as his gaze traveled up and down my body. I didn't miss the lust in his eyes, but they awed me. Mart had never looked at me that way, but then I shrugged it off.

Not that I had time to cast him a second glance in class.

"It's not." I made sure to point that out. "I'm only here because she—" I promptly turned to fix Brianna another death glare for making me go through the rigours of explaining myself to this smug-looking rival of mine, but I was met with an empty spot.

In alarm, I glanced around the filled clubhouse with the speed of lightning, but I couldn't find Brianna. Of course, she had escaped into a corner I wouldn't find her. And her small frame wasn't even helping matters.

My blood pulsed, steam gradually escaping from my pores as I glanced around, my brows furrowed with growing impatience.

"Why don't I help you relax, gorgeous?" Mart's persistent voice sounded beside me, causing a certain buzz to fill my eyes, my fists clenching reflexively.

"We can go into the VIP and..." His voice— which had annoyingly dropped low—trailed off as he moved closer, and in a flash, his hands brushed my elbow.

"Don't fucking touch me!" I yelled through gritted teeth as I turned towards the entrance, calculating the mass of sweaty bodies I had to bypass before getting to the door.

But my gaze didn't make it far before it rested on a face so striking that it held my gaze without batting an eyelid.

Eyes so green they radiated a certain glow that blended with the neon lights at the far end of the room. What caught my eye next was his attractive physique— broad shoulders that graciously filled out the dress shirt he wore, emphasizing that broad chest that I bet could be hairy—

I also caught sight of the tattoo that disappeared into his slightly opened shirt right before I recollected myself, and the direction of my thoughts, and shook my head sharply.

"This isn't happening."

"Don't think you can get rid of me that easily, Douglas." Mart's voice dropped to a sexy purr behind me, causing my fingers to dig furiously into my waist as intrusive thoughts swarmed into my head.

Thanks to the server that had just walked by, I was able to restrain myself from sucker punching Mart's face.

Instead, I grabbed the nearest two glasses, not hesitating to pour them into my mouth. My brain kicked in protest as the alcohol trailed a burning pathway down my throat.

Against my wish, my gaze flicked up to the door, and to my surprise, the green-eyed, sexy as hell guy was still standing there.

What's more shocking? His gaze was fixed on me, narrowed and intense. So intense that it made my knees wobble, or maybe it was the effect of the alcohol that was kicking in.

When the music started reducing into muffled thuds, and my eyes were turning into a hazy blur, I knew I needed to get out of here.

Mart reached out and held my wrist, sending a funny sensation down south. In alarm, I yanked myself free from his hold.

"Go. Fuck. Yourself. Mart!!" I bit out, disgust coloring my tone. I caught the arching of his brows before stomping my way towards the door, the muffled sound of the music slowly fading with each wobbly step I took.

By the time I stepped outside, the blurry vision I had totally kicked in, and the smearing of the neon lights outlining the street wasn't helping.

The breeze swept through me, causing me to shiver as a sudden feeling of dizziness descended on me, coupled with a funny sensation that had settled between my legs.

I sought the wall for support, blinking to get a clear view of my surroundings, but with no success.

"Mehn! That must have been some alcohol." I muttered through gritted teeth as I fluttered my eyes closed, fighting the nauseous feeling that was already building up in the pit of my stomach.

"I bet it was..." A deep hoarse voice hit my ears as I turned instantly, but my blurred vision could only make out a manly figure…or figures.

I bet the alcohol was already kicking in.

"And you shouldn't be out here alone, gorgeous." Another voice purred in this annoyingly husky voice as he advanced towards me.

I started moving back immediately, but

stumbled as a result of my wobbly knees.

Masculine, firm hands caught me right before I passed out.