My keys jingled as I threw them into my bag which bounced on my hip as Charlotte and I made our way to her car.

"Ready for tonight Char?" I asked, throwing my duffle into the back seat.

"Ready as I'll ever be." As i climbed into the passenger seat, Charlotte scrunched up her nose and turned to look at me. "Oh girl you smell. Do you want to take a shower or something before we go out."

"Yeah that would be great." Taking a minute I replied, "I do smell don't I?"

"Oh yeah. Roll your window down. I can't have my car smelling like hard work and sweat."

Rolling my eyes I rolled the window down like she asked, "Oh come on it's not that bad."

Seven and a half songs and several more jokes about me smelling up her car later, we pulled up into her driveway.

Her house was a small little one story house, tucked inbetween more one story houses that looked almost identical. The only indicator of who's was who's was the different cars in the driveways. The Casidy's house wasn't as big or as lavish as mine, but the family that lived inside was a hundred times happier.

I guess the saying that it's what inside that matters rings true even for homes.

When we walked inside, I was automatically welcomed by the smell of lavender.

"Charlotte? Is that you?" Ms. Casidy came around the corner leading into the kitchen holding a glass with some sort of green drink inside of it.

As per usual, she had her hair pulled back in a messy ponytail and not a trace of makeup on her perfect tan complexion. "Oh hey Daytona. Long time no see."

"Hey Mrs. Theresa. How're you and Mr. Jon doing?" I hugged the woman who served as my second mom sometimes.

"We're doing good sweetie. Char was telling me you joined the cheer team? How's that going?" She gave me an all-too-knowing look.

"Its going fine, but-"

"Sorry to cut this short Mom, but Daytona and I have plans, and she needs to shower before we can leave. Can you hold the catch up til we get back?" Giving her mother an apologetic look Charlotte dragged me to her room.

"So we have solidified plans now?" I asked with an arched eyebrow.

"Well I was thinking we could swing on over to Berkley and hit up Devils and Angels?" She gave me a hopeful expression.

"Hm," I pretended to think about it, "Yeah I guess that'll work."

She jumped up and down and clapped her hands. "Yay! Ohmygosh it's been forever, the last time we went was with-" she trailed off remembering the last time we went to Devils and Angels.

"With Cooper," a warmth enveloped me as I remembered the night we went, "it was a few months before he passed. He wanted to show us why we shouldn't go clubbing,"

"But instead, it enticed us even more." She giggled. "Now go take your shower."

~~~~🌸~~~~

I slipped into my leggings from earlier and twirled in front of the body length mirror hanging on the back of Charlotte's door.

"Um, what are you wearing? Oh no, no, no; you are not, I repeat, not going out like that." Charlotte sat on her bed, folding her legs underneath her and giving me a disappointed look.

"What's wrong with it?" I hugged lightly on my creme knit sweater and frowned, "I think it's cute."

"Exactly," she said with a sigh as if scolding a child who still, despite everyone's best effort, doesn't understand that Playdoh is not edible. "It's cute, but we are going to Devils and Angels, you need hot at least, to get in. Come here, I have this dress I think will look super cute on you."

She dug around in her closet for a brief minute before emerging with a dress and hanger in hand. "Here. Try it on."

I took the dress completely in awe.

It was one of the prettiest dresses I had ever seen. It was a strapless dress with a white top and a rose gold sequin skirt.

Quickly I slipped out of my lame outfit and into the dress. It was a little big around the chest area and didn't quite reach as far down as I liked, but it would do.

"I love it Char! Thanks." I spun around in a circle again before heading back towards the mirror to fix my hair. In the end, the only thing I could manage was a messy bun. "What are you wearing?" I asked, securing the bun to my head with bobby pins.

"This."

I turned to see her standing in a white body con dress, black high heels, and a leather jacket. "Dang girl! Look at you! Since when did you have a leather jacket?"

"Actually I just got it after school today. It's Ben's." A small smile lit up her face when she said his name.

"Ben? As in Ben Smith? Aka, Mr. Captain America?"

"No, Ben Davidson. He was there the night at the race."

I scoffed, "Him? You're still hanging out with him? When he introduced himself you seemed to want nothing to do with him."

She narrowed her eyes, her tone becoming hostile, "Well I changed my mind. And plus, I told you I had to meet him after school today."

"Whatever. I just don't think he's good for you." I turned back to the mirror to finish pinning my hair ironically.

She muttered something under her breath and I turned to face her again, "Huh? What'd you say?"

"Oh! Nothing, just asked if you were ready to go yet." She grabbed a black hand bag and her keys off her bed.

"Oh yeah. Let's go." Checking once more to make sure we looked fine, we headed out the door.

We just turned out of her neighborhood when she tossed her phone in my lap, "Put some music on."

I opened her Spotify and went to her different playlists. "Tell me when to stop." I closed my eyes and started swiping up and down on her playlists.

"Stop."

I pressed randomly on the screen and looked to see what I had chosen and pressed shuffle.

"What playlist is this?" She asked.

"'Hoe Anthems'." I giggled while Goodies by Ciara blasted through the speakers. "Oh yeah! Turn it up!"

Charlotte laughed at my eagerness to sing along. She then laughed even harder as I broke out rapping Petey Pablo's verse word for word.

The entire ride into Berkley was spent with us jamming out to classic clubbing songs, getting us ready for tonight.

"Well, here we are. Oh! I almost forgot. Open the glove compartment." I did as she asked me.

"What are these?" I stared down at the two black masquerade masks in my compartment in front of me.

"It's Masquerade night tonight! Who knows, maybe I'll meet a sexy masked stranger tonight." She wiggled her eyebrows at me and I rolled my eyes, grabbing the masks, and slipping one on.

"So? How do I look?"

"Like a mysterious, sexy, strange that some guy may want to take home tonight. Let's go."

I rolled my eyes, "No one is taking me home tonight except for you."

"Boring." She sang as she slammed her door.

"I'm now dating someone, remember."

"Oh yeah. That's right. Well, guess no fun for you tonight." She sighed.

When were able to get there before the line was to long, totaling our wait time to about ten minutes.

Inside, black lights replaced normal ones. They had a designated dance floor, bar, and even a small stage with dancers on it.

"Wow. They've really changed it since then." Where Charlotte and I were standing, the music wasn't too loud so i luckily didn't have to yell.

"No kidding." Her eyes scanned the building until they landed on the bar. "Ah, let's go get our mandatory shot!" She grabbed my hand, dragging me to the bar where we both ordered a shot for each other.

"On three, two, one." We threw back the shot and wiped our mouths. "Lets go dance!" I shouted, grabbing Charlotte's hand and dragging her behind me like she did a few minutes ago.

After several song, my hair was starting to stick to my neck so I made my way to the bar to take a break from all the dancing. For some reason, I was having this strong sense of something going wrong tonight and no matter what I did, I couldn't shake it.

"Miss?" The bartender asked me impatiently.

"What? Sorry, I was lost in thought." I shook my head, but the feeling stayed with me.

The bartender let out an aggravated grumble, "What can I get you?"

"Oh, um just a water please."

"You seem like you need a little more than just water."

"Screw it. Can I have a cosmopolitan. Oh and that water too."

"Sure thing."

Moments later, I was sipping on a cosmopolitan, willing this sense of dread to leave. I uncapped the water and took a swig before I threw the rest of my cosmo back.

"Um, Miss, you really shouldn't drink that that fast, I'm sure it's dangerous and-"

"Shh," I put my finger up in the air, "and make me another one."

I downed that one too.

Will I ever stop using alcohol as an escape?

When the alcohol finally started to work itself into my system, I jumped off the bar stool and headed deep into the dance floor where I grabbed someone's hand and spun the around to face me.

"Dance with me? I'm supposed to be having a good time with my friend but she's disappeared and I keep feeling like something bad is about to happen." The masked stranger had dark hair and the part of his face that wasn't covered with a mask was pale against the black lights.

"Anything for a damsel in distress." His voice was deep and husky and when he spoke, an arrogant smirk was glued to his face.

"Hey buddy, I'm not a damsel and I'm not in distress."

"Sounded like you were pretty distressed to me." The stranger let out a low chuckle and wrapped their arms around my waist.

"Shut it and just dance."

"Yes ma'am."

The stranger and I were dancing when suddenly out of nowhere, he leaned down and placed a kiss to my lips.

Putting my hands on his chest I shoved him backwards, but he had a tight hold on my wrist, but not tight enough to hurt.

"Wait, I have a boyfriend." I tried to pull back, but they kept pulling me closer.

"What he doesn't know won't hurt him."

He has a point. Logan doesn't have to know.

No, I can't do that to Logan. He trusts me.

And he will still trust you as long as you don't tell him.

Before I knew it, I was halfway across the dance floor with the tall stranger.

"Daytona? Where are you going?" I heard Charlotte call out from behind me and immediately I snapped back to my senses. "What are you doing with Jordan?"

"Jordan?!" I yelled while whipping around.

"Daytona I- I didn't realize it was you." He dropped my hand like it was on fire.

"Like hell you didn't. What the heck?"

"Listen to me: I'm drunk, I'm so sorry. I- I was just trying to have a good time and then you grabbed me by the hand and you looked so sad I could help it."

"And what about you kissing me or trying to take me somewhere?" I crossed my arms over my chest.

"I told you, I'm drunk." He drug his hand down his face.

"You can't blame being drunk for what you did. You sure as hell knew it was me."

"You're one to talk." He snapped back at me. "Do you know how many times you've made Logan and I worry because you were drowning yourself in alcohol?"

I stepped back in shock. Hurt by his words I turned and walked away quickly. "Lets go Char."

"Daytona, you know I love you, but can we stay for a bit, I still haven't danced with anyone yet." She put on her best frown and I gave in.

"Fine. I'll be sitting at the bar when you're ready to go." I turned away from them both and made my way over to just near the bar where the had some tables and I sat, laying my head on the table.

Well, now I can see why I was feeling like something bad was going to happen.

I unlocked my phone and started scrolling through my Instagram feed. I was sitting there for so long that when I finally got up, my arm had cramped up in the position I had it propped up in.

It had been roughly an hour since I had left her on the dance floor and I could feel a yawn creeping up along with a sudden wave of exhaustion.

"Where is that girl?" I mumbled under my breath.

Ringing her, I tapped my foot under the table as I was sent to voicemail. Trying again I got the same outcome, so I stomped outside to see if her car was still there, but to my surprise, where we had parked earlier, now sat empty.

Groaning I went to call someone else when a cough from behind me caught my attention. "I can't help but notice that you seem a tad bit distressed." A soft hand was placed on my shoulder, but I brushed it off. "Daytona, I told you I'm sorry, it was a heat of the moment type of thing and I couldn't help it; I'm sorry. How can I make it up to you?"

I turned around to face Jordan. "Take me back to my house please."

His eyebrows scrunched together in confusion. "Your house? Why?"

"Just do as I ask, or do you not want to make it up to me?" I crossed my arms to try and keep myself from shivering in the cold.

With one last sigh, he gave in, "Fine. But I'm not leaving you there by yourself. I'll call one of the guys."

We made our way to his car while he tried to reach several of the guys. In the end, the only one who actually picked up the phone was Tyler.

"Okay. By the time we get back, Tyler will already be there." Out of the corner of my eye I saw Jordan reach his hand out towards me, but he brought it back in before it reached me.

Sometime during the ride home I must've fallen asleep because when we pulled up to my house, I snapped my eyes open. "Home?" I asked, my voice thick and deep with sleep.

Jordan nodded his head. "Yeah, home. Daytona-"

"Just don't mention it to anyone okay." I sent him the fiercest glare I could manage in my present state, and he smiled softly before reversing out of the driveway.

Shutting in another yawn, I fished for the spare key in the bricks of our house. Upon finding it, I put it in the lock and walked in. When I did, I shivered at how cold and dead it seemed.

I closed the door behind me and walked into the kitchen, grabbing a bag of chips from the pantry before making my way up to my room.

With a scream I dropped the bag of chips on the floor, spilling probably half the bag on the ground.

Tyler jumped off the bed and fell onto the floor as well. "Jeez Daytona, you scared the crap out of me." He clutched his chest and wheezed out a laugh.

"I scared you? You scared me! You couldn't have just sat downstairs or something? Now look, I've split my chips everywhere." I gestured to the mess with a pout.

"Its midnight, why are you eating chips anyway?"

With an 'are you dumb' expression on my face I responded, "Have you never heard of a midnight snack?"

Before he could respond, the sound of footsteps running towards my room. My eyes widened as I expected the worse. The worse being my dad or Colton.

Apparently Tyler had the same though cause he stood up, getting ready to fight if needed.

"Day? Are you okay? I heard you scream and came running up here." Cooper stood in my doorway out of breath and panting.

"Thank goodness it was just you." I wrapped my arms around my brothers shoulders and squeezed. "I'm fine. I just got scared is all."

"Cooper?" Tyler's voice rose a bit as he caught sight of my brother standing in my doorway.

"Ty?" Copper's face lit up a moment before it quickly fell again. "Wait, what are you doing in my sister's room?"

"I-I was just, wait, you're alive? I though you died in the crash?"

Slowly, I started to piece things together. It now made sense why Tyler looked so terrified the time I offered him a ride on my bike. 'Sorry. My best friend was injured super bad on one of these things.' His words came back to me in a flash.

Cooper and Tyler were best friends, so would that mean that the reason Tyler and Tanner had stopped talking was because of Coppers death?

It all made sense to me now.

"Day, you didn't tell Ty that I was alive?"

"I may have forgotten to mention that. But to my defense you told me not to yell anyone." I gave a guilty smile and they just stared at me blankly before running and giving each other a hug.

"Man! It's good the see you Ty." The corner of Coppers eyes crinkled when he smiled and I noticed that he had a five o'clock shadow and bags under his eyes.

"You too Coop." Tyler clapped my brother on the back and chuckled, "Tanner is going to loose it when he finds out."

"Tanner is still here? I thought he planned on going to college?" Cooper stretched out across my bed and Tyler sat on the corner of my desk, rubbing the back of his neck.

"He did, for about a year, but about nine months ago his parents got into a head on collision with a drunk driver. They didn't make it. So he dropped out to watch over Logan until he turns 18."

I sat on the floor in awe at how much our lives were intertwined with each other.

Yawning I stood up and made my way over to my bed. "Listen guys, I don't care if you catch up with one another in here or not, but try to keep it down because I need to sleep." I crawled over Cooper to the other side of my bed and plopped down with another long yawn.

"Alright Day. Wait a minute, what are you wearing? Where in the world were you dressed like that so late at night?" Copper raises his voice at me but I dismissed him with a wave of my hand.

"Nowhere. No shut up, I'm trying to sleep." I pulled a blanket up to me chin and closed my eyes tightly. It didn't take long for darkness to secure me in her grasp.

~~~~🌸~~~~

"That's right Daytona," Colton stood in front of me, holding a gun to someone's head. I couldn't tell exactly who because they were hidden in the shadows, "I am going to make you suffer. Just like I did."

"No!" A scream ripped through me. I tried to lunge, but it was like something, or someone, held me back. A wicked, almost inhuman, smile crept it's way onto Colton's face, then bam, he shot the gun and whoever it was crumpled to the floor.

A scream jolted me awake and it took me a minute before I realized it was mine. Sweat had started to collect at the small of my back, and my face was wet with tears.

I gathered my knees up to my chest and silently rocked back and forth as I tried to forget the dream.

Somewhere I'm my room, Tyler stirred on the floor and Cooper automatically was by my side. "Day! What's wrong?"