Senior Week Ch. 07: Blinded

"No, you're right. We should get going. There's probably going to be a line anyway."

Derrick nodded and the two of them stood up from the bed. Rachel blushed again as she sidestepped around Alex and headed for the hallway. She looked back at the boys with a smile.

"I'll see you guys down there."

Derrick and Alex both watched her disappear before Alex turned back towards his friend and hit him jokingly on the chest.

"Damn, dude! Going to get some more of that, huh? Well done!"

Derrick smiled and shook his head. He started to walk towards the door when Alex stopped him and continued.

"But yo, why were you doing that shit on my bed? You got your own."

Derrick smiled apologetically and shook his head again. "No. My bad, bro. She just, like, headed straight there and called me over. I was going to tell her to switch but I, uh, didn't exactly feel like interrupting if you know what I mean."

Alex smiled back and nodded. He knew exactly what he meant. He threw an arm around his friend and the two of them headed out of the room and back downstairs.

***

"What the hell is-? Where-? Ugh. So stupid. So so so so so stupid..."

Rachel muttered to herself with a noticeable slur as she stood in front of her condo door and dug through her small purse. Her broken sandal still dangling from her other hand, she sighed in frustration as her fingers seemed to pass over every single item she owned except for the one she was looking for. The house key.

It had been a long walk back from the club, and when she'd finally made it, she'd been initially surprised to find the front door locked. She'd squinted at the darkened windows and done nothing for a minute or two except stand in irritated confusion. But her foggy brain had rebooted and she'd sighed again, remembering that it was still pretty early and her friends were all obviously out having fun.

Finally locating the key with a sarcastically triumphant curse, she clumsily pushed it into the door knob. Her aim was off though and she missed the lock, causing the key to fall to the ground. Another exasperated curse rolled off her tongue and she sighed again. She was definitely drunk.

She eventually solved the troublesome locked door and stepped into the house. Silent darkness greeted her and she fumbled for a light switch as she kicked off her one remaining sandal and leaned her shoulder into the door. She ran a hand through her hair and held it there as her head swam and thumped. Her ears were still ringing from the loud music of the club and she could feel her pulse in her temples. She was all twisted up with sexual energy and she suddenly felt frustrated.

The night had clearly not gone to plan.

***

Rachel tingled as she felt Derrick rubbing his hand subtly against the small of her back. She and the others were only a few people away from the front of the line to get into the club and she smiled as the cool, night breeze swept over her senses, the salty smell of the ocean twisting into her nostrils. She could hear the music bumping inside as it provided a backdrop to the scattered din of hundreds of chattering voices. She could also feel the first hints of the hot, sticky air of the club's inside area wafting out through the main doors as they opened and shut. Derrick ran his fingers suggestively down towards her ass. It was going to be a good night.

Within minutes, the entire group had made it inside the doors and everyone began working their way through the noisy crowd. The air was humid and the decibel level overpowering. Rachel could barely hear her friends shouting to each other as they searched around for a good spot to park themselves.

They eventually settled on a small area they carved out towards the corner of a large room. Rachel found herself flanked by Rebecca and Derrick as the mixed group of boys and girls formed a bit of a scrambled circle. Rachel was solidly buzzing from her pregame drinks and she smiled stupidly as the scene washed over her senses.

The space was large and expansive and set up like a wheel; a main hub with several smaller areas branching out like spokes. There was a stage towards the far end and a well-known local band was belting out popular tunes as a few hundred teenagers danced and grooved along. Rachel and the rest of the group watched from their spot and soon joined the overall sway of the crowd. Emboldened by their buzzes, they belted out lyrics in a variety of pitches as they smiled and laughed and let their spirits soar.

The band had been the middle of a set when they'd entered, and after six or seven fun songs, they announced to the crowd that they'd be taking a break. Rachel's buzz had blossomed further and she felt warm excitement swirl through her senses. Her temples were damp with sweat from singing and dancing and the sticky heat of the club. She was hitting her peak and it felt great.

She'd been about to turn towards Derrick and strike up another flirty conversation when she felt someone pull her by the arm. She turned quickly and smiled at Jenn's wild and goofy grin.

"Rach! C'mon! Come to the bathroom real quick!"

Rachel narrowed her eyebrows but smiled in understanding as she watched Jenn covertly open the flaps of her purse to reveal a water bottle that was clearly not filled with water. She shook her head and giggled. Jenn was crazy. How had she even snuck that in?

Within seconds, she and a few other girls were in one of the bathrooms passing around the contraband coconut rum. Rachel was already feeling drunk and she knew she probably didn't need more. But she was having so much fun. She winced through a gritted smile as she took a second large swallow and felt the burn roll through her insides. It was going to be a night!

By the time the girls returned to the main area, the band's music had been replaced by a DJ who was pumping dance music into the room. Rachel tingled as the low bass thumps vibrated through her body. Her head swam. The room swirled.

The group began to splinter as people looked for various ways to occupy themselves. A few girls headed off to start dancing. A couple of the bolder guys struck up a conversation with another group of girls nearby. A few people just kept standing around, having shouted conversations into each other's ears.

Rachel felt Derrick's hands on her hips from behind and she found herself beginning to grind gently into him to the beat of the music. Rebecca had been approached by a cute boy and was chatting with him a few feet away so Rachel focused on her own situation as she leaned her back into Derrick's chest. She began dancing into him more enthusiastically and she shivered as she felt his hands move teasingly up the front of her shirt and brush past her boobs. It felt great. She couldn't wait to hook up with him later.

The two danced and touched and kissed for a while. Close to twenty minutes had gone by when the final fast-paced dance song ended and the DJ announced that the band would be coming back on soon. Rachel had worked up more of a sweat from her dancing, and as her head swirled from the alcohol, she figured it might be a good time to take a break and grab a bottle of water. She asked Derrick and Rebecca if they wanted anything and headed off towards a bar where they were selling drinks.

She got a couple of waters and leaned up against a high-top table on the other side of the room to catch her breath. As she sipped generously from her icy bottle, she took a few deep breaths and let the cool refreshment wash over her. Her vision was a bit unsteady and she smiled hazily as she surveyed the space. There were swarms of people everywhere. Dancing. Chatting. Yelling. It was a full-on scene.

She took another sip and was about to head back to join her friends when her eyes passed over a familiar face. She shivered reflexively. A very familiar face.

For the third time that day.

Tyler.

Rachel's eyes widened, and in her warm, impaired state, her arousal surged unexpectedly. She was already so worked up from Derrick, and as she looked at Tyler and took in his chiseled face and tight shirt, she felt her engine rev full throttle.

He was alone, too. No Erica. Swirling thoughts and emotions raced through Rachel's brain and she set the water bottles down on the table in front of her. Her eyes narrowing deviously, she took a deep breath and switched directions to head towards him.

"Hey you."

Tyler had been looking the other way and he whirled around with a start in response to the playful words and touch on his back. He'd figured it was Erica returning from the bathroom and his whole body tensed as he registered Rachel's face. Her eyes were sparkling and her expression intense. She looked like she was up to something.

It was the same look he'd seen that night at the party earlier in the week when she'd cornered him outside under the deck and-. Tyler swallowed at the memory as his gaze fell automatically down to her low-cut shirt. She looked incredible. But this was no time to mess around.

"Rach! What are you doing? Where did you come from?"

Rachel smiled at him and poked her tongue out of her mouth teasingly. She spoke with a flirty tone.

"Nooo-where. Just came to say hi. And to finish our conversation from this morning."

Tyler squinted at her with confusion.

"Our 'conversation'? There was no conversation. I told you to cool it or you're going to get me in troub-."

Rachel cut him off, pushing her hands into him and running them coarsely down his strong chest. As her fingers reached his stomach, she dug her nails into his shirt. She bit her lip and looked back up at him.

"What's the problem, Ty? I know you want more. I want it, too. Why are you fighting it?"

Tyler swallowed hard and steadied himself. He didn't need this right now. Any second, his girlfriend could walk back into the room and see what was happening. He pushed Rachel's hands down as he looked around nervously.

"Rachel, I'm serious."

Rachel smirked at his objections and brushed them off as if she'd barely heard. She stepped in close, letting their bodies touch and squeezing her full breasts firmly into his chest. She teasingly brushed the back of her hand between his legs and smiled as she felt him shiver in response. As his eyes dropped and focused hard onto the obscenely open view of her cleavage, she smirked again.

"Mmm-hmm. Sure you are."

Tyler swallowed hard as he felt himself losing control. The perfect curves of Rachel's body were calling to him and the still fresh memories of their encounters earlier in the week were making him weak. He involuntarily brought a hand up and gently squeezed the divine softness of her breast. It was intoxicating. But he had to stop. He had to-.

Coming back to his senses, he withdrew his grip and shook his head.

Look, you've got to stop. Now. Erica is here. If she sees us together with you all-."

Rachel cut him off with a laugh as she pushed in closer and licked her soft lips. Flashing him a drunken smile and rolling her eyes, she brought her hands up to his neck and shook her head back.

"Erica, Erica, Erica. Jesus, Ty! Always worrying about her. When you should be worrying about..."

Trailing off, Rachel gripped him by the back of his head and pushed her lips into his. She stepped up onto her toes and thrust her tongue into his mouth, snaking it around his with eager enthusiasm. Her senses exploded as she felt him kiss her back. Every pleasure sensor in her brain lit up and her arousal aligned her thoughts in a singular direction. Nothing else from the night or even the week mattered anymore. She needed him. Right now.

Tyler stayed lost in the kiss for several seconds before he finally came to his senses and pulled back. He felt like he was under a spell. His heart pounded wildly and while every voice in his head was screaming 'DANGER!', he couldn't regain control. He searched desperately for the words to say to shut everything down before it was too late. But Rachel beat him to the punch.

Smiling seductively, she narrowed her eyes and leaned around the side of his face. Her lips grazed his earlobe as she purred softly.

"Take me somewhere. I don't care where."

She paused and flicked her tongue teasingly into his ear as she whispered.

"I'll let you do whatever you want."

Tyler's entire body froze as he processed her words. It was the same thing she'd said to him that morning in his basement after prom. After Erica had gone back upstairs. When they'd been alone once again.

He couldn't say yes but he couldn't refuse either. He simply looked down at her with wide eyes and pure, arousing terror coursing through his veins. Unable to move, he nodded and swallowed hard.

Rachel processed his paralysis and smiled back with a sparkle in her eye. She slid her hand into his and held him, pausing to glance around quickly. Making her decision, she turned and began to lead him across the large space.

Tyler walked in a trance for several paces as his brain exploded with conflicting thoughts. He had to stop the whole thing but he simply couldn't resist her. He thought about how he'd left her that morning a few days back, standing naked and radiating sexual energy by her front door. He felt himself stiffen in his pants. It had been a tough run back to his house and even tougher seeing Erica just an hour later knowing that he had-.

The memory sent a sobering wave of guilt and shame through his chest and he felt his trance finally shatter. Stopping Rachel in her tracks, her pulled her back by her arm and shook his head. They couldn't do this. Not again.

"Rachel. No. We're not doing this. I can't."

Rachel cocked her head at him like he was speaking a strange, unintelligible language. She rolled her eyes dismissively and stepped back close. Running her hand up his chest, she scoffed and brushed him off.

"Yes you can. C'mon. Stop being such a-."

Tyler cut her off as her dismissive tone angered him suddenly. She sounded patronizing. Condescending. It brought him back to his senses even more and he snapped back with irritation.

"Are you even fucking listening? What is wrong with-? I just told you-!"

Tyler's voice died as his eyes darted past Rachel's head and widened with sudden fear. From less than ten feet away, Erica's piercing stare shot holes through him. He didn't know if she had seen Rachel leading him by the hand or if she had just shown up. But by the look on her face, it didn't matter. Her voice trembled as it cut sharply through the space.

"Are you fucking kidding me?"

Rachel heard the words and spun around to follow Tyler's frozen expression. Her own eyes widened in surprise as she registered Erica's hot, razor sharp glare. She started to move away from Tyler's body when she saw the focus of the withering look switch to her. She watched the strained expression on Erica's face twist into shock as her brain registered the identity of the girl who was pushed up on her boyfriend. She opened her mouth and inhaled deeply.

"You! Oh my God. You. Fucking. Slu-!"

Erica raised a closed fist and moved quickly towards Rachel, who, in her frozen surprise, could only put her hands up in defense. She watched Erica cock her arm back and she braced herself for impact. But it never came.

Tyler had played the entire scenario out in his head and he was three steps ahead of the girls. He moved swiftly between them and blocked Erica's attack with his body. Rachel looked up and whirled her head around as she took stock of the situation. Erica was flailing her arms at her and punching the air chaotically but Tyler had her easily corralled in his strong grasp.

"Erica! Stop! Not here! C'mon, baby! Stop it!

Erica's blue eyes coursed with pure rage as she moved her focus from Rachel back up to Tyler. She looked at him incredulously, like she had the night at the party a few days back. She pushed him back with all her strength and stepped away from him. She flicked her gaze back to Rachel briefly before focusing again on Tyler's wild expression.

"Fuck you! Don't you fucking touch me!"

The words spat violently from her mouth and she swallowed the lump forming quickly in her throat. Her voice choked by a full tremble, she shouted again with tears in her eyes.

"I'm out of here. You can stay here with your whore!"

Tyler reached wildly for her arm but she had already turned to go. He shouted futilely after her before sighing and bowing his head. Raising it back up, he turned around to face Rachel again. His eyes narrowed in anger and he growled.

"Fuck, Rachel! Why would you-? God, just stay the hell away!"

He turned to follow Erica but Rachel reached out and caught his arm. With surprising strength, she pulled him back to face her. Her expression suddenly clouding with anger as well, she set her jaw and glared up and him fiercely, her heart beating fast.

"Excuse me?"

Her face contorted further as she took a full breath and unloaded, her voice twisting with mocking disgust.

"So a month ago when you begged me to come to your house and you showed me that awful picture so that I'd fuck you and everything else...that, that was okay? But now-. Now it's not, huh?"

Rachel physically shook with fury. She didn't even know where the rage had come from or how it had boiled over so fast, but when Tyler had so roughly dismissed her, it had exploded inside her brain. She suddenly felt unwanted and worthless. Rejected. Cast aside. And after what he had done to her? No way.

Tyler looked back down at Rachel and his angry stare softened as he processed her cutting response. He sighed as a wave of guilt passed through him. She was right. It had been a fucked up thing he'd done that day after prom. Once upon a time she'd meant something real to him, and despite that history, he'd still used that picture to break her down and get her to satisfy his insatiable lust.

He swallowed hard and steadied himself. But she was in the wrong now, too. She was being sadistic and going out of her way to mess things up. She was reckless and out of control and he couldn't be around her. Shit, it might already be too late.

A look of sadness crossed his face, and for a moment, he could only stare down into Rachel's burning eyes. He didn't know if he should yell back or apologize. He sighed as he retracted his arm from her tight grip and shook his head. He didn't have time right now. He turned quickly and headed in the direction Erica had stormed off.

Rachel stood frozen as she trembled and watched him disappear. Adrenaline rushed through her system and her brain sputtered and swirled. She was suddenly angry and scared and shocked all at once and part of her didn't even know why she'd gone up to Tyler in the first place. It had just been a crazy impulse borne of sudden arousal.

And once she'd started kissing him, she'd simply lost control. Her vision had tunneled and everything else in her life had faded to black. Derrick. Her friends. The danger and risk she was facing. She hadn't given any of it a second thought as she'd prepared to lead Tyler into a bathroom stall, a back alley, anywhere. It hadn't mattered. She'd have pushed aside the band and fucked him right on the center of the stage if he had wanted.

She steadied herself and flicked her eyes around the space. It was loud and chaotic but a few people nearby seemed to have noticed the brief altercation. Rachel felt her face get hot as she watched several eyes studying her curiously. Fighting through it, she composed herself and smoothed out her hair and she was about to go back to where she'd left her waters when she noticed two particular sets of eyes still on her. She swallowed hard and her stomach twisted with panic as recognition came through. It was a pair of faces she hadn't seen since-.

Paralysis overtook her system. From a few feet away, Jeff (the boy she'd hooked up with twice the day after prom) and his girlfriend Jessie stood watching her with shocked expressions. They were close friends with Tyler and Erica and it suddenly made sense that they might all be at the club together.