OK, this is my 90210 fan-fiction that I actually plan to finish this time around.

Synopsis: It was meant to be a special night, but an unpleasant happening at a party causes one character's life to be changed forever, and leaves others re-assessing their attitudes towards love, loyalty and friendship.

Rated M for strong themes, sexual references and some swearing.

Chapter 1

"Annie! It's time." called a voice from outside Annie Wilson's bedroom door.

"Coming!" called the excitable 16 year old girl. "Just gotta finish my make-up." As Annie applied some more eye-liner, many feelings were buzzing around inside her, not least of all excitement. It was her sweet 16 - a rite of passage for every teenage girl across the US. And to make it even better, the party was being held in Beverly Hills. I repeat, for the cheap-seaters - Beverly Hills. The place where dreams go to live...or die. That the fact that she was having a sweet 16 had even registered amongst a large portion of the West Beverly High School student population spoke volumes for her social skills.

As she stepped out of the door, the two people her age she cared most about were standing outside her door to greet her. One was a Afro-American boy who looked slightly older - Dixon, her adoptive brother.

Happy sweet 16th, sis." smiled Dixon as he gave Annie a one armed hug. Annie hugged him back, and then turned to the next person standing next to him. This was a girl who, again looked older than Annie - a possibly Chinese or Japanese-American student who had her black hair tied up in a bun and was wearing a bright yellow dress. This was Silver - Dixon's girlfriend and Annie's first friend at West Beverly Hill. Silver said nothing, but rather let out a squeal of excitement as the two embraced.

"I'm so happy for you!" Silver gushed as the trio began to descend the stairs. Below them were a group of guests mingling next to a karaoke stage being set up.

"Large amounts of guests here already." Silver began. "More to come, and add to the fact that your grandma is gonna be doing karaoke, which is going to be hilarious, this could be bigger than Ben Hur."

Annie and Dixon stared blankly in Silver's direction.

"What?" Silver began. "You know, Ben Hur? Chariot race? One of the most acclaimed scenes in cinema?"

The blank stares continued.

"Ugh!" Silver joked. "You two have no taste in film!" As they reached the bottom of the staircase, two more beaming faces awaited - Harry and Debbie, Annie and Dixon's parent's, the former also being the new principal of West Beverly High.

"You know, I never thought this would happen." Harry smiled as he hugged his daughter. "This time last year, I never thought that my little girl would be having her sweet 16 in the bright lights of L.A."

"Me neither." Annie laughed, as she hugged her parents back.

"So," Annie began, almost skipping alongside Silver; "Where's Naomi? Is she here yet?"

"Nope." Silver replied. "Maybe Darth Vader's having a little trouble screwing his head on." This caused them both to dissolve into giggling fits, for Naomi Clark's poisoned-candy attitude was well known to the West Beverly student politic.

Just then, a boy with tanned skin and a small amount of facial hair walked in through the door, looking suave in a grey suit.

"Navid, my man!" Dixon explained as the two slapped five. "'Sup?"

"Hey, it's all good." Navid beamed as he put his present on the table, where a sizable amount of gifts were already gathered on the table.

"Hey." Annie smiled as she hugged Navid. "Where's Adrianna?"

"Oh, she's having a psychotherapy session tonight." Navid replied. "Reckons it will help her find the exact moment where she developed her habit, and use that to help her kick it." Dixon nodded in understanding.

"This has to be tough on Naomi as well - speak of the devil."

The attention of most party-goers then turned towards the entrance where a girl with tanned skin and frizzy blone hair had arrived and was pulling off her jacket. On her arm was a tall, muscular bound boy with black hair. Almost on cue, as a little follow up to the earlier Darth Vader joke, Annie and Silver began to loudly hum the Imperial March from "Star Wars" as Naomi entered the party.

"Oh, that's right, make me the enemy." joked Naomi as she hugged Annie and proceeded to plant a loud, grossly exaggerated kiss on her cheek.

"So, how does it feel to be 16?" Naomi simpered.

"Hmmm...dunno...still the same as yesterday." Annie replied.

"Well, you just wait until the big coronation where everyone practically worships you." Naomi replied. "It'll hit you then, if it hasn't already." She then turned to the boy on her shoulder. "Annie, you remember Ozzy, don't you? From Silver's sleepover."

"Oh, yeah." Annie replied as she shook Ozzy's hand.

"Pleasure to finally meet the birthday girl." Ozzy grinned as he shook back. "You know, Naomi has told me a lot about you."

"Well, she does exaggerate a bit." Annie replied. This caused the group around her to burst into laughter - again. Naomi and Annie then proceeded to manoeuvre their way onto the dancefloor, whilst Ozzy ambled behind.

"I still can't believe it, you know?" Silver told Dixon, whilst getting drinks. "I mean, Annie and Naomi being sisters. I just can't imagine YOUR dad - and HER mum-"

"You know what? I can't either." Dixon replied, only half-joking. That was Silver's cue to change the subject.

"So...nice party, huh?"

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Later on that night, the party was well and truly in full swing. Annie and Ethan, her new boyfriend, had taken up ownership of the central dancefloor. And even though Naomi was doing her best to hide it, the sight of Annie and her ex lost in oe another was enough to fill her with seething jealousy. She then proceeded to walk over to Annie and tapped her on her shoulder.

"Could you excuse us?" she asked Ethan.

"Sure." he replied. Naomi then swept Annie off to the side room, where the pair proceeded to talk.

"My, my, you're a fast worker, aren't you?" Naomi began.

"I...don't know what you're talking about." Annie replied.

"Oh, come on! I'm talking about Ethan!"
"What about him?"
"Well, for starters, you're moving on with Ethan too soon after Ty-"
"That's not true-"
"Cut the bulls**t, Annie! I saw the two of you making out in that empty classroom! AFTER I SPECIFICALLY TOLD YOU NOT TO DATE HIM!!"

Annie was breathing heavily. Her and Ethan's cover had finally been exposed.

"I was going to tell you, Naomi-"
"When, Annie? When were you going to tell me? After your first date? After you had sex?"

"I'm sorry!" Annie cried. There was a long and tense pause.

"No." Naomi replied. "You're not sorry. You're just a manipulative little slut who ditches guys after you've had your fill. Who's going to be your next victim, Annie? Navid?" The two then parted in different directions - Naomi over towards the karaoke stage, where Ozzy was getting ready to sing, and Annie towards her room at a significantly faster pace. Harry noticed Annie enter her room out of the corner of his eye. He moved to go after her and comfort her, but Debbie restrained him.

"She's probably just freaked out by the spotlight being on her." Debbie began. "After all, we are from Kansas. Just let her settle down, and she'll come out when she's ready to."

Over by the stage, after Ozzy had performed a stirring rendition of Queen's "Bohemian Rhapsody", he and Naomi were talking.

"So...how's things?" Ozzy began.

"Well," Naomi began; "Apart from the fact that someone who I thought was my best friend dating my ex after I asked her not to, I'm feeling absolutely peachy."

"Sounds like Annie really screwed you over." Ozzy replied. "Which just gave me an idea. I'm gonna prank her on your behalf to get back at her. But not here, obviously. I'll do it one of these days though."

"What've you got planned?" Naomi asked, curious.

"Nothing for you to worry your pretty little head about." Ozzy replied, patting Naomi on the head. "But I really gotta take a leak."

Meanwhile, Annie sat on her bed, shoulders slumped low, tears rolling down her face. She sat there and cried over the fact that she had gone and ruined her friendship with Naomi. Eventually, she managed to gather herself. I'm not going to let this get me down. she resolved firmly. Tonight is about me. Not Naomi.

As she prepared to stand up, someone who was standing behind her clamped their hands down over her eyes and covered her mouth as she let out a yelp.

"Peek-a-boo." the mystery man whispered.

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Eventually, Ozzy finally returned from the toilet after what seemed like an eternity.

"What took you so long?" Naomi asked her new beau.

"Oh, there's so many damn rooms up there, it took me forever!" Ozzy laughed. "It's like a freaking maze."

Harry and Debbie began to prepare for the centerpiece of the evening - Annie's "coronation", as Naomi had put it. However, there was one hitch - the birthday girl was nowhere to be seen. "I'll get her" Silver volunteered as she headed upstairs towards Annie's room. She stood outside the room and tentatively knocked on the door.

"Annie?" Silver called out. No response. Again she tried. Again, no response. Silver then opened the door - and the sight that greeted her shocked, worried and horrified her all at once. Annie was lying on the floor, her eyes wide as teacups, her breathing shallow. The sight that really horrified Silver was the torn dress and the bruisings on her legs. She had been taking a part time doctor's course after school - and she knew that that was a surefire sign of sexual assault.

"Come quick!" Silver screamed from upstairs. "It's Annie! She's hurt!"