"You're doing WHAT!" Josh sounded shocked, almost as though Laura had suddenly told him that she had taken to eating babies with her tea or something. She couldn't believe it, after making out with some woman, then lying to Laura over and over he was angry at HER?

"I said," Laura repeated in as calm a voice as she could manage. "That Sam from my class asked me out for dinner and for me to go clubbing with him."

"Like a date!" Josh's voice was even more panicked, as though the thought of Laura going on a date with another guy was cause for the world to end or something like that. Gritting her teeth and counting to ten Laura wondered again why he was so angry, at least she told him about things before or right after they happened. Hanging up the phone and not slamming it like she wanted to, the black-haired girl sighed. Why did he have to be such a jerk to her?

The club that Sam took her to was crowded with people, both above and below the drinking age. Most of the people where out on the dance floor or sitting in groups of two, though how anyone could talk over the loud music was something Laura would like to know. The music came from speakers attached to the walls, bass turned up so high that it hurt one's teeth and ears just to think about. Through the noise of music and people having a good time Sam asked Laura if she wanted a spot near or far from the dance floor. All tables seemed the same, so she just smiled and shrugged, feeling slightly sick from all the noise and the press of the crowd.

They ordered drinks, a beer for Sam and a virgin SOB for Laura. Looking around at the bright flashing lights Laura wondered who would ever want to come to such a place to talk. "Isn't this a great place?" Sam shouted over the noise. "I love coming here!" Smiling a bit strained at him Laura watched people as they walked by the table.

So many of the clubbers had on strange outfits, from the guy in such tight jeans that Laura found herself wincing when he walked and a bright green and purple three foot mohawk to the woman in lather and what seemed like gold plated armor sitting in the table right next to Laura and Sam.

It was a strange yet somehow appealing outfit and Laura could not help but stare at it; it was almost so tacky that it became something wonderful. Catching Laura's eyes the woman smiled faintly and waved one black leather covered hand at the girl. Blushing at the thought that she's just been caught staring, Laura waved back, an action which seemed to amuse the woman.

"Here's your drink," Sam smiled as he handed Laura the cup filled with her drink. Taking a sip she frowned at the taste. "What's the matter?"

"It's way to salty," she complained, turning to the waitress. "I'm so sorry, could you take this back and get me a new drink?" The waitress didn't seem to mind as she smiled and took the glass back. Looking back at the woman in the leather catsuit, Laura noticed that she was now frowning slightly as she watched Laura and Sam. Something about the frown worried Laura, and she turned back to ask Sam something but was stopped short by the look on his face. Suddenly she wanted nothing more then to be curled up in bed reading a good book, or even yelling at Josh as he lied to her even more. Telling herself that it was just nerves Laura looked at the dance floor and took deep breaths in an attempt to calm herself down. She turned around just in time to have Sam hand her another drink.

Taking a sip of it, Laura wondered why all the drinks were salty; maybe the bartender thought it made her virgin sex on beach taste better or something? She made a face at the taste but forced herself to take another sip and smile at Sam.

"Excuse me?" A soft voice made Laura jump slightly and a black gloved hand reached for the SOB, "May I have a sip of this, please?" Before Laura or Sam could even open their mouths to protest, the woman that Laura had noticed took a sip and made a face. She then turned her almost golden brown eyes at Sam and looked at him like this was something that the dog had done on the rug. "You do know that GHB is illegal, as is drugging someone?" The woman asked in a clear voice making Sam shift in his seat.

Laura stared at him, her brain working overtime at this. "Bastard" she though with almost all feeling gone from her brain. He'd lied to her, attempted to use her. Just like Josh was trying to do. Suddenly feeling as though she was being strangled by the room she stumbled out of her seat and raced for the exit, ignoring all yells from the table for her to stop and think about what she was doing to him. Typical male, he was pissed that she wanted to leave after he attempted to rape her?

Racing out of the building Laura somehow managed to get to the grass outside before gagging and falling to her knees. Taking deep breaths Laura could faintly hear people commenting about how drunk she must be and felt anger spring up, why couldn't anyone ever help her?

"Are you alright?" A soft but confidant voice broke though Laura's train of thoughts. "Are you going to throw up any more?" The woman from the club asked, handing Laura her purse.

Laura was amazed how good she felt, other then the deep hate of all males at the moment. She smiled her thanks and took the purse away from the woman, wondering why she was being helped by a complete stranger like that. The woman didn't look like someone who'd help others without a plan to gain riches from them first. Then again, Sam hadn't seemed like a drugging rapist. "Could you help me get a taxi? My name is-"

"Laura?" The woman smiled a bit more, "That's the name that the man kept shouting as you left." Laura felt even more hate for Sam, how dare he expect her to answer his call? "Well, if we are exchanging names, mine is Ella."

"Ella?" Laura asked feeling slightly unhappy, that seemed like such a common name for a woman who dressed like Ella did. In reply she got a smile and a hand on her arm, gilding her to the curb and taxies.

"Most people call me Dragonelle though," Ella said as she smiled and helped Laura though the crowds of people. "They seem to think that it fits a bit more." Laura silently agreed with the other people, it seemed just the right name to give to Dragonelle. As she thought about names Laura felt her foot slip and her purse go flying out of her hands.

"I'm so sorry!" She went red as she bent down to gather all that had fallen out. Standing back up Laura went though all her photos, coming to a stop at the one of her and Josh standing arm in arm. Heaving a sigh she shoved the photos back into the purse.

"Old boyfriend?" Dragonelle asked, something strange in her eyes.

"Current... and he's cheating on me right now with someone named Rachel," was the almost snarled reply as Laura began to wave at any taxi that came close.

"I see...I've never liked the name Rachel and now I hate it even more." Laura laughed slightly at the joke, though it felt good to finally be letting some stress out.

"Sometimes I wish I was a lesbian and I could just ignore all men," Laura said truthfully as a cab saw them and began to inch its way towards the two women. Elle laughed hard, tears coming to her eyes that she had to wipe away with her gloved hands.

"Don't we all?" she asked with a lift of her eyebrow and with her strange smile before opening the door to the taxi and waving Laura in the car. "Will you need any help?"

"No…I think I'll be fine." On a sudden impulse Laura leaned over and whispered her cell phone number into the other's ear, then kissed her on the cheek. Blushing redder then she ever thought she could, Laura sat in her seat, heart pounding and waiting for something to happen.

"You could hear the smile in the playful voice as it asked "Is that for practice?" before the car door slammed shut and the taxi took off.