Disclaimer- I own nothing.
AN- This is a bonus chapter written with inspiration from one of my vocabulary words. We only have two more chapters to go. Please review.
Danielle is too busy to edit, so thanks again to Felicia.
The bar was frowzy and grungy and thick grey smoke hung in the air. It mixed brutally with the stench of alcohol on drunken breaths and sweat on slutty bodies.
The music curled into Summer's ears as she rocked her body in rhythm to it, as did the man pressing up against her back. She swirled around, wanting to feel someone's hot flesh on her bare palms. The man was taller than her, taller than Seth. His dark, almost black eyes were covered with a fog of intoxication, and his dark chocolate skin simmered in the moving lights of the dance floor.
Summer had never done something like this since she had moved here, since she had lost herself. But, she thought, she would probably have to start doing it more. That night, around eight o'clock Summer had decided that tomorrow her mind would not be up to listening to teachers squabble about why Hamlet didn't kill Claudius when he had the perfect chance. She had never liked Wednesdays, so why bother making it worse by attending her scum of a school?
And that is how she found herself here, in the sleaziest bar in Tennessee. Men, along with some women, went topless. Alcohol was at a free flow and there was never a shortage of hookups after the bar closed. All Summer had to do to get in was hike up her already short skirt and nudge the bouncer where it counted.
She guessed it was probably around 2:30 am at this point in time and she could tell the man she was dancing with was getting anxious to take her back to his apartment, or his car, or even the run down hotel across the street. If Summer hadn't refused so many of the beers that were offered to her that night she would probably be leading the way. Luckily she had decided that after two beers her tiny body was smashed enough.
She didn't want to ruin her life in this one night. She wasn't like Marissa. Slow and steady, that was Summer's way.
Summer had vowed a long time ago never to be like her mother. Her cheating, unloving, scum of a mother. She was probably still out in the world, unaware of the daughter she had who was close to following in her own footsteps. No, she would never cheat like her mother had, and she wasn't sure if she was still in a standing relationship or not.
As dark curls and deep eyes flashed through her mind the man's hands began to travel all over her body, up her shirt and along the waist band of her skirt. The fast rocking of her hips stopped as a sweet smile flickered into her mind. The man's smile above her wasn't kind, wasn't seductive, it was cruel, and another cruel smile was brought back from a memory. A blond boys cruel smile. She pushed the man's hands away harshly. He let go easier then she expected he would. Slowly she pushed through mounds of people till she reached the exit. Looking back through the smoky fog she could see the man who she had been dancing with. He looked defeated, but didn't follow her.
She let out a deep, raged breath.
She cried as she carried her drunken body three blocks back to her car, afraid that the next time she wouldn't have the power to make herself get away.
"Where have you been?!" shouted Linda Roberts as she stomped over to her granddaughter who was currently walking through the front door.
"Uh, school," Summer replied.
"Try again," her grandfather cut in.
"I don't…" Summer began, at a loss for words.
"You didn't come home last night Summer. And then we called and your school told us you never showed up today! We were about to call the cops!"
"Oh, sorry," Summer said, her voice sounding sincere.
"Where were you?" Her grandfather asked.
"Out," was her simple reply.
"Out where?"
"Just out," she breathed. Her body was tired and sore. The image of her bed that played in her mind seemed like heaven.
"This is not a time for jokes Summer Roberts, you could have died!"
"It wouldn't be the worst thing in the world," Summer said under her breath.
"What?" Her grandmother questioned her voice soft and wavering.
"I said I can take care of myself."
"Please tell me you were not out with some boy." Greg asked, clearly missing the exchange that just took place.
"No! I was not!"
"Because Summer so many things can happen if you…"
"I was not out with a boy! The only boy I would sleep with you took away from me, remember?" she hissed.
Linda look towards her husband, as if saying 'I'll handle this' as Summer stomped down the stairs. Linda quickly followed.
"Summer please," she pleaded as Summer stopped at her door.
"We need to talk."
"About what?" Summer asked.
"I know you used to see a therapist."
"I stopped going last summer; she never really did anything for me, except tell me to work out my aggression with violence."
"Well, maybe after everything you've been through you would like to talk to someone again, a professional."
"I don't think that will be necessary."
"You need to talk to someone Summer. God knows you can't talk to me, and with Eliza gone, plus, I never hear you talking on the phone anymore. Maybe a therapist will help."
"It won't. There is nothing anyone can say to me that will make me feel any better. I'm just too messed up," Summer quipped.
"Well then…"
"No," Summer said immediately, knowing where her grandmother was going, "I will not resort to medication, not like my step mom."
"Summer, you are not okay."
"I am fine!"
"But you just said…"
"I'm fine!" Summer yelled, slamming her door and locking it, leaving her grandmother at a loss for what to do next.
