Rae of Sunshine (Light in the Dark 1)

I wasn’t sure which pain would be worse—having them know the truth or not having them in my life?

fourteen

“What the hell should I wear?” I asked Thea, as she primped in front of the mirror in the bathroom. “I don’t think I’ve ever been to a club before.”

She peeked around the doorway of the bathroom. “I can tell you right now that I know for a fact there is nothing remotely club related in your closet.”

“I don’t even want to go to a club,” I whined.

I’d been talked into going, because Thea was desperate to go to this new club and I refused to let her go by herself. Stranger danger and all that jazz.

“Then you don’t have to go,” she countered, putting on a necklace.

I sighed. “And let you go by yourself? I don’t think so.”

“Then stop complaining,” she chided, heading to her closet.

She grabbed a slinky black dress and threw it at me. “Wear that.”

I eyed the short dress with strategic cutouts. “I think a nipple might pop out.”

She snorted. “Rae, you’ll be fine. Have I ever steered you wrong?”

So far she hadn’t but there was a first time for everything.

I slipped into the dress and felt extremely naked in it. “I’m going to freeze to death.”

“Oh, please,” she rolled her eyes, “you’re such a baby. I know you have that super cool leather jacket with the studs on it in your closet somewhere. That’ll work just fine and keep you warm.”

“That might keep the top half warm, but what about all of this,” I waved a hand at my bare legs.

“Sometimes you have to suffer for fashion. It’s a fact of life.”

I didn’t really think one should have to suffer, but I knew there was no arguing with Thea.

I pulled a pair of combat boots on and said, “Okay, I’m ready.”

“You’re not going to do anything with your hair?” She asked.

I tugged on a curly strand. “Nope. I’m leaving it down.”

She smiled and grabbed her clutch. “Well, if you’re ready, let’s get out of here.”

I followed her out the door feeling like this had been a very bad idea.

***

“It’s so nice to get out on the weekends!” Thea yelled over the music, taking a sip from some fruity concoction.

“It is,” I agreed, because it seemed like the right thing to say. I would’ve rather been at the dorm editing photos but I knew Thea wouldn’t understand.

“Ah!” Thea sat her glass down on the bar roughly, so that some of her drink sloshed over the sides. “I love this song! Let’s dance!”

I wrinkled my nose. Dance? Um, no thanks.

But the girl would not take no for an answer and whatever she was drinking must’ve been strong because she was definitely not in control of herself.

She dragged me onto the dance floor and started dancing in a way that would make other clubbers think we were lesbian lovers. Not cool. Not that there was anything wrong with lesbians, but I didn’t want anyone getting the wrong idea or to think we were going to put on a show.