After Curfew

Chapter 29 (Part Two) - Changes

Chapter 29 (Part Two) - Changes

When we pulled up to the entrance of Nocturnal I hesitated to get out of Slate's car.

Did I want to end this night at the club? With people who had already proved time and time again that they did not care about me? Or did I want to end it with Slate; who had every reason to be mad at me—for kissing another guy right in front of him the day before, for believing rumours I had no business believing and for keeping secret after secret from him—and yet had stuck by and supported me the whole night.

"Sleep at my place tonight." Slate said, just as I grabbed the handle having made the decision to get out of his car because I'd taken up too much of his time already.

I looked back at him, wondering how I'd gotten so damn lucky. The truth was that despite everything going on, Slate made me feel safe. I knew he was the type of person who'd risk his life to protect mine.

He grabbed my jaw lightly, pulling my face towards his to place a quick kiss on my lips. "Please."

But did I want to put his life at risk? Because considering the way things have been escalating with West, it's not all that unrealistic of a concern. Not to mention, I knew if Slate ever found out that West was the guy who'd nearly shattered my jaw in the green room all those weeks ago, he would do something stupid. And West didn't seem like the forgiving type.

I found myself nodding to Slate anyways, agreeing to sleepover. I was selfish. I had just proved that to myself and I wasn't proud, but goddamn it I was going to hold onto Slate for as long as I fúcking could, despite what West had told me tonight. Despite the trouble I knew would be soon to pursue it.

And anyways, if there's something I've learnt over the past few months it's that I love trouble, but Slate lives it. It's who he is and like a fùcking magnet I was drawn to it.

I got out of the car and walked towards Nocturnal with a new boost of energy. I was sick of everything being out of my control.

The bouncers let me in immediately (I assumed Jackson had warned them I was coming) and I made my way straight to Jackson's office, doing my best to avoid the people who inhabited the club after two in the morning.

Now was the time when the crowd of people who hung out at Nocturnal drastically shifted. It was no longer young adults going out for drinks and a fun night, it became a sort of business hub for all the illegal shit going on around the city. I half expected to see my father sitting in one of the booths.

I made it to Jacksons office without any interruptions and knocked on the door, ready to get this whole thing over with. He opened the door quickly and raised an eyebrow at me, looking slightly offended.

"When have you ever had to knock?" Jackson asked, sounding frustrated. I gave him a shrug, walking passed him and into the room where I saw Cherry sitting at his desk chair.

"We're really going to pretend like nothings changed over the past few months?" I had a lot to fùcking say to the two of them and I was sick of biting my lip when I wasn't the one in the wrong.

I nearly fell to the ground at the realization that followed my words.

The only thing that had changed over the past few months was me.

This was who they'd always been. The situation was different but Jackson had been putting me in danger to benefit himself since I first met him and he begged me to hook up with his dealer in exchange for product.

I'd obviously refused and the next day he'd blamed it on his addiction.

Cherry was just as bad. She'd been making me feel guilty for having rich parents since we first met and I'd taken it because I thought I deserved it. But not anymore. I couldn't help that I was born into money but time and time again I had offered her everything she needed and she had refused.