#singopposites

Bringing a few twenty dollar bills, she headed downstairs with her boots in hand and closed the door quietly behind her. Olivia zipped her boots up and walked over to the next cul-de-sac where she waited five minutes for the cab she called to show up. Shrinking her face into the scarf, she asked to be dropped off at the nearest night club. 

She knew it was a bad decision, but she needed to get out of the hole she dug herself. She needed to escape the disappointed sighs, the sideways looks, and the small shakes of the head. She just needed one night that would help her forget it all--even for a few hours.

As they pulled up around ten, the club was already in full swing, and the line out front was still relatively busy, just as Liv expected it. Paying the driver, she surveyed the scene from the end of the line. She had brought her fake ID just in case, but her instinct knew it was only a matter of time before the back door opened to release a beefy college student sporting a black eye and cut lip with a couple of his friends hauling him back to their car. This club was notorious for their fist fights, and just like clockwork, the steel door leading to the parking lot burst open. 

Making sure she wasn't followed, she hurried toward the door, wedging her foot in the doorway before it closed completely. Slipping in, Olivia smiled to herself and arranged the scarf so it just hung around her shoulders. She zigzagged through the crowd until she was in the center of the mass of people. 

It always took her some time, but eventually she was smiling teeth and all and dancing along to the loud, upbeat song blasting through the speakers. The bodies, the bass, and the atmosphere all felt like home to Olivia. Everything about the trial, her parents, even Guy flew out of her line of focus. Tonight was for her. Tonight was for her to forget everything shitty in her life and for her to enjoy something that made her happy. 

About two hours later, her scarf was nowhere to be found, and her hair was pulled up in a ponytail. Needing to rest, she wound her way out of the dance floor and headed to the bathroom. Liv looked at herself in the mirror with a grin of content on her face. She used a wet paper towel to wipe her neck of sweat and slipped the hair tie out of her hair.

Shaking out the loose waves, she left the restroom and made her way toward the lounge area and had a seat on one of the plush chairs, resting her feet. She closed her eyes for a second and hummed along to the song playing. Feeling a nudge at her knees, she opened her eyes and froze on instinct, gripping the armrests of her seat. In front of her was a young man with dark hair who had two drinks in his hands and offered one out to her. 

"You looked thirsty," he said, smiling. "It's a gin and tonic on the rocks. You don't really look like a cocktail kind of girl." 

Liv took the glass but didn't drink from it. She thanked him quietly as he sat down on the ottoman in front of her chair. "It's not spiked or anything--just to be clear. I-I just really wanted to buy you a drink," he said apprehensively. "Er, I'm Robbie. I'm from Phoenix, I'm in Cleveland to visit my sister and her husband, and you didn't ask..." he trailed off taking a long pull of his own drink. 

Feeling sorry for him, Liv raised the cup to her lips, tilting it back so the liquid just touched her lips before lowering it back down. Just in case. She offered Robbie a smile, "I'm Anise. And, uh, I'm not. A cocktail kind of girl, I mean." 

They talked about idle things, Olivia being careful to use her usual alibi for these situations. She was thankful that Robbie wasn't from Ohio, and that the club was dark, spare for the strobe lights and colored lasers. Ideally, she remained anonymous to the people around her and to the man in front of her. Five minutes later, the two were laughing and Robbie finished his drink and stood up. "Dance with me?" 

Standing up herself, Liv took his hand and led him toward the dance floor. They ended up getting pressed up against each other as the night continued, up until they both decided they needed another break and headed back to the bar. Robbie gave her hand a squeeze and told her he was going to the bathroom, leaving her sitting on the stool. She ordered a water and took a swig from it just as she heard someone calling her name. No, correction: Violet's name. 

Tensing up, Liv faced the bar in case they weren't looking for her, but the same, harsh voice called out again, this time closer, "Violet!" Hopping off her seat, she wove around the crowd and made a beeline for the back exit. "Violet!" they called again. 

Closing her eyes shut, she shoved the bar of the door and threw herself out into the cold night. She wasn't out quick enough for a strong hand clamped down on her upper arm and yanked her to face him. It was one of the people she used to deal to--rather Guy used to deal to. 

"I knew it was you," he said, grinning, "I haven't seen you in forever, Vi, where've you been?" Both of his hands were gripping her arms now, pulling her too close for her comfort. She could easily tell he was high, with the dilated pupils and familiar tell-tale of him sniffing every so often. It wasn't helping her case that she could smell alcohol in his breath too. 

"Violet," he said shaking her, "answer me. Do you know how hard it is to find a new dealer? Especially after you and Greg disappeared?" 

Liv gritted her teeth, "It doesn't look too hard, considering you're high off your rocker." 

He laughed obnoxiously, "So where is your boyfriend anyway? Aren't you two like joined at the hip or something? I'm in the mood for another hit." 

"No I think you've had enough for tonight," she said, trying to wring out of his arms. 

"You don't get to decide that!" he yelled, shaking her more. "No one gets to decide that! Not my girlfriend, not my friends, and certainly not you!" He slammed her against the exposed brick of the building. 

Panicking, she screams and luckily the back door of the club pops open. Robbie emerged from the club and his eyes widen in surprise as he rushes over to them and yells at the guy to stop. 

Utilizing the junkie being startled, she twists, raising one of her hands and clawing down the side of his cheek. He eased his vice-like grip on her to punch Robbie before turning and grabbing Olivia from behind as she tried to run away. Screaming again, she tried wriggling out of his arms again, only to gain the attention of a security guard from the club. 

The security guard raises his flashlight and yelled for them to stop, shining the light into her captor's eyes. He startled back, and Liv brought her foot up and forced her heel back against the man's knee and dragged it all the way down his shin. With the man crying in pain and the arms around her loosening, Liv took the opportunity to elbow him in the lower abdomen. Finally out of his bruising embrace, Olivia ignored the guard's and Robbie's calls as she ran away from the scene, escaping from the parking lot.