Page 7 of Poison's Promise

The night stretches ahead of us, full of possibilities. And for once, I’m ready to embrace whatever comes next.

“Want another round?” The guy offers, nodding towards the bar.

“Sure,” I say, feeling bold. “But I’m not getting off this dance floor,”

“I’ll get it for you.” he laughs, heading back to the makeshift bar.

The room is a blur of flashing lights and bodies moving to the beat.

The guy brings me over my drink and his buddy has one for Lila. We thank them and then someone calls one of their names. They both head over to their friend and the two of us are dancing together.

“Polly! Look at you!” Lila slurs, giggling as she stumbles into me.

Her arm wraps around my shoulder for support, but it feels more like she’s using me as a human crutch.

“Having fun?” I ask, my words slipping out more slurred than I intend.

My head feels heavy, and the floor seems unsteady beneath my feet.

“Totally,” she says, her eyes half-closed. “But... I’m so tired.”

“Me too,” I admit, glancing around the crowded room.

We’ve been drinking and dancing for what feels like hours.

My legs are jelly, and my vision swims every time I turn my head.

I thought I was pacing myself, but now I’m not so sure.

“Let’s sit,” I suggest, but even that sounds like an effort.

The wall behind me looks like the most inviting thing I’ve ever seen. I lean against it, letting its cool surface steady me.

“Hey, you okay?” One of the guys from earlier asks, suddenly appearing beside me.

His face is fuzzy around the edges, but his concern is clear.

“Yeah, just... dizzy,” I mumble, closing my eyes for a moment. The world spins even when I do that. “I think I need to lie down.”

“Okay, let’s get you somewhere quiet,” he says, placing a gentle hand on my arm. His touch is warm, comforting. I nod, trusting him to guide me through the chaos.

“Come on,” he says softly, leading me away from the noise.

Lila follows, her own steps unsteady.

“Where are we going?” she asks, sounding as dazed as I feel.

“Somewhere we can rest,” he assures her, his voice calm and reassuring.

“Good,” she mutters, leaning heavily on my other side.

Together, we make our way through the crowd, each step a small victory.

“Almost there,” he says, his grip tightening slightly as we navigate a set of stairs.

My feet feel like lead, but I force them to move, one step at a time.

“Here we go,” he says, pushing open a door.

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