We lined up at the end of the line like it was a nightclub. A hand brushed the small of my back–Brent and his antics.

Only it wasn’t him.

“Hey beautiful.” Alexander. He towered over me, stooping down to kiss the top of my head like we were more cozy than it seemed. Even though we just met each other.

“Oh, hi.” I leaned out of his grasp and liked arms with Kelly.

He tried to place his hands on me again, reaching for other parts of me while I leaned farther away from him. No dice. He pulled me closer to him, holding me like we were a couple or something. “Don’t be so shy, baby girl. We’ll get to know each other just fine tonight.”

Ew. There was vomit coming for me at some point of the night. I felt it.

As we moved through the line rather quickly, he held onto me with a firm grip. The struggle in front of everyone wasn’t worth it. From what everyone was telling me, it was a game of staying in line and playing chess instead of checkers.

I suck at chess.

Kelly eyed us with confusion but said nothing. She also knew not to stir the pot. Brent, on the other hand, was attempting to avoid looking at us. There would be daggers in his eyes despite tonguing Sloane in front of me.

If I wasn’t so uncomfortable, I’d say it was worth it.

The guy with the tablet put a purple wristband on me. Alexander told me it was to mark my prestige among the peasants of the party. The importance of prestige and money was becoming more clear to me as the days kept coming. Money and power ruled it all, but you weren’t allowed to say it out loud.

The rules weren’t meant to be spoken.

I spotted a few girls spinning from the ceiling on aerial silks. They looked like hired professionals from the well practiced and elegant moves–like ballet in the sky. Other girls walked around with hors d'oeuvres in bunny costumes, their bodies almost bare and faces covered. Guys in top of the line tuxedos carried trays filled with drinks and other items. I didn’t have to wager to guess what those were.

On top of security guards posted everywhere.

Mine was hidden for the night. A large man following me around instead of hiding out in the shadows might make me stick out more than I wanted to. He promised I’d be safe, but our definitions might have differed.

“I’m game to start this party right.” Alexander’s hands gripped tighter on my arms.

Too tight. I couldn’t force him to let go.

Dinging rang out across the party and in unison everyone pulled out their phones.

Unknown: Party foul?