Falling Stars

by J. L. Brooks

  “No sad face tonight, only smiles Lila.”

  I nodded in agreement and swiftly bent my knees, dropping low, bouncing my ass a few times before slowly coming back up and rolling my abdomen and hips seductively. I loved to dance because it was one of the few things that helped me to get out of a writing funk. I would step away from the computer and turn up my speakers. It could be three in the morning or seven at night, it didn’t matter. Popping and twisting my shoulders, I dropped my gaze and attempted to initiate him into a dance battle. Hunter turned to Eli who watched the entire spectacle and just shook his head in response. He picked up my drink and took a brief sip before leaning against the rail to watch me dance. I smacked my ass and curled my index finger to provoke him.

  Surprisingly, Hunter started to maneuver his feet around in deft movements as if he had never stopped break dancing. His body popped and locked with impressive precision. Puffing his chest, he moved in mime-like motions towards me, pulling on an imaginary rope and pretending to coil it around my body. I laughed hysterically despite how good he still was.

  “Beat that Lila.” He playfully teased.

  I knew I would be unable to dance the way I wanted to in my heels, so I slipped them off and set them to the side. Tapping my hand against my thighs, I waited for the right break in the music and let go of any thoughts. Rather than being serious, I mocked every former dance I knew including the “tootsie roll” and the “Macarena” while dramatically telling my own physical story. Eli was slapping the table as Hunter held his hand over his mouth to stop the smile from showing. I pretended to ride an imaginary horse and gallop around him in circles.

  “How was that cowboy?”

  “I think you need to take the nineties back where you found them and leave them there.” He replied with a playful kiss.

  “Don’t hate my skills, you know they are awesome.”

  Eli piped in and gently patted my shoulder. “No sis, they are not. Just stop.”

  I feigned disgust and picked up my drink with a pout. The boys laughed at my expense, but I had so much fun I didn’t really care. I was having fun, damned anyone else who saw my show and judged me.

  Eli headed down the stairs to the bar area leaving Hunter and I alone.

  “You were cute we are just messin’ with you.”

  “I know.”

  Turning my back to the dance floor, Hunter pinned me against the metal rails and kissed me hard. Thinking about how many times we had made out in dark corners of the venue made the butterflies in my stomach tumble.

  We were not alone for long before a small crowd ascended the stairs behind Eli.

  “It was nice while it lasted.” I whispered to Hunter giving a half grin. The back of his fingers brushed my cheek.

  “It’s not over yet.”

  I gave a quick peck and picked up my drink and shoes to move out of the way. I was able to be selfish with Hunter for the past few days, yet I needed to remember he did not belong to me. Choosing to explore the club and discover any changes, I descended the stairwell and rounded the corner into the brick walled area leading to the bar.

  Set against a massive mirror, illuminated by low recessed lights, bartenders scurried to fill drink orders for the growing crowd. Simply observing those on the dance floor, I was taken off guard by a warm hand on the small of my back that did not belong to Hunter. Turning, I was face to face with an unexpected piece of my past.

  “Savion!” I squealed excitedly before jumping into his arms.

  “Oh my god how are you?”

  He squeezed me back firmly before setting me back on my feet.

  “Lila Keaton. Damn. I never thought I would see you again. You look good babe.”

  I blushed slightly. Savion Winters was another one of my brother's best friends. He was older than Eli by seven years, ten more than I, yet it did not stop me from having the biggest crush on him growing up. No matter what party I was at, even if Eli was not playing or there, I was taken care of by him. He made sure I never waited in a line and always had water or a comfortable place to rest. He used to run the lighting rigs and taught me how to use an argon laser system to project displays against sheer screens at events and do laser scans with the bright green lights. Before I started dating guys in the scene, I was always available to help them haul gear around and help set up. I was thankful for people like Savion who taught me to love the music and the culture before the drugs became part of the picture. I remembered his sore disappointment and the brush off I gave at his concern. Knowing he didn’t approve, I simply stopped coming around him.

  “Thanks Savion, so do you old man.” I winked to indicate I was kidding. Even being a decade his junior, he was still hot as hell. He scoffed and held out his arm to guide me into the club.

  “I won’t be offended by that if you let me get you another drink.” He laughed before ducking under the bar. I curled my brows inquisitively.

  “You work here now?” I asked.

  His smirk was hidden beneath the shy smile.

  “I own this place now. I have for a few years. Someone had to keep it going.”

  His fingers slid a small black cocktail napkin towards me.

  “What can I do for you Lila?”

  It felt like a loaded question the way his gaze became more invasive.

  “Make me something tasty, I trust you.”

  Savion rubbed his palms together and picked up a metal shaker, filling it with ice, rum, various juices and berry liqueur. Setting it aside, he rimmed a martini glass with a lemon and dipped it in a small plate of pink sugar crystals. He smiled as the foamy violet concoction swirled in the glass and settled quickly leaving a thin white layer at the top. Skewering a cherry on a toothpick, he rested it gently in the glass before placing it before me.

  “Wow, it looks so girly.”

  Timidly I took a sip and quickly puckered. Savion laughed as he came back from under the bar and took a seat next to me.

  “It will knock you on your ass if you’re not careful. Take your time and enjoy it.”

  I sipped the strong cocktail as requested, savoring a truly crafted drink. His attention to detail never vanished.

  “So Lila, Eli told me you were moving back. I know what I read on the internet, how about you telling me why you're here?”

  I paused for a moment, smiling, before swiping a bit of the sugar crystals off and licking them from my finger. With a deep breath I made it as simple as I could.

  “I wasn’t going in the direction that I wanted to, so I came back to gain my bearings and find out where I need to be.”

  The answer did not sate his curiosity, yet he did not pry any further. However, I should have known the grilling of Hunter would surface.

  “Please tell me your plan does not include him.” Savion’s face fell to stone asking the question.

  Knowing that Hunter was not his favorite person, I decided to push a little and get my own answers.

  “What’s your deal with him? What did he ever do to you?”

  Savion looked at me and then to the balcony before answering. “It’s not so much me but you. I never could forgive him after the accident. Everyone seemed to turn a blind eye, even Eli. He and I were never the same after that. I know you saw how that incident shook a whole lot of folks up.”

  My teeth grit forcefully as he chose to stir up something he had no business doing so.

  “It wasn’t Hunter’s fault, it was mine. It was my idea, my choice. I was stupid for suggesting it. I was the one who got hurt. He saved my life.”

  Savion dropped his head and brushed an unseen particle from his pants, thinking carefully how he wanted to respond.

  “He should have stopped you. Even he knows that. Only way he could handle it was shooting up to numb the guilt.”

  “Savion, stop! That was a long time ago. If I have the ability to forgive him, I think you should too.”

  Giving me the most austere glare, there was not an ounce of affection to be found.

  �
�Lila, two years ago I booked Hunter here at the club. The house was packed. He shows up an hour and a half late for his set, drunk off his ass with an entourage of whores. He train wrecked nearly every record and I busted him getting head in the DJ booth. Hunter Michaels is a piece of shit. I am shocked to say the least that he even showed up here tonight after that.”

  Waves of nausea rolled over me as my mind flashed with the images from my nightmares. Just the thought of a different woman with her mouth wrapped around his cock was traumatizing and took me right back to that dark place. I turned around on the bar stool to peer up to where the boys were sitting. A small horde of girls were crowded around Eli and Hunter with several others making their way up. Through flashes of light, I could see my presence was not missed, and wanted nothing more than to disappear.

  “Can you call me a cab? I want to leave now. How much do I owe you for the drink?”

  I reached into my clutch and pulled out my credit card.

  “Let me settle their bill too please.”

  Savion pushed my card away.

  “Lila, I didn’t mean to upset you. I’m sorry. It’s just been so long. Anyways, let me make it up to you and take you out for lunch sometime, catch up properly. I will take you home too. Let me tell the guys I will be out for a bit.”

  Although I wasn’t happy with Savion’s comments, I knew he meant well.

  “You don’t mind?” I asked quietly.

  He rubbed my back lightly. “Come on, it’s me. Of course I don’t mind. Finish your drink and we can go.”

  I knew Eli and Hunter were getting shit faced rather quickly. Thankfully I made Eli give me his key before going in the club so they would be forced to get a ride elsewhere. Getting my license renewed was one more thing to add to the never ending list. I just wanted to crawl in bed and sleep. We left the club and Savion was opening the door to what appeared to be a brand new Mercedes. Before I went to sit down, I ran my finger along the hood and gave a low whistle.

  “Business must be good.”

  He chuckled lightly as the sound of the club grew louder with the opening of the front door. I looked up to see the boys charging towards us, a few others behind them.

  “What the fuck is this?” Hunter shouted and reached for me.

  “Hunter, he’s just taking me home. It’s fine, you and Eli can hang tonight. I’m just going to bed.”

  Still grasping my arm, he started to pull me back away from the car.

  “He’s not taking you anywhere.”

  Hunter's voice was full of ice and venom. Contrary to what I had assumed, I could tell he was not drunk.

  Savion leaned his arms across the top of his car unfazed. Raising a brow, he shrugged and shut the door. Circling the hood he stopped next to Hunter and gave a dark smile. “It’s a little late to play hero don’t you think?”

  He made it two feet towards the club before I heard the pop of Hunter’s fist plowing into Savion’s jaw.

  “You motherfucker,” he sneered.

  Savion bent over, grabbing his knees for stability and spitting blood onto the ground in laughter. Slowly standing up, he called for Hunter to come at him again. Surprisingly he didn’t take the bait, yet shouted to Eli to call the police and warned Savion not to move.

  “Dude, you threw the first punch, you’re going to jail. You sure you want me to do that?” Eli asked nervously.

  With the utmost seriousness, Hunter asked me to walk along the yellow parking line. I had only had a drink and a half, so it should have been simple. I placed my right foot on the line and lifted the left, only to stumble to the side. The lines were quickly blurring, causing me to misjudge where to step. I kept trying and failed miserably. After a few attempts, I raised my head to see Eli punching Savion repeatedly in the gut as another guy held him in place. Hunter was at my side trying to help me to stand. The bright red and blue lights of the cruisers were unusually blinding as they flew into the lot. Unable to walk, I sat on the ground and watched as Hunter, Eli and Savion were arrested and placed in separate cruisers. Two officers approached me and started to speak but I could not hear them clearly. Words traveled down a virtual tunnel, garbling before my brain could decipher their meaning.

  “I just want to lie down for a minute.” I mumbled.

  I was so sleepy and the ground was so comfortable. Reaching my arm out, I closed my eyes for just a moment.

  Hunter, this is the best idea I’ve ever had!

  Summer was sweltering and without school to keep us entertained, I couldn’t stand one more night in someone's basement listening to records while getting high. I needed something different to do and it was too dangerous to drop at the park and have to drive home. The pool in my parents' backyard was secluded and private. Hunter scored some amazing acid and we planned out an evening under the stars, diving for glow sticks in the moonlight, just the two of us. Giggling like children, we snapped an entire crates worth of glow sticks of various shapes and colors, poking them into cups so they would sink in the water. Having some float, the two depths gave the most spectacular display. Vivid pinks, oranges, yellows and green glowed all around us.

  “Lil it’s incredible. I want to go first.”

  Diving head first into the pool, Hunter swam past several and snagged my legs, pulling me under. The sensations of the water against my skin, the droplets traveling down my face, breasts and arms felt like I was connected to the water, not simply immersed in it. The swirls and waves were hypnotic, distracting me from the task at hand. Trying to stay focused while tripping my face off was impossible. We danced, and kissed, splashed and swam. Each stroke of my arm sliced through the glowing water. Hunter had managed to find all of the sunken glow sticks and layered them on the deck surrounding the pool. One last pink one remained and I claimed it. Unable to gauge the true distance, my head smacked the concrete bottom, sending a sharp pain through my head before the warmth tingled through my body. Trying to hold my breath, I kept swallowing water but could not find the surface. Knowing I was freaking out, I stopped struggling and simply let go…

  It was the most unusual song I had ever heard. The drum was deep and soothing, but there was an unpleasant beep steadily pitching every few seconds or so. Waiting for another instrument to come in, it never did. It was the same rhythm on an endless loop. I dreamed of music often, yet this was the melody of hospital machines monitoring vital signs against the beating of my own heart. The air was cool and antiseptically scented. Opening my eyes, the room was empty. It was closer to dusk based off of the color of sunshine streaming in the empty room. Finding the call button, a nurse came in immediately and greeted me.

  “Hello Lila, how do you feel?”

  “My head is killing me, what happened?”

  She smiled and turned off the annoying monitor, and then unhooked the IV attached to my arm.

  “Let me get the doctor, it’s not really my place. Wait just a moment, I will get him.”

  I tried not to get upset but it was hard not to. The last thing I remember was sitting at the bar with Savion hearing about the horrible things Hunter had done. Perhaps I had fallen off of the barstool and hit my head. Was I in another accident?

  Dreaming about the pool and waking up in the hospital was more than I could comprehend.

  Luckily the doctor came in and held a gentle smile. Wheeling a laptop to my side, he began typing notes and asking a few questions. After a quick exam, he exited the room and returned with two police officers causing me to swallow with fear.

  “Ma’am, I’m Officer Gleason, this is Officer Johnson, and we are with the Lakewood Police Department. Do you mind if we talk to you for a few moments?”

  I nodded unsure of what they wanted, yet I had nothing to hide. They asked me about the evening, how I arrived at the club, what I did there, who I saw. What I wasn’t able to tell them was how I left, and ended up in the hospital. Together with the doctor they explained at some point in the evening I had been given the drug rophenal. Because it had been such a short tim
e period, and they were told that is what I was given, they were able to test for it and catch it in my bloodstream.

  “Where is my brother Eli? Where is Hunter? Are they okay?”

  I started to sob uncontrollably with the disaster my life had become. I just wanted to go home.

  “Ma’am, your brother is in the lobby with your parents and Mr. Michaels was released and is on his way to New York with his lawyer. We could not let anyone in to see you until we had spoken to you ourselves to get your side of the story. We have been investigating a long series of date rape crimes and because of last night we were able to finally catch the perpetrator.”

  Shaking my head I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. “Savion? No way. He wouldn’t hurt anyone. It must be a mistake.”

  Officer Gleason walked a little closer to the side of my hospital bed, holding the metal rail for a moment pulling back his lips in a tight line.

  “I’m sorry Ms. Keaton, finger prints have already confirmed he is our suspect. We may need you to testify for us if it goes to trial.”

  Closing my eyes again, I rubbed my face and wiped away more tears. “Are you kidding me?”

  “Afraid not ma’am. Were sorry to tell you that. However, you are a very lucky woman. Some of the victims have been left in pretty bad shape. You managed to escape relatively unharmed, I would say someone is watching over you.”

  I didn’t want to think about what could have happened, and what was happening. It was all too much.

  “Can I please see my family now?”

  “Of course, thank you for your time. Here is our card. We will be in touch. Try and get some rest Ms. Keaton.”

  They officers left the room and brought my family back. My mother ran to me and nearly knocked me off of the bed with her embrace. Eli stood timidly next to my father. I had so many questions but knew not to do it in front of them. I only had one request.

  “Get me out of here.”

  Walking into the empty house without Hunter waiting for me formed a fissure in my heart so deep I was unsure it would ever recover. Across my pillow was a tee shirt he left behind, my face buried in the fabric to capture his scent any chance I could. Clutched to my chest, I feared it would leave just as he did, far too soon. My calls went unanswered, however the phone never stopped ringing with reporters pursuing a story. Our week together had become a tabloid magazines jackpot according to my mother.