Bloody Mary

The car stopped abruptly with a screech. Emma opened the car door and stepped outside. She released a shaky breath as she soothed her sweaty hands on her dress pulling it downwards. It was by far the shortest dress she ever wore in her life, the uneasiness and stress of the whole week crushed her chest even harder. She had chosen her heels consciously and carefully, so she was able to actually walk effortlessly. But as she made her first steps forward, her legs wombled and her toes ached. A deer attempting to cross the road in the middle of the night only to find itself stuck in the headlights of a truck. The so-called truck stood a couple feet away. An enemy to be fought.

It was a chill night of february yet she felt hot and bothered, instinct telling her it was a mistake to be here. She actually contemplated the entire week, day and night managing effortlessly to lose her sleep, after she said yes to the proposition made by her cousin, Alexa, to celebrate the carnival  this saturday night at the famous town’s club, along with her cousin’s friends. The whole town was filled with posters pretty much everywhere. This night was the number one topic of discussion for two whole damn weeks at school. It was expected to be full of people and most importantly full of known people.

We are gonna have so much fun, you will love it! Alexa tried to reassure her all week long as they discussed what they were going to wear. Emma highly doubted she was going to have fun. Her efforts to cheer her up made Emma feel more and more worse as the days flew by. How stupid was she for not being able to say no? For not standing by her own wishes. This wasn’t the way she was used to having fun. Anger bumbling at her chest as she waited for Alexa to reach her side. 

It was all the more punctuated by the fact that her friends denied her proposition to come along. She never had tried to convince someone this hard before, and yet everything she said was met by absolute denial. They never denied her anything this much assertively before, so she was honestly surprised they didn’t give her a chance. And the most disappointing part? They hadn’t even made any plans, they just didn’t want to be here. In the club. Alongside her. How many times Emma had canceled her own plans just because one of them or usually both needed her presence and consulting? 

“Emma you’re a fucking idiot” She mumbled under her breath. 

She didn’t know much about Alexa's friends, she had only exchanged small talk with them but she couldn’t shake the terrible feeling she was unwanted. An instinct or a so-called sixth sense like her grandmother has about people, telling her to run away every time she accidentally crushed them at school. They were always polite with her, but Emma always looked straight in the eyes when someone talked to her, and not even once had she seen warmth or acceptance inside them.  

Alexa walked elegantly in her high heels by her side. The club’s gate in view, friends waiting. She took a deep breath trying so much to hide her incompetence to walk normal, and failing terribly. She guessed, you just couldn’t be something you’re not. 

When they approached their side moments later, they were met with excited faces and bright smiles. Alexa pulled her friends into a group hug, uncontrollable screeching voices, one speaking above the other with the unmistaken cheer of excitement. One couldn’t tell who was speaking. She figured they didn’t care what the other was saying, just the need to spill the words out. Emma stood patiently behind them and tried to smile. God her feet ached! 

One wore a crop top with shorts along with heels high enough to make Emma’s toes hurt more. Her name was Emily. She was extremely snarky and smart enough to avoid any trouble of her own making. She was leaving trouble behind her like a dog rolling into mud.

Another, wore a red mini dress with the unmistakable familiar horns on her head. She rolled her eyes internally. Victoria never surprised her. She was a demon on a daily basis anyway. 

The third one, with a long white fur covering everything beneath, along with the black and white wig was obviously Nikol. She was relatively nicer except for the fact that she was living in a world of her own. She never pays much attention to anyone.  

As if they realized they were being watched, their gazes turned to her, seriousness and all while inspecting her outfit. Emma stubbornly held her ground, smiling brightly. She was so used to this kind of behavior, and she instinctively knew by now how to face it. The sting of criticism hurt the same though. 

She waved and butted her eyelashes. 

“hey giirls” tone successfully cheering. She high fived herself inside. 

“Emma! I’m so glad you made it!” Nikol’s bright red lips expanded as she smiled. 

“I love your costume! The blood on your chin looks so real!” Emma attempted to giggle as Emily gave a thumbs up with a wink. 

“Well, i had some fangs too but i decided against it” 

“Oh my god look at her dress!” Victoria pointed a finger at her.

“She even spilled blood on her dress! Jeez girl, looks like you got your period. Want any tampons?” She nearly screamed the words, making the whole line waiting to go inside turn to her. She opened her purse and searched. 

“Oops I ain’t got any” The corners of her lips turn down in an attempt to look sad. Emma froze. She looked at the dress, brushing her fingers on the fabric. 

It was a black mini dress, given to her by her mother who once upon a time wore it like a second skin, and way more times than she could count. Long before she gave birth to two amazingly kind children. The dress was sputtered with small velvet red roses. It was beautiful. 

“It’s no-not blood. They’re roses. Velvet roses.” She stuttered. She wanted to run. She wanted to hide, preferably under her blankets and cry. Why would she say that?

“Victoria they’re roses” Emily chastised her or she tried to sound like it, but the tone of her voice sounded more like “Biiiitch you nailed it, again!” 

“They are not just roses, bitches. They’re velvet ones. Note the fucking difference.” Nikol rolled her eyes and exhaled annoyed.

“Shall we go inside?” Alexa’s cheering tone broke a piece of Emma’s soul. Why? It wasn't her job to defend her cousin. But Emma wanted to. She wanted someone to actually try to defend her once rather than digging her a grave. A grave for her soul.  

They all turned to walk inside, not giving her a second glance. She took a breath and instantly the voice was there. Go home. Leave this place. She nearly turned around, but her pride wouldn’t let her. She wouldn’t let them know they got into her skin. She just had to go the extra mile tonight if she didn’t want to find herself behind the prison bars. She exhaled while walking on unsteady feet behind them, following them inside, against all instinct screaming at her to run in another direction.   

Their table was one at the far corner of the club. They made their walk through the ocean of bodies, mostly already drunk, dancing along with the music. It took a while for their drinks to be brought, during the time Emma tried so hard to forget the incident outside.

Despite the awkwardness, she managed a smile and attempted small talk. However, the incident outside replayed in her mind, vivid and unrelenting, making a steady ache appear in her chest and a fog of darkness spread in her mind. She desperately avoided the left side of her as Victoria was standing beside her along with Nikol. Both were laughing and dancing boldly making eye contact with the group of men at the table beside them. Alexa was dancing with Emily at the other side of the table. 

Emma closed her eyes, allowing her body to sway subtly with the rhythm, silently pleading for the music to transport her away from her current reality. Yet, no relief came. Waves of sadness and misery continued to surge within her. When the server finally arrived with their drinks, she seized her martini, taking three desperate gulps in quick succession, hoping for some semblance of relief. At this point, she wasn’t even looking around, only into her glass of martini, adoring the slightly bitter taste.

Before she could let the drink on the table the blonde devil beside her took a step towards her and emptied her drink, a bloody-fucking mary onto her. The red drink fell on her chest rushing downwards her belly, thighs and onto the ground. The loud music covered her gasp and the thud of the ice cubes around her feet.  

She breathed shallowly, heart thumping too loud for her own liking as pure shock ran through her veins. Her gaze remained fixed on the cold liquid as it trickled down. Her dress, now ruined, stuck on her like a second skin. 

Her eyes widened, the world around her seeming to slow down as an unmistakable realization hit her with the force of a tempest. It was a moment of stark clarity, as if she had been struck by lightning.

Victoria had a smug look on her face as held her now empty glass in front of her. Her snarky gaze remained locked with Emma’s surprised one. It wasn’t an accident. She emptied her glass on Emma. She did. 

She turned her gaze to the other girls, a silent question in her eyes. 

Did you see this? 

Emily held a hand held up to her mouth, a poor attempt to hide her giggles. 

Her gaze flew to Nikol next, her mouth agape, eyes wide in disbelief.

Alexa, on the other hand, was laughing her head off, a loud screeching sound surpassing even the music. Emma shivered at the sound. It sounded like nails scratching a chalkboard.

Emma wasn’t a violent person, but right now, she would gladly bite their head off. The first violent wave of shock had passed, and now, all she could feel was an overwhelming sense of violence. She could taste the metallic tang of blood in her mouth. The dark fog had become a bloody rain, feeding her existence that was so deprived of kindness.

She took a breath and brought her drink to her lips again, gulping down the whole glass. She wouldn’t waste her precious martini. This body of hers had no need for the horns. For a moment Emma really wondered what was really going on inside her head. What did she do to provoke this ? 

She stared at Victoria. She offered her a smile like no other. Once upon a time, she would have offered a kind one, even in a similar situation. However, the voice inside her head chanted “Not anymore”. She waited for a few moments allowing her to understand what this vicious smile really meant. If the realization struck her, she didn’t show it.  

“You know Victoria, it’s all fun and games until you poke a vampire” 

She did it so fast Vistoria couldn’t even react. Emma smashed the glass on her head so hard, it shattered into hundreds of pieces. Victoria cried as blood was gushing down the right side of her head. She lifted a shaky hand to her head, bringing it down slowly to inspect it. It was painted red. Her legs wobbled like jelly, and she reached out, grasping the edge of the table in a desperate attempt to steady herself.

 “You bitch! You are gonna pay for that!” She shouted while her legs gave away and fell on the floor losing consciousness. The rest of the girls run to her side including Alexa. Emma grabbed her purse and walked out of the pandemonium starting to rise. 

She never looked back.