NYU (Closed)

[Tanned_babe]

“Cheers!!” The three friends shouted as they clinked four chipped coffee mugs together. Jaice winced as the strong Irish coffee caught the back of her throat, nonetheless, the liquid felt good, warming her up, against the freezing temperatures outside. “Another semester passes by and we manage to bullshit our way through.” Baz laughed in his hybrid accent of American-German.

“Speak for yourself! I studied hard for those exams.” Jaice smiled, her Finish accent tainting that of her perfect English.

“You wrote about porn, Jaice. You, wrote about porn! That’s not studying, that’s having an excuse to get off four times a day for two weeks.” Frankie laughed.

“I’m not complaining, Frankie; you’re just jealous.” She smirked as her companion agreed. Jaice’s degree was in Gender Studies and, amongst other modules she had taken one which surrounded the influence of adult material upon contemporary society. Although the Scandinavian was interested in her degree she had no immediate intention in practising it in the real world. At 22, Jaice wanted to focus upon a more arty career, but like many individuals her age she wasn’t quite sure what. Anyway, from her point of view there was no need to think about the future because, at the moment, she was extremely content. The androgynous, shaggy haired blonde, got paid to do what she loved: party, drink and mix music on account of her DJing three nights a week at Sub Club; a club in Williamsburg, whilst putting herself through NYU.

"What time do we need to get there by tonight, J?" Frankie questioned, "It better not be too early, I hate arriving to these things sober!"

"You hate doing anything sober, Frankie." Jaice teased, taking another swig from her coffee cup. "Apparently the house has a set of decks, so all I need to do is rock up with a USB and some records, but I'll be fucked if I'm taking quality to this party. It'll just be a bunch of rich kids who have no respect for anything. Plus, there's another guy gonna- hang on." Feeling a vibration against her thigh, Jaice retrieved her iPhone from the confines of her black skinny jeans. “Hey?” She questioned, not recognising the number. “Oh, hi, Louise.” She sighed, glaring at her flatmates as they sniggered. “Tonight? No, no- I’m afraid I’m working” She lied. “And, yeah tomorrow’s out for me too. Tell you what; I’ll give you a call soon, yeah? Well I know, but I’ve had exams and stuff. Look, I have to go.”

“When are you going to learn to stop picking the bunny boilers?” Baz sighed, sitting down at the kitchen table and rolling a cigarette.

“It’s not my fault the ones that are mental are also the hottest! Anyway, I’m away for a run before we consume our body weight in whiskey later on.”

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Her feet hit the pavement on the Williamsburg Bridge in time with a Martin Garrix mix as the wind and sleet flew into her face. She knew people were looking her sideways, wondering why on earth she wasn’t in a gym; however, growing up in Finland, a little bit of sleet was nothing. Furthermore, having being confined to the University library for the majority of the past two weeks, being outside for an extended period of time felt like a luxury. She ran right down to the entrance of Central Park before turning back, her long legs keeping a good pace, even up the steep hills she encountered on the way back home.

Jaice really liked New York. Coming from a small Finish city this surprised her. Her country's liberal stance on social and political matters also created doubts with regards to her move to the States. However, this city had been a pleasant surprise; prior to commencing her studies she had spent three months traveling in The South and although Jaice had enjoyed it, she was pleased to report New York was worlds apart. The city allowed her to be herself, there was always something cool to do and above all, she had made some great friends since arriving.

Giving herself a subconscious shake, as she just realised she had been running along with a rather stupid smile on her face, Jaice stopped at the grocery store a few blocks from home to get a few things for tonight's party. It wasn’t their typical scene- that usually involved some alternative club or getting high at a party in some dingy Brooklyn apartment. However, thanks to her growing reputation on the decks and a few mutual friends she had been convinced to go.

Handing over $60 to pay for several bottles of JD and a bottle of tequila, the clerk gave the androgynous Lycra clad Fin a sideways glance. Jaice narrowed her eyes in response, she guessed the server was trying to either figure out why someone would go out running in such weather, or trying to figure out her gender, as her shaggy blonde hair was currently hidden by her Nike running hat. "Your, I.D?!" Or she wants to see my ID, Jaice smiled to herself- another custom she was still getting used to.

------------------------------------------------------------------

Checking her appearance in the reflection of the subway window, Jaice fixed her hair that had been more dishevelled by the weather. Not that it mattered too much, she usually sported a more fashionably unkempt look- ironically, this took some time to achieve. She had chosen a vintage Velvet Underground t shirt- the Andy Warhol one- which was now a tank top, on account of her cutting the sleeves off, revealing not only her toned upper arms, one of which was clad in ink, but a sliver of black bra which hugged her ribs. The white of the distressed top contrasted appropriately with her black skinny jeans; not that anyone could see this outfit at the moment, her body was incased in a large parka. In fact, this coupled with her Doc Martens, bobble hat and vintage leather rucksack one would struggle to decipher the girl was attending a party. Baz nudged her arm. 'Here.' He handed her a hip flask. Accepting it she took it, tilting it towards him before taking a long drink. The three flat mates had been joined by others they hung with from the university- it was going to be an amazing night, as everyone seemed to be celebrating their results.

After the subway journey, which included several changes the party arrived at their destination. "I have four missed calls from, Carrie and she's text wondering when we are getting there." Matt said, in a slightly worried voice. Jaice inquired as to who she was and why she cared as to where they were. "It's her house, I told her you'd be there at 10pm to start."

"Well, I'll get there when I get there, the bitch can wait and you probably won't get laid. Simple." Jaice knew how men's brains worked, much because she could relate. John was ever the 'nice' guy when it came to girls, but this was just so he could get them into bed- or so Jaice had heard.

"Ever the feminist." Frankie sighed, taking her friends arm and walking her quickly ahead of the group. "Can you try and have a night where you are not an asshole?!" Frankie hissed.

"You Americans, you take everything so seriously." Jaice smiled, readjusting her grip on her box of records. "This is the street, we are here- see no big deal!" The tall blonde announced. Walking up the drive way of the large house, it was evident a party was well underway. Not waiting for someone to answer the door, Jaice and Frankie made their way inside.

---------------------------------

The fingertips of her left hand guided the vinyl in an expert fashion whilst her right turned on of the many dials on the decks in front of her; she stared intently at the screen of the Mac Book Pro, biting her lip and breaking into a smile as the beat manipulated exactly how she had planned. Subconsciously, Jaice's head moved to the beat and she allowed herself the pleasure of a swig of Jack Daniels as she gazed around the hedonic atmosphere around her. She had earned this night, and was going to make the most of it. Baz, having just popped a couple of pills picked up the mic beside her. "Is everyone ready to fuck shit up?!" At this, Jaice almost laughed her drink out of her nose.

"Seriously, Baz?!" She shouted.

"How much has this party picked up since this girl got up here? How fucking much?!" He shouted, putting his arm round Jaice, who uncharacteristically blushed slightly- she was drunk, but wanted to have a good couple of hours mixing before getting completely wasted. Responding to her friends mood, the 21 year old upped the tempo of the beat, receiving a resounding sound of approval from the hundred or so revellers, squeezed into the room.

 

[cbelle02]

"God dammit!" Mila cursed as her shivering fingers struggled to unlock the door to her apartment. It was a small, one bedroom, and the cheapest she could find. Hence the rickety lock that required a precise patterns of jiggles to work. Finally the door swung open and she sighed with relief at the warmth that greeted her. At least the heat worked. She didn't know if she'd ever get used to New York winters.

Mila grew up in the southern U.S. and lived there until she left for New York to attend NYU. She wanted a change of scenery and to get away from the staunch conservativeness that dominated much of the south. She'd never really felt like she belonged there. However, the winters here made her long for the milder days back home that hardly ever necessitated more than a jacket and boots.

She shrugged out of her heavy wool coat, sweater, gloves and scarf, tossing them on the sofa. Mila had no intentions of leaving New York, despite the cold. She was in her last year at NYU and had just finished up her next to last semester. Throughout the past four years, she'd managed to maintain a near perfect grade point average and was intent on starting her career as soon as possible.

She was proud of her hard work and her accomplishments. This past semester had been particularly rough and she was glad that it was over. Maybe she'd go out tonight with Tobias to dinner or something to celebrate. Mila considered herself a bit of a homebody, though she did go out for the occasional drink with friends or had them over for game nights. She wasn't so much the big party type of girl.

She pulled the cap from her head, shaking out her long chestnut curls. Her phone rang and she smiled when she saw it was Tobias. She'd been dating him the past year and he'd definitely brought an extra spark of fun to her life. He was funny, intelligent, outgoing, and usually ran by the seat of his pants, which Mila admired.

"Hey babe." She answered brightly in the southern accent she hadn't quite lost in her time in New York. "What's up?"

Tobias' familiar deep voice spoke through the phone. "Hey! So, I was thinking. You've had kind of a stressful semester but you totally pulled it off. We both kicked ass and I'm so proud of you. So...hear me out, ok?"

Mila sighed. 'Hear me out' always came before something he knew Mila wouldn't be into or that would take some convincing on his part. And he usually did. And she'd always managed to have fun. Tobias had that effect on her.

"Go on, Toby." She said, waiting to hear what he had in mind.

"Alright. So, you remember Carrie, right? Well, she's having this kick ass party at her house. And by kick ass, I mean, there's gonna be tons of everything you could want to drink, inhale, eat, or otherwise consume and a DJ producing some wicked tunes. I know lots of people isn't your style, but I promise you'll have fun. And we really could use the chance to blow off some steam. Come on, babe!" Tobias sounded so excited that Mila felt guilty about her groan. He knew just how to work her.

"Fine." She said. "But don't abandon me around a bunch of freaks I don't know."

Tobias laughed. "I promise that won't happen again. I'll pick you up at 930."
~~~~~~~~

Mila glanced at her reflection in the floor length mirror of her bedroom. She wasn't in bad shape, she thought. Despite her homebody nature, she did like to get out to the gym a few times a week and she enjoyed long walks in the solitude of the park trails when it wasn't freezing out. She was on the short side, standing 5'4 with a curvy but toned figure. The outfit she wore tonight, a pair of dark denim jeans and a black clingy sweater, accentuated her narrow waist, modest chest, and full hips. Of course, none of that would be seen once she threw on her multiple winter layers.

Despite that though, Tobias still whistled when he saw her. She rolled her eyes at him. "Thanks babe." She said with a light kiss and got into his car.

~~~~~~~~~

Mila and Tobias had been at the party for almost half an hour. So far, to Mila, it was just a bunch of people crowded together, with loud music, drinking, eating or smoking something. Toby didn't seem to mind though, as he was dragging her from room to room to talk with this person or that. A few drinks did help her come out of her shell, however.

Eventually, they both noticed a commotion in one of the bigger rooms. Apparently, the DJ had arrived. The loud music that had been blasting through stereo speakers faded. Momentarily, it was replaced by what Mila could only describe as a sick beat. She was drawn into the room with the crowd who apparently were "ready to fuck this shit up."

She squeezed through the crowd with Tobias as the tempo picked up. One thing Mila could appreciate was good tunes and this...she caught a break in the crowd and saw the DJ at the head of the room behind the decks...this girl was fucking throwing it down. The guy beside her was pumping up the crowd as well.

Something about the girl struck her though. Her features and nearly white blond hair appeared not quite American. Her androgynous appearance was intriguing and she exuded confidence and fun.

"She's pretty good." She shouted over the music into Tobias' ear as he returned with another drink for her and a couple of E.

"Yeah, I knew you'd like it. I told you this would do you some good, babe!" He laughed and placed one of the pills into her open mouth.

With that, Mila found herself lost in the beat of the music, dancing amongst the other bodies around her. It felt good to release herself of everything outside of just this moment.

 

[Tanned_babe]

Jaice was enjoying herself far more than she'd expected, not that that the young woman would admit to finding such a mainstream setting anything other than mundane. It was a break from her usual haunt, the generous supply of quality alcohol, the food and this large lavish house- what student even has a house like this?! The only thing that wasn't too different was the drugs.

As the night progressed the young DJ increased the depth of base; enjoying the appreciation she was getting from the crowd. They were loving it! And it gave her such a rush that she was yet to consume anything more than a few modest glasses of whiskey. She liked watching bodies manipulate themselves to the sounds that she created, seeing her friends have fun, seeing- then a particular girl caught her eye, she had a beautiful kind face, but her chestnut curls were what really caught, Jaice's eye.

The girl wasn't the type that usually caught the Fin's eye. She tended to go for girls who knew how to have a good time; tall, toned, striking. At the moment bisexuality was very much in fashion, and Jaice enjoyed exploiting this fad. However, being someone's experiment for a few months could wear thin; again, not something the Scandinavian would admit.

Just as she was returning her concentration to the task at hand, Frankie was at Jaice's side, drunkenly slinging an arm over her friend's shoulder. 'You're insane, Babe.' The young woman smiled, offering, Jaice a drink from her glass which she accepted. 'Going to be a great friend and get me my own?' She smiled.

'I got you something else...' Frankie shouted over the music, slipping a bag of white powered into her comrades tight jeans. Jaice smiled, raising a sculpted eyebrow in her friend's direction.

Knowing what was in her pocket, made the DJ want to enjoy the party on her own terms. It was after 1am now and the revellers where pretty fucked up. So she decided to stick on an hour long mix from her SoundCloud and made her way through to the throng of young bodies into the kitchen.

"Jaice! You killed it up there!" A perky blonde beamed before hugging her. "Thanks so much." Having no idea who the girl was, Jaice had to enquire. "I'm, Carrie! This is my party." She slurred.

"Ah, of course! You wanna make it up to me?" She quizzed, but did not wait for an answer before putting an arm round the girl. "See that guy over there?" She pointed with a glass in hand to, Matt, who was laughing with Baz outside on the balcony. "If you just went outside and humoured him, even. That would be great." She winked before continuing into the kitchen.

Ignoring the other guests in the kitchen, the young woman's at down at the cluttered table and set to taking care of her narcotics. Quickly she was joined by, Baz. "You're like a fly round shit." she winced as she, handing him a rolled up twenty.

Standing up, the music suddenly sounded better. Was this her? It was really good, she smiled to herself. Taking another drink she closed her eyes, enjoying the taste, the feel of higher glass on her mouth, even just standing was giving her a buzz. A sudden smash, brought her back to life. She had dropped her glass: amber liquid and shards pooled at her feet- how artistic. Nonetheless, she cursed before sweeping the glass to the skirting board with her Doc Martens.

Just as she was doing so a figure stepped in front of her, and at risk of them stepping on the shards, Jaice instinctively reached out for the body, stopping them from where they were about to tread. "Woah there!" She said as she firmly, yet gently she pressed her hand into the girl's midriff. In her hyped up intoxicated state, the Scandinavian took a minute to place the pretty girl. "Do I know you? We have a module together, right?"

Seeing the perplexed expression on the young woman's face. Get it together, Girl! She cursed herself. The hair, where was the hair from? It was from two hours ago, you moron! "Sorry. You look like someone I know." Jaice lied. "And I've just, y'know." Gesturing to the small bag of powder in her hand. "Anyway... I'm gonna get another drink. Want one?"

 

[cbelle02]

Despite her reservations about coming to these sorts of things, Mila actually was having a great time. Perhaps the alcohol and E helped, along with the general vibe of the place. And not to mention the the killer beats that seemed to pulse through her as if a part of her.

Tobias pressed close to her, wrapping a single arm around her waist, kissing her neck. "Hey babe..." He said into her ear. "I just saw Luke and Darin, I'm gonna go say hi. I'll be right back, I swear!" He extracted himself from her and floated away.

Mila rolled her eyes. Right. She'd probably see him in a hour. That's how these things usually went. Tobias liked to socialize and Mila liked to feel the atmosphere and just be in the moment. So that's what she did. For a while. Flowing through the sea of bodies, not really seeing any of them. When it became clear that Tobias wasn't coming back for a while, she decided she needed another drink.

The music from the other room hardly dimmed at all as she made her way through to the kitchen. The voices and people were a blur as she squeezed past them. She entered the kitchen, heading toward the plethora of liquors and beer on the counter, in coolers, and the fridge.

Suddenly, a voice rang out and Mila was very keenly aware of a hand on her waist. She froze, taking a moment to process what was happening. She looked up first, into the face of the blonde DJ, then down at the broken glass.

"Oh shit!" she cursed, taking a step back.

"Do I know you?" The other girl asked in an accent that Mila couldn't quite place but was thoroughly intoxicated by anyway. "We have a module together, right?"

Mila frowned and shook her head. "No...I don't think so." I definitely would have remembered you, she thought. She smiled again as the blonde chalked it up to a mistake and the substance in the bag.

Before she could say anything else the DJ offered her a drink.

The brunette held up her empty glass. "Sure. That's what I was coming in here for anyway, before I nearly slashed my foot apart. Thankfully, you saved my life so that I can live to drink another day!" She rolled her eyes at her lame joke.

Carefully, she navigated around the broken glass to follow the other girl. "So...you really know what you're doing on the decks." She said. "I don't wanna sound like a total fangirl, but your shit is like orgasms for my ears."

She blushed slightly at the laughter from the other girl as she replied. "Well...thank you. I suppose if I am giving you orgasms I should at least know your name."

"Mila." She answered as she poured a generous amount of whiskey into her glass before adding Coke.

"Call me Jaice." The other girl replied as she put together her own drink, equally as strong if not more so that Mila's. "Nice to meet you, Mila."

Mila couldn't quite put a finger on what drew her to Jaice, but she found herself not wanting to give up her presence just yet. Maybe it was the accent and her heightened senses were making it that more appealing.

"To fucking good beats." Mila grinned, tapping her glass to Jaice's. She took a long drink, groaning as the whiskey burned deep in her chest.

Jaice laughed in agreement then held up the little baggy in her hand. "You wanna?" She asked.

Mila wasn't exactly a prude when it came to various drugs. Coke however, was one she'd not yet done. But she had no reason to say no. In fact she was pretty sure she would have said yes to most anything Jaice had suggested at that point in time. She was feeling too good not to.

Mila laughed and nodded. "Well fuck, why not?" She grinned and took another long drink. Jaice pressed a hand to the small of her back to push her through the crowd toward the bathrooms. It was only a light touch, but to Mila it felt as if her entire palm was being branded into her flesh.

They made it to the bathroom just as a guy and girl exited, flushed and breathing heavily, the girls skirt was askew, making it obvious what had just happened. They hurried past though unaware of anyone else.

Mila raised an eyebrow at Jaice, who just laughed and led them into the bathroom, locking the door behind them.

 

[Tanned_babe]

"You saved my life so that I can live to drink another day!"

"It was me being an asshole that almost caused you to lose a limb, if we're being dramatic," Jaice smiled. Instantly warming to the girl's bubbly personality.

As they chinked glasses, Jaice kept her grey eyes on, Mila, watching her wince as the girl consumed her drink. She was really spectacular and that slight Southern accent she had was a smooth as honey being poured from a jar.

As the two exchanged pleasantries, Jaice poured a couple of hearty measures into two glasses. "In Finland, women who can drink whiskey are automatically deemed more attractive, regardless of any other characteristic. I think it's a macho thing- like, how would you say here... Maybe like one of the boys or something. I dunno." The Fin's head was a hazy mix of adrenaline and comedown. Deciding to not waist the headonistic feeling, the androgynous blonde offered her new acquaintance some narcotics.

As, Mila agreed, Jaice bit her bottom lip. "Well, aren't you wicked?" She smirked raising a sculpted eyebrow as she looked down at the curvy figure before her.

Having made several failed attempts to locate an unoccupied room downstairs, Jaice led the way to the first floor of, Carrie's house. "How do you know the girl throwing the party?" Jaice enquired, taking two steps at a time. When, Mila answered, "Ah ok. Me? I don't know her- just my friend wants to bang her, so I got roped into coming along. It's a bit organised for me."

Upon reaching a large bathroom the two waited outside for a minute. "So, you at NYU?" Jaice enquired. Leaning against the wall of the hallway, her hands shoved into the pocket of her jeans. It was evident there were a couple in the bathroom. "Fuck this." She muttered before proceeding to bang on the door with some force. "Come on, kids, wrap it up."

A couple of minutes later a bedraggled looking couple came out the door. "What the fuck, bitch?!" The young guy protested.

Jaice looked at him lazily, "Go take her into the bedroom. At least she'll be a bit more comfortable when she's faking it. No one screams like that 2 minutes in!" She snarled, gently guiding, Mila into the large bathroom. She shut the door and locked it, ignoring the barrage of abuse coming from the other side.

"I never and will never understand what our sex see in that of the opposite." She sighed. As much to herself as to, Mila. "God, who needs all this crap?!" She was now raking through the contents of a large medicine cabinet. "Night cream, day cream, face mask, scrub, fake tan.." She sighed again, before shutting the cupboard, her bare arms flexing as she did so. "Sorry." She smiled, realising she was probably preaching to the wrong person.

Jaice prospered herself up on the marble beside the sink, considering the girl before her. "You're Southern, right?" She enquired, starting the prepare the cocaine. "I thought you guys weren't really on board with the whole 'fun' thing. Is New York not a total internal conflict?" She asked, handing a rolled up twenty over.

Once Mila was done, Jaice took the rolled up note from her. "Good effort! How do you feel?" The Fin did not wait for an answer before proceeding with her intake. Doing one, two, two and a half lines she snapped her head back, instantly feeling her eyes begin to water and brain begin to spin.

Trying to formulate a sentence took a great deal of effort on, Jaice's part. Finally she was able to express that she'd like to go back downstairs. "As much fun as it is to sit here in this bathroom, we shouldn't waist this. Wanna go dance?" She asked, moving towards the bathroom door.

 

[cbelle02]

"How do you know the girl throwing the party?" Jaice asked as she practically bounded up the stairs. Mila's shorter legs struggled to keep up. "I don't actually." She said once they'd reached the top. "I mean, not really. We have mutual friends. What about you?"

"Ah ok." Jaice replied. "Me? I don't know her- just my friend wants to bang her, so I got roped into coming along. It's a bit organised for me."

"Oh...so sounds like we're in similar boats. I kind of got dragged here tonight. But at least you provided some good jams so you definitely made it worth it." Mila gave her a small smile.

So, you at NYU?" Jaice asked as they waited by the bathroom door. But before Mila could answer, she was banging on the door, yelling at the couple inside. Finally, they barged out, spitting curses and Jaice ushered her in and locked the door. There was something about the tall blonde yelling in that accent of hers that made her sound all that more fierce.

While Jaice made the preparations, Mila leaned against the wall, watching her deft fingers work. "You're Southern, right?" The blonde asked, glancing over at her. "I thought you guys weren't really on board with the whole 'fun' thing. Is New York not a total internal conflict?"

Mila laughed. "That's the whole reason I'm in New York actually. The typical kind of fun down south involves cheap beer, loud trucks, and rednecks. Or bibles. Never been my style. So, I came here for school. And yeah, I do go to NYU. I'm a senior."

After Jaice had finished, she offered the first to her. Mila took a single line and handed it back, leaning her head against the wall as it started to swim.

"I feel good!" She exclaimed when Jaice asked how she felt, herself taking substantially more than Mila had. "As much fun as it is to sit here in this bathroom, we shouldn't waist this. Wanna go dance?" Jaice asked after she'd finished, already opening the door.

"Of course!" Mila agreed. Currently, she felt as if she could dance all night. The two girls exited the bathroom, hurrying down the stairs. The DJ's mix blared from the speakers as they made their way to the main room.

They made their way into the crowd of dancing people, finding an open spot. Mila let the music move her, feeling every pulse and beat flow through her body as they danced. She kept her eyes on Jaice, admiring the way her body moved so seamlessly and perfectly.

She was so lost in the music, and dancing, and watching Jaice that she didn't hear Tobias calling her name until she felt him grab her shoulder. She jumped, shaken out of her reverie. In her state, it took her a moment to process the face that had popped up beside her.

Oh right. Tobias. Fuck. She'd forgotten all about him. It seemed Jaice had a way of making her forget he even existed. "Hey Toby!" She gasped, hugging him tightly. She pulled back, still dancing, her body incapable of being still. "This is Jaice, the fucking kick ass DJ! Jaice, Tobias."

Tobias gave Jaice a simple curt nod and turned back to Mila, grabbing her hand and pulling her aside. "Where the fuck have you been? I've been looking all over this whole damn house for you!" He hissed in her ear. Mila jumped back, surprised at his sudden anger.

"What the hell, Toby?" She tried to keep her voice low, which was difficult with the blaring music. "You were off with Luke and Darin. Was I supposed to wait for you and not have any fun of my own?" She glanced back apologetically at Jaice, hoping she wouldn't walk away.

"No, but you could at least answer your phone." Toby replied, glaring toward Jaice. "But I guess you were too distracted with your new friend." He said the last word with disgust. Mila didn't respond, only studying Tobias for a moment. He wasn't usually this irrationally angry or jealous. She chalked it up to whatever drug cocktail he was on that the moment.

"Look, you're being stupid and rude right now." She said finally. "I don't know what you're on but maybe you should go home and chill."

"Fine." He growled, taking her hand again. "Let's go."

"No." She yanked her hand from his. "I'm having a good time! I'm not ready to leave. Go home, Tobias! Call me when you're feeling more rational."

She turned around, grateful to see Jaice still nearby, her body moving to the music. Mila caught her eye as she started to walk toward her, ready to apologize for Tobias' behavior. But then she felt him grab her shoulder from behind. "I'm not leaving without you!" He yelled, catching the attention of a few others nearby.

"God dammit, Toby! Just go home! I'll see you tomorrow!" She was thoroughly annoyed and embarrassed and honestly just wanted to get back to Jaice. Jaice was fun. She was exciting. She was refreshing. And Tobias was totally harshing the vibe.

 

[Tanned_babe]

Jaice too was lost in the music, the coke having sent her to a higher level. One where you didn’t just hear the music but felt it move through your body. Her lean figure moved with her new companion’s, probably a little too close given they’d only just met, but right now who cared? They didn’t touch, not yet, simply danced for a while, the odd glance shared.

Despite the tough semester, the Finnish student had been using hard recently and although what she’d taken wasn’t bad quality the effects were wearing off quickly. In light of this, she became aware of the handsome boy shouting before Mila.

She didn’t bother distancing herself from the girl. If anything she danced a fraction closer to the pretty girl whilst smirking at the boy, a flash of anger jolting across his face. And with that, Jaice watched the couple’s argument unfold. She distanced herself enough so she was not dancing with the girl, but was close enough to hear and see parts of the lovers' tiff. And people wondered why she stayed single.

When, however Tommy, or whatever his name was, grabbed Mila’s slender shoulder and yanked her with some force that was a different matter. Jaice stopped dancing, grey eyes turning a shade darker as she moved with intent towards the boy. However other’s had the same idea. It may be a room full of drunken college kids, but credit where credit’s due, laying hands on a girl was obviously frowned upon.

Within seconds a small brawl had erupted in the middle of the lavish room. It was nothing too spectacular but instinctively, Jaice moved towards the scuffle to pull Mila away from the drama. Slender fingers, firm but gentle encased the shorter woman’s arm, but only momentarily. Mila’s male friend was propelled backwards and slammed into Jaice; in her induced state the androgynous figure lost her balance and landed on the floor. As quickly as she was on her ass she was back up. Someone had jumped to her defence, pushing Toby back and he turned round. Jaice was strong, quick, but she wasn’t about to try her luck with this guy, not only was he big but when people were drugged up they could be irrational. She’d know.

The blonde girl was suddenly aware that the pretty student was asking her if she was ok, there was a hand on her bare arm. Grey eye’s found Mila’s. “Don’t worry about it.” She shrugged, shifting her gaze to Toby before arching a neat eyebrow. Without another word, her hand wrapped around the back of Mila’s neck, the other gripping her trim waist; she felt good. Jaice kissed her, hard on the mouth and although it only lasted a few seconds she was sure the girl melted into her, just a bit, before they untangled themselves. The cocky Fin smirked at the girl’s boyfriend before looking at the Southerner. “Let me know if he." She glanced at Toby, "Gives you any trouble.” And with that, Jaice made her escape from the drama.


Four weeks later.

“So, how have you been, Jaylah?” A bespectacled woman in a plaid skirt and black sweater asked.

The lean figure twitched and sniffed. I’ve not been great, she thought. “Ok, thanks.” She mumbled from the battered leather sofa. Bony elbows rested on her knees, legs splayed in an unfeminine fashion and her unkempt hair fell over her bowed head.

“How was Christmas?” She really wasn’t very good at this whole shrink thing; probably why she was almost free. Fucking American healthcare. Back home she’d be seen for free by some expert in grieving children, but here, well this cunt couldn’t even get her name right.

Her left leg, clad in dirty black jeans, jiggled up and down uncontrollably. “Ok, thanks.” She managed, barely, feeling a burning in her already red eyes.

“You need to start talking about this. Its why you are here.” The woman sighed and stood up. “Jaylah?” She said with a mixture of impatience and sympathy. Jaice didn’t react, her neck merely twitched and her legs continued to shudder up and down. “Jaylah, I can’t treat you if you’ve taken something. We’ve been through this.”

That suited the Fin fine. She hated these bullshit sessions; the ones in October had been better; she’d seen a beautiful med student doing some research on grieving daughters. However, their time was called short when the two young woman started using the hour long weekly meeting to get to know one another on a more intimate level that was allowed. As far as Jaice was concerned it was the perfect pick-me-up, in the short term anyway. However, having said that leaving now suited her fine, Jaice couldn’t quite bring herself to go back to her apartment; her housemates were back now and she’s have to play ‘life and soul’, the gregarious dyke who didn’t give a fuck about anything. It was an exhausting mask to wear.

“Christmas was hard.” She sniffed, a fat tear finally falling down her angular face. “We are all just sitting there. Like idiots. She’d want us to be laughing and happy. But, my father- he’s, he’s not in a good place.”

“Did he hit you, Jaylah.?”

“What?” Her dark eyes flew up to meet those of the sad looking, plump woman before her. “What did you just say?” She snarled, her Finnish accent heavy. The woman repeated her question, oblivious to it ridiculousness. “My life isn’t some Scandi drama where all men are barbaric hunters who attack women.” When she was intoxicated, upset or both her usually fluent English could slip. “He’s lost his wife. That doesn’t mean he would-“ She stood up, glaring down at the woman. Rage pulsed through her; what the woman had said wasn’t all that was pressing upon her. Everything was just, just, just unfair. Why her? Why them?

She had to leave before she did something stupid. Without another word she headed out of the small office without any plea to stay from the councillor. She shut the door behind her, banging it so loudly she felt it vibrate. The Student Union felt claustrophobic and she headed for the nearest exit. The door was jammed, but she needed out, needed out now. Jaice was on a bad ride she needed to get off of, the walls were pressing upon her. Fresh air. Fresh air is all she needed and she’d be fine. With as much force as the lean figure could muster Jaice kicked the bar across the door and it gave way. A rush of cool air hitting her hot damp face. She strode out, ignoring the fact she’d set off the fire alarm.

Moments later she heard someone behind her calling her name. Ignoring the caller, Jaice pulled up the hood of her grey sweater and stuffed her hands into the pockets of her jeans. It was so bloody cold. “Hey!” She felt someone pull at the jumper’s material and despite herself, the last thing she wanted was for anyone to see her like this, she whipped round, cuffing her face as she did so.

 

[cbelle02]

Mila wasn't sure how or when it happened. One minute she was dancing with Jaice, then she was arguing with Toby, and the next was a ball of confusion. A brawl seemed to have broken out with other party goers coming to her defense. Punches were thrown and as Mila tried to duck out of the way, she felt Jaice's hand trying to pull her free from the ruckus. Jaice was knocked down but before she had time to ask if she was ok, she was up again and her lips were locked with Mila's. Maybe it was the shock of it all, but for a moment, all she felt was the other woman's lips on hers. She tasted...amazing. And then, just as she found herself returning the kiss, Jaice pulled away and was gone. It took Mila a moment to return to the dying ruckus around her. Someone was leading her out of the room, calling her a cab, promising to calm Toby down before they let him go home.

Toby didn't come home until the next morning. They'd had a long talk and he'd apologized. She'd forgiven him and they'd moved on. Still, Mila couldn't forget the mysterious girl she'd met at the party. She wanted to know more, but it appeared that ship had sailed.

Over the next few weeks, their relationship remained rocky, with a few more outbursts from Toby. Looking back, she could have seen this coming. He was doing more drugs and seeming more on edge even before the incident at the party. After that, things had escalated quickly until Mila had had enough. She broke things off with Toby. She wasn't happy about it, in fact, it was one of the hardest break ups she'd ever had. Yet she knew it had to happen. She couldn't be with him until he was willing to get himself together. And he wasn't.

A week later, still reeling a bit, she walked out of her math class to make her way across campus to the dining hall. She noticed the fire alarm had been tripped at the Student Union, but that didn't hold her attention long because up ahead, she saw her. No, it wasn't her. Was it? A brief glance at her face before she made efforts to hide it, confirmed. Jaice.

Mila hurried across the quad toward her. "Jaice!" She yelled. "Hey wait!" Jaice didn't appear to hear her and kept walking. Mila caught up to her. "Hey!" She said, tugging on her jacket. Jaice turned around, covering her face. Maybe she didn't recognize her. "It's Mila, from the party the other night." But something was off. "Hey, are you ok?" She asked, reaching to pull her hands away from her face.

 

[Tanned_babe]

She wiped her face with the cuff of her grey sweater; the material hung very loosely around her torso. Jaice has always had a slight figure, but the garment was definitely hanging off her more so than a few months ago. We're people not supposed to gain weight over Christmas?

Before she could bring her hand way it was done so for her. She remembered the girl's face, but where from? The party, the girl reminded her? Which one? Between finishing her exams and going back to Finland for Christmas she'd been out every night.

"I'm fine, I'm fine." She smiled, the expression not quite meeting those dark, dilated, eyes. "It was nice to see you, Mila but I have to go." She couldn't stand still right now, needed to walk, needed a drink, a strong drink, alone.

She turned away from the auburn haired Southerner and continued in the direction off campus, only to be aware of the girl still at her side asking her something. "I'm fine." She shrugged, red eyes. "Just a heavy night last night, you know how it is." The tall blonde girl lied easily, or thought she did.

The girl didn't seem to take the hint and walked beside Jaice, trying to talk to her. It was a busy bit of sidewalk, lots of students milling around in the cold, freshmen excited to be back chirped around them. Memories of that party last month started coming back to the Fin; Mila had been nice, she was beautiful, a bit of fun before her boyfriend had got involved.

"I'm going in here." Jaice sniffed eventually, indicating to the door. It was a bar for sure, but not the type typically frequented by students, especially young female students. But here, the young woman knew she'd get cheap whiskey and be able to sit in silence for a few hours. This was all it took to recover from the failed counselling session, that's all she needed, then she could go home and return to normal.

 

[cbelle02]

Something was definitely off. Jaice had a glossy distant look in her eyes and she quickly brushed Mila off. But Mila wouldn't allow that and followed her anyway. Maybe she should take the hint, that Jaice just didn't want to talk to her and move on. But something told her that wasn't all that was driving the blonde's odd behavior. It was clear that she was high on who knew what, but Mila knew a distraught person when she saw one.

Jaice's explanation would have been believable if she maybe hadn't been so insistent. Mila wasn't having it. She continued walking with Jaice, though she didn't press her for more information yet.

Jaice stopped and indicated she wanted to go into the bar. Couldn't the stubborn girl see she just wanted to be alone?

Mila wanted to get the other woman to a better place, a better state of mind. One she doubted she'd get here. But she also didn't want to push her away. So she decided to take an approach that didn't press for information, one that would allow her to talk when she was ready, putting the ball in her court.

"Ok. But I was just gonna pop down the street for a cup of coffee and I'd really like some company." She said, with a smile.

Jaice hesitated. "Look, Mila. Thanks for the invite, but I really just need to be alone right now." She told her, reaching for the door to the bar, eager to be free of her and escape into her own drug and booze induced safe space.

Mila stepped in front of her between Jaice and the door, hands on her hips, head cocked to the side. "Yeah, but see, I don't really agree with that. Come on and have some coffee with me. Warm yourself up. Then, you can come back here if you want. Promise."

 

[Tanned_babe]

"...I don't really agree with that."

The Fin was taken aback; Jaice was dominant, always the girl who called the shots, got her own way; people eventually went along with her plans no matter their ridiculousness. However, this was when she was being charismatic, able to flash a devilish smile, femininely handsome. Currently this wasn't the case and she was out her depth as she regarded the girl before her through dilated pupils, trying to process her.

She gave up. The only conclusion she could force her brain to ascertain was that Mila, in her kind yet commanding tone was very attractive. Maybe she was exactly what she needed right now. "How about we go-" For God's Sake, she twitched again in self frustration. The Southerner was stunningly pretty, probably smart too. Meanwhile, the tall blonde was a mess; unwashed clothes, red eyes and blonde hair that seemed to have taken on a life of its own; she ran a slender hand through it at the thought. All asking Mila back to her apartment, Christ the mess of it, was just going to embarrass herself further if she went there.

"Fine." Jaice sighed, not in her usual impatient tone, but soft defeatist before walking with the auburn haired girl down the street.

The busy cafe was a far cry from the bar she was about to go into; reclaimed furniture made up the tables and chairs, menus folded into old tin cans, Bon Iver playing softly in the background and a large chalk board behind the counter showing every type of coffee one could dream of.

Jaice could feel eyes on her, whether fictitious or not was another question, and she kept her hood up, rubbing her hands against opposite arms to try and bring some heat to her. What was she thinking only being out in this sweater?

"Here." She said to her companion who was consulting the board and handed her a twenty, still rolled. "Get me whatever you're having." And with that she slink off to find the quietest table she could find.

Jaice was in a both in the far corner, nails drumming on the table as her left leg jolted up and down. Seeing the auburn haired girl approach the tall blonde tried to stop, but within seconds was fidgeting again. In an attempt to deflect any conversation from herself, Jaice asked her how school was going before the tray had even hit the table.

 

[cbelle02]

Mila was relieved when Jaice agreed to go with her. She had expected a bit more resistance, but maybe that was a sign of just how rough the girl was feeling. Not enough energy to tell her to piss off any further.

Once in the shop, Mila took the money Jaice gave her and watched her trudge to a corner booth. She pocketed the bill and stood in line. As she waited to order, she kept glancing over her shoulder to make sure Jaice hadn't decided to make an escape.

Once their orders were ready, she brought both cups and a piece of chocolate cheesecake to the table. Surprisingly, Jaice spoke up as she approached.

She sat the tray on the table and took a seat, handing her a cup along with the twenty. "My treat this time." She insisted. "And school is fine." She shrugged, taking a long sip of her coffee. "I mean, my anatomy professor is an asshole, and I think I failed my math test, but what else is new?" She laughed lightly, peering over the rim of her cup at the blonde girl.

Even in her disheveled state, she was still one of the most attractive people she'd ever seen. "So, how long have you been DJing? You're really talented." It was a safe question, she presumed. Nothing too personal.

 

[Tanned_babe]

She murmured a thank you and pocketed the cylindrical twenty in her jeans, knee still jiggling. "I doubt you're failing." Jaice frowned into her coffee cup. "What's your major?"

Her pretty angular face was propped up in her left hand as she continued to stare down at the black liquid as it slowly moved in and out of focus. It smelt amazing, but at the same time she couldn't quite bring herself to touch it yet; she was shaky and suddenly felt a bit nauseous.

Slight shoulders shrugged at the question. "A few years." Leaving a silence in the air. The young woman didn't really want to talk about herself, but even in Janice's current state she knew Mila was being exceptionally kind. The girl owed the Fin nothing, all she'd done was to her was try to get her messed up at a party and probably cause a fight between her and her boyfriend.

"Just give me a minute, yeah?" She said standing up, even dishevelled the blonde, although she didn't feel it, looked striking; Scandinavian featuring a including the slim, tall build. "I'm just going to the restroom." She even managed a slight smile at the look on the auburn haired girl's face.

Once in the bathroom she rolled her sleeves up, filled the basin with cold water and splashed her face. Ice blue eyes, less red now, stared back at her in the mirror, " "Ryhdistäydy." She muttered, running a damp hand through her short blonde hair.

Moments later she reappeared into the body of the cafe and returned to the table via the counter having picked up a jog of water and two glasses. "I should probably sober up." She shrugged, pouring the water and sitting back down- sleeves still rolled up to reveal one arm covered in grey ink.

"To answer your question, about 5 years. I couldn't play here in clubs until I was twenty-one, but back home, since I was about eighteen. I made mixes before that, but they are, how would you say it, juvenile."

Slender fingers picked up her coffee cup, still a bit shakes but she was definitely sobering up. She pressed Mila for more information, what did she like to do in her spare time? Where in The South was she from and what was it like? Jaice hadn't ventured South, but she'd like to experience it. "I hear road trips between the States down there are very popular. Have you traveled much?" The young woman wanted Mila to talk, to take her mind off of things. Jaice was good at getting people to talk; a mix of interlinking questions, peppered with her own anecdotes. Although today she definitely lacked her usual charisma, typically glinting bright eyes remained dull and often downcast.

 

[cbelle02]

"Just give me a minute, yeah?" Jaice said, after a moment's pause. Mila didn't push her, but just nodded when she asked for some time. Still, watching the slim girl walk toward the bathroom, Mila half expected her to sneak out, to ditch out of the situation she'd been hesitant to attend. Or at least do another dose of whatever drug she was clearly on.

She was glad she to be wrong. When Jaice returned, she looked as though she'd attempted to put herself together a bit. Mila welcomed her with a smile. "Welcome back." She said simply.

Jaice nodded and when she spoke again, her voice, though still a bit strained, was clearer and stronger than before. Mila studied her closely as they talked. She was definitely sobering up as time went on. She revealed a bit more information about herself but then turned the questions to Mila. Mila knew it was her way of deflecting, but even if she opened up a little bit, it was good. Baby steps.

So Mila talked about herself. She told her about growing up in Georgia, that she'd traveled less than she'd like but had a few memorable trips out west and now to New York. She'd never traveled outside the country though. She talked about her family, her friends back home, told funny stories and was pleased when she made the Fin laugh, even if it was a small one. Too see even a momentary glint in her otherwise dull eyes was progress.

She dug into the cheesecake and encouraged Jaice to have some. After some convincing, the girl finally took a small bite. Victory.

They talked a while longer, mostly Mila, with a few quips and questions from Jaice. Still, it was a good time.

"Hey, I've gotta actually get to work." She said, glancing at a clock on the wall. "But we should have out again sometime soon." She pulled out a pen and wrote her number on a napkin. "Text me anytime." She pushed the napkin across to Jaice.

She started to get up from the booth, but paused. "And hey, I work at the diner on Mill Street from five til midnight Tuesday through Friday, so you should come see me sometime, or if you just had a shitty day and you really need a burger. I can comp you." She gave her a smile and a brief squeeze to her shoulder. "See you soon, Jaice."