Neon 21. Despite the name, it was more like a bar then a club. Classy warm light cast over the room, and while the group was still packet like sardines, there was more room to breath then in the Velvet.

Reggie called over the mulberry girls who were by the bar. Two pretty, blonde, and classy women. Nothing like Apple and her friends in there ass length dresses, wild hair, and runny massacre.

"I didn't know other girls were coming," the taller one with big blue eyes and a natural blush purred.

"Last minute addition," Reggie smiled.

They all headed up the stairs into another VIP lounge with red coaches, black tables, a big screen tv playing a game, and no stripper poles.

"More chic then your shit hole Tony, they should have you switch the names," Betty laughed as they all took a seat.

"Thanks, it's actually my uncle's place," Reggie chimed, and Betty instantly regretted the comment.

"Seriously man? Damn I probably looked like a douchebag using my connections to get us in," Tony cackled, "It's chill bro, my uncle doesn't like me coming anyways so it worked out."

A trio of fancy waiters came in and began handing out drinks without an order. Like they already knew everyones taste.

"Hey what do you say we play a round?" Tony challenged Cassian, "Don't you want a rematch after your sad loss earlier."

Cassian smirked and pulled one of the mulberry girls onto his lap. She squealed and playfully fought back. "Whatever man, lets put money on the line though this time." Tony's eyes lit up, "Hell yeah!"

They named a price, and all the boys dealt cards while the girls watched. In the dim lighting of the lounge, Betty and Eliza seemed to forget how much they hated Reggie and Mateo. Fucked up and high, Eliza was back on Mateo's lap like they hadn't broken up 5 different times. And Betty was behind Reggie's couch, leaning over his shoulder to look at his cards while making banter.

Eliza and Betty never knew the reason why Apple despised Cassian so much, and they didn't really care to ask. The four of them had met on the first year of high school, and no one knew much about Apple since she'd just flown in from the states. She had never explicitly said she hated Cassian, but they could tell in the way her very being changed in his presence. For the past three years they never said a word to each other, despite the group always being involved on and off with Reggie and Mateo. But every time they would hang out when Eliza and Mateo were in their on phase, or Betty and Reggie were hooking up again, she would change from the usually playful, loud, and childish Apple into some affronted queen. As if just being in his vicinity offended her dignity.

Before they had met up with Apple at Stacy's boutique to go to the Velvet, after they'd gone shopping for outfits. Betty was driving her and Eliza over.

"Why the fuck would he do that? Did something happen between them," Betty asked Eliza.

Eliza wasn't looking at Betty, always checking out her face in a mirror and fixing her gloss or other.

"I don't know. It was weird. I asked Apple if she knew him and she said they never spoke before."

Betty contemplated the road for a bit. Her gut told her something fishy was going on, but Apple would never budge. As close as she felt they had become, it always felt like Apple was surrounded by this impenetrable wall, that while she seemed outgoing, fun and free, she never really let anyone in.

"Apple what the fuck are you doing?" Betty giggled. She wasn't like that tonight, however.

Apple had found a dart board in the back of the room, had somehow already become buddy buddy with the other mulberry girl, and the two were laughing and missing miserably together.

"Practicing for Cassian," she winked at him and threw another one, hitting the red wall next to the board instead.

"Well if you keep being such a shit shot you might end up getting his hair instead. Although, I think he'd cry harder at that," Reggie and Mateo cracked up together, and Apple even giggled from her side of the room. She was back to normal again.

"Hey, wanna do something fun?" Apple whispered to the mulberry girl--Jessica. Jessica smiled at her mischievously, "Yeah like what?"

Apple leaned in closer, "how about whoever scores the lowest each round has to do a dare?" it was childish and stupid, and had any other person said it, Jessica would have probably laughed. But Apple had this way of making the stupidest, childish things seem like an adventure.

"Your on."

Jessica took the first shot, and scored a ten.

The two jumped and cheered together like they'd won a million. "Finally hit the board!" Jessica screamed.

"My turn now, wish me luck."

"Shouldn't I wish the opposite since were competing?"

Apple grinned and took her shot. It hit. Sixteen. A part of her was a little disappointed to win.

"Fuck," Jessica groaned while Apple danced triumphantly.

"I know exactly what I'm going to dare you."

Jessica leaned in, "grab Tony's pegger and steal a card with your mouth."

Jessica looked over to where Tony was sitting. He looked like the very stereotype of a drug dealer, but was still rugged and built.

"His not bad."

She sauntered over, trying to seem casual but failing splendidly. The boys looked over and stopped their game. She bent down onto her knees, right in front of Tony's chair, and slipped her hand on his dick.

He smirked as she lifted herself up slowly, her golden hoop earnings glittering with the movement. Then slipped one of the cards between her teeth, imprinting her mauve lipstick onto the paper. Tony didn't resist as she pulled it from his hand, completely entranced with her every action. She broke the spell, however, when she quickly got up and ran back to Apple, laughing together as the boys looked on.

"Holyshit you killed that," Apple cheered Jessica on.

"That was nerve-racking, I've never done anything like that!" Apple smiled at her innocences, she was starting to find this blondie cute. And was itching for a piece of that thrill she'd just had.

"Fuck the darts, give me a dare too," Apple's big eyes grew as she looked at Jessica expectantly.

"Hm," Jessica looked over at the men, the cards, the room, trying to cook up something that'd return the favor. An idea hit her.

"Lets test the boys theory," she grinned as she pulled from her bag a small pair of nail scissors. "I dare you to snip a bit of Cassian's hair."

Apple's whole body chilled. That was the last fucking thing she was expecting. A part of her had worried that it would be a dare involving Butler, but she had told herself the chances were low. However, it hadn't even crossed her mind that this bimbo would suggest pissing him off more. This blonde idiot had no idea what she was saying. Had no idea how unforgiving that psycho was. Apple had already pissed him enough tonight, and she hadn't forgotten the threat he had made earlier.

And despite every bit of her reasoning, her fear, pleading with her not to do it. She couldn't back out from this. Apple Bloodworth. This Apple Bloodworth, never backed out from anything. And her pride wouldn't let her this time either.

"Bet," she turned from Jessica and began to make her way to the boys. Unlike Jessica, Apple could be a seasoned actor. She slipped between the group unnoticed, and crept behind the fucker.

The other mulberry was still giggling and squealing on his lap, and he was too consumed by the game now to notice anything else. She pulled the scissors from her pocket. Every part of her body screamed at her not to do it. Sweat beaded from her brow. Reggie finally noticed her behind Butler and his face fell. She saw him mouth 'no' just as she clicked the scissors.

The snap reverberated in her mind, ringed above the sounds of the tv, the music, the chatter. The other guys looked up from the game to see a lock of dark curls in her left hand, and a pair of scissors in the other.

And Butler. Butler turned slowly up to follow there eyes. Looked at her first, then looked at her hand. He put two and two together pretty quick.

"You fucking bitch," he shoved the blonde off and got up. Apple didn't waste a second.

She ran over back to Jessica, linked her arms with hers, and squealed "RUN!"

The two girls ran in a fit of laughter together, down the steps, and into the crowd.

Reggie and Mateo tried to stop him, but Cassian went after them.

Apple saw, and whispered to Jessica, "lets split up," hoping the asshole would accidentally follow her. The blonde idiot blindly agreed and ran off.

Apple tried to disappear into the crowd, but it was hard for a girl like her to blend in when she was a head higher then every other girl, and Butler could never lose her for long. Just as she was in front of the bar by the door, she felt a pressure on her arm and someone dragged her around.

"Fucking bitch." It was Butler.

Apple laughed, because if she didn't, she was scared she would cry, "pick a different insult, that ones getting fucking old."

Butler wasn't amused, "you really wanna fucking die don't you bitch, you think I was joking? You think I'm scared of juvie?"

Something in his eyes told her he was serious. And she shuddered at what Butler was truly capable of if he stopped caring.

"And do you think you can just do whatever you want? Just fucking try asshole, I wont go without dragging you down into hell with me,"

Apple was now actually trembling, and Butler could feel it in his palms. It made a smile finally come to his face.

She tried to pull away, but his hand was firm on her arm. She struggled more, and ended up tripping on something on the floor. The wall became the ceiling, and her ass smacked against the hard concrete.

Cassian stumbled on top of her, his hands bracing onto either side of her head to keep from colliding together. The TV volume boomed and switched channels. They had tripped onto the remote. A crackly female voice blared.

"On the outskirts of London, on the wheat farmlands, police have just discovered the body of a young girl in her teens, dumped into a small body of water. Forensics have already confirmed signs of blunt force trauma and assault, and the victim seems to have been..."

Cassian turned back to look at Apple's face, but she wasn't looking at him. Her eyes were fixed onto the screen, her round brown eyes and red lips twisted into a look of complete horror. He had never seen that look on her face before. Not even in that incident three years ago. She was trembling even more then earlier, and this time, he knew it wasn't because of him.