Chapter Two: Max *

                                    

                                          
*warning* sexual assault mentioned in this chapter*
"Thanks" I say taking the drink, I hesitate, my lips on the red plastic cup, I don't drink, I've never had a drink and yet he smiles at me like he's waiting for me to do it. I appease him, a silly thing to do, I should know better, I do know better and that's the most frustrating thing about this night, my mama taught me better than this. 
One sip, I close my eyes tightly at the strong taste that fills my mouth, it burns as it disappears down my throat and I open my mouth and grimace "that's awful" I state and I put the cup down dramatically, it's contents spilling slightly, my dress wetting a little at the overspill. 
Max laughs, and he downs his drink before placing down the cup and wrapping his hands around my waist, his lips pressing to mine, a nice, gentle kiss that causes a little flutter in my belly at the contact.
He breaks away with a charming smile "Harper ... you are too good for me" he states looking over me appreciatively. 
The only truth that would come out of his mouth the entire night, and not only was I too good for him but every questionable character from here to New York was too. Max was the devil and I should have seen it sooner. 
Max was dark, tall and handsome, he had dark brown hair cut short, deep brown eyes and a charming smile, a smile that dropped your guard. 
"I'm going to miss you" he says pulling me down beside him on the couch. Fifty or so other college kids mill around us dancing to music and drinking, some smoking joints, the smoke made me cough a little. 
As Lilah had commented as we walked into the party "Shit Harps, I think you might be too pure for this one" and I had swatted her because I was so fed up with being labelled the LDS kid who was pure as driven snow because my thoughts were far from pure. I was not that girl, but I was innocent perhaps, sometimes naive, evident with what happened next. 
"When do you go home" he asks and I try and shout over the music, which is beyond loud, a few drunk idiot turn up the volume.
"Monday" I shout.
 He shakes his head like he can't hear me, and takes my hand, pulling me to my feet "let's go upstairs I can't hear you down here"
I panic a little and look around but Lilah is failing at best friend status and has disappeared from sight, someone had piqued her interest, clearly, but she had left me a little open to a predator myself. She should have been watching out for me it seemed and not the other way round, because Lilah could handle her business, me?, not so much, seemingly not at all actually.
Max walked me up the stairs, in the little dress that Lilah had picked out, something I never, and I mean never, would have worn usually, I was led to my fate, one step at a time, one fateful step, the dress feeling far too short suddenly, the steps a little steep and the one sip of alcohol that was in my system was starting to run rampant. I had never had an alcoholic drink and so this night, as it all played out, I wouldn't know that I would be so out of control and vulnerable, my body and mind reacting as if I was quite paralytic and under the influence of ten drinks before the next ten minutes past by. 
I remember that next morning, thinking that Max had perhaps drugged me, because I knew I only had a sip, and for a while there I was terrified of the thought of him, what he may have done to me, but it wasn't drugs, it was a reaction to the alcohol.
The bedroom is quiet as he leads me in and shuts the door and my head begins to feel a little fuzzy as he sits me down on the bed beside him, his hand instantly placed on my bare thigh. My breathing was a little off kilter as he slowly pushed my auburn hair over my shoulder, revealing my neck, and as he leant in and ran his lips across my flesh, I felt that nervous sensation in my stomach, it didn't feel unpleasant, but I knew I shouldn't be doing it.