This is my first short story, which was published on Vocal. It begins below:
"Shut the hell up!" she shouted in a hysterical frenzy. Margo couldn't understand why her best friend was suddenly yelling at the top of her lungs with a deranged look, having a complete nervous breakdown. All the people around them noticed the show. It was killing everyone's vibe. No one lifted a finger to help or even show empathy to the distressed young woman, though. People went to nightclubs to party, not to be inconvenienced by weirdos.
"Lilly, I think you've had too much to drink. We're going home. The Uber should be here any minute now," Margo replied in an attempt to have the embarrassing situation end with that bizarre tantrum.
The two best friends were invited to that nightclub by a mutual acquaintance. Lilly wasn't planning on going, but Margo insisted. Lilly seemed on edge all the time lately. Margo knew something was up, but she thought it wasn't anything to worry about. They shared a dorm room and were both sophomores at a Mississippi college. Margo knew that Axel would be at the club. Lilly had a crush on him since middle school. Margo had a history with him, though she didn't ever feel like she could tell her bestie about it. When she told Lilly that Axel would be there, all of a sudden, she was in party mode. So when Lilly started yelling like a crazy person, Margo knew that her friend needed help. Professional help.
"Come, Lilly. Let's get outta here", she implored. Lilly was crouching on the floor, holding a drink in one hand and her head with her other hand. It was like she was having a migraine. Margo was pulling her arm, hoping that she would eventually comply and they could both get back to campus. Naturally, Margo was worried. She had assumed it was the alcohol earlier, but all the things she said made her question that.
"Why won't you stop talking? I'm sick of hearing you say that!" Lilly blurted. "I promise I'll shut up, but just come with me, OK?" Margo replied, starting to look a bit distressed and sounding increasingly anxious.
"I'm not talking to you, Margo... I'm talking to them... They're the ones doing this!"
"Them? Can you be a bit more specific? There are at least one hundred people here"
Just great... Where the hell is Axel? This's been the worst night out ever... Margo thought to herself while she looked around the crowd hoping that a kind soul would give them a hand. While Lilly kept giving everyone an uncomfortable show to watch, crouched on the floor, her bellows blending with techno music in the background, a firm but gentle touch saved Margo from drowning deeper in despair and rage at the indifferent crowd that surrounded them.
"Hey, M... is your friend OK?"
It was Axel. Even though they had always been awkwardly trying to avoid each other after their fling, she was genuinely happy to see a friendly face and a helping hand.
"I don't know what's wrong with her... she just went ballistic all of a sudden. I've never seen her like this..." she explained, filled with worry and a trembling voice. She then added, "Our Uber should be waiting for us by now. I need to get her home... or to a hospital... I don't know what to do!"
"Don't worry, M. First thing's first... let's get you guys outta here." Axel picked Lilly off the ground in her arms and carried her outside the club, with Margo following behind. At no point did Lilly stop shouting. "They're here! They think they can get me, but I'm not going down without a fight! I dare you to come at me!"
The Uber was parked on the curb in front of the club. Axel put her in the back seat after Margo opened the door. The driver was visibly shocked when he saw a wailing young woman that was carried to his back seat. "What's going on here?" the driver asked, understandably confused and worried. "Our friend is just having a nervous breakdown. I know it's a drag, man, but could you please take them home? We'll be sure to tip you generously for your trouble," Axel replied. He then gave Margo a pill and a bottle of water, making sure Lilly couldn't see him.
"What's this?" Margo asked, confused. "Have her take this. It'll help her relax a bit. Trust me. Just put it in the water, shake it a bit, and you're set."
Margo was a nervous wreck. In moments of calamity, she's the type of person that would freeze up and be pretty much screwed if no one helped her. So, with hands shaking, Margo followed Axel's instructions and dissolved the pill in water before having Lilly drink it. It was a bit of a struggle at first, but she managed in the end. About fifteen minutes later, Lilly started to calm down. She wasn't shouting anymore, and she looked like she was out. Axel decided to go with them. Once Lilly was out, Axel spoke more freely.
"I've seen this sort of behavior before, you know. My mom. She always had this idea that there was someone plotting against her... people out to get her... and she'd always say the weirdest things that I could never make any sense of. She was diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia. I'm no doctor, but I think that your friend is the same."
Margo looked even more worried after hearing that. "So basically, you're saying that she's a nutjob..."
"I know this is a lot. Why don't you take some water and relax for a bit? I'll be sure to get the both of you to your dorms." As soon as he said that, the Uber driver kept looking at Axel through the rearview mirror. "Thanks, Axel. I don't know what I would have done if you hadn't shown up. But I don't want to relax just yet. Once I get her home, then I'll relax a bit." The Uber driver seemed tense for whatever reason. After Margo said that, though, he was more relaxed.
Once they arrived at campus, Axel carried Lilly out of the car. As Margo was about to exit the vehicle, the driver (his name was Michael) gave her an intense stare that kind of spooked her a bit. "Is everything alright? Why are you looking at me like that?" "That guy may not have your best interest at heart. Please don't be in a room alone with him."
The severity of his tone seemed extraordinarily out of place to her. "What is wrong with you? Axel is a friend, and if it weren't for him, we would still be surrounded by the stares of indifferent strangers!" she replied, visibly uncomfortable with his words. "Believe what you will, but I know that type of guy. I tell you this with such certainty because I discovered a good friend of mine was into that. I wouldn't have believed it had I not seen it with my own eyes. Be careful... and don't trust him."
Margo was angry after hearing the Uber driver say all that. But after some consideration, she thought, What kind of guy walks around with 'relaxation pills' anyway? If I were to buy into what this guy says, I'd think that he was prepared to roofie someone...
Axel was waiting for her at the dorm's entrance. He put Lilly on his shoulder to make her easier to carry since he had been holding on to her for a bit longer than expected. Margo walked slowly toward him. She couldn't help but be filled with doubt and fear now. Once Lilly was out in the Uber, she had calmed down a bit, but all the worry from before was added to the idea of Axel being there with an ulterior motive.
Axel could tell that she was shaking. He wasn't really sure why, though. "Don't worry, M. After a good night's sleep, you can convince her to get professional help. It's the most and the best you can do for her." He had a kind smile while he said all that to her. Margo didn't know what to believe, but she mustered enough courage to ask him one question: "Hey, Axel... do you always go to nightclubs with a 'relaxation pill' in your pocket?"
They were going up a flight of stairs when she asked him that. Axel stopped walking after hearing the question. Margo's heart started racing even more than before. As Axel turned around to say something, she noticed that the kind smile on his face was gone. Axel was about to speak.