Chapter 31: Chapter 29

My eyes opened and instantly shut as my dim lighted room’s surrounding was intolerable. I let out a loud groan as my eyes squinted and I tried to sit up. My head weighed more than the average weight of a baby elephant. After taking in deep breaths for a moment, I slowly opened my eyes to a hazy vision. My breathing quickened and I blinked multiple times before grabbing the bottle of water off my nightstand. As the water travelled down to my stomach, I felt uneasy. Suddenly, I felt something stir inside of me and I jumped off my bed, ignoring the dizziness that came along with me. I managed to enter my washroom with the help of the wall. Reaching the sink, I bent over and threw up. I clenched my stomach tightly and rested my head against the wall, greedily gulping down as much air as possible.

When I finally felt better, I brushed my teeth and swallowed down two random tablets that I found. I stared at my reflection in the mirror. I had smeared mascara around my eyes, making me look scary and pale. Suddenly, I realized that I was in the same clothes as yesterday. My clothes were sticking to my sweaty body. I frowned deeply before leaving the washroom.

I collapsed on my bed, exhausted by the puking. As I tried to relax, only one question repeated in my mind.

What the hell did Austin do to me last night?

*

Drying my hair with my towel, I sat on the edge of my bed and tried to recollect everything from last night. We danced and then I was exhausted so Austin got me a drink. I felt uneasy and the last thing my brain could process was Austin taking me somewhere.

I let out a frustrated sigh through my nose. I grabbed my phone and unlocked it. I found Austin’s number and called it. I needed answers and if I didn’t get them then Austin was going to be experiencing a side of me I’m positive he doesn’t want to. The call went to voicemail. I re-dialed the number and again, it went to voicemail.

I clenched my teeth with frustration and lied down on my bed. No, I wasn’t going to give up. Just as I was about to call Austin again, my phone started ringing. I bolted upright thinking that it was Austin who called me. My shoulders dropped when I realized it was Abby.

“Hey,” I said, answering the call.

“Good morning,” Abby chirped.

“Morning,” I mumbled.

“What’s up?” she asked casually.

“Quite a lot,” I replied, still trying to replay the night in my head. “What did you do last night?”

“Michael came over so we just watched a movie and talked,” she responded.

When I didn’t say anything, she questioned, “What’s wrong with you?”

“Nothing, I- nothing,” I finished lamely.

“Something’s wrong,” she stated. “Tell me what’s wrong.”

I sighed before recalling the events of last night and this morning. After I finished telling her everything, I received silence in return.

“Abby?”

“This is entirely my fault!” she exclaimed.

“Wait, what?” I asked, my eyebrows coming together in confusion.

“Yesterday, Ethan texted Michael asking him to go the party you and Austin were attending to make sure that Austin didn’t do anything but I got mad at Ethan for expecting Michael to do so. So, I stopped Michael from going. If I hadn’t stopped him then he would have gone and you wouldn’t have gone through all of this!” Abby blurted out in one breath.

“Ethan asked Michael to spy on me?!” I exclaimed angrily.

“No!” she replied immediately. “Well, yes but no! Ash, Ethan doesn’t trust Austin.”

“I know that! But that doesn’t mean he shouldn’t trust me!” I replied angrily.

“Ash, he has a valid reason for what he wanted to do,” she reasoned with me.

“Oh, really?” I snapped. “That’s not what you thought yesterday when Michael told you, did you, Abby?”

After a moment’s silence, Abby muttered a no.

I sighed, feeling guilty for removing all my frustration and anger on Abby. “Abby, I’m sorry. It’s just that I’m really freaked out right now. I don’t know what happened last night and it feels like there’s a huge hole in my brain which I need to fill. I just have to. What if Austin-”

“Ash, don’t assume things yet,” she cut me off. “One thing’s for certain, that asshole drugged you.”

“Do you really think so?” I whispered.

“Don’t be so blind, Ash!” she exclaimed. “It’s so obvious!”

“I tried calling him,” I said. “It went to voicemail. He’s leaving town tonight or tomorrow, I’m not sure.”

“He’s leaving?!” Abby questioned with shock.

“Yeah, that’s the reason we had this little re-union,” I replied.

Abby cursed. “He definitely had all of this planned out.”

“Abby, I don’t think so. I know him. Why would he something like this?” I questioned.

“People change!” she exploded.

“But…” I trailed off.

“But? But what?” she snapped.

I sighed, letting my frustration get to me.

“Do you think I should talk to Ethan?” I asked softly.

“Yes,” she replied without missing a beat.

“But I don’t know what exactly happened last night, Abby,” I told her, frowning. “I don’t know what Austin did…to me.”

“Ash, don’t think about such stuff, okay?” she pleaded. “Ethan’s your boyfriend. He’s obviously going to help you through this.”

I nodded. “Yes, of course.”

“Good. If you want to talk, just call me or come over, okay?” she comforted me.

“Okay,” I responded. “Abby, I’ll talk to you later, I’m going to go over to Ethan’s place and talk to him.”

“Alright, bye,” she said.

“Abby?”

“Yeah?” she inquired.

“Thanks,” I replied.

“No problem, Ash,” she replied and disconnected the call.

I got off my bed and changed into a pair of jeans and plain T-shirt. Grabbing my jacket, I walked out of the room with my phone and ran down the stairs.

“Mom, could you drive me to the Wilsons?” I asked, walking into the living room where mom was drinking coffee while watching T.V.

“Now?” she asked, her eyes fixed on the television.

“Yes,” I replied quickly.

She sighed. “What is so important?”

“I need to discuss some project details with Erica,” I lied easily.

Wow, I was getting better at lying. I don’t know if I should be proud of this or not.

“Fine,” she said, getting off the couch.

“Thank you,” I breathed.

She nodded and walked towards the counter to grab her car keys. I followed her out the door and locked it behind me. I turned on the radio as soon as mom revved up the engine.

I tried to imagine what Ethan would do when he finds out that Austin might have spiked me. If Ethan gets hold of Austin, it would definitely not be pretty. I sighed as I tried for the umpteenth time to figure out what happened last night. Why would Austin do something like that to me? I thought we were good friends. I thought he was genuinely glad to meet me and he really did want to hang out with me. Not drug me and try to get his way with me. My teeth clenched from anger. That was just so cheap of him.

It just didn’t add up. Let’s assume that he did try…something. Then, how did I wake up in my bed with my clothes from last night on? I don’t remember coming back home. I don’t even have a car. Besides, if I did come home, most probably late, didn’t mom notice? Or hear me come back?

I mentally groaned. My brain refused to function with me co-operatively.

I bid mom goodbye and walked up the Wilson’s porch. I took a deep breath before ringing the doorbell. The door opened after I waited for a moment and Mrs. Wilson’s face came into view. Her face instantly brightened. “Ashley! I didn’t know you were coming over!”

“Oh, it was last minute,” I answered. “Am I disturbing you?”

“No! Of course not,” she exclaimed, opening the door wider for me to enter.

“I’m assuming you’re here to meet Erica,” she said as I walked in.

I nodded.

“She isn’t at home, darling,” Mrs. Wilson said apologetically. “She’s gone to the library to finish off a group assignment.”

“Oh,” I said, not sure as to what I should say. “Um, could I just talk to Ethan for a minute?”

“He’s upstairs in his room,” she said with a smile.

I thanked her and walked up the stairs towards Ethan’s room. I knocked on his door twice before opening it. He was sitting on his bed with his laptop open in front of him. He looked up to see who came in and a wide smile appeared on his face when his eyes landed on me. His smile made me feel better. It made me feel safe. He shut the lid of his laptop and got up.

“Hey,” he said, walking towards me.

“Ethan,” I breathed and rushed towards him, pulling him in for a tight hug.

It was unexpected to him and he lost his balance. He fell on the bed with a soft thud, pulling me along with him. He chuckled under me and whispered in my ear, “Wow, I didn’t realize you would’ve missed me this much. I would’ve come over yesterday night to meet you if I had known.”

I didn’t respond. I just pressed my face into the crook of his neck.

Finally, when I let go and sat up, he stared at me with concern. “Is something wrong, Ash?”

“I don’t know,” I said softly.

“What do you mean?” he asked.

“I-I don’t know where to start,” I responded honestly.

“Is this related to Austin?” he questioned, staring at me but I didn’t look up to meet his eyes.

I nodded.

“What did he do?” he demanded angrily.

“He didn’t do anything,” I said quickly. “I’m not sure, yet.”

“Ash, get to the point,” he insisted.

“I think Austin drugged me last night,” I said softly.

“He what?!” he bellowed.

I squeezed my eyes shut and let out a breath through my nose.

“I’m not sure, Ethan,” I pressed. “I don’t remember anything after he gave me that drink. I woke up this morning with a very bad headache and I puked.”

“I told you! I told you to stay away from him! I asked you to do something once and you didn’t want to listen to me! Just once! Couldn’t you just sit at home for one Saturday night?! Not meeting him wouldn’t have caused a disaster! Now who knows what he did to you and what you let him do to you!” Ethan yelled, standing up with anger.

I stared at him wide eyed. I couldn’t believe what I had just heard. I was too shocked to say anything. When he realized that I didn’t have anything to say, he stormed out of the room, slamming the door shut behind him.

I felt tears bubbling in my eyes.

He left me alone when I needed him the most.

A/N - I don't even feel like writing an author's note anymore. ._.

Leave comments and votes?

I don't know! D: