Chapter 26

Kate lived two blocks away from our dorm in an apartment building. I knocked at the door, that Cassie suspected was hers, and heard any sign of commotion from the other side. When nothing came for a while, I looked at Cassie for confirmation.

"You sure this one is hers?"

Cassie scowled at the door. "I guess," she said and then rapped at the closed door again. Louder and longer than I had done.

"I think we shou--" my words came to a halt when we heard footsteps approaching. A minute later the door opened and a sleepy Clara's face came into view. Her blonde hair nested on the top of her head in a messy bun that looked more like a messy bun gone wrong.

I saw the second she registered who I was and her face lit up like she was genuinely happy to see me.

"Grace!", she said smiling at me.

"Hi," I said with an awkward wave, "I didn't know you lived with Kate."

"Not by choice, believe me," she said with a dismissive wave and then looked at Cassie, "You're Cassandra Brooke, right?"

"I go by Cassie," Cassie said reaching out her hand.

"Clara," Clara replied and then opened the door wider. "Come on in."

She took us to a sitting area attached to a well-lighted foyer. Their apartment was almost like a penthouse and all the furniture screamed 'filthy rich'. Cassie and I sat on the couch while Clara sat on the adjoined loveseat.

"Is Kate home?", I asked tentatively and as soon as I said it I realized how rude it was of me to say this like I was disregarding her when she greeted me so cheerfully just a second ago.

"Sorry! That was rude of me."

Clara chuckled. "Damn girl, don't get your panties in a twist. And about Kate, she is not home," she replied, "She has gone to the Broudou's party."

Cassie's reaction was immediate. "Damn," she said with a breathy laugh.

"Ditto," Clara said with a grimace as her eyes bounced to Cassie.

I think it's safe to say that I am confused. "What?", I asked, looking at both of them.

"Kevin Broudou is a junior in our college," Cassie started explaining. "He holds parties well known for debauchery--in simple words lots of sex, drugs, and troubles--on the north end of Bay Shore, in an abandoned warehouse. It is a wild ruckus there and those parties always go out of the hand at some point of the night. Pocket knives and guns are constant appearances."

"I have been to one of them at the start of our freshman year, out of curiosity," she continues with a shudder. "It was insane inside. I ran out of there with my tail between my legs in half an hour."

Cassie made a face and Clara chuckled at that. This doesn't sound like somewhere fun. Not for me even by a long shot. "Why would Kate go to a place like that?", I murmured to myself but Clara answered it for me anyway.

"Kate has a wild streak," she said with a sympathetic look on her face, "She avoids all the drama in college but sometimes she just needs a dose of adrenaline rush to keep her sane. If that even makes any sense. Those are her words, by the way. I say she just has a death wish. And that too not gently."

I nodded agreeing with her because this is definitely just a death wish and then before I can think of anything I said, "Uh, Clara. Um. Do you remember that night of party on Sunday?", throwing all of Cassie's advice to be subtle to the trashcan.

Cassie slouched on the seat next to me. Clearly disappointed with me. I sent a silent apology in her direction with my eyes.

I just want to get over with this. She can't understand, now that I am out how desperate I am to know the truth. As soon as possible.

"Yeah," Clara replied.

Here goes nothing.

"I'm going to appear so lame asking this but by any chance do you know that if I, um, hooked up with someone?"

"I hope you never apply for being a detective. You really suck," Cassie muttered next to me just loud enough for my ears to hear.

Clara frowned, "You don't remember?"

My heart thudded from her response. Her wide eyes filled with disbelief confirmed my fears. She knows. She knows that I did hook up with someone. Oh, god.

"No," I said slowly, as my heart started beating in my ears.

"Oh," she seem to be in deep thinking for a while before she said, "Actually, I don't know." I released a massive breath that Clara has to give me a questioning glance. I don't know whether to be relieved or worried about her non-knowledge.

"Well," she continued, "I was kind of.....preoccupied that night. So, I didn't pay any attention. But why are you asking me this? Did something happened?"

"Thank you, Clara," Cassie said abruptly, not giving me a chance to reply. "But we should get going now. I have somewhere to be, urgently, and I need Grace with me. So.." Cassie stood up and I followed the suit.

"Is there a problem?" Clara gave a worried glance in my direction.

"No, it's not," Cassie answered for me and I managed a smile for her to back up Cassie's words, at least.

"Okay.." Clara said still unconvinced, "Tell me if you need some help."

"I will," I replied with a soft smile.

We left after saying goodbyes and came down to the parking lot, to pack up in Cassie's Sedan.

"Where to from here?", Cassie asked, as she was putting her seatbelt on.

I huffed as I slumped in my seat. "Wherever that warehouse is."

Cassie looked at me. Her eyes speculating me as if I am made of glass that might break into pieces at any time. "You sure?"

I didn't look at her as I muttered, "As sure as I will ever be."

She remained silent for a while and I had to grind my teeth. I know what she is doing. Trying to gauze if I am bullshitting. And as much as I take pride in being evasive, she just has this superpower to look right through it.

After a while, she whistled, "Let's do this then."

My nerves remained shot for the whole drive in the anticipation of going to yet another party and probably getting to know the truth. A part of me, telling me that I was better off without knowing anything. What you don't know couldn't hurt you, right?

But the other part, the rational one, knew that I couldn't do that. I can't start living normally again until I know for sure. Until I find out that I cheated on Brian or not. Until I hear the words from someone's mouth that I did not do it. Because I can't.

And so I kept quiet instead of giving in to the urge of screaming on Cassie to turn around and take us back to the dorm. That would have been easy but not the right thing to do.

After almost half an hour, Cassie slowed down in front of a three-story warehouse made on pillars in the middle of an almost a mile radius of barren land.

The warehouse--looking more like a horror movie reject building--stood in the middle of all the barren land in a seriously poor condition. It looked like it has seen an eternity's worth of bad weather. Its paint chipped from all over the place and crevices running along its edges like veins in the human system.

But what made it look more dangerous was the wide crack running down smack dab in the middle of the building. It seemed like if anyone on either side jumped a little hard on its ground, that side will fall off.

"How can someone get entry to this place? Let alone throw a party. It seems like this place should be banned for anyone to go inside," I said still observing the place.

"Kevin's father is the owner of the place and all the barren land you can see around it. So, he has got a free pass to do whatever the hell he likes. The free space allows him to blast the music without getting noticed and being reported by neighbors. Cause he doesn't have one for miles," Cassie said in a monotonous voice.

Cassie is worried, the boredom in her voice is the proof of that. She is never one to make a big show of emotions, so she always hides them with a fuck-off-world attitude. But more you stay with her, you know that all it is, is just a defense mechanism. And what she shows is the exact opposite of what she is feeling.

We stay silent for a while, sitting there and just looking at the warehouse. I can feel Cassie's eyes on me now and then.

"Are you sure you want to go inside?", she asked in a concerned voice.

I sighed and pulled off my seatbelt. "It's now or never, Cass."

As we reached the bottom of the stairs that led to the first floor of the warehouse, music blasting from the inside greeted us. It was some kind of rock metal song that I haven't heard before. Midway to ascending the stairs, we heard it, or rather them. Sounds of hooting and riotous laughter ringed down the dark and cold stairwell to us.

I gave Cassie a questioning glance and she just shrugged.

My eyes almost popped out of my skull as I took the scene inside. The place was filled with scantily clad girls and guys everywhere, most of them shirtless and apparently in a game of dousing each other in whatever alcohol drink they have.

It's normal? Might be. How would I know?

Some of the girls were shrieking in laughter as they inadvertently came in between the crossfire of alcohol dousing game while some other willingly partook.

"Wow. We're seriously underdressed for this party," Cassie said looking at our jeans and hoodies.

I gave her a bland stare, "Good thing we're not here to party."

Her lips formed and 'O' as if she was just remembering it. "Yeah. Exactly."

"Where do you think we should see for Kate?", she asked.

That's a loaded question.

I looked around. With the way people are crammed here, some on the dance floor while others crowding the bar, it will be midnight before we find Kate.

A loud ruckus came from upstairs snatched my attention, followed by hooting and lewd cheering.

"How about starting with upstairs?"

She nodded.

"Shit. It's cold," Cassie said once we were in the hallway upstairs.

It was. And not a single light was lit in the hallway, making it all the crisper. I grabbed Cassie's hand as we kept walking through it following the sounds and the only light coming from the end of the hallway.

Something was telling me that this is a very bad idea. But then again, everything from the last few months is giving me the same vibe.

So we went. And the second we peered through the half-closed doors of the room, I instantly regretted not listening to my intuitions.