CHAPTER 9

**VERONICA**

The person came into the room, but I couldn't see his face clearly because my head was covered with the bedsheet. I could tell it was a guy from his heavy footsteps, his voice, and the overall feel of the room.

"Hello, I think you should come and pick her up now. I don't know how you will do it, but just come." I shifted the bedsheet down slightly, but I could only see the person's back. It seemed he was on a phone call.

He looked like a young guy, and I thought that if he intended to attack me, I might be able to defend myself. *Would I be able to take him down, though?* I pondered as I assessed him. I wasn't sure, but I felt like I might have a chance if I caught him off guard.

His voice sounded very familiar, but I couldn't place it.

When he turned to face me, I quickly shut my eyes. I really wanted to know who he was, but fear held me back. It was clear that I wasn't kidnapped or held against my will since I wasn't tied to the bed, but the thought of having to face a stranger made me anxious. I might or might not have had sex with someone I did not know.

Oh God!

He approached the bed, sat down next to me, and gently touched my cheek with his palm before standing up and leaving the room. I was dying to see his face, but I just wasn't ready.

After he closed the door, I wasted no time. I needed to get out of this place. I started searching for my clothes and was relieved to find them folded by the dresser.

On the dresser, I saw a picture of a woman and a young man. Both were blonde; the man had sea-blue eyes while the woman had soft chocolate-brown eyes. They were both smiling in the photo, looking incredibly happy. *Who could they be?*

I quickly got dressed and began looking for my phone and wallet, but I couldn't find them. I sat on the bed, feeling restless. I had no idea whose house I was in, and uncertainty about my safety began to creep in. I wasn't hurt or anything, but I struggled to remember what had happened the previous night and how I ended up there.

After a few minutes, I heard voices arguing downstairs, but I couldn't make out what they were saying. Eventually, the argument stopped, and someone began coming upstairs to where I was. I felt nervous, but at least I would finally get to see the person who had brought me here.

Now that I was dressed, I felt a bit more in control, and I was ready to confront the mystery guy.

As the door opened, Hunter walked inside, looking furious and shocked to see me awake.

"Hey, Veronica, you're awake," he said, rubbing the back of his neck as if he were uncomfortable.

"Yeah, and I need an explanation because I don't know how I got here," I crossed my arms over my chest.

"Oh, so you can't remember how you ended up here?" he asked.

"No, I can't. I only remember following you to a party," I replied, using my fingers to smooth down my hair, which was a mess. I suddenly remembered that I had pulled my hair up for the party.

"So, you've forgotten that you were drinking to the point where you could hardly walk?" he said, and I couldn't believe it; that was so unlike me.

*No, that can't be true.*

"Well, that's not like me, so don't blame me for wanting answers," I said softly.

"I was surprised too because I didn't think you could drink like that," he said, grinning slightly.

"Me too," I replied, frowning as I tried to recall what had happened.

"Anyway, don't stress about it. Let me take you home," he said, turning to leave the room.

"Wait!" I called out just as he was about to open the door. "W…we didn't do anything, right?" I asked, hoping against hope that we hadn't.

"No, we didn't," he replied.

"Oh, thank God!" I said, letting out a sigh of relief.

"What did you say?" he asked, glancing back at me.

"Nothing, never mind. But who changed my clothes?" I inquired.

"You did that yourself," he answered.

"Alright, before you came upstairs, I heard you arguing with someone. Who was that?" I asked, knowing that the person who had entered the room while I pretended to sleep wasn't Hunter.

"Veronica, I need to take you home, and you really need to stop asking me all these questions," he snapped.

"Sorry," I said as we both descended the stairs. Why was he so angry?

Once we reached the bottom, I noticed my mouth was wide open in awe.

"I really love your house. It's so big, and the decorations are beautiful," I told him.

"Thanks, but it's not my house. It's my cousin's," he replied. "And I'm really sorry for snapping at you earlier."

"No problem," I said, continuing to look around the house. It hadn't occurred to me that his cousin was Bryan.

As we reached the parking lot, he opened his BMW, and we got inside. I noticed there were three other cars parked there. I guessed his cousin must be married since the house looked like it belonged to a family.

As we got inside, we closed the door then he drove off to my house.

We didn't say more than three words to each other, I guess we were both occupied with our thoughts.

****************

When we got to my house, he stopped the car then I came out and he told me he was going to call me later.

"Okay," I replied then I left.

As I got inside the house, I planned to quietly tiptoe till I got to my room.

Besides, this is Saturday, and Liam is supposed to be asleep since he doesn't wake up early during weekends.

As I was about to check the time, I remembered I was not with my phone and I didn't even remember to ask Hunter about it.

What am I going to do now?

As I tiptoed upstairs, someone called my name and I knew I was caught because it was Liam.

"Why did you call my name like that? You scared me," I said as I faced him.

"Where are you coming from?" he asked after taking a sip from his cup of coffee.

"Okay, I know you told me to come back early, but something came up, and I had to spend the night in my friend's house," I said, trying to hide every sign that would make him know I was lying.

" Is that so?" he asked looking at me suspiciously.

"Yeah, so what about mum?"I asked wanting to direct his attention to something else.

"She has gone to work, and she told me she didn't want to disturb you from your sleep, so she didn't go to your room.

If only she knew you were not inside," he said with an evil smile.

I guess it's my lucky day then.

"Can you please not tell Mum about this?"I begged.

"I wasn't planning on telling her, but I still don't believe your story because we both know the only friend you have is Sam, and you weren't at his house," he said.

"Well, I made a new friend."I shrugged, wishing he would just drop the matter.

"And who is this friend that I don't know about?" he asked not buying the story.

"None of your business as long as you don't tell mum about what happened."

"I said I won't," he replied.

"Thank you, that's why you are my big bro," I said embracing him in a tight hug.

"Okay, you can stop trying to bribe me with a hug; I won't tell her," he said, not hugging me back.

"Fine, but I'm still your baby sister," I said and quickly ran upstairs to take my bath and do other things.

******************************

As I got upstairs, I couldn't stop myself from thinking about the person who was making that phone call in the room I was sleeping in.

I got into the shower and continued thinking about the party, but I still couldn't remember, and I hate when I'm trying to figure out something, and it's not working out.

Was I drugged? I wonder as fear gripped me.

Who will want to do that?

I have to find out what truly happened because I'm not sure I can trust Hunter, but first, I have to get my phone.

*Meanwhile in the Collins house.*

 Sam is seen in his room checking his phone, and he wonders why Veronica hasn't called or texted him.

"Or is it too early?"He asked himself but it was past ten already.

"I guess I will have to call her," he said to himself.

He called her but her phone wasn't connecting so he quickly changed his clothes and headed to her house.

As he got there, Liam opened the door and let him inside, so he asked Liam if Veronica was around, and he said, "Yes, but she is in her room."So, he went to her room, knocked on her door and she told him to come in.

As he came inside, Veronica was so happy to see him.

"Oh, Sam, thank God you are here; I need your help." She told him.

As Sam sat down on her bed, she also sat down there and narrated the story about the party to him.

"So you mean you don't even remember how you got to the house? "he asked surprised.

"Yes, I can't, but I have a feeling that my drink was spiked or I was drugged."

"But we agreed that you are not talking more than two cups of alcohol," he said, disappointed in her.

"yes, I know, but what's still strange to me is the fact that I took only two cups of drink, not even alcohol," she replied.

"That's strange but let's focus on getting your phone first, so what are we going to do about your phone now?" he asked.

"I don't know, and the worst part is that I don't even know his address, so how will I even get to him?

I can't possibly wait till Monday before I get my phone," she said exhausted.

Wait, I think I know what to do.

"what's your plan?"Sam asked.

"I don't know if this is going to work, but I think I know the location of the party that we went to, and maybe one way or the other, we will be able to get his phone number.

I just pray this works because I'm very tired and stressed out." she said as she lay down on the bed with her legs still touching the floor.

"Let's go to the place then," Sam said.

"you are coming with me ?" she asked Sam.

"yeah, what are best friends for?" he asked with a smile.

"Thanks a lot, you are the bestest friend anybody can ever have," she said as she tackled him with a hug.

"I'm not sure bestest is an English word, and we need to get going," he said, laughing.

Okay, but you know what I mean she replied, smiling, and then the both of them headed to the place.

VERONICA

As we got to the venue of the party, we entered the gate and that was when I noticed it was a frat house.

It looks different from yesterday.

Quiet but scattered as a result of yesterday's activities.

"Are you sure this is the place?"Sam asked.

"yeah," I said.

I got to the first door and knocked, but the reply I got was not nice, and it was as if my appearance made him pissed.

"what do you want?" he asked rudely.

"Never mind," I replied and he closed the door with anger. More like jammed the door in my face.

I knocked on another door, and it happened to be Harry's, one of the guys Hunter spoke with yesterday, and I think he was the host of the party.

"Hi, I'm so sorry for disturbing you but I need your help," I said.

"Okay?" he replied.

"I think I left my phone in Hunter's house, and I need his phone number or address so that I can get to him," I said.

"I will be right back," he said as he brought out his phone and gave it to me after dialling Hunter's number.

After the second ring, Hunter picked up the call.

"Hey man, what's up?"Hunter asked.

"Hey, it's me, Veronica," I said with relief.

"Hey, what are you doing with Harry's phone, is everything okay?" he asked.

"I called because I wanted to tell you that I left my phone and wallet in your house, and I would like to come get them, but I don't know the address," I said.

"Oh, you mean my cousin's house."He said.

"yeah, that one," I replied.

"Don't worry, I will search for it and bring it to your house instead," he said.

"Any other thing? "he asked me.

"No, just my phone and wallet," I replied.

"Okay then," he said before he ended the call.

"Thanks," I told Harry as I handed the phone to Harry.

"It's nothing," he replied with a grin, and I noticed he wasn't looking at my face but somewhere else, and Sam was trying to hold in his laughter.

I nodded in reply.

"Till we meet again then," he said with a grin as he went inside his room.

"Okay then," I said and left.

" I'm not surprised he was staring at your boobs," Sam said laughing.

"It's not like it's anything new to me, "I replied with a shrug.

"So, what did Hunter say?" he asked.

"he said he is going to bring the phone to my house," I replied as the both of us got into Sam's car before he drove off.

As he continued driving, he started telling me that he would advise me to distance myself from Hunter and his crews because he doesn't trust them and they are trouble.

"Okay, I have heard you," I replied. Then, after some minutes, we got to my house, and as we got there, we entered the living room and sat down on the couch.

It wasn't long before Hunter rang the doorbell of my house.

I went to the door and collected my phone after thanking him.

After he left, Sam and I went to the game room in my house and we started playing a video game.

After the game, we both went upstairs to my room and started watching Kissing Booth.

The movie kind of reminds me of some things concerning Sam and me, so I love the movie.

We made some homemade snacks, buttery popcorn and pineapple juice before we started watching the movie, and when we were halfway done with the movie, I asked Sam about Stephanie again to make sure he was truly over her.

"yeah, I didn't even know I would get over her that quick." was his reply.

As the both of us were still talking, the doorbell rang and we started arguing about who was going to get the door.

Then Sam finally gave up as usual and went to open the door.

He was shocked by who he saw.

"Hi."The person at the door said.

"H...Hey."Sam stuttered.

"Everything okay Sam?" I asked where I was, but there was no reply so I decided to go to the door to check who it was.

I was so shocked to see Jennifer, my childhood friend.

Covered in black ripped jeans, a lilac crop top, black sandals and a bag to match.

She looks beautiful.

"Jenny!"I shouted as I hugged her.

"Oh my God, you look so good and I'm so happy to see you," I said with a smile as I invited her inside the house.

"Me too," she said with a smile.

"Veronica you have no idea of how much I have missed you."She said as she sat down on the couch.

I joined her almost forgetting Sam was there with us.

"Um, this is Sam, my best friend, "I told her as she turned to look at him.

"Hi, I'm Jennifer and It's nice to meet you." She said with a smile.

"I'm Sam short for Samuel." It's nice to meet you too." Sam said rubbing the back of his neck.

"Anyway, I will have to go now. Besides, it's late, and you guys need to catch up," he said.

"Okay, bye." we both said, and then he left, and the both of us started talking about how our lives have been so far.