the line already dispersed.
He handed me a cup and I chugged down everything, not realizing how thirsty I really was.
“Are you okay?” He said, pouring some more punch in my cup.
I shrugged. “I'm okay as I'll ever be.”
The party continued on. I couldn't find Kade or Janaki. Then again, I didn't feel like finding them. Finding them meant having to leave Eric, and I was having a perfectly nice conversation with him right now.
“How do you think we're doing on our project,” I asked.
“Well, we got all the research one can manage... and we just have to find her writing.” He took a sip from his cup. His sleeves were up to his hands, entirely too big for him. The cup left his lips glossy of the red drink. I stared, intrigued.
He stared back at me. “What?”
I widened my eyes. “I—uh….”I could feel the warmth on my cheeks. What in the world am I thinking?
He laughed. “You know, you're cute when you're lost.” He leaned in closer to my face. “Just don't tell your boyfriend I said that.”
I chuckled, unsteady. This was weird. I didn't mind the creepy complement, as I should have. Normally, if guys knew I had a boyfriend, and decided to say something, I'd smack them. But not this time—Eric was different. I took what he said in my heart, it wasn't bad at all. Tons of people say I'm cute.
“Well….” I bit my lip. “As long as you don't do things like that again, I guess we could forget about the whole thing.”
He frowned. Did he really mean it?
“What's going on now?” Jeremy's booming voice from behind stunned me.
“Oh hey. How's it going?” I drank some more punch. “Find any girls interesting.”
He stretched his arms. “No, not at all.” he's face frowning. “The only girl I want is taken.”
I shook my head. “Come on. You have to get out there. You can't be waiting around all day for her. Until she realizes,” I said in a hushed town, “you have to start dating some too.”
“Find me a girl then.” He smirked. What was I, cupid?
I took his wrist, leading him towards the walls. There were always girls standing—waiting for some guy to happen. Well someone's going to be happy, I'm sure of it.
“Take your pick.” I whispered to him. He glanced around and looked back at me.
“Their all snobby looking.” He said, wrinkling his nose as if they stink. “Not my type.”
“Well they’re probably not that snobby. They don't have a date.”
“Exactly.”
I shook my head, perplexed. “I don't understand.”
But his eyes looked away from me, focusing on something entirely different. I turned my head where he looked and saw this girl standing outside. She had long reddish-brown hair with bangs over her eyes. She was wearing a blue dress, with dirty black Converse shoes. She wasn't any interesting to look at, but Jeremy seemed to think otherwise.
“What about that girl.” He pointed out as if I couldn't read his expression.
“You really like her?” I said. “But she looks so….”
He glared at me. “Normal?”
I shrugged, “I don't know. I mean you go from liking Janaki to liking…her. It's like a sudden change.”
He ignored me. “Introduce me,” He shoved me towards the closed doors outside.
“That only works when I know her,” I hissed.
“Then get to know her,” He demanded, looking at me with his hard brown eyes. “You said it yourself, I need to move on. Help me.”
I glared at him; I don't like this at all. I'm not a matchmaker—I suck at it. But I had to make it up to him. So I walked towards the glass doors, gulping at the thought of meeting someone new. I'm not good at conversations when it's being forced.
She turned her head suddenly, surprised to hear the door opening. Good, she wasn't expecting anyone.
“Hello,” I said, in a pleasing tone.
She nodded. “Hello.” Her voice was quite soft, I noted.
I sat down where she was sitting at one of the chairs at the table. “What's your name?”
“Autumn. And yours?”
“My name's Dorothy, most people call me Dottie though.”
Autumn wrinkled her nose. “Dottie from Dorothy, that's a new one.”
I started blankly at her. She actually looked so cute doing that thing with her nose. Jeremy will love her. “My sister mentioned that today, I never really thought of it.”
She laughed, and I felt a bit at ease, enough to jump right in.
“Are you seeing anyone right now?”
“Uh…you?” She asked, unsure. Wow, maybe I shouldn’t have said that yet, or at least worded it right. But then it hit her before I could explain. “Are you…asking me out?”
I furrowed my eyebrows. “I'm not gay,” I said.
“Good,” she said. “I don't like breaking hearts.”
“Sounds like a crappy love song.”
“Everything's a song these days.” Autumn then went back to the question, “Why are you asking my status then?”
“Well,” I began, taking a huge inhale for emphasis to my incredible tale, “My friend saw you and really wants to get to know you. You,” I turned my head to one side, “Intrigue him.”
“I am single, thanks for asking.” She smiled solemnly and it was then I caught breathtaking smile. “But why didn't he come here himself?”
“I owe him.” I answered.
“Ooh. Blackmail.”
I shook my head. “Not quite, but that doesn't matter. What does matter is that you should meet him.”
“I don't want to go inside, it's too loud.” She scrunched up her nose again.
“He'll be out in a second then.” I stood up from the chair, reaching the sliding doors.
I came by Jeremy again, who was chatting with Eric. I whispered in his ear, “Her name's Autumn, single, and totally hates parties.”
He raised his eyebrows. “Then why is she here?”
“Fate’s on your side today buddy. Deal with that.”
He smiled and walked away.
I was feeling dizzy. Really dizzy. Everything was fuzzy, I couldn't see properly. My brain wasn't functioning right, I suppose. I could feel myself making mistakes, but I couldn't stop. No control.
What was happening? I don't remember drinking or taking any drugs. I felt tired. I felt energized. I think I sat down but I'm not so sure anymore. People moved swaying, all forming one blob to me. Someone was next to me, rubbing my shoulder. I wondered if it was Kade, maybe even Jeremy. Some soft-spoken words. It didn't sound like either of them.
It was actually close to Eric's voice. But why was Eric still with me? I left him to go to Kade. Or did I? But I did...ugh. The music was too loud again...it was bothering my ears. I put my hands to my ears, covering them.
“Dottie, you feeling okay?” I heard a familiar voice. It belonged to Janaki.
“Jana.” I looked up, she was moving weird. Not normal, but right now nothing was normal.
“Dottie? What's wrong with her?” She wasn't directing the question to me, she asked the person rubbing my shoulders.
“I don't know,” Eric answered.
She leaned down to me. “You want to go home, Dottie?”
And for some reason, I shook my head. I should have said yes, I wasn't feeling well. I want to go home.
“I don't know where Kade went, Dottie.” Janaki said, standing straight up again, her eyes grew big. “Oh no.”
Eric's head shifted towards where she was looking. I still sat there, unmoved.
“Dottie! We have to run—” But some people came in between, in a hurry. What was going on now?
“The cops! FREAKING RUN!” I heard a shout.
I swear I heard Kristen's loud voice, “Oh no. Oh no. Oh shit!”
And everyone was on the move, except me. I couldn't move, not from where I was at. The cops were going to get me now. Oh…and I was going to get in so much trouble. Pro
bably never see the light of day again.
“What's wrong with her?” someone asked, but then ran off not caring.
I was alone, I felt it. My head was drooping. I was going to pass out. Now, right now.
And I was right.
6. KIDNAPPED
I woke up, er…at least I think I did. I couldn't tell the difference. I blinked but it was still pitch black. I tried to stretch, but something stopped me.
My wrists felt like they had a rough rope tied around them. And then I had to itch them—they were bothering me. I tried my feet, roped too.
What is going on, I wondered.
“Hey, what's happening where am I?” I said, but the sound was muffled. There was tape on my mouth too. My eyes were wide now, the darkness I was getting used to. There was a wall that I leaned on. I moved some to get into a comfortable position, but to no avail. Then I heard something while shuffling. I became very still and quiet. Someone was outside of the room I was in. I focused my eyes some more, just barely seeing some dim light shining outside the door.
I realized the door was one of those closet doors. The one door with a lock? The door was designed to have horizontal-like blinds, so one could see out, if one really wanted to try. I couldn’t see anything, just that light.
I heard someone moving from outside again. I shouted for help, but settled with another muffle.
Dammit, what's happening?
I struggled and somehow managed to sit up. Still…uncomfortable.
Now I saw a shadow. A shadow of someone walking outside the room. I bent my legs to the side to kick the door, succeeded and the shadow halted. The shadow came towards the door.
“Let me out,” I muffled through the tape.
Then it crept closer, reaching to unlock of the door. The door opened. The shadow's figure stood, a head peering down on me.
I glared up; I couldn't see a face at