Between Us

Chapter 47

My mom's statuesque figure loosened upon seeing me in the doorway. My dad was the first to get to me, holding my arms and scanning me up and down.

"How are you feeling? Caden said you were drugged?"

"I feel much better now, dad. I'm fine."

"Should we go to the police?" he spoke over me, rambling. "I think we should go. How could someone do that to you? To anyone? Those sick bastards!"

"Dad, I'm fine," I reassured, feeling the lie heavily in my muffled mouth, built up like cotton stuffed into my cheeks. "Caden helped me."

My dad rubbed his already red forehead. I could only assume the number of times he scratched or rubbed it. "We owe him a lot, don't we? Jesus. At first, I thought—we all thought..." I knew what they thought, and I wanted to make it clear to them.

"I'm not like Saria," I said, hearing the firmness in my words. For so long, I'd wanted to say them. Wanted to hear her name said from my own lips. We never uttered it, like a curse hanging over us. I held my chin up. "I like that you give me the freedom I need, but I don't want you to hold back from being who you two are, either. Yell at me. Scold me. Be overprotective and annoying, if you need to be. Please, stop acting like I'm fragile."

My mom, who had been unusually quiet, burst into tears. Her whole body trembled, and I could feel my own eyes swimming with water that ached to be let out. She pulled me into a rough hug, kissing me all over, before burying her head into my shoulder.

"You gave us a fright," she muttered and then when I tightened my arms around her, craving the warmth and comfort that only a mother could give, continued, "I love Saria, and I love you. I don't want to have to lose you, either."

"You won't lose me, mom." This I knew was a promise I could keep. "Who told you about me doing drugs?"

"We got a note. It was slipped under the door, and when I opened it, a car left almost immediately."

"What kind of car was it?"

"I don't know, honey. It all happened so quickly. The last thing on my mind was the model of a car." Please, remember, I wanted to yell, but the tears in her eyes told me that she was taking this as rough as I was. "I'm just so glad you're okay."

I hugged her back. I was glad, too.

***

"You dumb bitch, what the hell were you doing?!" Sai called, first thing in the morning to say. I could hear the sound of tap water running and her spitting something out; most likely brushing her teeth. "Do you know how worried we all were?"

"I was roofied, Sai. I don't know what I was doing."

"Wait what?" I let my words sink in. Her voice was warbled, like she wanted to cry but yell all at the same time. "H-Holy shit. Do you know who? Paris?"

"I don't know. I don't think I want to know." That was a lie. Partially. As scared as I was to head out and face everyone again, I wanted to speak to Paris. I knew she was at work so I took a detour to the grocery store. Her face, when I arrived, was just as harrowed as mine. Her skin was pale and her eyes, bulging. She looked sick. Seeing me, she rolled her lips in.

After dealing with the few customers lined up to check out their items, she turned to me. "I'm so sorry," she said, pulling me into a hug.

"Sorry? For what?"

She glanced around before whispering to make sure the manager didn't catch her slacking off. "I should have been paying more attention to you."

"It was a club. You were dancing. That's what people do there."

"I know, but..." she trailed off. Now I needed to get to the root cause.

"You said you saw me leaving," I said, shifting on my feet. "Did you actually?"

"You sent us that text message so I figured you did. Trixie was with me as well, but neither of us actually saw you leave."

Trying to investigate probably wasn't the best to do in real life. This only worked in tv shows and detective novels. Did I really need to know? If it wasn't Trixie or Paris, the only person left was Leo.

I really didn't want to believe it was him.

Not knowing if he would respond to my text, I took a taxi to the only place I knew he would be at. The music store. A couple of regulars who I'd seen walking around the neighbourhood flashed a smile at me, and I returned it, somewhat shakily.

The bell of the door ringed to signal my appearance. Leo was there, standing behind the counter. I let out a small sigh of relief. Walking closer, I saw that he was arguing in a hushed voice.

With Leilani.

She looked distraught. "I only came to visit before my classes start. I never planned this."

"I don't give a flying fuck."

I'd never heard Leo curse. "Leo?" He swivelled, the deep lines in his forehead smoothening out. The bridge of his nose was starting to bruise and there was dried blood caked around his nostrils. His left eye was half-shut.

I flinched. "What happened?"

He scoffed. "What happened?" he repeated, bitterly. "Caden happened."