Tia's stomach twisted into a knot of cold dread, as she wondered where are friend was. And her under eyes were covered in Red marks, the battery of her phone was drained from constant redialing as it lay beside her.
Tia had gone to the police, but they were utterly useless, only taking a report, not after they told her maybe Rhea was with her boyfriend and that she's an adult.
Tia's head snapped up, and the small click sound echoed from the other side of the door, then the hesitant scrape of a key in the lock as the door opened slowly.
"Rhea?" Tia's voice was a ragged whisper of relief and disbelief.
Rhea stood in the doorway, looking… wrong. Tired. Rumpled. There were marks on her neck, peeking out from under her collar. Hickeys. Bite marks? Tia's heart lurched. Rhea's eyes were wide, a strange, dazed look in them, like she was under water.
"Oh my God, Rhea!" Tia stood up, crossing the room in two seconds, grabbing Rhea by her arms. "Are you okay? Where were you? I was so worried! I went to the police! Who… who did this to you?" Her fingers brushed a bruise on Rhea's jaw, a pinkish stain.
Rhea swayed, like she was half drunk or sleepwalking. Her voice was air, "Tia..." The name was a fragile sigh. "I...I don't know."
Tia pulled her inside, closing the door quickly, as if to seal away the nightmare outside. "Don't know? What do you mean you don't know? What happened? Who was that man on the phone? The one who spoke through your phone and sounded like he owned the world?" Tia's voice was a frantic rush, her eyes scanning every inch of Rhea, looking for more injuries, and answers.
Rhea only shook her head slowly and heavily, a tired movement. "He... he brought me back." She said looking down at her hands. "I woke up in a strange place, Tia."
Tia gently steered Rhea to the couch, pushing her down onto the soft cushions. "Woke up where? Rhea, talk to me. What are these marks? Are you hurt?" She knelt in front of Rhea, taking her hands. They were cold.
"It was huge, Tia," Rhea murmured, her voice shaky, "Like a palace. All gold. Too much gold." She shuddered. "He... he changed my clothes. He bathed me." A shiver ran through Rhea's body, causing her to hug herself. Zeenare tried to make me... eat. It felt as if he wasn't planning on letting me go."
Tia's stomach churned: feeling kinda sick. He bathed her? What's she? A child? Or his possession? A cold rage started to build inside her. "He what?" Tia's voice was low, trembling dangerously. "Rhea, that's not okay. That's... that's not right. Did he— did he hurt you? Like... did he force you?" Dread making her throat tight as she swallowed hard as she could barely get the words out.
Rhea shook her head again, burying her face in her hands. "I... I don't remember much. After the club... it's all a blur." She looked up, her eyes watery. "He said... he said I was begging him to kiss me, to touch me. I don't... I don't think that's true, Tia. I would never—" Her voice cracked. "My body... it hurts. My thighs, my chest. And these marks..."
"Oh my God, Rhea." Tia reached out, pulling Rhea into a tight hug. "My poor Rhea. That monster. He took advantage of you. He knew you were drunk, didn't he? He's a predator. That's a violation, Rhea. You were hurt." Tia's voice was thick with anger. "We're calling the police. Right now. You don't have to remember every single thing. What he did, Rhea, that's illegal."
Rhea stiffened in her arms. "No! Tia, wait." She pulled back slightly, her eyes pleading. "It's... it's not like that. Or... I don't know. And... and it doesn't matter."
Tia pulled away, confused. "Doesn't matter? Rhea, look at you! Of course it matters! This is serious!"
Rhea didn't answer right away. Her eyes drifted off — not focused on anything, not seeing. Her shoulders dropped. Her fingers tightened around Tia's hand like she was holding on to something just to stay grounded.
When she finally spoke, her voice barely made it past her throat.
"Because… because I'm dying, Tia."
Tia's mind went blank. As the words hung in the air, heavy and solid, shattering the fragile calm. "What?" she whispered. "Dying? Rhea, stop. What are you talking about? This isn't funny."
Rhea's eyes met hers, and Tia saw a pain so profound it stole her breath. "The doctor, Tia. He said— Late-stage Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy. My heart. It's... it's going to rupture." Tear streamed down Rhea's cheek. "He said... one month. I have about one month left, that my heart no longer pump blood efficiently, a...and my oxygen levels are dropping, and the muscle has grown too thick, that it's beginning to shut down, that I...I may have weeks. A month, at most."
Tia felt the world tilt. "No. No, Rhea, you can't be serious. Tell me this is a sick joke. A month? That's not... that's not possible." Tia reached for Rhea's face, pulling it close, searching her eyes for any sign of a lie, but there was only a chilling, quiet truth. Her hands started to tremble. "Are you sure? You don't have a second opinion?" Tia stared into Rhea's eyes, still hoping for another answer, but there were none. "Then we'll get another one. We'll get ten if we have to! No God! Not my best friend..."
The sudden visit to the club, Rhea's reckless abandon, and the desperate desire to live life to the fullest. Then, suddenly, it all clicked into place. The words she'd scoffed at a few hours ago now echoed with a terrible, heartbreaking clarity.
"This is why," Tia whispered, tears welling in her own eyes. "This is why you went out? This is why... oh, Rhea." She pulled Rhea back into a fierce hug, rocking her gently. "Why didn't you tell me? Why didn't you say anything? This is so unfair. After everything you've been through..."
Tia's hands curled into fists before she even realised it. Her jaw clenched, hard, like she was trying to swallow something bitter.
Her chest tightened, as her breath became heavy. She could feel heat rising to her face, a pulse pounding behind her eyes -Tia was furious.
Not at Rhea. Never at Rhea.
But at him.
Whoever he was. Whoever had looked at Rhea's pain, her desperation… and decided to use it.
She stared at nothing, biting the inside of her cheek to keep her from screaming.
Tia hissed, pulling away to look at Rhea, her eyes blazing. "That bastard! He knew, didn't he? He could tell you were vulnerable. He took advantage of you when you were at your absolute lowest. He's a predator, Rhea! The way he talked... so calm, so possessive. I knew something was wrong on the phone." Her voice rose. "He should be locked up! What he did, Rhea, it's not some bad night, it's— it's criminal!"
Rhea flinched, her weariness deepening, at Tia's raised voice. "I... I don't know, Tia. He was ... there. And then I was there." Rhea looked away, " What's the... point now?" Her voice was barely audible. "I only have a month to live. And is it worth... all that? Fighting him? I've come to peace with myself, I just want to... be home. Be quiet."
Tia saw the defeat in Rhea's eyes, the profound exhaustion. And it broke her heart, but also fueled a new, fierce resolve.
"No, Rhea. Don't you dare say that." Tia grabbed Rhea's shoulders, her grip firm. "First, we'll get you some water, some food. You need rest. Real rest, in your bed. Then we will visit every single option for your health." She paused, taking a deep, shaky breath. "Every specialist, every treatment. We'll travel if we have to. We're doing this together. You are not dying on me. Not on my watch. Rhea, we're not giving up on this, month."
Tia's voice dropped, raw with emotion. "And that man? Zeenare, whatever his name is," his name flashed in her mind. "Even if you don't remember every detail, I do. I heard him, and I see you." Tia stood up and walked past the dining room into the mini kitchen to grab some water. "He's not getting away with this. He is a monster and a creep. He took advantage of my best friend, who was hurting and lost. And he needs to pay for it, Rhea." She handed the glass of water to Rhea, "You were lucky to get out of there when you did. But you're safe now." She sat back down holding Rhea in a hug, " And we're going to make sure you stay safe. And we're going to fight this."
Rhea, who was completely tired, sagged against Tia, tears trickling down her cheeks, not for the weird one-night stand, but from the grim diagnosis, and the fierce, unwavering love of her best friend.