The moment I wake up, I feel the weight of last night hanging over me like a dark cloud.
The ballroom, the woman's scream, the missing girl, it all feels like a blur, like I'm still trapped in a nightmare that won't let me wake up.
I feel a chill run through me, but I try to shake it off. Rafael's words from last night echo in my mind.
I never thought this night would still be haunting me the way it is now.
I showered and dressed for school. While I was doing my hair, the sound of my door opening pulls me from my thoughts.
It's Rafael. His expression is unreadable, his eyes focused on something far beyond me, but when he sees me sitting up, his shoulders tense slightly.
"You're not going to school today." His voice is firm, no room for argument.
He's standing at the foot of my bed, arms crossed, looking like he's made up his mind.
I sit up, anger bubbling inside me instantly. "What? Why?" I can't hide the irritation in my tone. "What's going on? I'm fine."
"You're not going." He says it again, like he's giving me no choice, and his gaze is piercing—too intense for my liking.
"You can't be serious, Rafael." I roll my eyes and stand up, throwing my feet to the floor. "You're paranoid. You seriously think I'm in danger? After everything that happened last night? I'm fine!"
His jaw tightens, his eyes narrowing as if he's weighing something in his mind. The tension in the air is thick, like the ground beneath us is slowly cracking, ready to give way.
He's trying to keep his voice calm, but there's something behind it, a warning. "You don't understand. I need to keep you safe, Amanda. Just… trust me for once."
I feel a rush of frustration. I hate being told what to do, especially by him. And even more when he's trying to protect me from something I can't even comprehend.
"This is ridiculous. I'm not some delicate little thing you need to shelter. I can take care of myself, okay?" I snap, but it does nothing to change his stance.
"You'll stay here. End of discussion." Rafael's voice is final, but his eyes betray something else, concern. But I don't care. I'm furious.
A couple of hours later, I'm still in the mansion, pacing back and forth in my room. I feel restless, trapped. I want to scream, to break something. The way Rafael treated me last night, and now this. It's too much.
But I'm mot listening, I have to go to school now.
I went down the stairs, tip toeing, when I hear a phone buzzes. I look down and immediatrly hide when I saw Rafael answering it.
"Hello?"
The woman's voice on the other end makes my stomach drop. "Sir Rafael?"
Who is that? Is it his girlfriend?
"Yes, who's this?" Rafael answered.
"This is Faye's mother. I wanted to call and let you know…"
I freeze at the mention of Faye's name.
"What happened to her?" Rafael asked.
"Faye's back. She's come home." The woman's voice cracks, and I hear a faint sob in the background. "She doesn't remember anything, Amanda. Not even what happened. She's… safe. I just wanted to say I'm sorry for the trouble."
I stand there, speechless for a long moment. My heart skips a beat. This whole situation feels more tangled than I could have imagined.
Faye is back. She was the girl who was missing last night, and now she's somehow safe, but with no memory of what happened?
"Thank you."Rafael said, his voice distant.
The call ends, and I stand in silence. My thoughts race as I try to make sense of everything. Why couldn't Faye remember anything? Why did this feel like more than just a random kidnapping?
It's almost lunchtime when I arrived at school. I have to put on some make up first, I couldn't do it earlier since I was busy trying to sneak out.
The school hallways are quiet as I make my way to the restroom. I keep my head down, avoiding eye contact with anyone. The sound of chatter fades as I walk into the comfort room, locking myself in the stall.
I try to breathe deeply, but it's hard. There's this strange feeling, like someone is watching me. It makes the hair on the back of my neck stand up. Why am I paranoid now? Ugh
I take a deep breath, leaning against the cool tile wall. I need to calm down. Everything feels wrong.
Then, the door opens, and the unmistakable sound of footsteps echoes through the restroom. I freeze.
Before I can process what's happening, I feel two strong hands grab me from behind. A scream catches in my throat, but it's smothered before it can escape. The world tilts, and my body is pulled backward.
"Shut up." A rough voice growls in my ear.
I struggle, but I'm not strong enough. Panic surges through me, and my heart races as I'm dragged toward the door.
A brief flash of recognition hits me, James.
But before I can even react, the world goes black.