Damien's voice was low and urgent as he dialed Diana, the clock striking midnight in the background. "Did you guys make it to the Head of College's office?" he whispered.Diana's voice was barely audible on the other end, her tone measured. "Yeah, we got in," she whispered back. "Dad's spare key came in handy. I told him it was for a professor's meeting tomorrow."
"Alright, get to it then," Damien said, his impatience palpable even over the phone. Diana's response was curt. "Gotta go, we're on a tight schedule." The line went dead.
Inside the office, Diana, Isabella, and Carissa moved with practiced stealth, their torches casting eerie shadows on the walls. Diana homed in on the desk, yanking open drawers with a quiet intensity. Isabella and Carissa scattered, books thudding to the floor as they rummaged through the shelves.
A triumphant whisper cut through the silence:
"Hey, I found it." The trio froze, hoodies pulled up to obscure their faces, as the sound of footsteps echoed outside the room. The silence that followed was oppressive, before Isabella and Carissa resumed their search, their breathing the only sound. The minutes ticked by, and then Carissa's voice was barely above a whisper:
"Guys, I think I found hers." Claudia's file lay open on the table, her stamped picture staring up at them. Nods and tense glances were exchanged. Diana's hand closed around the file, her face set.
Their exit was swift, Diana locking the door behind them with a soft click. Her gaze swept the hallway before she nodded, a job well done.
"Let's move." The darkness swallowed them whole as they vanished into the night.
~~~~~
"Shut your mouth, Gabriela. And watch your sister in silence. Else, you both will die."
"Strip her! Fuck her to death!"
"Harder!" Daniela's shouts echoed in her head and the images she saw were vivid.
Gabriela's eyes snapped open, her heart racing like a jackrabbit in her chest. The remnants of her nightmare still lingered, her mind foggy and disoriented. She gasped for air, her lungs burning as she struggled to catch her breath.
Sweat drenched her skin, her green singlet clinging to her back and chest. The tiny straps seemed to dig into her shoulders as she tensed, her body trembling.She clutched the sheets, her fingers white-knuckled as she fought to anchor herself to reality. The air was thick with the scent of sweat and fear. Her short, tight shorts stuck to her legs, making her feel trapped and suffocated. Her head spun, a dull ache throbbing in her temples.
As she looked around the dark room, fear gripped her. The nightlight, usually a comforting presence, had dimmed to a faint glow, casting eerie shadows on the walls.
The darkness seemed to press in around her, making her feel small and vulnerable. Gabriela's panting grew louder, her chest heaving as she strained to control her breathing.
She took a shuddering breath, her eyes darting around the room, searching for something familiar, something to calm the storm inside her. But the darkness seemed to swallow everything whole, and she was left alone with her racing thoughts.
Her phone buzzed on a new text message and she picked it up, clutched in her hands.
It was Miguel.
"Goodnight, gorgeous. Hopefully you get some sleep."
A smile appeared on her lips.
"Oh my gosh..." She exhaled.
She called him and he instantly answered.
"Why are you not asleep yet?" They asked in unison and chuckled.
"I...I had a nightmare."
"Same one?"
"No. It was about Daniela. I can't - stop thinking about what happened. Daring Claudia was a really big mistake."
Miguel didn't respond.
"She said something about you while we spoke. Claudia - is deeply in love with you. She doesn't want me to talk to you, she can't stand it when we're together and that's another reason she's doing all of this. Being friends with you....feels like a regret. If I hadn't met you, Daniela wouldn't be in this condition. If I hadn't stepped on Claudia's toes, this wouldn't have happened. What if Daniela dies? What am I gonna do? I'm gonna lose my mind. When she finally wakes up, what if she has complications? Miguel, I think...I think you should talk to Claudia about her feelings. You could grow to love her too. I can feel it when someone is in love and an other party is getting in the way. I'll stop being that other party. " Her voice was shaky with tears.
"Gabriela. Please. Firstly, I don't want you to think negatively about Daniela's health. She's responding to treatment and the doctors are ensuring her breathing. I'm paying the bills and you don't have to worry. About Claudia, I don't like her and I never will. Don't ever talk about this again. Did you hear me?"
Gabriela sniffed.
"Don't ever think for a second that our friendship was a mistake. I don't regret everything we've had, and the ones we're still going to have. Claudia will suffer for her actions. Claudia will be jailed. She only did all this to play with your emotions and make you think otherwise. She will be robbed of everything she has with you and your father."
"Wipe those tears, right now."
"Why don't you just call Mr. Alejandro and tell him that Claudia is responsible for this."
"Do you think I haven't tried? He's just not believing it. He says Claudia can never do such a despicable thing. Professor Jennie has brainwashed him that I'm only saying that because of our college rivalry. Professor Jennie is in his fucking head. I can't bring myself to continue trying to convince him. I'm sick of it." She replied in annoyance.
"Gaby, can I come pick you up in the morning?"
"Pick me? Why?"
"Nothing much. Let's stay home together. Michelle will be with us too." Gabriela smirked cutely.
"Together...I like that word." She smiled cheerfully.
"Is it your apartment?"
"No. Dad's mansion."
"Is Aunt Cariah there?"
"No, but we can call her on video if you really wanna see her."
"Sounds nice."
~~~~~~~~~
The opulent chandelier above cast a warm glow over Carissa's expansive living room as Isabella, Diana, and Carissa huddled around a sleek, marble coffee table.
The file lay open, Claudia's information neatly on the page.
Diana's eyes scanned the details, her brow furrowed in concentration. "Claudia Flores, 20 years old, born on October 29." She looked up at the others, her gaze lingering on each of their faces.
Isabella leaned in, her voice barely above a whisper. "Parents: Jennie Flores and Alejandro Flores."
"And more irrelevant data."
"What the fuck? This says nothing about her poor life."
"Altered."
Diana flipped the pages and gasped at what she saw next.
She was enrolled with the name 'Claudia Myers' in junior high school and someone had been mysteriously sponsoring her.
"Probably one of her mom's boyfriends."
"Claudia Myers. The last name of her poor dad." Carissa chipped in.
"How do we find Mr. Myers?"
"I think I have a plan."
~~~~~~~~
The sleek black car glided through the gates of Mr. Jackson's mansion, coming to a smooth stop in front of the grand entrance. Michelle unbuckled her seat belt and stepped out of the car without a word, ignoring Damien's parting remark about her being a grumpy morning person. Damien chuckled and followed her, falling into step beside her as they walked towards the mansion.
"Hey, I was just joking about the whole grumpy thing," he said, cracking another joke to lighten the mood. "I'm starting to think you're allergic to mornings."
Michelle's lips curled into a brief smile, but it was quickly replaced by a serious expression. She was focused on the day ahead, her bag slung over her shoulder. As they entered the mansion, they were greeted by the maids, who were busily gathering their belongings.
"Good morning," one of the maids said, smiling at them. "Have a great day!"Damien watched in surprise as the maids filed out of the mansion, leaving them alone.
"Wait, why are you all leaving?" he asked one of them.
"Mr. Miguel gave us the day off," the maid replied. "And Mr. Jackson isn't home, so..."
The maid trailed off, nodding at them before following her colleagues out the door. Damien raised an eyebrow, intrigued.
"Looks like Miguel's in charge today."As they made their way to the living room, they found Miguel sitting comfortably on the couch, his eyes fixed on the entrance.
He hadn't bothered to turn on the TV, clearly waiting for their arrival.
"Good morning, you two," Miguel said, standing up to greet them. "Thanks for coming. Please, have a seat."Damien and Michelle sat down, and Miguel followed suit.
"We're all here except for one person," he said, glancing at his watch. "Gabriela should be here any minute."Just then, the sound of a car pulling up outside caught their attention. Miguel smiled.
"That must be her now."
"Why are you suddenly showing hospitality? Looks like you've got a whole day planned."
"A whole day to explain why I have to skip school." Michelle said dryly.
Gabriela alighted wearing an elegant sweetra tube dress that stopped mid-thigh.
She walked into the house, exuding her usual confidence.
When she rang the doorbell, Michelle was quick to open.
"Gabriela!" They hugged.
"How are you doing? I hope you're not thinking too much about the events recently. Let's stay hopeful for Daniela." Gabriela nodded and Michelle slammed the door behind them.
"Gabriela's here!!"
"Wow. You're stunning." Damien complimented and she smiled.
"Thanks."
"Have your seats."
As they settled in, the debate about what movie to watch began. Damien was adamant about watching a horror movie, claiming it was the perfect way to spend the afternoon. Michelle, however, had other plans."Can we please watch a romantic movie for once?" she asked, her eyes pleading.Damien raised an eyebrow.
"Why do you always want to watch rom-coms? They're so predictable."Michelle shrugged. "I just love a good love story, okay?"Miguel, who had been watching the exchange with interest, chimed in. "What do you think, Gabriela? Horror or romance?"
Gabriela's calm voice cut through the room. "I think I'd agree with Michelle. Romantic movies are always so... uplifting."Damien scoffed.
"Great, two against one. And it's not like I'm going to watch a chick flick with a gazillion seasons."
Miguel chuckled. "Actually, I think I have just the thing." He pulled out a drawer and produced a stack of movie posters. "How about this one?"As they passed the posters around, their reactions were priceless.
The title "Soulmate" stared back at them, and for a moment, no one said a word."I've heard great things about this one," Miguel said, a smile spreading across his face.
"It's a classic romance movie, and it just so happens that it's on in about 45 minutes."The group sat in stunned silence for a moment before Michelle spoke up. "This looks perfect!"
Damien rolled his eyes good-naturedly. "Fine, but if I fall asleep, don't wake me."
"What's this your hatred for romance movies?" Michelle asked him.
"Its not hatred. Actually, there are some movies - like adult romance, that are really steamy. Watching it makes you get wet. That's the one I'll love watching with you." Her eyes darted from his in embarrassment.
"We can watch that after this one." Miguel spoke and Gabriela nodded in agreement.
"Can you bear the heat?" Miguel smirked at Gabriela. She was about to respond when Michelle interrupted.
"Forget it. Damien is silly. There's no way I'll be watching that."
"Don't act so innocent. Michelle is actually a pro when it comes to these things." She pinched him.
"Ow!"
"Quiet."
As they waited for the movie to start, they discussed a topic in Economics, with Damien and Michelle debating the merits of certain economic theories. Gabriela's laughter punctuated the conversation, and each time she did, Miguel's eyes would flicker to her face, a small smile playing on his lips.When the movie was about to start, Damien and Michelle claimed one couch, while Miguel and Gabriela settled into the other. "I'll go get some popcorn," Miguel said, standing up.
As he headed to the kitchen, Gabriela's laughter still lingered in the air, and he couldn't help but smile to himself.
"How did you get here so fast?" He was startled to see Gabriela sitting on the kitchen counter.
"Your dress is nice." His eyes traveled from her cleavage down to her thighs.
Gabriela felt his stares.
"Why are you undressing me with your eyes, pervert?" She asked naughtily.
He tried so hard not blush.
"I'm used to people looking at me like that. You might be wondering why my hips are bigger than my age." Her soft, seductive eyes and cheeky smile was back.
"No. I'm wondering what you're doing here." He put on a more serious look, facing the popcorn machine.
"Just thinking I could help with something."