"Long time no see, baby."
I started at the sound of the voice, and as the words registered in my brain, I froze. My phone slipped from my hand as the hairs on the back of my neck stood on edge. It couldn't be...it was simply impossible. But there wa...
My room looked less luxurious and more "homey" than the rest of the house—not that any expense had been spared. The furnishings appeared to have been chosen with immense care to ensure that I felt entirely at home the minute I stepped into the room. To my left, there was a queen-sized bed with at least six pillows and a thick blanket atop it, and to my right, there was a large armchair with a knit throw blanket tossed over the arm. In the far left corner of the room, there was a door which led to my own, private bathroom, and directly across the room from the entrance a pair of big, glass doors revealed the rippling surface of the lake. Not only that, but also, aside from furniture and soft carpet, the room had been decorated with a variety of plants as if someone knew exactly what it took to bring me peace of mind.
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The appearance of the room did help to ease my feelings of discomfort, and with a last glance tossed over my shoulder to the door, I settled down in the chair to try to catch my brain up with everything that had happened. I wasn't sure how long I sat there thinking over everything, but at some point I must have drifted off, for the next thing I knew, gentle, morning sunlight was shining on my face. I didn't remember moving from the armchair to the bed, but I must have at some point.
For a long moment, I lay there staring up at the ceiling and debating whether or not I had a reason to actually get up. Shifting lazily onto my side, my eyes widened, and I quickly sat up. My phone was sitting—plugged in—on the bedside table. Picking it up, I put in my passcode and opened my camera roll, and a relieved smile touched my lips when I saw that everything was still there. With my phone in hand and considering the fact that I'd probably gotten more restful sleep in the past twenty-four hours than I'd had in uncountable years, I felt far more at ease now and a little more ready to face whatever new surprises the day might bring.
Still clutching my phone in my hand, I went to the bathroom and did my best to wash my face. My hair was beyond desperate for a wash now, and I stared indecisively at my image in the mirror for several long minutes as I tried to decide what the best course of action would be. In truth, I knew I was simply avoiding the obvious answer to my problem, because facing all those men again—especially that individual—made my heart beat an irregular pattern. There seemed to be no other option, however, and chewing on the inside of my cheeks, I tentatively exited my room.
The house was almost deathly silent, and for a moment, I wondered if I'd been left on my own. Creeping as silently as possibly down the stairs, I looked for any sign that I wasn't alone, but there was no sign anyone was there. Just as my foot touched the last stair, however, loud music started playing, startling me. Cautiously rounding the corner into the dining room, I came face-to-face with Heidi. Her hair was hanging loose about her shoulders in wild curls, and she was wearing an enormously oversized sweater—beneath which the hem of a pair of shorts barely showed—and a mix-matched pair of thick, fluffy socks.
"Ah, good morning." She smiled. "Want some breakfast? I was just about to make something."
"Umm. Well, I was going to try to get a shower in, but—" I trailed off, feeling too presumptuous to ask if she'd happened to bring my shower things.
