All I see are shadows. Trees. The world swimming around me. All the while, I call out for Maeve. But she never comes. I can't find her. Why can't I find her?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Since homecoming night senior year, Aisling Turner has lived in a hell of he...
The world was spinning around me. From somewhere, I vaguely heard the opening strains of our high school's fight song, meaning the parade must have started. There were cheers as well.
But I wasn't here.
My mind was careening back into the past, and I couldn't stop it as Maggie's confession knocked my world off-axis.
Stephanie had slipped something into Maeve's drink. But Maeve didn't drink it. She had given it to me. I drank it.
Everything started to fall into place.
"Do ya think... maybe someone slipped somethin' into yer drink, and that's why ya can't remember anythin'?"
I had dismissed Brett's assumption at the time. Didn't think it was possible. That was something that happened in other places. Big cities. It didn't happen here in Davies, Oklahoma. At least, I had never heard of anyone being drugged. I suppose that didn't mean it didn't happen.
Obviously, it did happen if Stephanie had found roofies that easily.
My mind hurdled back to the party...
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I looked across the bonfire and saw Brett standing with his friends. He was laughing at something. My heart fluttered. He then turned, his eyes finding mine. I must have been imagining it because I swore his smile grew. He then nodded before turning to his friend and saying something. He stepped away.
Holy shit, he was walking towards me.
I spun to my left, needing to get away. I couldn't talk to him. Unfortunately, someone was already standing there. Ashley. I bumped into her, splashing beer on myself before dropping the can to the ground. The contents quickly spilled out.
"Oh my God. I'm so sorry," I rushed out.
"It's fine," Ashley said with a giggle. "Trust me... not the first beer that'll be spilled on me tonight."
She flounced off, and Maeve took her place as I stared at the beer. I had only drunk about half of it. I supposed it was for the best. I wasn't sure I should be drinking tonight anyway, seeing how quickly my classmates were getting drunk. I looked over, noticing that Natalie was with her friends, a beer in her hand. She looked okay, but at the same time, I wasn't sure I could trust her to stay sober enough to drive us home.
It was tricky getting down the lake roads on a good day, completely sober, in the middle of the afternoon. Getting around at night was infinitely more challenging.
"Here, drink this," Maeve said, pushing a red solo cup into my hand.
I wasn't sure where she got it since the last I had seen, she was drinking beer. But other kids were standing around holding them. I sniffed at it cautiously, unsure of what the brown liquid was.
"It's mostly Coke," Maeve said, rolling her eyes. "Besides, you need to catch up."
I stared back at her, still not sure I should drink it. Beer was one thing, but liquor was something else altogether. I had never had liquor before.
