Between Us

Chapter 34 : Voices Unheard

I jolted awake, a sudden wave of nausea hitting me like a freight train. I barely made it to the bathroom in time, collapsing in front of the toilet and vomiting violently. The retching left me weak and trembling. After it finally subsided, I sat back against the cold tile wall, my knees pulled up to my chest, hands tangled in my hair. The room spun around me, the events of the previous night replaying in my mind.

Eventually, I forced myself to stand, washing my face and brushing my teeth, trying to rid myself of the acrid taste. I glanced at the mirror, my reflection pale and gaunt. I looked as awful as I felt. Taking a deep breath, I left the bathroom and returned to the bedroom, where Heidi and Tina were still sound asleep.

I slipped out of the room quietly, descending the stairs with a leaden heart. My mouth was dry, and I felt like I was on the verge of being sick again. In the kitchen, I opened the fridge and grabbed a bottle of cold water, drinking it almost entirely in one go. The cool liquid was refreshing but did little to soothe the turmoil inside me.

The nausea returned, and I leaned over the sink, coughing and trying to stave off another bout of vomiting. I fumbled for some aspirin, hoping it would help, and when I turned around, I froze.

Engfa was standing a few meters away, her eyes filled with concern and worry. It had been days since I'd last seen her, and the sight of her now, so close, sent a jolt through my heart. My stomach churned, and I couldn't tell if it was from the hangover or the emotional turmoil. She started to approach me, but before she could reach me, Heidi and Tina burst into the kitchen.

They both greeted me with teasing smiles, clearly enjoying my hungover state. Heidi glanced over at Engfa, her eyes widening in surprise. "Oh, hey, Engfa," she said awkwardly.

Tina, however, wasn't as polite. She glared at Engfa, making her disdain obvious. "Good morning," she said curtly, before turning her attention back to me. "Last night was wild, wasn't it, Char? You had such a great time."

I frowned, not understanding where they were going with this. But I didn't have the energy to question them. I just wanted to keep my stomach in check.

Heidi nodded in agreement, "Yeah, it was a crazy night. Haven't seen you let loose like that in ages."

Tina sauntered over to the fridge, grabbing a snack. "Oh, Charlotte, what was the name of that guy you were dancing with all night? Tall, dark hair, totally your type."

I choked on my water, coughing violently. Heidi feigned deep thought, "Hmm, what was his name again? Oh right, James."

Tina laughed, a little too loudly, "Yeah, he was handsome. You two looked great together, really hitting it off."

I could see Engfa's shoulders tense as she stared at the floor, her face a mask of pain and confusion. Tina continued, "And what about when you disappeared for a while, Char? We found you two getting pretty close outside. What was that about?"

Heidi joined in, "Right, that was something. You seemed really into him."

I glared at them, eyes wide, silently begging them to stop. Engfa finally lifted her head, her gaze locking with mine. Her eyes were filled with hurt, and I couldn't hold her stare. I quickly looked away, focusing on Heidi and Tina instead, hoping to silently communicate my plea for them to shut up.

I could feel Engfa's eyes burning into me, and it took everything in me not to look back at her. The tension in the room was thick, almost suffocating. Just then, Sarah walked in, carrying a stack of papers. "Engfa, could you please sit down?" she asked, her tone businesslike.

Engfa moved silently to the table, her gaze now fixed on the surface in front of her. Sarah turned to me and then back to Engfa, clearly aware of the strained atmosphere but choosing not to comment. I watched Engfa intently, trying to decipher her emotions, but her face remained a blank canvas, betraying nothing.