Mᴏʀᴇ Tʜᴀɴ Jᴜsᴛ Fʀɪᴇɴᴅs

𝐶ℎ𝑎𝑝𝑡𝑒𝑟♧︎︎︎𝑆𝑖𝑥

Something tangy clawed at his throat and his stomach burned, Shawn scrambled himself up on his feet but before he could reach the attached washroom, he threw up all over the floor.

The poor boy heaved, gagged and his eyes watered, everything was spinning and he felt cold, so cold that he wanted to wrap himself in a duvet, but he was too drained get up and fetch one.

Shawn had barely ever drank, let alone absorb any sort of drug or anything. On top of that, he didn't have dinner tonight and now being drugged like this, his body had taken a toll.

"Help!" He screamed, tried his best, but his voice came out raspy and hoarse, and he doubted anyone would hear him unless they were passing by the door.

The chance was very low since the party went on full swing on the first floor, why would anyone come up here?

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Janette had tried Shawn's phone several times but the line kept on ringing and ringing till it got cut. She was beyond worried now and couldn't steady the pounding of her heart as she couldn't find her little friend.

Obviously he hadn't went home since Aaron would've told so if he did, and she'd already searched around and asked everyone but no one saw the brunette.

She even went outside of the house and took a look around in circle but there was no trace of his possible presence.

He had to be inside the house, but why would he hide away without telling her? Something felt definitely off and it concerned her deeply.

"Hey, Janette." Owen's mother called, her brows furrowed in concern as well, "I don't think anyone's up there but you should look in the rooms upstairs as well." She suggested.

"Thank you." Janette huffed in relief, hopeful and eager. As she turned to climb the stairs, a hand stopped her.

"Hey, let's play some games." It was Jonathan.

Janette clenched her jaw, glaring hard at the boy, "I have more important stuff to do." She gritted out.

Jonathan rolled his eyes, still touching her arm, "Come on, Jane. Stop babying him so much. He's pathetic if he needs another teenager to take care of him. You don-" His words were cut off as a hard punch collided across his face and he stumbled backwards, shocked and flabbergasted.

"Don't you fucking dare talk about him with your filthy mouth," She hissed, "And it's Janette for you. If anything, he's hundred times better than your buttheaded ass. I'd pick him over you in a heartbeat, even if I'm given an infinity amount of time. So leave before I do something that'd only tarnish your reputation in front of your relatives." She finished, and without waiting for the dumbfounded boy's reaction, she hurried upstairs to look for Shawn.

"Jonathan," Nayla called, looking scared and worried as she glanced at the boy. "I think we should tell her. What if something happens to Shawn?"

Jonathan grabbed her wrist and rushed out of the house, dragging her along roughly.

"Shh, don't mention his name! And forget we know anything about him. Don't ever mention this, ever again." He seethed.

Nayla glanced worriedly at the house, wringing her fingers, "But I'm worried about Shawn."

"I don't care! If she knows, she'll not leave us. Just forget about it and let's go."

Nayla seemed reluctant and hesitant but couldn't protest as Jonathan dragged her to his car and they drove away from the party.

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Janette ran upstairs and started checking each door, there weren't many and when she tried to open the last door at the end of the corridor, it was locked.

Pressing her ear against the surface, she banged on it.

"Damy??! Are you in there?" She called, there was no response from the other side. "Shawn!"

Then she heard it, a whimper. Almost inaudible but she could recognize the voice anywhere. Janette's heart raced as she knew it was Shawn, locked inside the room. And she could feel something was wrong, very wrong.

"Hang in there, Damy! I'm coming in!"

She yelled and then ran back to Owen's mother. She was frantic and babbling but the woman understood she needed the keys to the rooms and she got them. Without wasting time in explanation, Janette ran back to the locked door and pried it open. Stumbling inside, it took her a second to spot the boy, the light from the corridor helped, and her heart sank.

Shawn was curled up on the floor, a stench lurked around the congested space and the trembles running through his body were evident even from a distance.

Janette rushed to his side, rolling him onto his back and she felt like dying seeing the state of the boy.

His face looked as pale as a white sheet, sweatbeads soaked his hair and there were stains of his vomit clinging onto his shirt and mouth. His eyes were barely open but the way his pupils were blown, it was abnormal and Janette felt her heart shatter.

"Damy? Can you hear me?" She cupped his face, trying to get his attention but the way he was shivering and making gurgling noises, she knew what was wrong and how dangerous it could be for Shawn.

Owen's mother and some other parents from the party hovered around, throwing instructions, some even daring to accuse Shawn of bringing in bad stuff in a kids' party.

If Janette had time, she would have broken their noses but her first and foremost priority was Shawn's safety and health. Not paying further attention to the strangers' rambles, she picked up the boy with ease and rushed out of the house.

As she carried him, she felt how his skin was burning and panic flared her chest, her eyes welled up in fear of something really bad happening to the boy in her arms.

"Hold on, sweetheart. I'll get you help." She murmured.

Bringing him to her car, she buckled him in the passenger seat and rushed herself in the driver's. After starting the car and swerving it onto the road, she used only one hand to drive and grabbed Shawn's with the other.

Janette's vision was blurring due to the unsheded water clouding them and she blinked fast to get rid of them, driving as fast as possible to the nearest hospital, maybe even breaking several traffic rules, but she could care less about that now.

In all her life, Janette had never felt fear like this. She knew she had always cared about Shawn but as a friend only. But now as she saw Shawn like this, she was consumed by pure fear of losing him, and it gave her a realization that she might not survive if anything ever happened to Shawn.

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