Cult

Ross' Request

I snap awake at eleven am. My head is still throbbing and the ice pack is on the floor. I pick it up carefully and place it back to my head. It's not water, but it's definitely melted.

I idly wonder whether Ross is awake.  I also wonder why he was so upset. Things just don't add up. I strain to remember whether anything else happened, but nothing pops up. The last thing I can definitely remember is being on the surfboard with him, and he definitely said that we were up by his car...

But what happened? Did I faint? I probably did... I remember feeling especially hungry in the water, and exceptionally tired. Maybe I fainted.

I put my head in my hands as I figure out what to do now. I have to get up. That's obvious. Do I just leave now? It's so confusing.

I can't just leave after he's been so nice and hospitable.

Maybe he's expecting more of you, Al mutters. I don't know whether to agree.

If Ross was like I thought he was like, he'd have made a pass at me yesterday, surely. He obviously didn't. Whether he was going to do it was another question. I fainted (or whatever happened) so he didn't get the chance.

Would I have let him do it if he made a pass at me? I probably would. I mean, he's gorgeous, for a start. He seems genuine and I can't stop thinking about him. Though it's just a crush, I can't help thinking that maybe I might want to start something with this boy.

But I can't now. He's my boss' son. Perfect.

SERIOUSLY ALEX, REMEMBER! Al shouts at me, and I struggle to rack my brains to remember...what?

 Everything warns me that there's something I need to remember, but obviously my head hitting the hard metal of Ross' expensive car has knocked the thought right out of me. Excellent.

Think, Alex, PLEASE! Al pleads, and it makes me angry thinking about it. Why can't I remember?

It'd be easier if I knew what I was trying to remember.

I get out of bed and walk bare foot across the wood. I look in the mirror and put down the ice pack, and redo my hair. I wish I could change clothes, but this is all I have, so I make my way out of the bedroom into a shortish corridor with two doors on each side. I slowly peek in both rooms and they are just spare bedrooms. I sigh. I have no idea where I'm going. 

I edge around the corner and see a large open living area with what looks like very comfortable creamy plush settees and arm chairs that are bigger than me. There's a big plasma screen TV that isn't turned on but is spectacular anyway. The area joins onto a gorgeous kitchen with a black top marble island. It has a ginormous cooker and a fantastic all-american fridge freezer. 

But there's still no one here.

Ross must be in bed, Al says, Take this alone time to figure out what you're trying to remember. 

I walk over to the island and run my fingers over the marble. It's so smooth.

"Like it?" his voice startles me.

I whip around, making my head throb. When I go to grasp it, he rushes over to the fridge, grabs a new ice pack and puts it to my head.

"Thanks," I sigh. How long until I'm fine?

"No problem. Sorry for scaring you," he chuckles.

Ross has entered from another little corridor at the opposite side of the living area. It's a nice place.

"Do you just live here, or does your dad too?" I ask, not able to contain my curiosity.

He smiles crookedly, "Just me,"