I dare you.

Chapter 4

I lay there and start to laugh. None of what has happened matters. It only matters if I let it. It's been at least 3 hours since my party began and I just want everyone out. I grab my phone out of my pocket and find Lady's contact, flicking her a message to tell everyone the party is over and that they're more than welcome to take the rest of the alcohol from the cooler with them. I can tell Lady has received my message because suddenly there's a bunch of yelling and banging around, then after 10 minutes, the noise begins to die down. I trust that Lady will get everyone out of the house and clean for me, so I drift off to sleep.

My eyes begin to burn as daylight fills my room. My window is open and I could feel the cold breeze swimming through my room. I get up and change into my pajamas, thanking God that it's Saturday because of the hangover I have from last night. I check my phone and have a bunch of missed calls from my mum and only 2 from my dad. I don't bother to call them back just yet, this has been going on since they left. I get up and head downstairs, praying that Lady really did clean up the house for me. I feel bad for her, I know I haven't been easy to deal with lately. I don't remember a single thing from last night. All I remember is arguing with Lady and Ace, then I blackout from there.

I look around the place and it's almost like a tsunami hit my place overnight. There are cans and cups absolutely everywhere, a smashed vase by the door which I'm sure I remember moving along with everything else, an opened condom on my couch, and food smeared on one of my walls. Not a single thing has been touched since last night. I hear people talking somewhere, so I walk over to the kitchen and find Lady and Lex sitting on the counter.

"Mari! you look..." Lex trails off as she gazes at what I'm wearing. "Great!" She hops off of the counter and goes to hug me, she wraps her arms around me and I give her a small hug back.

"My house is looking great!" I throw my arms up in the air, shifting their attention to the state my house is in. "I didn't make this mess."

"We didn't either. How are you feeling?" Lady questions me with a puzzled expression on her face.

"Fine, better than ever."

"We really need to talk Mari. Big issue," Lady pats the counter, hoping I will sit next to her. I stay put and cross my arms, raising my eyebrows at her wanting to know what she has to say.

"You don't remember what happened, don't you?" She questions.

"Not a single thing!" I gush, grabbing a plastic bag and beginning to pick up the cans from the floor.

"You can't keep doing this. You need to control your drinking, and that's coming from me of all people." Although Lady sounds sincere when saying this, I know she's annoyed with me. I've obviously done something she doesn't agree with.

"So are you going to tell me what's happened? Or are you going to just keep jabbing me." I snap as I feel the anger begin to grow in the pit of my stomach.

"I've only got one side of the story, and it came from Ace. I care about you Mari, what happened last night... it's not okay." She exclaims in a much softer tone than last time.

"What's with you lately?" I question as I drop the trash bag and turn to face Lady. She frowns at me. "His name is always lingering between us. I don't speak about your psycho ex with you, so please stop talking about Ace. You're supposed to be my best friend, not his." I pick up the trash bag and begin to clean up again, acting as if our conversation hadn't just happened.

"I'm trying to help you. For once in your life," Lady pauses and sighs. "Please just listen to me. Mari, you're lucky you weren't raped last night! When will you pause and take a moment? And I am your best friend, but I'm also his friend."

I take in what she's told me and stare at the floor. Obviously, I did something bad last night, and somehow Ace is involved. I just pray that it wasn't Ace who tried to take advantage of me.

"I'm fine, there's no issue." I keep my composure and continue to clean. If I'm fine, then there's no need to bring up something so absurd. I know Lady's intentions are good, but she's swimming far too deep.

-

It takes me about 2 hours to clean the house top to bottom. It's already 1pm and I'm in great need of a coffee. Lady and Lex had left shortly after mine and Lady's conversation. I know I need to stop letting Ace get in between her and I, but it's difficult when she's always bringing him up. Anyway, I go back upstairs and get changed into something comfortable. I pull my hair down from the messy bun it was in and I don't even bother to brush it. I head back downstairs and grab my keys, leaving the house to go to my favorite coffee shop; Groundin' Gate.

I park my car and make my way to the coffee shop, the sun burning my eyes. I run in and instantly feel relief. As I walk up to the counter to order, my heart stops as a familiar face turns to greet me on the other side of the counter. It's Max, what a sight for sore eyes. His nose is bruised and he has a black eye, I start to feel nervous that this may have been caused last night. He looks at me with pity in his eyes.

"Mari. What's up?" He asks, almost in fear.

"How did that happen to you?" I snap, concerned that this is my fault.

He laughs in my face and turns around, beginning to make someones order. I instantly know I had something to do with this.

"You don't know your limit, do you?" He asks, an amused look on his face.

"Just tell me, please?"

"I fell, that's all. We shouldn't be talking." He gives me the side eye and grabs the order he was making, delivering it to a customer close by. When he comes back, he doesn't even look at me. Why isn't anyone telling me what happened last night? It was my party anyway? I stand up, not even bothering to order. I lean over the counter and grab his face, forcing him to make eye contact with me.

"You're going to make me lose my job!" He whispers.

"Do you at least know anyone that'll tell me?" I sigh.

"Yeah. Ace." He snaps and twitches his head out of my hand. "Since when were you nice to me anyway? You definitely weren't last night." I know the conversation is over as he walks to the other side of the cafe, clearing tables and walking over to the sink to clean the dishes.

I know what I need to do if I want to know even one detail of last night, but I refuse to stoop that low. I walk over to a table by the window and take a seat, getting my phone out of my pocket I begin to dial my mother's number.