20 Days To Fall In Love

#1 - The Search

Chapter 1 - The Search
published: Saturday, 2 May 2020

"Just one, Matt."

That was the only thing he could remember. Everything was a little fuzzy after that.

Somewhere in his peripheral vision, Matthew was vaguely aware of pulsing lights. A memory flashed through his brain; a neon sign reading "DISCO". 

Yes, that was the club he was at.

Pounding music deafened all speech. Freya was dancing beside him, tossing her strawberry curls back and forth. Freya had always been better at having fun like this.

"I'm not supposed to be doing this," Matthew tried to say. He'd made a promise to his mother less than 24 hours ago to stop partying. Then again, he'd made empty promises like that for years.

Matthew fumbled for the empty shot glass on the table. What the hell had he done? Squinting to focus his shaky vision, Matthew recalled the small white pill Enrique Ruiz had placed in his palm.

MDMA, Matthew guessed. Apparently Spain didn't have as many restrictions regarding drugs.

Sorry, Mum. Matthew was all-too familiar with the guilt that overwhelmed him. He spent half his life feeling guilty for things; breaking curfew, ditching school, getting drunk or high. Yet he couldn't stop.

Of course, the guilt dissipated. It always did. That was kind of the point of the Molly.

Freya's pale hand rested in his as she danced, pressed up against him. Matthew had known her for four years now, and she was the most reliable booty call ever.

Obviously, it held benefits for her too. Being connected to the heir of Campbell Enterprise wasn't taken lightly in the circles Freya ran in. Her parents were aesthetic surgeons, wealthy beyond belief and inventors of many surgical techniques, but they weren't even close to the power Matthew's father held.

A twinkling laugh reverberated in his head. Was that Freya? Or one of Enrique's girls.

His father often pushed Matthew to interact with the children of his business clients. Mostly to curry favour. Apparently, Enrique's father didn't know about his partying antics.

The other person Matthew had arrived with was Carl Martin. He was local; nephew of another client. Carl was on the brink of adulthood, but his gangly stature and acne hadn't subsided. He was also completely entranced by Freya.

Freya had always had a way of capturing the attention of everyone in the room.

Hey!" Shouts erupted from the throngs of people, as someone squeezed their way through the crowds of tightly-packed bodies.

The lines of people opened up, and a burly man stepped out in front of Matthew and his entourage.

"Mr Campbell."

Matthew moved away from Freya in irritation  and scowled. "What?" Even though the alcohol in his system blurred his vision and slowed his mind, Matthew recognised the dark tone and narrowed eyes of his bodyguard, Phil.

"You're to come with me," Phil said firmly. "Now."

Freya sighed in annoyance and tried to reach for Matthew, but he ignored her.

"Under whose orders?" Matthew demanded.

Phil gave him a no-nonsense glare. "Your father's."

Matthew glanced at Enrique and Carl. "I'm here on his business too."

"Well, my orders override whatever yours are," Phil reiterated firmly. "You're coming with me, Mr Baker."

Matthew knew - from past experience - that if he didn't obey, Phil would just drag him out of the club, and he didn't want Enrique and Carl to see that.