Unintended Consequences

Chapter 8

Explicit Trigger Warning: This chapter will depict scenes of a character being drugged. (I know this is a fairly large spoiler but I'd rather spoil something than trigger someone's trauma.)

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Charlotte!
911!
Give me your room number!
THIS IS AN EMERGENCY!

Emmett's text messages scared me so I sent him my room number right away before I could consider what kind of emergency would require it. My anxiety rose as I thought about possible options... Maybe someone was chasing him and he needed to hideout? What if they follow him here?  Oh lord... Before I could spiral too far into the unknown, a loud pounding made me run to open the door.

Emmett stood outside my dorm, panting lightly with an erratic gleam in his eyes. Without an invitation, he slammed into the room and tried to catch his breath to speak.

"Thank... god... you are still... wearing my jersey!" I looked down to realize that Emmett was right. I hadn't taken his jersey off yet. I had been so over-sensitized by the time we got home that I just crashed on the couch without changing.

"Wooo!" his breath wooshed out, "Sorry, Smalls, I had to run here from the field and I don't have much time! There was another leg of the Rookie Race. We all have to bring our girls to a frat party tonight."

"Wait what? I'm not going to a party! Why do they need us to go?"

"I don't know! They don't tell us rookies shit! We just get orders and we have to follow them or they will make our freshman year hell. But I promise nothing will happen to you. Hazing is about messing with us, not you girls. Look.. please Smalls? I will take you to the party, and the second they declare the race over I will bring you straight back I promise."

    Sighing, I stared down at my toes... I hated parties. And I really didn't want to do this. But Emmett gave me one of my first true college experiences. Could this be another? "Emmett I need your word you will bring me right back. And I'm gonna see if Madeline wants to come too."

"Thank you thank you thank you!" He shouted as he swung me around. Dizzy, I went into Madeline's room to check on her and saw her sprawled out on her bed playing on her phone. Thank goodness she was still done up from the Pep Rally.

"Hey... uhh. Any chance you want to come to a football party? We aren't going to stay long but I just thought I'd ask."

    Madeline stared at me like I just grew three heads. "Wait, you are inviting me to a party? With Football players...? Hell yeah, I want to go!" I laughed at that. Really... what is happening in the world?

A few minutes later Emmett rushed both of us down a path towards Greek Row. He kept checking the clock on his phone and then pushing a little faster.

Finally, we walked up a driveway to the party. Light and music streamed out of the house while a few people milled around on the lawn. It didn't seem as crazy as the frat parties I saw in movies so that was positive.

"This was just an impromptu party thrown together to finish the race so it shouldn't be too crowded," Emmett said into my ear as we walked into the house. He pulled me into his side and tucked his hand around my waist. I instantly sunk into him, thankful for the comfort that his closeness brought. Madeline walked ahead of us with the utmost confidence. She turned on her heels to let us know she was going to find a drink before waltzing off towards the kitchen.

"Hey, Reynolds you made it!" A tall boy with broad shoulders and olive skin approached us with a red solo cup. "And you brought your girl," he said when his eyes fell on me. My skin squirmed as he took his time eyeing me up and down like he was appraising me. Finally, he looked back at Emmett with an approving nod.