Chapter 4

    (Three years later)

        Ray's P. O. V

  My phone beeping wakes me up. It's not even my alarm. I groan and, half-awake, use my hand to feel and take my phone, which is on the bedside table. Unlocking it, I find out it's a message. From David.

  David: Last night was a blast!! Let's do it again today. There's a new resort opening at Florida bay, we can hang out there, close to the sea. It'll be fun. Waiting for your reply.

  I let out a small smile. Fully awake now, I send him a quick reply.

   Ray: Okay... Whatever you say.

   I get out of my king-sized bed, stretched my body. Running my hands through my shaggy hair, I let out a small groan. I had better take those hangover pills. Picking myself up, I shuffle into the bathroom and clean myself up. Once I'm through, I step out of the room down the stairs to the dining area where my mum is always in.

   The name, Raymond Flynn, otherwise known as Ray. The only child of my parents. I guess you could say I'm a bit spoiled by them. Twenty-five years old just finished my college degree and in a few months, I'll be getting ready for my master's in business administration. Now that I'm home, I plan to make the most of it. As expected, my mum is sitting at the dining table, silently munching her breakfast of pancakes and maple syrup. She sees me and her face lights up in a smile. I smile back.

   " Hey, Mom. Good morning." I greet as I sit, the maid getting to serve me my food.

   " Good morning, dearie. How was your night?" 

   " Good." I reply. She lets out a small smile. 

   " Ray... You came in late yesterday. You should watch the way you party." She gently admonished. The maid places my breakfast in front of me and I take a bite before replying.

   " I have until a few months before I begin my Master's degree. At least let me have some fun."

   " Two months. It's been shifted forward.." She announces.

   " There's still time." I drawled and she chuckles. We eat in silence for a while until I remember something.

   " Where's dad? I haven't seen him for a while now." I point out. She looks at me, then replies.

   " He's on another business trip. He said he'll be home yesterday, but it was urgent. He had no choice." I scoff and drop my fork.

   " What is it?" My mom asks me. I look at her and continue eating, ignoring the question.

   " Ray... I asked a question. What's wrong?" I stop and stare at her.

  " Haven't you noticed.... Ever since we've gotten this wealthy, he barely has time for us anymore? From one business trip to another. I rarely see him at all." I complained.

   " Ray....." My mom calls out. " He's doing this for us. So we can be comfortable."

   " We were comfortable before." I shot back.

   " I won't argue with you. At least not today." She says and continues with her food.

  " Whatever..... How don't even know how got this wealthy... He's not like he had an already existing business or something..." I muttered underneath my breath. That hits a spot in my mom. She drops her spoon and looks down. I glance at her, worried.

  " Mom? What's wrong?" I ask. She seems shaken but quickly recovers, hiding everything behind a smile.

   " Huh? Nothing... I guess I'm full, that's all. I'll leave you to your food now. Call me if you need anything."

  "Okay....." I trail off. She nods and calls a maid, who immediately clears up her spot. I watch her go and just as she's about to get into the hallway, speak up.

   " Uh... Mom?" I call out. She stops and turns to me.

   " Yes?"

   " I'll be going out this evening... With my friends, just wanted to let you know." I said and continued eating.

  " Another party??"

  " It's an opening party..." I stress. I hear her sigh. 

  "Okay... You can go on ahead. Just do t come home late the way you did yesterday."

  " I'll try not to," I say. She smiles and walks inside. Once am done with my food, my phone rings. I pick it up and it's Stacy calling. Mmm, potential girlfriend. I smile and pick it up. 

  " Hey, babe..."

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       Vera's P. O. V

   It's been three years ever since I walked into madam Deborah's house. Yeah, I still call her madam Deborah even though she's complained countless times to stop using that with her. I don't know, but I just don't see myself calling her anything other than that. She's pretty much given up trying to convince me and I'm okay with that.

    Ever since my last breakdown in front of her pub in Penzance, we had moved to Florida for a change. At first, I thought it was because of me and I panicked but she said she's always wanted to move and it was long overdue already. She sold the pub and used to proceeds to buy a house with a shop underneath it, which is now a small restaurant. 

   " Here's your order," I say as place the tray of food in front of a man. He looks up at me and smiles slyly, which I ignore.

   " Hey pretty, what's your name?" He asks with a sexy undertone beneath it. Any girl would swoon but not me. My expression becomes grim and I stiffen. 

   " Vera." Is my clipped reply and before he can say jack, I'm off his reach. Now don't get me wrong, just because I moved doesn't mean I'm free. I still have those triggers, those nightmares, suicidal thoughts, and everything in between. I've only managed to find a way around them so it doesn't affect the way other people see me. To everyone else, I'm the icy cold waitress. Only madam Deborah knows my weakness for what it is. I hurry back to the counter and take quick deep breaths, trying to calm myself down.

   " Hey. Are you okay?" A voice asks me. I turn and see it's madam Deborah.

   "Yeah, I'm fine," I answer, trying to settle my quivering voice. She smiles at me.

   "Take five minutes out. You've been working all morning." 

    " Yeah... I'll do just that." She nods and walks away. I clean my hands and go out through the back door, closing my eyes and taking deep calm breaths. It helps in unwinding.

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       Ray's P. O. V

  I'm in my room preparing for the evening outing when someone bursts in without knocking. I look at the intruder and discover it's David. I frown.

  " Didn't they teach you to knock before entering any place?" I complain.

  " They did... But I threw it out the window." He says and smirks. I look at him fully now. He's dressed like he wants to go and party, although his upper buttons are not done, revealing the tattoo on his chest... His favorite. Sometimes I wonder how I got mixed up with him. We're so different in so many ways.

  "Aren't you done yet? Come on, the girls are waiting!" 

  " I'm coming... Wait, you brought girls??" 

  " Well, the important ones... Stacy is downstairs by the way and her friends decided to hop in." I scoffed.

   " Why wouldn't they? With you dressed like that..." He cuts me off.

  " Shut the hell up. You ain't a saint either.."

  " Well, at least am better than you," I mutter. He sniggers.

   " Come on let's go...." He says and drags me out of my room. " We can't be late!"

   I give my mom a quick kiss and she quickly waves back before I get successfully pulled out by David. Stacy, who was standing outside, walks up and kisses me on the cheek. 

   " Hey, Ray... you're ready?" She asks, smiling.

   " As ready as I'll ever be, "I mutter. Her smile grows wider and we get Into my car, David in front.

   " Where are we going?" I absentmindedly ask.

   " Oh... You'll find out soon, just follow David's trail." 

   " I'm doing just that."

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   The opening party sure is groovy. The second David worked our way into the hall, he was out of sight. I smirk as I relive an image of him with another girl, devouring each other. He's that reckless, too bad. It seems that's what girls like.

   I'm on the balcony with a glass of wine in my hand and staring out into the sea. The party seems interesting and I should probably join it, but I'm just more comfortable here. I don't know for how long I've been there until I feel hands wrapped around my waist and a familiar scent.

   " Stacy..." I mumur. I can feel her smile against my back.

   " How did you find me out so easily?" She asks. " It could have been anyone else," I smirk and turn to her. 

   " Through your perfume. You always wear the same perfume." I say with a raised brow. She giggles.

   " That I can't deny." She mutters and presses herself at me. My hands move and play with her hair.

   " You've been out here for damn too long. Is the party boring?" She whispers with her lips on my neck. She's seducing me and I know it and, as usual, I play along.

   " No, it's not. I just didn't know I was out here for so long." I say back. Then looks at me with those pretty hazel eyes of hers.

   " Well, you are."

   " I'm sorry. How do I fix that?" I ask as I wrap my hands around her waist. She giggles and inches closer. I can smell the alcohol in her breath. She's been drinking.

  " You can start by kissing me." She whispers and goes in for the kill. We are like that for a few more minutes and from the way she's kissing me, it's obvious she wants more, but today, I just don't feel like it. I plant a few more kisses on her lips before pulling out.

   " Another time Stacy. I have to go for a walk." I mutter while nuzzling her neck.

  " Again? You've said that twice now."

  Have I? Dammit. I pull her closer and whisper to her ears. " Don't worry, when I finally have you, you'll be screaming my name and begging me to stop." She stops moving, then giggles loudly.

   " I like the sound of that." She whispers back. 

   " Now can I go for that walk?" I ask again.

   " Sure. Just don't drift off like you usually do." She warns. I stop and smirk.

   " I'll try not to," I say before leaving the balcony and the resort. Pretty much unnoticed, I walk to the beach and stay a while there, just staring at the ocean. Again, I lose track of time and I don't know how much I've spent there. It's time to go back to the resort. I try to walk back the way I came, but the streets are so similar and it's hard to tell which one is which. In no time, I'm lost in this place. I bring out my phone to call Stacy or David, and then it hits me. My phone's dead.

   Damn!! Did I forget to charge it?? Great, now am stranded with nowhere to go since I didn't go in my car. They'll find me,  eventually, but first I need to get a phone are somewhere to charge mine. I check the street am in, but all shops are closed. There's no way they can help me. I take in a deep breath and walk ahead, telling myself I'll stop at the first shop that is still open so I can get a phone to call one of them... I hope I see one on time, or I'll be sleeping out for the night.