13. I'm here now

I don't know what happened to Kristina, she didn't particularly love Jessica but she didn't hate her either. She is always polite and cordial. But today I noticed that she ignored Jessica completely, which made Jason angry too.

After Peter and Kristina left for the airport, not wanting to spend another minute watching Jessica and her tantrums, I walked back to Ryan's room with him.

"I hate her so much" groaned Ryan plopping himself on his bean bag as I sat on the other bean bag.

"I know, I wonder what Jason sees in her to date her."

"Even though she is manipulative, arrogant, and irritating kind, she is so HOT like smoking HOT."

"Shut up idiot" I smacked him on his head. Both the Brown brothers are idiots!!

Ryan got a call from Sophie saying she can't come. She has to babysit her nephew because her uncle and aunt are stuck in a work emergency. She promised that she would come first thing in the morning and spend the entire weekend with us.

I'm so pissed right now, Sophie is not coming and all our plans are going into the drain. I hate it when things are not according to plan.

"Come on, move your ass from the bean bag," Ryan said kicking me with his leg, while he was sitting on the other one unmoved.

"Grrr... Idiot. Stop kicking me if you don't want me to chop your head out."

"I'm bored. Let's play call of duty." He declared.

"Do you think anything other than the stupid games?" I'm annoyed at his obsession with games. I can't even understand how he is my best friend when we both love the exact opposite things. I chuckled at my thoughts.

"No, and do you want to play now or not?" He asked me annoyed.

As I don't have anything better to do, I thought I could play with him. After some time of playing, I got bored. I'm not much of a gaming person and the little gaming skills I possess are because of Ryan's love for video games and him forcing me to play.

"Ryan, I'm hungry," I told him.

"You are a pig. You ate 7pancakes an hour back." He stated still engrossed in his game.

"They are very small in size and I'm starving at that time." I pointed out to him.

"And what made you hungry now?" He raised his eyebrows giving a smug smile.

"I'm bored now so I'm feeling hungry again"

"I can't let you eat just because you are bored. Remember you asked me to stop you from doing so because you think you are going to be fat."

"What the fuck man!! Do you want to have some snacks and drinks? Yes or No?" I asked him irritated with his teasing.

"Oh yeah, Ask Martha to make my smoothie." He grinned at me.

I didn't see any maids in the house. I called for Martha but noticed that she was also not present in the kitchen. There are 4 maids in the house apart from Martha and Butler Hawkins.

I could grab some cookies or something for Ryan from the pantry.

I switched on the light for the pantry and went inside searching for my favorite peanut butter cookies and Ryan's favorite Salt and vinegar cookies.

Someone closed the door behind me. I whirled around and saw that the pantry door is locked then suddenly the light also turned off in the room. I dashed to the door.

"Who is it? Open the door!! Jason this is not the time to pull a prank. It's so dark here. I'm scared. Please open the door."

I banged the door continuously feeling scared and angry at the same time. This must be Jason's doing.

Who else will do such a nonsensical thing!!

I continued banging the doors and shouted for help. I can feel panic increasing in me. The room is dark and cold air vents installed at the bottom of the pantry are not helping either.

I continued banging the door, then moved around the room to find any light source or switch. I left my phone in Ryan's room. I heard the echoes of my breathing coming back to me irregularly.

I tried taking deep breaths but I'm feeling like someone is choking me and the purple-colored turtleneck top I wore is not helping me either. I felt like I can't breathe. what if I run out of oxygen?

I began to tug the top near the neck in a feeble attempt to stop this strangling sensation. I threw myself at the locked door and tried banging it again but there was hardly any energy left in me. The last thing I felt is the darkness besieging me.

**************************************

Jason's POV

I'm going through my phone lying on my stomach. My room door busted open. I turned my head irritated that someone entered my room without knocking and saw Ryan.

"What the hell!! Can't you knock before coming in?" I shouted at him. And that's when I noticed his fear-stricken face.

"Are you alright?" I asked him sitting up in a jerk after seeing his panicked face.

"Jason Amy" is all he could say while gasping for air and trying to take deep breaths.

"What happened to her." I immediately stood up from the bed.

"She went to get some snacks from the kitchen and didn't come back. I thought she was busy chatting with Martha. After a while, I went down to see what's taking her so long but I couldn't find her anywhere in the mansion. Maids are searching for her. I asked the guards by the gate, she didn't step out. Even Martha doesn't know where she went." He ranted out with tears brimming his eyes.

"Don't worry, she will be here in the mansion. Maybe she is wandering in the garden. She is doing that a lot after her parent's death. Go and check the garden and by the pool. I will look for her in the library maybe she is reading a book there."

I walked into the library and her room but I couldn't find her anywhere. Did she go to her house? But the security told Ryan she didn't step outside. I hastened down the stairs and saw that the kitchen door is opened but the lights are turned off.

Something seemed off because the lights in the kitchen are always on till everyone retired for the night. But even then a small light bulb will be switched on in case someone wants to grab a midnight snack, which is now turned off.

I walked into the kitchen and it was empty. Just when I'm about to turn around I saw the locked pantry door. I thought to check Amy's house but remembered that Ryan said she went to grab snacks.

Something in my heart said to check the pantry. I ran towards the door and opened it and saw Amy lying lifeless on the floor. I scooped her in my arms and tried waking her up but she is unconscious. I strode with Amy in my arms towards her room.

A maid saw us and her expression changed from worry to relief. I asked her to bring Ryan and Martha to Amy's room. She nodded and left instantly.

I placed her gently on the bed. I patted her cheeks to wake her up. After sprinkling some water on her face, she is now in a half-conscious state but she was inhaling so hard like she is not able to breathe tugging her top away at the neck.

"Shh it's okay, you are fine now Amy, I'm here now. "I whispered in her ears holding her in my arms.

She immediately clutched onto my hoodie for support. I kept stroking her hair and blowing air on her sweat-drenched face.

Marta came running with a worried look on her face with Ryan behind her. I remembered that Doctor Nicholson prescribed some medicines for her to take if something like this happens.

"Ryan, check her school bag for medicines," I ordered him.

"Martha, please get some comfy top for her, I don't think she is comfortable in this one," I ordered Martha.

Amy's one hand still tugged at the neck of her top feebly.

Martha came with a loose t-shirt. I asked her to change the top and turned my back to her.

"I can't find any medicines in her bag." Ryan's face now streaming down with tears seeing his best friend struggling to breathe.

I walked towards the cupboards searching for the medicines. The doctor told her to always keep the medicines near her to avoid something like this in the future, but this girl is so irresponsible.

At last, I found the medicines in the bottom drawer.

According to the prescription I gave the medicine to Amy and made her lie down. Martha went to get some food ready for her. Ryan sat by her side stroking her hair, while she looked like a scared kitten clutching the duvet in her arms.

"I can't believe you are so irresponsible. The doctor told you to keep these medicines nearby. Why aren't they in your school bag? What if something like this happens in school??" I shouted at her pacing up and down in the room. I can't seem to control my anger.

"Do you want us to go home running to fetch your medicines while you were struggling to breathe?"

"Why something like this will happen in school? You are overreacting." She replied with an innocent look on her face which made me want to smack her so hard on the head hoping that at least the hit will make her brain restart and function properly.

"When it happened at home, it can happen anywhere. And how the hell did you lock yourself inside the pantry?? Don't you know that the lock from inside is not working? So once you close it you can't open it from inside?" I spat out at her.

"Do you think I'm dumb?? Why would I lock myself in!! Someone locked the door and turned off the lights." The scared kitten is not scared anymore and raised her voice.

"Why are you shouting at her Jason. She is already sick." Ryan spoke in between and a glare from me is enough to shut him up.

"Yeah, and why are you shouting at me, when you are the one who locked me in there.!!"

What? Is she mad?? Why would I do that? I'm not such an indifferent person.

"JASON Did you?" Asked Martha, standing by the door holding a tray of food and her eyes accusing me.

"Oh come on Martha, Did you think I would do that?" I asked her indignantly.

We all three looked at Amy waiting for her to say something.

"Is it Jason? If he did that I'm going to beat the hell out of him" said Ryan scowling at me.

"No, I mean I don't know. Jason always likes to prank me. He is like my official bully so I thought maybe it was him." She replied with a shy smile and giving me a sorry look.

"I just can't believe you. Thanks for whatever happened today, I understood how low you think of me." I spat at her and walked out of her room

"Jason" I heard her call out my name but I didn't turn back to hear her.

How can she even think like that? Can't she see how worried I get because of her these days? But who locked her in the pantry.