Chapter 2: The Morning After

"Where am I?"

Tara awoke the next morning, a few minutes after 4 AM, feeling tired and achy, with a discomfort between her legs. Her head was still pounding from the night before. She glanced around the dark room, trying to recall where she was. She was scared and stunned to see a man beside her. A wave of horror crashed over her.

She glanced around the room, her eyes falling on the rumpled sheets beside her. There was no sign of the man she vaguely remembered, just the lingering scent of cologne. Tara's stomach churned with nausea and dread. She needed to get out of here.

She stood in fear to see the bed stained with blood. Tears rushed down her face as the reality of what happened began to dawn on her. Was this a set up by her best friend? For a stranger to sleep with her and take away her virginity? No it can't be. She bit her lips as her heart shattered into a million pieces.

She decided it'll be less embarrassing if she just dressed up and slipped out quietly while he was still asleep. 

Her heart pounding, Tara slipped out of the bed, and gathered her clothes with trembling hands. She fled the room without taking even a glance at whoever the man was, tears streaming down her face.

As she rushed down the hallway, tear-streaked, she nearly collided into someone.

"Watch where you're going, bitch."

Tara's head snapped up to look at the person she had collided with. Why's this person being rude? Emily’s expression shifted from frustrated to a smug smile as she saw Tara's tear-streaked face.

“Tara, what's the rush?" Emily said coyly, her voice dripping with faux concern.

"Emily? Oh! Emily, thank goodness you're here! You don't know what terrible night I've had," she exclaimed, tears rushing down her face. “I was going to call you before leaving,” she said, moving to embrace her, but Emily held up her hand.

"Keep your filthy self away from me, Tara. You're shameless," she spat. Tara froze, the words cutting through Tara's heart like a knife. Emily's expression was twisted with disgust.

“How can you… how can you say such to me, Em?" Tara's voice trembling, her eyes filled with pain

Emily's smile widened even more. "Oh, bestie, don't be so dramatic. I thought you'd thank me for finally loosening you up a bit down there.”

Emily shrugged, her indifference so clear. "But…”

They were interrupted by someone approaching and their gaze fell upon Aiden, Tara's boyfriend, emerging from a corner. A pang of guilt washed over Tara. She had never let Aiden touch her, yet she had indulged in a passionate night with a stranger even if she had no memory of the night.

"So, Emily was right," he uttered, his voice dripping with venom. His eyes bore into her with a profound sense of loathing, rendering him unrecognisable, like a stranger. He was consumed by hatred.

"You never let me touch you, yet you're out here sleeping with strangers and I've been foolishly waiting for you to be ready," he lamented, his voice tinged with disappointment and betrayal.

"No, you have to believe me," she pleaded desperately. "Emily asked me to follow her to this party, to celebrate the success of my project. The server said the drink was non-alcoholic but my head was spinning. I didn't know..." Panic engulfed her. She knew it because her voice had risen to a squeak and she was rushing her words, one stumbling over the other.

“Emily, please tell him, tell him it was you I came to help" she implored, her breaths now shallow and laboured as if even the air wasn't enough. She rushed forward to grab onto Emily's arm.

"Me?" she retorted, her eyebrow arching incredulously while she took a step back so Tara wouldn't touch her.

"How could you possibly get drugged at a party? It's a party, everything goes," she countered, gesturing around. "You just have to be careful what you consume. You're not a kid." 

Her lips trembled as she struggled to find the right words to explain herself with.

"I can't even believe you right now!" Aiden exclaimed, his eyes bulging with disbelief.

"I'm sorry, Aiden," she pleaded earnestly, still at a loss for words.

"Forget it, Tara. It's over between us," he muttered, unable to meet her gaze. "You're nothing but a hypocrite. Don't ever call or text me again."

“Aiden, Aiden please just hear me out,” she pleaded, reaching out to grasp his arm.

He violently flung her hand away, his gaze seething with more hatred than she had ever imagined one person could harbour.

"Don't you dare lay a finger on me," he spat, casting her a wicked glance before turning away in disgust and walking away.

Her world came crumbling down as he disappeared into the corner from whence he came. Emily remained, her gaze filled with disdain, silently observing Tara's devastation.

"Emily, why didn't you help me? I was lost for what to say, and you didn't even try to help me," Tara implored, her voice tinged with hurt and betrayal.

Emily's eyes flashed with irritation. "Oh, get over it, bestie. It's not like you were going to do anything exciting on your own. I just gave you a little push.”

"A push?" Tara's voice cracked. "You pushed me into losing something precious to a total stranger!"

Emily rolled her eyes, smirking. "Precious? Please. You're making a big deal out of nothing.” She shook her head, leaned in towards Tara, and whispered, "This is just the beginning, bestie.”

It was uttered in a sinister, chilling tone, dripping with malice. 

She too vanished into the same corner where Aiden had retreated. Tara felt like she was floating, her whole body numb. What had just happened. She felt her leg moving but her eyes were clouded.

“No, no!! What just happened,” she thought, still in denial. “I have to see Aiden. We can work things out.” 

Tara took a deep breath, trying to steady herself. She has to explain things better, these were the only people she had here. They are her family.

She hurriedly walk out of the hotel and hailedl a cab. She was going to apologize, and they could get back to how they were before.