Chapter 7

• Laura
• I woke up with a very bad headache, It felt like I’d hit my head on a boulder, but I was wrapped in a warm duvet and for some reason, it made me glad that I wasn't cold.
• The duvet felt nice until I realized it was breathing, my eyes flew open immediately and I realized someone's hands were around me.
• I was in someone's arms!
• The events from the day before started coming back to me, but all I could recall doing was drinking and not how I got into bed with a stranger.
• I moved away from him quietly then I dressed as fast as I could, I fled from the room, collected my phone at the counter then tried to settle the bill but I was told someone did that already.
• I left feeling pain all over and it felt like I could barely walk, thankfully I found a cab that took me to the hotel.
• I called in sick on my way and I was thankful when my boss gave me two days off to take care of myself.
• "Laura!" Tracy cried the moment I entered, hugging me tightly and then releasing me.
• "Where were you? I searched for you everywhere in the club but I couldn't find you, I asked the bartender and he told me you left with a guy, I was so scared,"
• "I'm fine Tracy, I guess I drank too much," I said moving to sit on the couch.
• "Are you fine? Were you hurt?" she said, hovering around me like a helicopter.
• "Huh?"
• "Laura, you are limping!" she said and I felt heat creep to my cheek.
• "Hold on! Tell me it is not what I'm thinking, where are you hurt?" She asked sitting beside me.
• "I feel sore down there, that's all, you don't have to worry,"
• "Goodness!, What have I done? I forced you to go clubbing and now you lost your virginity because of me!" She cried
• "Don't worry, I'm fine," I said stoically.
• "You won't tell me if you are not fine Laura, why did I force you to the club? I shouldn't have even left you at the bar," she said crying.
• "You did force me to go clubbing, but you didn't force me to get drunk, I did that by myself, I should have stopped drinking but I didn't," I said, putting on a brave face to show her it wasn’t so bad.
• "If I didn't force you to go clubbing you wouldn't have gotten drunk and all this wouldn’t have happened," she said, still crying.
• "Tracy, it happened already, don't blame yourself and stop crying, that makes my head ache, so stop or I'll cry too," I said and she stopped.
• "So who is he?, What did he say?" She asked wiping her face.
• "I don't know," I replied and she made a face like she was going to cry again but I glared at her.
• "You don't know him but you can recognize him?" She asked and I shook my head.
• "No, all I remember is drinking then I woke up in someone's arms, I didn't bother checking who it was, I dressed and I left."
• "I'm sorry once again Laura," she said sadly.
• "It is fine, I'll go take my bath now,"
• Sincerely, I didn't like the fact that I lost my virginity to a stranger but there was nothing I could do.
• I took my bath and was surprised to discover love bites on my chest, each of my arms, and another on my lap. I sighed and continued washing.
• After dressing, I had breakfast, took something for my hangover, and then I slept after Tracy left for work.
• Strangely, I kept dreaming about blue eyes, I didn't know why but they were all I could see in my dreams. I woke up trying to remember who those features belonged to but I was unable to, so I concluded that they probably belonged to the stranger I slept with last night.
• I could not go back to sleep so I lay on the bed staring at the ceiling thinking of what life would have been like if I was born into a different family, a happier family that cared about me, but I realized I would never know how that would feel.
• Later that evening, I ordered dinner to be delivered to my hotel room when Tracy returns from work, I waited for hours but Tracy didn't return yet, I started calling her number but she didn't pick up, I began to worry that something happened to her but she sent me a text that she is fine and she would be coming soon.
• She returned to the hotel room around 9 pm, and she even came with my luggage.
• "Tracy, what's going on? Where have you been?" I said getting up quickly.
• "Laura, you have to leave Canada," she said making me more confused than I already am.
• "What's going on girl, I don't get you," I said, growing increasingly worried.
• "I'm serious Laura, you have to leave Canada, you are going to New York City," she said looking serious like she said she was.
• "I collected my luggage from her and helped her sit down as she was visibly shaking.
• "Tell me what's wrong Tracy, why should I go to NYC?" I asked her softly
• "You are in danger," she said and I held her cold hands in mine.
• "Tell me, help me understand,"
• "Jack came to my office today," she said, her voice shaking.
• "What?" I asked surprised, my heart started beating fast.
• "Listen, I don't know how he did it but my Manager let me off work to see him for a few minutes. I saw him in the car park and he asked me about you and where you were but I told him I didn't know, he brought out a gun and threatened me" she said and I gasped.
• Jack was taking it too far.
• "Are you okay? Did he hurt you?" I asked checking for any sign of injury because so help me if I had found one I would have met Jack that instant.
• "I'm fine Laura, but I don't think you are safe here. When I insisted I didn't know your whereabouts he made the manager give me the rest of the day off, he followed me home and searched everywhere in the house for you, thankfully your luggage was unpacked so he didn't suspect," she said quickly.
• She got this way only when she was really worried, She was usually really calm about things.
• "I'm sorry you had to through that Tracy,"
• "Don't be, just leave Canada for now. That guy is a maniac and I can only rest easy when you are far away from here, I know someone in NYC you can stay with, that would also put my mind at ease,"
• "What about you? I can't leave you here,"
• "Don't worry, I will be fine, I bought you a ticket already so all you have to do is leave as soon as possible,"
• "I guess I'm going to New York City," I said accepting my fate.