5. sweet 18

Chapter 5 - Chloe's POV

"After this party, I'll make you pay for everything while I claim you as mine." His hand gripped my waist as he guided me into the hall where we were celebrating my birthday, yet it felt like I was being threatened with a knife.

The party had already started by the time we arrived, and I was forced to down several drinks that eventually started to make me lose my balance.

We were in a room supposedly celebrating my birthday, but not a single person out of everyone there was actually my friend.

I didn't keep friends at school, yet I kept receiving birthday wishes with kisses on my cheeks from girls and boys alike until it was almost midnight and only a few of us remained.

"The party is over. I want to go home." I was feeling drowsy and overheated.

Something wasn't right, but I couldn't put my finger on it.

"I'm surprised you didn't pass out, but you won't be going home anytime soon, sweetheart. My friends and I want to have some fun with you." Shawn pushed me backward with his index finger, and I fell onto the couch.

The lighting in the room was alternating between bright colors and darkness, forcing me to close my eyes to avoid being blinded.

"What do you mean?" I asked, trying not to think of the worst possible scenario.

"Just what I said. You should know them from school, so they aren't exactly strangers." He climbed on top of me and pressed his hands on my cheeks to force my mouth open before pouring a concentrated, bitter liquid down my throat.

"What is this?" It burned my throat, but I had my answer before he could even speak. "You drugged me!" I shouted as I tried to get up from the couch.

"Don't be so stubborn. It's just twenty minutes to midnight, and I invited my three friends for a little entertainment." His devilish chuckle sent fear racing through my heart.

"But I promised to let you have me. You'd be breaking that promise if you brought your friends too." I was losing my ability to reason and stumbling over my words, which made every second I spent there riskier. No matter where I turned, I couldn't seem to find the door, and Shawn was enjoying watching his friends block my path.

"They wanted to experience what I've been bragging about, and as friends, I couldn't refuse them. So come back here and cooperate. You can't escape anyway—I'll find you wherever you go, and we'll take what we want." Maniacal laughter from all four of them followed, and I felt my head ring.

No, this couldn't be happening. My vision was getting clouded, and I had no choice but to feel along the walls with my hands.

"Please don't do this to me. We're getting married anyway."

"Like I care about that." I heard his voice from behind me just as I found a door handle.

He didn't try to stop me, which only demonstrated his confidence.

"I booked this whole floor, and no elevator stops here. There's no way you can escape with all of us after you."

"That's right, let's play a game," one of them suggested.

"Are you thinking what I'm thinking?" Shawn's taunting voice followed, and the next moment, he opened the door.

"Run, little kitten. Whoever catches you gets to go first." The four of them laughed as I stumbled and started to run through the unfamiliar layout of the hotel.

The lights were unstable, and so was the floor that seemed to shake with each step I took.

No matter how many corners I turned, they still managed to find me, but they always seemed to let me run further until I started wheezing, desperate for oxygen.

No matter what, I didn't want to give up. It would be humiliating and would scar me for the rest of my life if their evil plans succeeded.

So I continued to run, hide, get found, get released again, until I reached the end of the corridor with nowhere else to go.