ADORA - 15 DAYS AGO

Misfortunes never come singly.

My mother said this to me three years ago when I crashed dad's brand-new Mercedes. It also happened to be the day she was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.

I remember thinking it wasn't fair.

Tonight, as I use my fake TikTok account to send invitations to Graham's party, wait for the cab in my torn-down dorm room and stare at the lack of a wall, I think it might be fair after all.

The hour approaches midnight. The construction workers will be here the first thing in the morning, they will probably take our stuff out. Which means I can't leave Eric's drugs and gun in here.

My phone rings. Graham fucking Koch.

"What?" I answer.

"I remember telling you to come to the party." Loud music muffles his voice. "I'll assume you don't like me."

"I'm coming, asshole." I murmur.

"Hurry up, or I might start talking."

He hangs up.

Earlier today, Graham Koch called me and said he knows about me and Eric. I don't know how he found out. Maybe he saw us when we first kissed at the Druid. It doesn't matter now. He knows and if I want to keep him quiet, I have to do what he says.

The idea fills me with disgust.

Gosh, I fucked everything up.

I'm screwed either way. Knowing myself, I won't cave to Graham because he's a sleaze and whatever he wants is probably not something I'm willing to give, which means I can say bye-bye to Mark.

I hold onto my peach-coloured bag and fix my makeup in the mirror. The dress I have on is my favourite emerald silk Balmain; flowy around thighs, tight around the waist, with a plunging neckline.

I throw my makeup in the bag to cover the drugs, take a moment to laugh at the fact I have drugs and a gun in a Dior, hang a coat on my arm, and leave the half-torn-down room.

Just like Mark, Graham owns a two-story penthouse nearby, because he's too good to sleep on campus, and he's hosting all these damn parties whenever he feels like it.

The night is warm and calm, contrasting the restlessness and cold shivers spreading through my body. People confirm they'll crash the party.

Fuck it. Graham Koch wants to blackmail me?

I'll turn his party into a rager and let crashers destroy his apartment.

I'm not going to give him the satisfaction of blackmailing me, though. While there are certain lengths I'll go to if it means people won't find out about Eric, I will never, ever let myself become Graham's little toy.

Which means I have to tell Mark.

It's fine, I'm fine.

I fucked up and I have to deal with it. Tears burn in the back of my throat as the streetlights exchange before my eyes.

I just hope I can reach Mark before Graham does. If this turns into a scandal, Mark will never forgive me. That's just the way he is. If this can go away quietly, he might give me a second chance.

His reputation is what worries him the most.

I wonder whether I should tell Eric what's happening. We've never talked about what's happened and I'm scared to have that conversation now. This concerns him, too. Mark is his friend.

It's not like I hooked up with some random dude, I hooked up with Mark's friend. Eric probably doesn't want to lose a friend over me. Then again, he should have thought about it before he kissed me.

The car stops in downtown Boston after a fifteen-minute ride. People are gathering in front of Graham's building, people I've invited. Ignoring them, I march through the elegant lobby, press the elevator buttons and bite my nails as I ascend.

I look into the elevator mirror, my reflection stares back at me. Is this what I wanted?

Is this my fucked up way of leaving my boyfriend without having to explain much?

As I'm standing in the hallway in front of the penthouse door, and the elevator goes back down, I find myself too scared to deal with this. For two years, I've played everything by the rules. And then, the first chance I got, I threw all the rules out of the window.

I clutch the bag in my hand and force confidence to my step as I enter the penthouse. Smoke, loud music and the smell of liquor slam into my face. I can barely see anything through the dim lightning. People are mingling in the middle of the living room; dancing, talking and sipping their champagne.

I squint and search for my friends. Mark is there; he hasn't noticed I entered, he's busy trying to outdrink Jimmy. Katie and Melissa giggle next to them.

The door behind me bursts open.

This party is about to be turned on its head.

A bunch of people enter and devour the penthouse like ants. Crashers do what they do best, head for the liquor and the dancefloor, paying little mind to anyone in their way. The atmosphere quickly turns hectic, chaotic, and I push through the crowd, eager to get a drink and find Graham.

The blonde girl from the Druid stands by the kitchen isle alone. Something is different about her; her blue eyes are darker, dimmer, worry covers her expression and she's biting her lip. I put the bag on the stool and lean against the counter.

"Where's Graham?" I shout through the music.

Elaine faces me. Her big eyes widen and gaze across my outfit, so I do the same. She's wearing Givenchy with the wrong shoes. I figure she's found a matron who knows what Givenchy is. Good for her.

"I- I've no idea." She stutters and gazes at the crowd.

"Goddammit." I murmur. "Let me know if you see him, will you?"

"What- what's going on here? Who are these people?" She looks downright scared.

"Them?" I nod towards the raging bunch. "I've phoned everyone who looks like they jumped out of a Kesha music video."

I spread my hand over the kitchen isle to grab the bottle of gin when Katie shows up behind the counter and smirks at me. A loud sigh falls off my lips, but the music shushes it.

Katie is wearing a red Prada jumpsuit; slightly too tight and too revealing. Her boobs are out and I can see the strapless bra outlines underneath. She's wearing too much makeup, her mascara is gluing her eyelashes together and the dim lighting reflects off her highlighter.

"Hi, Adora." She grins. "What brings you here?"

I raise my eyebrow, "I'm a party animal."

"Why aren't you here with Mark?" Katie looks to the crowd, as if she's checking to see whether Mark might jump to my side.

"What do you want?" I sigh and glance in the direction she's looking at.

The blonde girl, Elaine, is gone, Graham is still nowhere to be found and Mark is drinking with the crashers. Melissa notices us and drags her cheap ass to the kitchen isle. Great.

"Hey, why aren't you dancing?" She slurs and flings her arm around Katie. "Oh, hi, Adora."

I look over the tiny black dress she has on. For someone with so much money, these girls sure can't dress.

Katie puts her hands on her hips and Melissa mimics her.

"What?" I ask and look through the crowd.

I wish I could find Graham before he finds Mark.

"What's going on with you and Mark?" Katie asks.

"Seriously?" I battle the eye-roll. "When did you become his manager? What's it to you?"

"I worry!" Katie whines. "He's been so depressed."

"Why don't you comfort him?" I snicker. "I'm sure you've been waiting for an opportunity."

"What are you even talking about?" Melissa defends her friend. "Katie's been his friend!"

"We're just worried." Katie says. "It seems like two of you are going through something and I don't like seeing him like that."

"Katie, get off my back, will you?" I murmur. "No one asked you to get involved, but I guess you just have to stick your nose where it doesn't belong."

"Oh, my God!" Melissa shouts. "You're such a bitch, Adora! Honestly, I don't know what Mark sees in you. You're not even that special!"

I raise my eyebrow, "Is that what you think you are?"

"In comparison to you." Katie's tiny nose lifts.

"Oh, honey." I grin. "The only thing special about you are your needs. Excuse me."

The two girls scoff and pout, but I ignore them. Mark is finally alone in the corner, pouring himself another drink.

I grab my bag-

My eyes widen. Fuck.

"You two!" I crack my fingers in front of Katie and Melissa. "The girl who was sitting here, where did she go?"

Katie thinks she's very smart when she chuckles and answers, "Maybe you imagined her."

I take my drink and walk away. My insides twist and turn as I search through the crowd for Elaine Jenkin.

But she's nowhere to be found.