STAY

13.

That Saturday morning I woke up with the biggest hang-over I had ever had. I notice the warm and comfortable sheets around me, and soon realize that I'm lying in my bed wearing the same clothes that I was wearing to the party. Even though I barely remember what happened at the party or even how I ended up back in my bed, I got out of bed fighting the urge to vomit. I had been hangover before, but this was nothing compared to what I had felt before. I struggle my way to my closet, picking some comfortable clothes, before I walk over to my door and into the bathroom.

As I look myself in the mirror, I am quite shocked to see that my hair and my face looked slightly the same. The only thing that didn't look in place were my eyes. The mascara was a bit smushed, probably from sleeping with it on during the night. I undressed and quickly jumped into the shower, washing of all the remaining makeup and sweat of my body. I was surprised that I was able to concentrate so much during this time, since I basically felt like a zombie. I guess that I somehow managed to do my regular morning routine without really thinking about what I was doing.

After that I quickly dried myself with a towel, brushed my teeth, put some moisturizer on my face and threw the laundry into the laundry bin we had in the bathroom, before I went down to the kitchen.

When I arrive downstairs, I see a note on the refrigerator. Even though I'm starting to get a bit dizzy, I still manage to read it. It was Angelica who had left me a note. My parents were apparently working today and she was out on a walk with Jacob. On the small note she also recommended me to drink the lemon water that was in the fridge. It should help for my hangover.

When I opened the refrigerator, grabbing the glass of lemon water, I asked myself what had happened during the evening. Even though I barely remembered anything, something inside of me didn't feel right. I was feeling uncomfortable in my own skin. That's when it hit me.

During the party, Christina had disappeared. When I went looking for her, I couldn't find her. Instead, this guy approached me. He wouldn't leave me alone. He followed me around, and at one point pushed me up against a wall, trying to talk to me. He was trying to convince me to follow him back to his place. When I didn't answer, he continued telling me all the things he would do to me. Sexually. I was still quite.

At one point I managed to escape and ran out of Philips house. I went outside and found a bush that I could hide in. The guy still followed me, but at first he went the wrong direction, which apparently gave me some time to call someone. That someone was Michael. I remember trying to tell him what was going on, but I was too drunk to think clearly. Instead I started crying and tried telling him, through my sobs, where I was. I quickly hung up on Michael when I realized that the guy was getting closer and eventually started to run down the street. Unfortunately the guy catches up on me and pulls me down to the ground. My memory is still blurry of what happened after that, but at one point I remember Michael carrying me towards his car.

The flashback doesn't show me more than that, but it was enough for me to start shaking and dropping the lemon glass on the ground. I'm not sure if it is my hangover, the anger of Christina leaving me alone allowing this situation to happen or if it is the shock at what happened. Maybe a mix of it all.

It was as if I couldn't move when the reality struck me; I had seen the guys several times before. At the library. He was probably the guy that went past Michael's car in the parking lot. It was the same guy. It had to be. He told me he had been watching me. It wasn't a random guy trying to take advantage of me at the party. He had been keeping an eye on me, and he had probably planned for the perfect moment to get close to me. But something didn't seem right. Why would a guy I barely knew try to get close to me? Was he just a psychopath or was there something else going on?