White ceiling.
My bedroom's ceiling wasn't this white.
I blinked and turned my head. Ugh. A wave of dizziness hit me, roiling my stomach. I closed my eyes until it passed.
Sam was sleeping on a chair next to my bed.
I blinked. What? Sam shouldn't be here. He should be at work. Right? What day was it anyway?
He didn't look comfortable, his chin rested on his chest, and his body folded uncomfortably into the small chair. His dark hair was messy, the shadow of a stubble darkened his jaw, and the skin beneath his eyes looked almost purple.
"Sam?" My voice came out raspy. I cringed at the smell. My rancid breath almost made me gag. Ew. I desperately needed toothpaste.
Sam stirred. He cracked his eyes open, then shot up in his seat. "Sapph? You're up?"
"Yeah," I said, my groggy brain finally registered. I was in a hospital. "Why am I in the hospital?"
My entire body felt like it was run over by a freight train. My head throbbed, and my stomach was queasy. The sense of something wrong happening was like a heavy rock in the pit of my stomach. "What happened?"
He sighed, rubbing his face. His white shirt was crumpled. He must've come straight from work. Something was definitely wrong.
"You've been drugged," he said. "Yesterday, at the party. Someone spiked your drink and..."
My eyes widened. What? He noticed my expression and sighed. "Okay, why don't you drink something? Do you want water?"
I looked down at my body, my heart stuttering. "Was I...?"
"No! Thank God, no," he said. "Nothing happened to you."
I blew out a breath, but the sense of wrongness lingered. "I don't remember anything."
The last thing I remembered was... Hunter. Hunter went to get my jacket, but he took a while. And then Jake.
"Jake?!" I asked, trying to sit up despite the wave of dizziness. "That asshole spiked my drink?"
"Okay, settle down tiger," Sam said, pushing me down gently. He stood up, his features eased up into a smile. He hugged me to him. I breathed in his familiar scent. "I'm glad you're okay."
"That asshole! I'm going to break his nose," I cursed, irritated. I couldn't believe I was careless enough to get spiked. By freaking Jake. That damn idiot.
"Okay," he said, looking relieved. "I see you're doing just fine. Lia's been here the entire night."
"Where is she? Where are the boys?" I asked, sitting up a little. Sam gave me some water. It soothed down my throat and settled in my stomach, already making me feel better.
"The boys are home. I made them go change. They stink," he said, sitting back in his seat. "Lia didn't want to leave. Wild horses couldn't drag that girl away. She went down to grab us some coffee."
"Right." I still couldn't believe I was drugged. No matter how much I tried, all I remembered was getting away from Jake, and then nothing.
Muted light spilled in from the big window to my right. The sky looked gray and depressed. The smell of disinfectant and a faint hint of fabric detergent. Someone walked past the door outside, their steps echoing and their voice urgent.
"Your boyfriend was here, too," Sam said, his hazel eyes twinkling.
"Oh." Sam didn't know I had a boyfriend, yet. I hadn't told him, and I doubted either of my brothers would have. I cleared my throat.
"He beat the crap out of those two kids," Sam said.
"What two kids?"
The door opened and Lia walked in, holding two paper cups. She was still in yesterday's dress, but her hair was pulled up in a messy bun, and her make up was smudged over, her mascara running in tear tracks down her cheeks. She saw me. Her eyes widened and she rushed over, sloshing coffee all over. She stuck the two cups at Sam and all but fell over me.
"I'm so glad you're okay!" she said. I patted her back, smiling at Sam, who shook his head and took a sip of coffee.
"I'm fine. Stop being dramatic," I said, just to get a reaction out of her.
She pulled away and slapped my arm, her eyes swimming with tears. She sniffed and sat down on the bed next to me, accepting the coffee from Sam.
My big brother stood up and walked to stand next to the window.
"Tell me what happened," I told Lia, and she did.
Apparently, Jake had indeed spiked my drink. He was currently detained by the police, along with a friend of his. He got me out of the party through some side exit, and got me in his his friend's car. Someone had seen him leading me away, noticed that I looked out of it, and told Stefan.
Stefan freaked out. He met Hunter outside while looking for me, and they saw me just as those two bastards shoved me into their car.
Jake noticed them and fled in the car. Hunter and Stefan got their cars and basically chased Jake through town. Someone called the police. But by then Hunter had caught up with them. Apparently, he'd crashed his car into theirs, got the two assholes out of the car, beat the shit out of them. Stefan got there in time to help Hunter finish them off.
"I followed with my car as soon as I got wind of it."
"You were drunk," I hissed, lowering my voice so Sam wouldn't hear.
"Don't worry. Liza drove," she whispered. "Anyway, I was there when the police arrived. Stefan got you out of the car. Hunter was still going on. I don't even know if those two would look the same ever again. Their faces looked like mush. The police had to taser Hunter to get him off of them. Your boyfriend is one scary bastard."
My eyes widened. Oh god. Poor Hunter. "Was he hurt?"
"He's fine," Sam said, coming closer. Heat rose to my cheeks. He'd heard everything, apparently. "I made him go change his clothes. Lia and Jason's mom stayed with you while you were being treated."
Right. Jason's mom was a nurse.
"We had to go to the police to press charges and everything. Stefan and Hunter got out with a little slap on the wrist," Sam said. "There are witnesses, surveillance cameras, and the drug traces in your blood. That's more than enough to get those two assholes in trouble."
The doctor came in then. She checked me over. Everything was in order. She walked out with Sam in tow, leaving Lia and I alone.
I pushed the blanket away.
"Where are you going?" She asked.
"I need to see myself."
She followed me to the bathroom. I looked in the mirror. Someone had cleaned off my face from the make up. I stripped off the hospital gown and looked down my body. There was nothing wrong with my body. The doctor confirmed I hadn't been touched in any way. And my body looked just as I remembered.
I pulled on my gown and frowned to myself. I felt... dirty. I looked at Lia. "Nothing happened? Really?"
She bit her lips. I turned to her. "What is it?"
She sighed. "I was the one who cleaned up your make up. Your lipstick was all over..."
I made a face, my gorge rising. "Ugh."
"Sorry," Lia mumbled. "If it's any comfort, the bastards won't be kissing anything else anytime soon."
I splashed some cold water on my face and gurgled a few times. It made me feel slightly better.
"You're hovering," I said as we made our way back to bed.
"Shut up and lay down," Lia said, pulling the covers over me. "Do you want something? Food? Drink?"
I reached for the water on the bedside table. She beat me to it, opened the bottle and gave it to me. I chuckled. "I could get used to being waited on."
Lia didn't laugh.
"Hey, I'm fine," I told her. "Everything is fine."
She shook her head. "You were a mess last night..."
"Was I really out of it?"
She gave a grim nod. "You threw up so much it's a wonder your stomach is still inside your body. And you were crying and... it was just horrible. Don't ever do that again."
"Alright. I won't get my drink spiked again."
She pinched my arm. "Idiot."
"Was Hunter here?" I asked. Vomiting was a very glamorous way to make an impression on my boyfriend.
"No. It was Jason's mom and me. The boys hadn't come yet. Oh, by the way." She fished through her small bag and got my phone. "Hunter gave it to me."
I took it and checked for any new messages. Nothing. I wonder if Hunter was alright. Would he get in trouble with his parents for trashing his car?
Sam came in, looking a lot more like himself. "Alright, girls. We can go home. Do you feel up to it, Sapph-"
"Yes!" I said, throwing the covers away. I was already feeling claustrophobic at the thought of staying here longer.
"Good. Lia, I called your mom. We'll be dropping you off home on our way-"
"But-"
"You should see your parents. News about this is already spreading. They've been worried about you," Sam said.
I swung my feet to the floor and nudged her. "He's right. Go. And take a shower. You're all greasy and stinky."
She glowered at me. "Fine."
"So am I famous now?" I said. "I can't believe the first party I decided to attend to the end, I get drugged."
"Sorry. I shouldn't have insisted," Lia said.
"Please. I'm fine. It's a good experience." She and Sam looked at me like I was crazy. "No, I mean good that I went through it and got out safe and sound. It'll teach me to be more aware of my surroundings in the future."
"Here's to hope," Sam said, raising his cup of coffee as toast.
We dropped Lia off. She left her car at the hospital. Sam refused to let her drive home because she'd been up the entire night. I took the driver's seat, much to Sam's look of disapproval.
"You still can't be in a car if you're not driving?" He asked when Lia disappeared inside her home and we were on the road.
"Yeah," I mumbled.
"Maybe you should see someone-"
"It's really not that bad," I said, putting an extra pep in my tone. "You should be thankful, you know. This way Scott doesn't drive as much. He drives like a maniac."
Sam chuckled. "Right."
I glanced at him. He looked... older. Could one night really age people that much. I felt guilty. I didn't like making him worry. He already gave up so much in order to take care of us after our parents were gone.
We drove to the police station first. They had to get my testimony. The officer was a nice middle aged woman, and everything went smoothly. Back in the car, Sam turned in his seat and looked at me as I drove.
"What?" I asked.
"Tell me about this new boyfriend."
"Didn't you meet him, already?"
"I did. Scary bastard."
"Hey! That's mean."
"He is."
"He just looks grumpy when he's not smiling. He's really nice."
"Uh-huh."
"He is. He's a good guy."
He sighed. "Don't get me wrong. I'm grateful to him. He caught up with those guys, apparently his car is a mess-"
"He loves that car," I mumbled.
Sam sighed. He stayed quiet until the car drew up to our driveway. I killed the engine, and we stayed in silence.
"Out of the three of you, I trust your judgment the most," Sam said. "Scott is too rash. Stefan is rational, but that could sometime make him indifferent to others. You have a good head on your shoulders. Most of the time."
"Sorry," I mumbled. I hated disappointing Sam.
He reached over and ruffled my head. "I'm just saying. If you think the guy is decent, I guess I'll trust your judgment."
"Thanks."
"So why don't you invite him over for dinner tonight?"
I almost choked on air. "Please, no."
I gave Sam my best version of puppy eyes. It didn't work. I should take pointers from Lia.
"Invite him over," Sam said, unstrapping his seatbelt. "If he's a decent guy, I'm sure he'll want to check up on you."
Then he was gone. I bumped my forehead against the steering wheel for a few seconds. Great. Just great.
Sam was the best brother anyone could ask for. He was the most easygoing of my brothers, even more so than Scott.
Still, having my boyfriend over to dinner with three brothers in attendance was just bound to go wrong.
Great. Just great.
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M.B.