A NIGHT TO FORGET

LILY'S POV

When I opened my eyes it was ready morning and I was in my dorm room.

Audrey was crouched beside my bed with her head bowed. I slowly sat up as I tried to recall what had happened from the night before.

My movements seemed to have startled Audrey as she immediately lifted up her head. She stood up and brought me a glass of water from the table.

“ How are you feeling?” Audrey asked as she placed the water in my hand.

“I'm okay, just a bit tired”

“ I'm sorry about yesterday I didn't know the kind of person Marcus was, I'm…”

I cut in before Audrey could finish

“Audrey it's fine, as long as you were able to help me and people were able to see who Marcus really is, it's fine”

Audrey smiled as she got on my bed and pulled me into her arms for a hug. She held me for a while before I spoke.

“It was really crazy of me to try and forget something that didn't happen by going to a party.” I said

“ Forget what exactly?”

Before I could tell Audrey about the dream I had about Professor Adrian, the door to our dorm room swung open and a furious Kayla stomped in.

“What's this?” Kayla said as she shoved her phone in my face

It was an anonymous post that was on our campus forum. It was about the incident last night at the party. Apparently I wasn't the only girl who had been harassed by Marcus.

“ What's the problem with this?” I asked, sounding confused.

“ The problem is that you're trending on the campus forum for the wrong reason”

I and Audrey exchanged awkward glance before we looked back at Kayla.

“ Kayla you should be happy that I'm safe and nothing actually happened to me.”

“ I am happy but I'm not happy, this girl is going to get you into trouble” Kayla said as she pointed a finger at Audrey.

“ Excuse you, what do you mean by that?” Audrey shot back.

“ You know exactly what I mean. I'm saying you're a bad influence.”

Before Audrey could speak Kayla lifted her hand, dismissing her before she walked out of the room.

I and Audrey sat down in tense silence wondering what had just happened and why.

“ I'm sorry about Kayla's behaviour” I said as I gradually stood up from the bed.

“ it's not your place to apologise” Audrey said as she also got up.

“ It's just that Kayla is a bit protective of me” I said

“ You call that being protective?” Audrey said trying to keep her voice low

“ She didn't even check up on you, just came here and spouted out a bunch of nonsense.” She added.

I tried excusing Kayla's behaviour but I couldn't come up with an appropriate excuse because Audrey was right, I knew it but I didn't want to admit it.

“ Lily, I'm sorry I have to say this but that girl is not your friend. You'll see sooner or later” Audrey said as she walked to the bathroom.

I stood there in the middle of the room as I replayed what had just happened and what Audrey said. I tried making up an excuse for Kayla's behaviour but I couldn't.

I had been friends with Kayla since high-school. She was my only friend. I couldn't lose her.

I decided to arrange my things first before I made any decisions. After I finished showering, I sat at my desk and opened my laptop.

I had an email from my class president. He said Professor Adrian had asked about my absence and why.

The last line of the message made my heart flip. I don't know if it was from fear or genuine surprise.

Professor Adrian wanted to see me in his office tomorrow. I didn't know if I should have been happy or scared but I felt more happiness.

Then I received a text from Kayla, she was asking me to meet with her at the bakery on campus. It was odd because after arguments like these I would be the one to beg her.

I agreed without a second thought and headed to the bakery. Kayla was already seated near the window and it seemed like she was fiddling with her fingers.

I sat across from her and let the silence drag till she finally spoke.

“I'm sorry about what I said earlier” Kayla said as she looked down at her thighs

“I can't say it's fine because it isn't fine to treat your friends that way”

“ I know, I didn't expect you to forgive me immediately either.”

“ Good”

“ There's something I need to tell you too”

“What's that?”

“ Marcus,” she said as she took a long pause.

“What about him?”

“He was the senior I had been meeting in the library”

The air around me suddenly felt tight and suffocating.

“You mean he was the mentor you met in the Library?”

“ You heard me the first time. I was just angry that he was suspended because his behavioural conduct needed to be reviewed.”

Wait, so she wasn't angry because of what he did, she was only angry because he had been caught and had to face consequences.

I sat there staring at her without saying anything. I didn't have anything to say to her.

“ I need to go,” I said as I stood up and walked towards the door. I instinctively turned back to look at Kayla who was aggressively typing on her phone.

I turned back and walked away. I needed to rest. I wasn't in the mood for Kayla and her theatrics. We could probably talk later but I needed to rest and find out why Professor Adrian wanted to see me in his office.