Chapter 5

Elena's POV

"Elena."

I froze with my hand still wrapped around the doorknob.

For a moment, I honestly thought I had imagined it.

Maybe it was the guilt messing with my head. Maybe I was so terrified of what had happened between us that I was beginning to hear things that weren't there.

But then his voice came again.

"Elena..."

My heart nearly jumped out of my chest.

Oh, God.

He knew.

He had somehow figured out who I was, and now he was calling my name because he wanted an explanation. Maybe he remembered what had happened between us. Maybe he had recognized my voice. Or maybe, just maybe, he had somehow managed to see through the mask I had worn all night.

I couldn't breathe.

Slowly, I turned around.

The bedroom was still dark, with only a faint trace of light slipping through the curtains. I could barely make out Adrian's figure on the bed, but I could see that he had moved. He was no longer lying exactly where I'd left him, and one of his hands was resting against the mattress as he struggled to shift his weight.

My fingers tightened around the doorknob.

"Adrian?" I whispered.

He didn't answer immediately.

Instead, he tilted his head slightly, as though he were trying to focus on something in the darkness.

Then he called my name again.

"Elena."

My knees almost gave out.

He had said it so clearly that there was no way I could pretend I hadn't heard him.

I released the doorknob and took a hesitant step away from the door.

"Y-yes?"

The word came out as barely more than a breath.

What was I doing? Why was I answering him?

I should have left. I should have opened the door, slipped into the hallway, and disappeared before he had the chance to wake up properly.

But I couldn't move.

I was standing there like an idiot, waiting for a man who had no idea what had happened between us to tell me what he wanted.

Adrian shifted against the pillows. "Come here."

My stomach twisted.

Come here? Was he serious?

I stared at him, my heart pounding so loudly that I was sure it would give me away even if he couldn't see my face.

"No," I whispered before I could stop myself.

His brows drew together slightly. "What?"

"Nothing!" The word practically flew out of my mouth.

I swallowed hard, forcing myself to take another breath. "I mean... I... I was just..."

Just what, Elena?

Going to leave?

Running away from the biggest mistake of your life?

Pretending that none of this had happened?

I pressed my lips together, but it was too late. My nerves had already gotten the better of me, and the more I tried to control them, the worse they became.

"I'm sorry," I blurted out.

Adrian's head moved slightly.

I immediately regretted speaking.

"I'm really sorry. I didn't mean for this to happen. I swear, it was a stupid thing that I did and I'm so sorry."

My voice trembled so badly that I barely recognized it. I clasped my hands together in front of me, digging my fingernails into my palms to stop them from shaking.

"It was a mistake, Adrian. Everything was a mistake, and I... I shouldn't have..."

I stopped.

My throat tightened.

How was I supposed to finish that sentence?

Every possible explanation sounded terrible.

And the worst part was that I couldn't even blame everything on him.

Yes, Adrian had been drugged and under the influence of whatever had been put into his system. Yes, the entire situation had spiraled out of control in ways I hadn't expected.

But It was all my fault.

I had still made decisions that had brought me to this moment.

Adrian let out a low groan.

I went completely still.

He lifted one hand toward his face, rubbing his forehead as though he were struggling with a terrible headache.

He tried to push himself up.

For one horrifying second, I thought he was going to sit upright and demand that I come closer.

I nearly ran for the door.

But his movements were slow and unsteady. His arm trembled as he tried to support himself, and his head dipped forward before he could fully lift it.

"Adrian, are you okay?" I asked before I could stop myself.

He didn't answer.

Instead, he blinked several times, his eyes struggling to remain open.

I watched him with my heart lodged somewhere in my throat.

He shifted again, attempting to straighten his back against the headboard.

Then, just as suddenly, he seemed to lose whatever little strength he had left.

His body fell backward onto the mattress.

"Adrian!"

I took an instinctive step toward the bed.

For a moment, I was certain something terrible had happened. My mind immediately jumped to the worst possible conclusion, and I could feel panic rushing through my veins.

But then I noticed his breathing.

I stood there, staring at him in disbelief.

"You have got to be kidding me."

The words slipped out before I could stop them.

I had nearly scared myself to death, and he had simply fallen asleep in the middle of everything.

I waited a few seconds, watching him carefully.

He was completely out. And I knew then that he was still under the influence of the drug. 

Relief swept through me so quickly that I had to grab the edge of the nearby table to steady myself.

"Oh, thank God."

I closed my eyes and let out a shaky breath.

I hurried toward the door, careful not to make too much noise. My fingers closed around the handle.

I slipped into the hallway and closed it quietly behind me.

The moment I was outside, I hurried away from his bedroom, my heels clicking against the floor as I made my way toward the stairs.

I didn't slow down until I reached the landing.

Then I stopped, pressed one hand against the wall, and tried to catch my breath.

What a night.

What an absolutely terrible, unbelievable night.

And the worst part?

I couldn't even tell anyone what had happened.

***

By the time I returned to the ballroom, the party was still going strong.

The music was loud enough to make the floor vibrate beneath my heels, and the guests were still laughing and dancing. 

I stopped near the entrance, trying to compose myself.

Then I remembered Sophie.

The mask.

I was still wearing the mask Sophie had lent me, and I couldn't leave without returning it.

I pulled my phone from my clutch and checked the screen, hoping to find a message from her.

Nothing.

I frowned.

"Seriously, Sophie?"

I had no idea where she had disappeared to, and the longer I stood there, the more impatient I became.

I scanned the ballroom, looking for her among the guests.

I checked near the bar first, where several people were gathered around the counter, laughing over their drinks.

She wasn't there.

I sighed.

Where could she possibly be?

I continued toward the quieter side of the ballroom, hoping Sophie had wandered away from the main crowd.

And then I saw her, and for a moment, relief washed over me.

I was about to call her name when I noticed she wasn't alone.

A man stood close to her, his hands resting around her waist. Her arms were wrapped around his neck, and their mouths were pressed together in a kiss that looked tasteless.

I stopped dead in my tracks.

You have got to be kidding me.

Again?

I stared at them, hardly believing my eyes.

It was the same stranger. The very same guy I'd seen Sophie making out with in the women's bathroom earlier in school.

I recognized him immediately.

I opened my mouth, ready to march over and demand an explanation.

Then I stopped myself. Because suddenly, all I could think about was Adrian and what I had done that night.

My anger toward Sophie faltered.

Who was I to judge her?

I looked away, pressing my lips together.

Maybe I should just leave.

I turned to walk away.

"Elena?"

I froze. Oh, no.

Slowly, I turned back.

Sophie had already pulled away from the man, her eyes wide with surprise. She quickly straightened her dress and stepped away from him, looking as though she had just been caught killing someone.

The stranger stood beside her, watching me with an expression I couldn't quite read.

For a few seconds, none of us spoke.

Then Sophie cleared her throat.

"Elena! What are you doing here?"

I stared at her. Was she seriously asking me that?

I glanced around the corridor before looking back at her.

"I'm at the party, Sophie. What does it look like I'm doing?"

She winced. "That's not what I meant."

"Then what did you mean?"

"Nothing." She shook her head quickly. "I just... I didn't expect to see you here."

I raised an eyebrow. "Really?"

Her gaze flickered toward the man beside her before returning to me.

"Well, I—"

"It's fine," I interrupted.

She blinked. "What?"

"I said it's fine."

I didn't have the energy for this conversation. I was exhausted, emotionally drained, and one wrong question away from breaking down in the middle of the party.

Sophie looked at me as though she wasn't sure whether to believe me.

"Elena, I can explain."

I almost laughed. Of course she could.

There was always an explanation, wasn't there?

"You don't have to explain anything to me," I told her.

She frowned. "But—"

"I saw nothing, Sophie. You were drunk and he was helping you out." The words came out more firmly this time.

Her mouth closed.

I held her gaze for another moment before reaching into my clutch and pulling out the mask.

"Here. I came looking for you because I wanted to return this."

She stared at the mask in my hand. Then she slowly reached out and took it.

"Oh." She swallowed. "Thank you."

Then she looked up again.

"Wait. Where have you been? I've been trying to find you and Adrain. Someone even told me they saw you two get into a room."

My heart gave a painful thump, and for a second I couldn't breathe.