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“We will be having a trip on the 30th of this month. Details will be posted later today. All students interested in joining can fill out the form—I’ll send the link after lunch. The deadline is next Tuesday at noon. Class dismissed.”

As soon as our professor left, I immediately rested my head on my desk and closed my eyes. The upcoming exams were stressing me out—starting tomorrow, we’d barely have time to sleep with the endless pile of reviewers. And this was just midterms. How much worse would it be when finals came around? Ugh, exhausting. And I still have to endure this for the next two years.

I just want to be a frozen sausage in a freezer.

Speaking of sausage—damn that Cole.

It’s been two months since we moved in with them, yet my irritation towards him gets renewed every single day. He makes it a point to annoy me at every opportunity. That’s why I mostly eat in my room or stay inside. Sometimes, I step out just for a change of scenery—otherwise, I might die early if I keep staying in that house.

I grabbed my things and sluggishly walked down the corridor. The weather was too nice to be holed up in my room.

Besides, I didn’t want to go home yet. The thought of being there irritated me. Not that I had anywhere else to go. I knew exactly why I felt this way—I just didn’t want to admit it.

“Lau! Do you have any more classes this afternoon?” Sue greeted me the moment I stepped out of the room.

“Why? If you’re asking me to go to a bar, then no. I’m not in the mood, and it’s hot. It’s nearly summer. What’s with you, crazy?”

She pouted but clung to my arm even tighter. “Ehh, come with me! It’s Seff’s birthday, and he invited you. Who knows? Maybe he’s ‘the one!’ Come on, Lau!”

“No. Besides, I have tons of assignments to do. Midterms are coming up. Aren’t you going to review at all?”

She rolled her eyes. “Ugh, exams are the worst! They’re so freaking hard! That’s why we need to unwind. Come with me! You always reject my invites. Just this once—can’t I convince you, at least as my cousin?”

I sighed, looking at her. “Fine,” I exhaled. “But only until 10 PM.”

“What?! The party starts at 9! That’s barely the beginning! I won’t even be drunk by then!”

“Fine, then 11. That’s my final offer.”

“Yay!” She cheered, hugging my arm. “I knew you couldn’t resist me.”

I shook my head. “You’re hopeless.”

I decided to finish my review paper first before heading home to change. I slipped into a fitted black top that hugged my figure just right, paired with high-waisted jeans that accentuated my shape without being too tight. To complete the look, I threw on a cropped blazer and put on heeled boots—just enough to look party-ready without being too revealing.

Mom wasn’t home. She was busy planning her wedding. Either way, I didn’t really care. I checked my wristwatch—it was already six in the evening. After one last glance in the mirror, I headed out.

Just as I reached the stairs, one of the biggest nuisances in my life entered. He took a glance at me before smirking.

“Looks like you’re heading out to have fun, Faye,” he remarked as soon as he saw me coming down. “I didn’t know you liked partying.”

I rolled my eyes and walked past him. “Shut up.” I thought he’d get offended, but instead, he just gave me an amused smile.

“And which bar are you going to?” he asked, standing right in front of the main door, blocking my way out.

“None of your business.” I shot back and was about to step outside when he grabbed my arm.

“I’m asking nicely, Faye. If I were you, I’d answer nicely too.” His voice was low and calm—but for some reason, it sent a chill down my spine.

“The hell?” I muttered. His grip tightened, making me wince. Was he crazy? “M-S,” I finally answered.

His face brightened as he smiled before finally letting me go. My arm felt numb from his grip.

“Oh! Midnight Society? Good choice. I know the owner—”

“I don’t care,” I cut him off.

He pulled out his phone from his pocket. “Give me your number.”

I raised an eyebrow. “Why would I—”

“Just give me your number. You’re not leaving until you do. Who knows? We might end up as textmates.”

I rolled my eyes, grabbed his phone, and quickly typed in my number. He didn’t seem like he was going to back down anyway.

“Nice. Do you need a ride—”

“Asshole,” I interrupted before turning my back on him and heading out.

He really knew how to piss me off. I took a deep breath just as the taxi I had booked earlier arrived.

By the time I reached Midnight Society, the clock had just struck 7 PM. From the outside, the place barely stood out—no flashy neon signs, no grand entrance, just a sleek black façade with subtle gold accents. It had an air of mystery, the kind that made people stop and wonder if they were even supposed to be there.

I stepped onto the polished sidewalk, the glow of the streetlights casting long shadows against the pavement. A single heavy oak door stood before me, its polished brass handle gleaming under the dim lighting.

Above it, the name Midnight Society was engraved in elegant gold lettering, almost blending into the darkness unless you knew where to look. To the side, a small crescent moon-shaped neon light flickered in a deep shade of blue—subtle, but just enough to hint at the exclusivity hidden within.

Luxury cars were parked nearby, their glossy surfaces reflecting the city’s golden glow. The low hum of distant conversations and soft jazz music spilled out briefly as the door opened, revealing a glimpse of plush velvet seating and warm, ambient lighting—only to be sealed away again as the door shut.

“Lauuuuu! I thought you weren’t coming! I was about to get upset!”

Sue emerged from the crowd. As always, she was the life of the party—her energy drawing every eye to her.

“I called you several times! Why weren’t you answering?”

“You could’ve just come to the house,” I replied sarcastically.

She grinned, looping her arm through mine. “I ran into a stray dog. I thought it was going to bite me.”

“What? Where? Are you okay? Oh my God!”

I was talking about my future stepbrother.

“Never mind that,” I cut her off.

“Hmph! Fine, let’s go! I’ll introduce you to my girlfriends!”

She dragged me to a table surrounded by people who were busy chatting. “Guys! Listen up! This is my cousin, the one I always talk about—Laura!”

They all looked at me, some smirking, some greeting me, and others giving me short nods. A few guys stared at me… lustfully.

Great.

“Nice body, Laura.”

The way he said my name made my skin crawl.

Sue, oblivious, continued, “Lau, this is Freya. I met her two years ago—she’s with her girlfriend, Maine. That’s Scarlet, my gym buddy, along with her boyfriend, Ethan. And that’s Troy—my ex-fling, but we’re friends now.”

Troy grinned and scanned me from head to toe. I grimaced but ignored him. Another lunatic.

The night had deepened. I hadn’t planned on drinking, Pero sino ba niloloko ko? I was in a bar, and my cousin—who happened to be a heavy drinker—was with me. She was on the dance floor, moving like a maniac with her friends, completely lost in the music. I could only shake my head as I glanced around the place.

My vision blurred slightly, my head spinning from the alcohol. I felt like throwing up at any moment. The mixture of cigarette smoke, liquor, perfume, and the overwhelming noise made it worse. I was getting sleepy, and honestly, I just wanted to go home. It was already past 11 PM.

“Hi, Laura, right?” A voice spoke beside me—Troy. His eyes were hazy, definitely tipsy. “Why did you only come with Sue now? We could’ve met earlier.”

“I’m not interested, but thanks,” I replied, grabbing my phone and pretending to be busy. Hopefully, this guy would take the hint that I had no interest in talking to him.

“Oh, come on, talk to me.”

His hand moved fast, gripping my thigh. I shot up from my seat immediately, but the moment I did, a wave of dizziness hit me hard. I hadn’t realized just how many drinks I’d actually had.

“You have no right to touch me. So please, I need my personal space.”

“Who are you kidding? But yeah, I like girls who play hard to get. I love the thrill. It’s fine, it’s just us. Sue’s probably too wasted to notice anything. We can get a room—I know the bar owner.”

“No.” I forced myself to walk away, but the dizziness only worsened. The overwhelming scents, the thick smoke, the pounding music—it all made my head spin.

“Hey, don’t be rude. Don’t walk away while I’m talking to you.”

“What the hell, let go of me! Are you insane?!”

He ignored me and grabbed my wrist roughly, dragging me through the crowd. People bumped into me as he pulled me forward, making me even dizzier.

“Let me go! What the hell, Troy! Stop it!”

His grip only tightened. “I hate being embarrassed in front of people! You’re going to regret this.”

I could barely keep up with his fast strides. My legs wobbled, and my body felt heavy—sleepiness and intoxication weighing me down.

Then, a new voice cut through the chaos.

“Oops. I think you’ve got something that belongs to me.”

Troy stopped. “And who the fuck are you?”

I couldn’t process anything anymore. My surroundings blurred, my body gave up, and my eyes shut on their own. I collapsed.

The last thing I heard before everything went dark was a low chuckle.

“What am I going to do with you? You’re hopeless. But yeah, sleep well—I got you.”