You okay ? Renee asked me looking concerned , yeah yeah, I am okay, just really hungry.
Chloe tell me what is it? She said sitting right across me, I think we are being watched Renee, I can feel eyes on me I said looking at my hands.
Oh baby girl, you're being paranoid, I shouldn't have told you about all the lying, it's because of me you're being anxious and paranoid. No Renee, I really feel someone's watching us.
Okay, did you have this feeling before I told you that I lied from my parents about this trip ? Umm.. No, I said shaking my head, well then sweetheart it's just you thinking too much about it, relax, this maybe your only chance to have a trip like this for a while. So calm down and may be get drunk.. okay ? Yeah, sure I said smiling a little, and just then the food appeared, and we both focused on that instead. we were laughing, and eating, everything seems so normal, Renee was on her 6th beer bottle and two shots down, I just had my third beer bottle. You're drunk Renee I said giggling, oh I am never drunk Chloe, I can do way more than this, this is nothing really, right at that point waiter came with a Martini and kept it in front of me. Oh, I didn't order it I said shrugging my shoulders, I know Ma'am it's from a Gentleman, it's your birthday drink he said with a warm smile, Renee asked who is it ? The waiter said oh he got a call and left but he told me to offer it to you as a little something for your birthday.
I froze and all I could ask was how did he know my birthday ? Ma'am he must have heard me talking to our chef regarding your birthday cake, oh it's here... Wait let me get it for you. I looked at Renee puzzled and she started laughing, baby girl I requested them for a mini cake while I was having shots, see how easy it is to get you all paranoid and scared she said teasing, yeah.. very funny Renee I said sticking my tongue out.
The cake came it was small round chocolate cake with Happy Birthday Baby girl written on it, and there it is 12 Am, midnight and finally my birthday and Christmas, people in the restaurant started wishing each other Merry Christmas and Renee was singing Happy Birthday for me standing on a table, I loved it, everything about this moment, a lot of peple hugged me and gave me birthday wishes and we shared that tiny cake with everyone.
Hands down this is one of the best birthdays Renee I said hugging her, aww... Come sit, hey what's that? her finger was pointing at a slip under my drink from the stranger.
I opened and it had a very weird message "Happy Birthday Baby Girl, you're a big girl now, hope you're ready for the world". I kept looking at the message, here let me see and Renee snatched it from my hand, oooohhhh, too bad he didn't mention his no. Would be a good start to 18 birthday with phone sex said Renee while tickling me, stop it, I said laughing, let me have my drink from Mr. Stranger. Yes! and let me go and get one more shot baby girl, finish your drink I 'll be back she said winking.
I ate a little and finished my drink and looked at the bar counter to find Renee flirting with the bartender... Again!! , I went up to her to tell her that I need to pee, she asked the bartender where is the restroom, and he said that in house restroom is under maintenance and I need to use the one that is outside not too far but a bit of walking is required, Renee said she would go with me but I told her it's okay it's just restroom and usually in public restrooms you find lots of ppl around, she told me to take my sling bag with me and call her if there's anything, I did as I was told.
While I was walking , I took my phone out of my bag and started checking messages and call logs and to my surprise there were no missed calls, no messages, and that's when I realised it's still 24 Dec in the US we are behind India in terms of time zone. I kept my phone back in the bag and looked up to realise that I was in a dark ally, there were dim lights and absolutely no one around, I don't know what happened but panick started rising inside me, I started stepping back and just when I turned there he was the most handsome man I ever saw dresses in black t shirt and black jeans, his hands in his pockets, I got scared and tried getting away from him when he said- You lost ? Baby girl...
I have never met this man, never seen him either but something inside me was screaming to run away from him and I did, i ran, as fast as I could in those awful heels, when I turned to see if I was being chased, there was no one , just no one, he disappeared.
Was he really there? Was I just imagining ? Am I too drunk ? I decided to head back to the restaurant to Renee and tell her about it, right before turning from that dreaded ally someone got me from behind and injected me with something and before I could even scream or register that something awful was happening I was in deep sleep.