I woke up the next morning only to find myself in my own bed dazed and confused, head pounding and all. I wasn't in my own clothes but wearing a white t shirt, what appeared to be a male. "Shit" I thought to myself "Dad" Did he know I was out drinking? I looked at my alarm clock at my bedside going off, it was past first period, there was no way in hell I would be going to school and I felt like trash.
Why didn't my dad wake me? and whose shirt is this? Someone at the party? How did I get home? What happened? I needed answers.
I reached for my phone and saw the incoming calls and messages.
Missed Calls (10)
Caroline
Incoming messages (15)
Josh
Keep the shirt carebear ;) I'll be over later
I looked down at the white clothing that was covering my body.
DID JOSH UNDRESS ME? DID HE SEE ME NAKED! Thoughts began to fill my head, I didn't know how else to explain that I was in Josh's shirt when I went out in my own clothing. What did Josh go home in? Did my dad check on me? Did he see my clothes? Where are my clothes?
I placed the phone on the bed and circled around the room to find the clothes that I had wore to the party.
My outfit was nowhere to be seen, not on the floor, in the laundry basket, not in my shower. I decided to check the only weird place possible: under the bed. There were there but why?
I picked up the clothes that reeked of alcohol which made me feel sick and threw them in the washer and headed back to my room to check my phone to read my other messages from Caroline
We're outside
Wake uppppp Laur
Are you coming out?
Hello?
Laur are you awake?
You're late
I'm being forced to work with Bobby in Math since you're not here!
She doesn't sound too happy, why would she? It's Bobby, the math nerd
I miss you
I hope you're okay
I'm sorry about last night
That's the thing, what happened last night
Crystal and her minions were looking for you, I told them you weren't here
Crystal looking for me?
I'll be over later with Josh
Hope you feel better
I love you ❤️ see you soon
As soon as I was about to get up from the bed and head into the shower my phone started buzzing off, it was Instagram... my phone then pinged, it was Caroline.
'Check Insta, you're not going to like this' the message read.
Caroline was right. I opened the app to see a video of me being posted by one of Crystal's minions herself. "OH MY GOD!"
The audio from the video was from guys heckling and cheering me on while I was on top of a pool table with just under garments on, I was in nothing more than an underwear and bra swirling my hips around in a circular motion enjoying the attention from the guys gathered, I was loving it, living in the moment. My eyes scanned down to the views: 2,000 views and 1,200 likes and as for the comment section: horrendous. My reputation at the academy would be well known as the party slut or maybe worse.
What would people really think of me once I return tomorrow? Would they gossip in the halls or behind my back? in the bathroom? at lunch? The comments on the post didn't prove otherwise, if it were up to me I would have marched up to Crystal's sidekick Stephanie and demand it be taken down immediately but she wouldn't not unless I had something against her.
My phone kept blowing but I had seen enough. I wanted to know where my dad was. The house was silent and eerie, it began to creep me out. I slowly walked into the kitchen to see a note on the table.
Good morning munchkin,
I headed into work a bit early, something drastic came up, I'll be in the office for a while for most of the day, if you're hungry, go ahead and order in, I'll have something at work.
P.S. STAY OUT OF TROUBLE. I LOVE YOU.
Does he know? I hope not.
I went into the fridge and poured myself some orange juice, myself some toast, threw my clothes in the dryer and headed upstairs for a shower. Josh's shirt was now in my laundry basket, too lazy to even bother with at the moment.
As I stood in the shower, recurring events from last night started to replay in my mind, what exactly happened? How much did I have to drink? Where was Josh? Was he disappointed? Why do I care what Josh thinks? Where was my best friend?
The hot water ran and the filt from my skin was seen in the water below, it felt good. I felt good. It wasn't long until I got out, dressed and put my hair in a messy bun and went downstairs in the living room to check for mail. There was none. I opened the front door as the wind ran through my hair and the sun hit my face, that's exactly what I needed fresh air.
The mailman approached my doorstep, he wasn't on time but running a bit late. "Hey Lauren, how are you doing today?"
"I'm okay, how about yourself Paul?" he smiled. "You know, the usual, just doing my job"
"Any mail today?"
"No actually" he went back into his truck and came back out with a package. "I have this for your old man"
I collected the package from Paul that was sealed tightly in a brown covered box. 'Strange' I thought to myself. "Have a good day Lauren". I smiled "You too" I responded weakly watching him drive away.
The package had no identification to it. Who sent this? and why?