"No, most likely he is a student from another class"
"It feels like I've seen him before." Aila shrugged it off and went straight to her room.
The security sweep did reveal a person taking photos, but it turned out just one of the students who was taking panoramic pictures of the beach.
The princess's paranoia is always valid since it is the number one protocol of the security team; to make her feel at ease.
"That sl*t just had to strut her stuff and everyone turned in on us! Grrrr… I hate her so much I want to torture her till she begs me to end her life."
"Woah, chill Rachelle, don't you think that's too much?" Tracy was a bit unwilling to participate in Rachelle's plan.
"What? Are you on her side now?"
"No, I just think that you are going overboard"
"Well, guess what bi*ch, I don't care what you think!"
Tracy raised both her hands to surrender with the berating she just experienced. She stood up and hastily went for the door.
"Don't interfere with my plan if you want your father to continue working for my dad's company."
Tracy made a gesture of zipping her mouth before she closed the door.
Aila and her classmates were gathered around a bonfire; they were reminiscing the fondest memories of their high school life.
"How about you Aila, if there's one thing you regret in your high school life, what is it?" Lyn was asking like she was the talk show host of their forum.
"Hmm… My only regret is that I did not transfer to Golden Fields earlier so I could have met you all earlier."
"I did not realize you'll turn out to be such a sweet person, you were a cold-hearted witch the first time I saw you."
"haha… me too, I never realized I can be this person."
"Okay, enough drama, let's have fun! How about we play put a finger down?"
Aila "…"
She was clueless in party games like this since this was the first party she had attended with people her age.
"You just have to put a finger down if the statement is true for you, originally, anyone who would put a finger down should take a shot, but since we are not allowed to drink here; we're going to change it a bit, the first person who has put all her or his fingers down will lose; you will have to do a dare."
Aila halfheartedly agreed and joined them still.
"Put your finger down if you have sneaked out of your house."
All of them put a finger down except Aila. This is impossible for Aila, she has guards around the house, every move is coordinated with her security team.
"Put a finger down if you have filched money from your parents"
Again, half of them had put a finger down, while Aila's fingers are still five strong. She is provided with everything one can imagine, and she barely spends time with her parents.
"Put a finger down if you have tried smoking."
There were a few who put their fingers down, Ken has a perfect score, leading candidate to be punished.
"Put a finger down if you have kissed anyone intimately."
Most of them did put a finger down, and Ken's friends were looking at Aila who did not even move a finger.
"You mother f**king liar! You said you had kissed her, I was envious of you as f*ck!" Noel slightly struck Ken's back.
"I kissed her hands, doesn't that count?" Ken smirked at his friends, he was afraid to look in Aila's direction.
Aila was waiting for him to apologize to her for the false stories he told his friends, a few seconds passed and he was silent, so she just let it pass thinking since his reaction had already been a confession.
"Put a finger down if you have said "I love you" to anyone and meant it in a romantic context.
Both Ken and Vince put their fingers down while looking at Aila. She raised her eyebrows and sighed deeply seeing both of them already have 4 fingers down.
"Wow Aila, I envy you in every aspect of your being but seeing the results now, you sure live a boring life, you're so upright. Can you think of anything that you consider a naughty deed?" Lyn was intrigued that Aila's life is like a clean slate.
"Hahaha… Am I really that boring? Well, does skipping class count?"
"That's not naughty enough, come on, think deeper."
"Well, there was a time that I pretended to be someone I'm not." This is an ongoing thing that she's cannot just admit now.
"That's a big admission, okay now put your finger down if you have ever pretended to be someone you're not," Lyn said that just to have Aila put a finger down.
Aila, Vince, and Ken put a finger down at the same time. Aila furrowed her eyebrows, just what's up with the two guys? Now they both lost and are up for punishment.
"The punishment is that you would be someone's pet tonight until tomorrow before we leave the resort."
Ken approached Aila. "I want to be your kitten"
"Are you sure? I don't like cats." Aila playfully laughed.
"I will be your puppy then."
Vince crawled towards Aila's direction, "arf arf, I will be your puppy too."
"Lyn, you sure did not think this through. Why does it feel like I am the one being punished here?"
Everyone laughed at the three, "Come on, let's call it a night!" Roy announced and their class dispersed in seconds.
"Aila, I'll go ahead first, your pets can bring you up later right?"
"arf, arf" the two boys barked simultaneously. Aila laughed so hard she felt comfortable again with her seatmates.
"Let me get drinks for us three."
Vince left the two to give them time to talk, he went to the vending machine to get coffee.
"I want to give you something; can you wait here for me? I'll be back." Ken hurriedly left to get his present for Aila.
Aila hugged her knees; the sea breeze is quite chilling. She felt as if she was again being watched, she felt uneasy so she tried to look around, but it was too dark she hardly can see anything without her contact lenses.
She heard rushing footsteps behind her then a white cloth was used to cover her mouth and nose. Her heart was beating fast, she tried to fight back, but she was overwhelmed by the strong fume her vision turned completely black and that was the last thing she remembered.