The Hollow Guest

3

I let out a sigh before adjusting my position on the bed. I was about to close my eyes when I was startled by the vibration of my phone once again. I slowly peeked at it.

I let out a deep breath of relief when I saw that the messages were from Ledger. He was inviting me to join a birthday party for his friend at La Vicente. Since tomorrow was Sunday, there were no classes, so it was fine even if I stayed out late until dawn. Maybe, even for a while, I could escape all the strange and terrifying things happening to me.

I stood up and went to the bathroom to take a shower. I wore retro pants and a black top while putting on the pearl earrings I always wore. I also applied a little powder and lip gloss before grabbing my shoulder bag hanging on the cabinet.

The rain had stopped, and it was already midnight when I stepped out of the dorm. I saw Ledger leaning against his car, wearing a black T-shirt, cargo shorts, and a jacket draped over his shoulders. His cap was slightly tilted to the side as he gazed up at the dark sky.

He looked at me when he noticed me approaching. "Let's go?" he asked casually.

I gave him a small smile and nodded. We got into his car. The ride was quiet, with only the hum of the engine filling the silence. Every now and then, he would glance at me as if trying to gauge if I was okay.

I dozed off for a while and was only awakened when I heard laughter outside the car.

"Led, bro! Good thing you made it," someone called out.

I slowly opened my eyes and looked through the tinted car window. A group of people stood by a red gate, laughing and chatting.

I composed myself, tying my hair into a loose bun before slowly opening the car door and stepping out.

As we walked toward Ledger’s friends, I glanced around and noticed the rain-soaked street reflecting the faint glow of nearby lights. Ledger noticed me arriving.

"You're awake now," he teased, playfully messing up my hair.

One guy looked in my direction. He was of medium height, tan-skinned, and had blue eyes. "Bro, is this Farih?" he asked, introducing himself. "I'm Teid, by the way."

I smiled politely. "Nice to meet you, Teid."

"Guys, let's go. Eros might be waiting," a girl in a fitted dress said before turning to me with a smile. "Hi, I'm Mitzi."

"I'm Farih," I said, shaking her hand.

"So, shall we? There are lots of pretty girls inside!" Teid joked, leading the way inside.

As we approached the large house, the sound of loud music and laughter became clearer. When we entered, I couldn't help but admire the place. The house looked almost unreal, with its elegant design and vibrant decorations.

We stopped in the living area when someone approached us. A tall, fair-skinned guy with slightly curly hair greeted Ledger warmly with a hug. "Man, bro! Long time no see!" Then he turned to me, smiling.

"And who's this lovely lady?" he asked.

"My childhood friend, Farih," Ledger answered before I could.

"Childhood friend? Or childhood sweetheart?" he teased, making Ledger’s face flush slightly.

"Bro, your mouth," Ledger muttered under his breath.

"Happy birthday," I greeted the guy, realizing his face seemed familiar. I just couldn't pinpoint where I had seen him before.

"Thanks! Come in, enjoy yourselves!"

As we made our way to the garden, the atmosphere felt lighter. Everyone seemed happy, enjoying the night as if to forget their own worries, even just for a moment.

The garden was spacious, adorned with twinkling lights, a pool area, and loud music. At the back of the house, we saw two groups drinking and chatting. We joined the smaller group, which included familiar faces from our university and a few new ones.

"Go ahead, sit down, don’t be shy," Eros said, gesturing for us to take a seat.

I noticed that Alondra was also there along with my other classmates.

"What is that girl doing here?" Alondra whispered, giving me a once-over.

"Girl, your plan is ruined," Lisette teased while laughing.

Alondra glared at me, but I ignored them and chose a seat. Ledger followed closely behind me. I was about to sit in the far-end chair when I realized someone was already sitting there. My breath hitched.

It was Deus.

He was wearing a white polo shirt and gray pants, his expression serious as he observed the crowd. The bruise on his lip and the scratches on his hand from yesterday were still visible. Our eyes met briefly, and I quickly looked away.

With no other choice, I sat in the middle seat, next to Mitzi in the fitted dress, with Ledger on my other side.

"Farih, have a drink," Teid said teasingly while handing me a glass of liquor.

At first, I hesitated. But wanting to forget everything, even just for a little while, I accepted the drink.

Ledger snatched the glass from me. "Don't drink too much, okay?"

"Y-yeah," I replied, smiling faintly at him.

He handed the glass back to me. I didn't waste any time and quickly downed the drink, the warm liquid burning my throat as it went down.

"Rih, stay here. I'll just get some food," Ledger said before heading inside the house.

Teid, who seemed fond of teasing, spoke to me again. "So, Farih, are you really drinking just a little? Or is Ledger just worried you'll go wild when you're drunk?"

I smiled and shook my head. "Not really. Maybe Ledger just doesn't want me to get too drunk."

Teid chuckled, clearly amused. "Ah, so big brother Ledger is being protective. Just childhood friends, huh?"

Before I could respond, my eyes caught Deus again. There was something intense in the way he looked at me—something I couldn't quite decipher. When our eyes met, he clenched his jaw and looked away, downing his drink in one swift motion.

I swallowed hard, afraid that he didn’t like my presence here. Shaking my head, I decided to focus on the others' conversations and kept drinking.

By my seventh glass, I began to feel the dizziness creeping in. My vision blurred slightly, and I could feel the warmth spreading through my body.

Eros approached me, dismissing Mitzi from her seat beside me. I caught the strong scent of his cologne, which seemed to add to my dizziness.

"Are you okay?" he asked, his voice low and probing.

"I'm feeling a little dizzy," I admitted, closing my eyes briefly to steady myself.

Eros placed a hand on my shoulder, gently rubbing my back. "Maybe you just need to rest," he said softly, his voice carrying an undertone I couldn't quite place.