Issues

2

Silently, Topaz twirled the empty vodka shot glass in hand. The cheap vodka tasted sore and sour in her mouth, blame it on buying the cheapest vodka money could buy. Her mouth still missing the exotic taste of the French wine Chelsea bought along with her to give Topaz a grand welcome was missing alongside Chelsea. Chelsea had spotted a hot stranger across the dance floor and the rest was history.

Which left Topaz sitting on a high bar stool all alone and half-drunk. Longingly, she stared the tracks of exquisite drinks behind the bartender. "Another shot, Remy," she said to the hot looking bartender she'd dated for a few days and then called it quits. When they parted, they parted as friends and sometimes Topaz reasoned that he never actually forgave her for dumping him so...casually.

With a half scowl, he turned to her, "coming right up." Offhandedly, Topaz slightly pushed her glass forward and stared at him. To her surprise, he removed her tiny shot glass and replaced it with an obvious expensive scotch. Topaz started to smile till she realized what the drink was all about Remy wanted her back and the feeling wasn't mutual.

Slowly she eyed the glass of scotch before turning to face him, "Remy, listen we're over. There is not just not an us," once again she stared wistfully at the glass, "am sorry but I can accept this." She pushed the glass back to him.

A minute Topaz thought of accepting the scotch and half willing go out on a few dates to see how it would go maybe it would be different than the first time. All for a glass of scotch, Topaz, you are better than that and you cannot be bought. "Can I have my vodka back now."

Remy looked her way with confusion then smiled, "it's not from me, sweet cheeks, a compliment from that guy over there," Remy pointed into the crowd at the VIP lounge and Topaz eyes followed.

Time stilled as she stared at him, Lucas Deegriffin, the Prince Lucas Deegriffin her childhood fantasy and crush. Finally, her parents had found her, panic slurred into her veins. As much as she misses Saffron, she wasn't ready to go back home. She blinked and wiped her eyes with the back of her hand she must be dreaming or was more drunker than she thought. When she opened her eyes, he was gone and everything looked as it were. It's the alcohol, Topaz don't let it get to you, Topaz chanted to herself.

A man was now standing at the same spot that Remy pointed, their eyes met. He smiled, threw a mock salute and slowly walked over to her. Topaz spun around in her chair and grabbed the glass then finished it in one gulp. She needed alcohol strength tonight. She started to thank Remy but he was nowhere in sight.

Maybe her Sunday night wasn't so bad after all.

Topaz woke up with a pounding headache and a gag threatening to spill any minute. Immediately, she ran into the bathroom and puked her guts out. Tiredly she stalked back into the bedroom. Her eyes caught something on the bedside table, she walked over and laying there were Advil tablets with a glass of water. The table sure did look like the one she had at home. Instantly she stared around the room and it was her bedroom.

She looked down at her clothes, her black T-shirt was gone. She was wearing one of the big shirts in her wardrobe instead of the shorts from last night. Had she changed herself last night? How did she get home? Where the questions roaming in her mind as she tried to crack her brain for answers. She remembered everything clearly, the man who bought her drinks, Chelsea.

Chelsea!! Chelsea must have been the one who changed her and brought her home. Topaz frantically searched around for her phone. After spotting it on her bed, she called Chelsea.

"Hello," a cherry vibrant voice of her best friend said.

"Chelsea, it's me. Tara"

"I know it's you, Tara, how was last night? OMG, I had so much fun," she said excitedly.

"Yeah. About last night, that's why I called you. You brought me home last night, right?" I questioned.

There was a long pause before she whispered, "no. I didn't why?"

Topaz already racing heart picked up the pace. Instantly on alert, she looked around the room than the front door, "because last night, I think I left the club with a guy-"

"Go, Tara!!"

"And this morning, I woke up on my bed without a clue to how I got there with a change of clothes and a pack of Advil on my bedside table." She said then added with a whisper, "Chels, I think am been followed."

"Topaz stop jumping into things. You're not been followed. The guy you probably left the club with took you home, undressed you and put an Advil to ease your headache," Chelsea whispered back.

Her explanation starts to sink in and Topaz heart ceases to pound, "you're right. Definitely right. Why didn't I think about it like that at first." She plopped down on the bed, "so tell me about your club date last night."

Chelsea giggled lowly and continued to whisper, "later Tara, I'll tell you about it later. Gotta go."

Topaz frowned, why was Chelsea whispering and talking in hush tones? Was she in some kind of trouble. "Okay, Chelsea why are you whispering, are you in some kind of trouble? Are you in a police station?"

"No am not. I'm in class. Wait, aren't you suppose to be in class too?" She questioned.

Topaz laughed, "Chels don't be stupid, today is Sunday."

This time she laughed, "don't be stupid. Today is Monday and am in a lecture right now. Tara, you are supposed to have a class right now!!"

Topaz bolted up from the bed and into the bathroom, "Oh apologies. I'll be at school in ten, no, twenty, thirty minutes tops. Later."

After her hurried five minutes shower, she ran to the bedroom and popped one Advil into her mouth, threw on the first thing she came across in her wardrobe and ran out of the house to start her jog to the college. Her glance moved to her mailbox, there was a letter. She took it out and instantly spotted the royal crest of Saffron.

It was a letter from Alex.

With glee, she tucked the letter inside her bag. A year after she left home, she received a surprise letter from Alex and since then they started exchanging letters. Alex refused to make phone calls because his phone could be hacked or tapped. An eighteen-year-old boy too smart for his own good.

Checking the time and realizing her thirty minutes is almost up, she began the longest run of her entire life.