Uncharted: Crossing The Lines

Chapter 3 – Party Disaster

Four years ago, it was one of the most important years a woman longs to experience. Four years ago, it was my turn.

“Oops, watch your steps,” his voice reverberated into my ears.

His warning just passed by my ears as if I heard nothing as I clung to his neck with my right arm.

He chuckled.

“Did you have fun tonight? I hope you are very well satisfied, Noelle…” he whispered into my ear.

It tickled my whole body and I couldn’t help but feel weak in my knees.

“To Miss Noelle, our radiant star of the evening, your journey into this new phase of life has now begun and is waiting for your exploration. To everyone, thank you once again for being a part of this celebration. God Bless and enjoy the rest of the night,” the sound of the host’s voice gradually disappeared as we walked through the lobby.

Its high ceiling is adorned with different crystal chandeliers, illuminating this special night. I am so grateful to my family. I’m so grateful I’m with this man right now, the man I’ve decided to trust my heart with.

Of course, I’m old enough for this already. I mean, I just turned eighteen!

“Theo,” I managed to utter, despite the intoxicating feeling the cocktail’s been giving me ever since.

Theo stopped walking, now holding my arm that was clinging to his neck. His eyes are piercing into mine, and for some reason, I can feel that the lobby around me darkened despite the lights.

He positioned himself in front of me.

He leaned down to me, and now our faces are only inches away from each other.

“Noelle, do you have the answer now?” his right hand caressed my left cheek. As his fingers touched my skin, my whole body is electrified and filled with overwhelming heat.

I just looked at him, at a loss for words.

How did he know?

How did he read me?

Theo… really knows me after all.

There’s a tense silence between us, as we stand in the middle of the lobby, not minding the people who are walking by. It is our world, after all. Only the two of us. Now, I can finally tell him.

Without saying anything, I suddenly found my lips on his. To be exact, his on mine. His right hand is holding my face, while his other hand supports my back. His kisses are hard, full of passion.

I got lost in it.

I held onto his back to seal our moment even harder. I don’t care anymore, this is it.

“Hmm…you are so good, Noelle...” Theo mumbled between our kisses.

I smiled while kissing him.

I can’t believe this is happening.

This is…this is the best gift I could ever have tonight.

“Ha…I love you Theo—AH!” I was cut off when a fist landed on the man I was having an intimate moment with.

What the hell just happened?!

I watched in shock as my eyes followed his figure as he failed to maintain his balance after a massive blow… Theo is now on the ground, and his cheeks are red!

I looked at the direction from which the firs came from.

“Brother?! What the hell are you doing here?”

“Noelle, get back here. Don’t go near that man,” Aki ordered, his eyes were darkened, and his aura…HE MADE THE ROMANTIC VIBE OF THIS LOBBY FULL OF VIOLENCE!

I just stood there and looked back at Theo. He’s writhing in pain!

I know this is bad but…WHAT THE HELL DON’T MOAN LIKE THAT THEO.

As I took a step forward to Theo’s body, my body stood frozen, hearing a stern voice from behind.

“Don’t make me repeat myself, Noelle. Just…ah…get back here,” he sounds drunk.

“I’m not taking orders from someone who’s drunk and trying to ruin everybody’s night. Stop this, Aki,” I said as I ignored his order and walked over to Theo. I crouched down to help him.

“Your brother is…nuts…” Theo managed to blurt out while trying to compose himself.

“Let’s go, I’ll get you some help—” Again, I was cut off.

“Let go of me, Aki! What’s your problem?!” I shouted at him. What is he trying to do? This is a special night for me!

“This! This is my problem, Noelle. Please, don’t go around doing all those things with that man,” his eyes which were dark a while ago now softened as I look at them.

”You’re just drunk.”

“It’s fine, Noelle. I’ll just go.” Theo said as he stood up, still having trouble gaining his balance.

“Wait, Theo!”

“Theo? Oh my God! What happened?” a girl’s voice echoed not far away from us. Oh, it’s Addison!

“Addison, please help Theo, I’ll just…speak with my brother,” I pleaded to my friend.

“Haha, no worries. You don’t need to tell me that. Here, let’s go, Theo,” she helped him walk away and I watched them both gradually disappear.

Now it’s only the two of us.

This lobby now feels different.

My head also hurts from all the drinks I took…

“s**t…” I mumbled.

“Are you alright, Noelle?”

“Don’t speak to me as if you did not do something,” I walked away from him.

“I thought you were going to speak with me?”

“Well, with your current state, you’re beyond reasoning now!” I shouted.

I felt a hand pull my arm from behind.

“What the hell?!”

“Look, I’m sorry, Noelle. But trust me on this. That Theo is not a good man for you. I’m just trying to protect you,” his eyes looked concerned as they gazed at mine.

“Not good?? Who are you to decide on that? You don’t even know him! Also, why are you butting into my business? I am now an adult!”

I can feel the heat boiling inside me. I just want to shout at him in full force, but the visitors might catch us.

"Aki...you always do this...just why..."

“Because I know, Noelle… Just…trust your brother on this, okay? You know that I’m only doing this because I care about you…” He held both sides of my shoulder to make a point.

“Ha…whatever…I get it. It’s just, today is my day…I want to do the things that I want…” I said as I held onto my head. Now I can feel it splitting in half!

“Noelle? You don’t look so good, let’s go, I’ll find you a room,” he guided me as we walked through the lobby of the hotel.

After entering the room, I just had one thing in mind: to get to bed as quickly as possible. I am so tired I don’t even want to do anything else. I just need my bed.

“You should change into some clothes first…here,” Aki walked up to me while I was lying on the bed. He put some clothes beside me.

“Ugh…when did you prepare this?”

“Just get changed. I’ll be right outside,” he closed the door without looking back.

I groggily reached for the satin, navy blue, pajamas beside me and changed into them. They look new… After that, I just threw my gown on the floor. I’ll deal with it tomorrow morning…

I heard a knock.

“Are you done? I got some makeup remover here from the staff. I think there are other things that you can use as well.”

“I don’t need that…I’m good so thank you…” I closed my eyes.

“Don’t sleep with your makeup on! Wash your face at least. Tsk…” I heard the door open.

“Ugh…Why do you care so much, Aki? Are you my sister?”

“No, but you should not sleep in that state. Here, I’ll help you out.” He sat down beside me and prepared the stuff he was talking about.

I can’t believe he even knows these things…Oh, I know!

“Wait…I know how you figured these things out…because of your flings, am I right?!” I laughed at him.

I can feel my headache going away, this is just…ha…at least my brother is useful.

“Stop that. I’m just an observant person. There you go, now give me your phone.”

My eyes instantly got cleared up from the blurry state a while ago. WHAT.

“Why do you need my phone?”

“I’m putting it away, I can’t have you crying tomorrow because you forgot where you put it,” he says while putting away all the skin care stuff he just brought.

“Hey, hey, hey…I don’t need that s**t. It’s good. Also, why would I trust someone who is drunk as well?” I can smell alcohol from him!

He looked at me, “At least I can contain my composure,” he said while smiling.

The hell…

I just gave him my phone, since he’s right. I’m quite forgetful. It also has a lock so…WAIT. He knows a s**t ton about computers and stuff!

It looks like he's tinkering around with my phone! Shit...

But before I can complain, I can feel my head spinning again. Now this is the worst…

I’m really wasted…

Everything became black.

“Ugh…” I grabbed my head. It hurts so bad…where the hell am I?

I looked around.

I am in a hotel room…I am inside a blanket…a weighted one for sure. I am having trouble pulling it…

What the hell happened last night?

I can only remember walking to this room with my brother…and…

“Are you sure about this?” his eyes are piercing at me.

I just smiled at him.

He pushed me on the bed and now he’s on top of me, cornering every chance of possible escape.

He leaned in and I pulled his face to kiss him.

Everything is blurry but I can make out a bit of a conclusion from what happened…

No way in hell…who the hell was I with? Was it Theo? But I don’t remember walking with him to a room!

I looked to my side…

Horror filled my whole body when I saw that man sleeping soundly at my side, without a care for the world.

His face is turned away from me so I can’t be sure until I see it…

I got out of bed and walked to his side, careful as to not wake him up. I’m pretty sure that’s not Theo because of the height and curly hair…

My heart is racing and my head is clouded with all the worst possible things that could ever happen last night.

As my eyes landed on the face of the man, even more horror befell me.

I felt my knees weaken, and now I’m on the ground.

The man on the bed…on the same bed as me…is Aki.

My. Brother.

Why the f**k is he here?

“A-Aki! Wake up…Aki!” Panic soared inside me while I tried to shake his body to wake him up. I need to do something about this.

“Hmm…” he opened his eyes.

“Huh…? Noelle? What are you…?” his confusion is obvious from the way his eyes look.

I just sat on the floor, quiet.

He sat on the bed and looked around.

“Wait…why are you on the floor?”

My head is down. It feels heavy, but not from the hangover…

I can feel the weight even on my shoulder.

This has to be a mistake.

“You sure…you don’t remember?” I asked while looking down…I can only hope I remembered wrong.

“Huh? Is there a problem, Noelle?”

“Don’t act dumb! Something…something unspeakable happened last night! I don’t…I don’t even…” I cried as I struggled to bring the words out.

This is wrong. HOW THE HELL DID IT HAPPEN IN THE FIRST PLACE?

Is it because of me? Or him?

Because of alcohol?

I’m not even sure if it’s him.

But he’s the only one here…

IN THIS FREAKING ROOM.

Aki crouched down on the floor and held both of my shoulders, “Noelle…did something happen? Between us…?”

He said it. The words I don’t want to say or hear.

“I’m not sure…”

“Ha…” he ran his fingers through his hair as he looked around.

“To be honest, I don’t recall anything after I helped you with your makeup removal…I think you can be rest assured that nothing—”

“I do remember something…” I mumbled.

“What do you mean?”

“It’s blurry but it’s clear…and you’re the only one who’s with me in this room…Aki…it’s a mistake!” I cried out loud.

I don’t know what to do…what are people going to think if they hear about this? What about mom? Dad?

“Noelle…I—”

I pushed him and I ran out of the room. Tears are welling up and I struggled to keep them at bay.

The lobby seemed darker than before even though it’s the morning.

The bustling of people in the hotel felt like all the eyes were on me, judging every move I make.

I can’t believe this.

Four years ago…four years ago was supposed to be one of the best and most special years of my life. But it’s gone. It’s horrible. It’s a mistake.

I hope everything is a dream.