Anderson Means A

Chapter 15 - Anderson Means A

That Monday, Charlotte started the day with a headache. She'd had it since she woke up in the hospital and the pain killers only softened it. She also hadn't eaten much. When she'd asked her dad if he knew about the drug, he reacted angrily. He didn't understand why she would assume he knew about those drugs, just because he sold good drugs. She just thought he would know because he'd studied pharmacy, but her dad really took everything she asked as an offence. Anyway, she'd looked up too much about it on her laptop. Apparently, whoever drugged her had used a new variant based on Gamma-Hydroxybutyric acid, also called the rape drug. Her symptoms looked like it, but the increased arousal and enduring headache was the extra addition to the new variant. She didn't really want to think about it. Maybe it had been Oliver? She remembered it, how he came to her and tried to take her to his house.

Her friends didn't know what happened and her mother had told her she shouldn't tell them. Charlotte knew it was her dad who didn't want new about the incident spreading. He always told her mother what to tell her.

It was a rainy day. The sky was filled with dark clouds. It didn't make her feel any better. Harper and Chloe were both telling stories about that night. Charlotte listened and tried to remember. When Evelyn arrived at school, she remembered kissing her. Evelyn spoke about it with a big smile on her face. Charlotte thought she had imagined it, but it had happened.

"I'm the first girl you kissed right?", she asked with great enthusiasm.

"You are the first girl and the third person I kissed."

"That's insane!", Harper yelled: "You've only kissed three people? And one of them is that Jay-guy?"

"Jake," Charlotte corrected: "Yes."

"Where were you, actually? You disappeared. I heard you tell Evelyn you had to pee, but I went to the toilet and I didn't see you there." Chloe had made all eyes turn at Charlotte.

She didn't know what to say. "I, I was..."

"Charlotte, my god, I'm so glad you're okay!" Liam's voice had interrupted her. Even more, he stormed in her direction and hugged her fiercely. Evelyn, Harper and Chloe gasped at the same time. Charlotte didn't know how to react.

Over Liam's shoulder, she saw Diego staring at her. He raised his hand in an awkward hello-way. She smiled, still not knowing what was happening.

When Liam finally let her go, he searched her gaze: "Jake texted me he was going to bring you to the hospital! I was so worried!"

"Hospital?", Chloe and Evelyn yelled at the same time.

Charlotte was speechless. Why would Jake text him? As if he could read her mind, Liam continued: "He must have thought we were still together. He said you'd been drugged and you had lost consciousness. Diego and I went to the hospital, but they wouldn't tell us where you were. Your dad had called the hospital and told them to let no one near you until he arrived. Eventually, Jake texted us you were okay and we left. Diego's mom was worried about him."

Of course her dad did that. But, Liam went to the hospital? That night? For her? And Diego went with him?

"Charlotte, why didn't you tell us?", Evelyn yelled. "How could you not tell us you were drugged!"

Charlotte looked at her friends. A guilty look entered Liam's face, but he shouldn't feel guilty about it. He only wanted to help. He went to the hospital, for her. And they weren't even together anymore.

"And Jake saved you?", Harper asked, as if she was watching a romantic movie. Chloe hit her shoulder to make her shut up.

Charlotte thought she would cry. Everyone was staring at her. "I," she started: "My parents told me not to tell anyone. They don't want this to get any attention, because of the firm, you know." She felt her eyes tearing up.