“I wonder if she knows?” Rachel overheard Trista saying to Kelly as they shut the basement door behind her. Then, she heard Kelly laugh as they both headed back upstairs to finish getting ready.
Rachel felt incredibly uncomfortable and really felt like an outcast in this situation. She didn’t know how she got roped into all this in the first place. She regretted ever turning on her cell phone. She wondered what they were talking about but then heard a noise coming from inside the two double doors. There was loud music playing and she could hear voices and moans coming through the door. She stood there for a moment, and waited to see if it was really what she thought she was hearing. The music got louder and louder and so did their screams. Rachel started fumbling around, making noise so that they would hear her downstairs. She walked over to the door and saw that it was open a crack. She could smell the marijuana smoke everywhere, it was almost making her high as she stood there, waiting for whatever was going on to end. This couldn’t have been more awkward for her.
“UM, ASHLEY?” Rachel yelled, trying to sound nonchalant.
The music blared back at her and she was sure that Ashley couldn’t hear her.
“ASHLEY!”
“WHAT? CAN’T YOU HEAR WE’RE BUSY IN HERE?” Ashley yelled out.
“Um, I’m sorry. Can I just grab the ID?
A minute went by and Ashley opened the door, looking quite disheveled. Her hair was all over the place and had a towel draped across her body.
“HERE!” Ashley said, throwing the ID at Rachel. “If you lose it, you owe me big time.”
“I won’t,” Rachel said, taking the ID and running back upstairs to get out of the basement. She was feeling a little bit off and suspected it was from the inhalation of the marijuana smoke that filled the basement.
She ran upstairs and into Trista’s room, holding the ID. She stood there and waited for the girls to notice she was standing there.
“Uh hum,” Rachel said, clearing her throat.
The two girls turned and looked at her and then made a face at her.
“Did you smoke?” Kelly asked, walking towards her.
“Yeah, geeze, Rachel! You reek!” Trista said, spritzing her with perfume. “Try to make it a little less obvious next time!”
“Um, no. Do you have any idea what you sent me down to?” Rachel asked, looking at Trista.
“Yeah, to get the ID!” Trista said, looking innocent.
“Yeah, exactly. That and a little bit more!” Rachel said, rolling her eyes.
“Oh,” Trista said. “What do you mean?”
“Uh, I think her boyfriend was over or something. I’m surprised you couldn’t hear them from up here!” Rachel said, laughing.
Suddenly Rachel began to feel lightheaded and a bit dizzy. She walked over to Trista’s bed and sat down. She noticed that Kelly and Trista were staring at her funny and she couldn’t figure out why.
Then, all of a sudden, the room started spinning around her and despite her efforts she couldn’t control it. She didn’t know what was causing this. She put her head in her lap and covered her eyes.
“You alright?” Kelly said, letting out a little laugh.
“Everything OK?” Trista chimed in.
“Yeah, I think so, just a little dizzy, that’s all,” Rachel said, still looking down at the ground.
The two let out a laugh and then went over to Rachel.
“I’ve never felt like this before. It’s like the world is spinning and I’m just a small soul floating around.” Rachel said.
“What do you mean?” the girls let out a laugh.
“I feel like I’m on a rollercoaster,” Rachel replied. She reached out and tried to grab her drink, almost tipping it over.
“You’re drunk aren’t you?” Kelly said, staring at her.
“Um, I don’t think so?” Rachel answered. “Why would you say that?”
“YOU’VE BEEN SPIKED!” Trista said, laughing.
“HUH?” Rachel asked.
“YOU’VE BEEN SPIKED!” Kelly said again, holding up her cup of orange juice and pointing inside.
The two girls laughed and Rachel knew immediately what had happened.
CHAPTER NINE
Rob walked in through the automatic sliding doors of the hospital. The sterile smell of the hospital burned his nose and he inhaled deeply, trying to catch his breath from his quick walk over. The bright fluorescent lights made him squint as he continued walking towards the reception desk. He felt like everyone was looking at him funny as he entered. He didn’t know if he was just feeling anxious, or if there was something wrong with him. He felt increasingly uncomfortable as person after person keep craning their necks around to look at him. Then, he smelled it. Burning skin. He couldn’t understand what was happening.
“Quick! Help this man!” one of the nurses said, pointing towards Rob.
“No! I’m fine!” Rob said, shouting back at the nurse. “Don’t touch me!”
The nurse created a stir in the waiting room, that no everyone was crowded around looking at Rob, sitting there on the floor, blowing at his skin.
He didn’t know what to do next. He knew what was happening, but he couldn’t understand how to make it stop. He looked up at the lights again, and then he felt his skin searing off. He quickly reached into his backpack and took out his sunglasses and his jacket. He covered up his skin and then put his sunglasses on, and everything stopped. His skin miraculously healed and his body was back to normal.
“What’s going on here?” the nurse said. “Was that a trick? Are you a magician?”
Rob let out a laugh, hoping not to draw any more attention to himself.
“Um, yes! I am a magician!” Rob said, hoping to make everyone laugh at his misfortune.
The crowd let out a laugh of confusion and then started walking back to their seats.
“We don’t have time for fakers,” the nurse said.
“I’m sorry! I shouldn’t have pulled this trick on you,” Rob said, sounding apologetic.
“You are taking time away from patients that really need our help, Sir. I’m afraid you will have to leave now,” the nurse replied.
“I’m here to do magic for the sick patients,” Rob said, realizing that was a great way to get him into the hospital.
“See her!” the nurse said, pointing to the receptionist. “She will take you back.”
“Sir, what is your name?” the receptionist said, looking at her appointment book.