passed out

The person at the other end of the line was none other than her sister Quinn... oh sorry step sister. He father and mother got divorced at the beginning of her senior year and her father had suddenly married another woman who had a child as old as she was, at first she tolerated and lived with her father and his new wife but when overhead people degrading her for being part of a polygamous family, she became scared that such a criteria would also be unacceptable by the Mullins family. She had tried talking her father into divorcing her step mother and getting back with her mother but it was all a futile effort. In the end, she had gotten so angry that she fought with her father and left the house to go stay with her uncle. Her mother Resented her anyway so she could only become the ward of her Drunken Uncle.

Though she resented her step mother for coming between her father and mother she still had quite a good relationship with her step-sister Quinn since Quinn had helped her one too many times with Nate.

Now that she was once again faced with problems concerning Nate, she was the first Person she thought to turn to.

"Sure sister!" Quinn overexcited voice came through the receiver. She sounded like a vibrant white lotus. Then she noticed Ariyah's teary tone so her voice dropped in worry.

"Is everything the matter Sister? Quick tell me what the problem is?"

With someone showing concern for her. Ariyah broke down in even more tears. Her day was already as bad as it could be, then she got heartbroken by seeing Nate and Willa together. All these hurt just came pouring out in tears.

She narrated everything to Quinn, enviously exaggerating Willa's words and attitude a bit. It was all one sided insecurity after all, so whatever she said was what her senses had chosen to minister to her.

"That's so bad! How can Willa do such a thing?" From the way she had called Willa's name, it was obvious that they were on a relatively close term. Nevertheless, in support of her sister, she had to reprimand the actions of her friend.

"She must be trying to steal Nate from me. Quinn I cannot allow that to happen! Help me Quinn, what should I do?" She felt like she was going crazy. Nate was the only good thing in her life at the moment, if she lost him to someone else doesn't that mean her whole life was destroyed.

No she doesn't want to.

She wasn't willing to let go of him, she loved him too much to lose him!

"Calm down Riya" Quinn soothed. Sensing her calm tone, Ariyah truly calm down a bit. Quinn only ever used her pet name 'Riya' when she wanted to assure her of something. This could only mean that she might just have a way to help her.

"I can't talk over the phone now do why don't you come over first. We can sit and discuss properly then plan for tonight."

"You have a way?" Ariyah sniffed pitifully

"Of course but it's not something we can talk about on phone why don't you come and meet me"

She had sworn never to step foot in the Hart family manor ever again but if going there for the last time meant she could get a solution to her problem then she could not care less what anyone would have to say about her visit.

"I'll come over to the manor right away!"

"Riya that might not be necessary. I'm currently at Hilton Hotel"

"Hilton Hotel?" Her brows creased lightly.

"our family is having dinner with Marcello's family tonight. Sis don't worry I'll tell father that you are coming over. I'm sure he won't more things difficult for you because the Wayne Family would be there." Quinn informed, she was aware how much Ariyah detested their father so her tone carried a hint of worry for her.

Ariyah became alarmed, meeting her father always brought one quarrel or the other. There was so many issues they did not agree on. First there was his marriage and secondly also her relationship.

Back when her father and mother were still together, they had agreed on a marriage alliance with the Wayne Family. She had never strongly rejected the request until she chanced upon a meeting with Nate that brought the two of the together. Her refusal became stronger after her parents got divorced and her dad remarried. It was one of the last fight they had had before she decided to leave.

On a normal day she would never want to meet the Wayne Family from the fear that they would bring up the proposal and try to tie her down again but she was too much in a haste today to worry about them.

Ariyah agreed "sure tell father I'll be coming. Sister could you help settle the cab bills too, I'm a bit stranded"

"No problem, I'll get someone to wait for you at the Entrance"

"Okay I'll be there soon" She answerd and cut the call.

She boarded a cab and left, few minutes later she arrived at the restaurant. There was someone waiting for her at the lobby as Quinn had promised.

"good evening first miss" the servant greeted with courtesy. Ariyah nodded and followed his lead.

The servant led her to a room, when she opened the door, she saw the faces of six people. Her father Curt Collins, Her step mother Eliza, Quin and then the Wayne family elders along with their arrogant and pompous son, Marcello. Ariyah walked in like no one else was her concern, she muttered a subtle word of greeting and directly took her seat beside Quinn

Her attitude was not unexpected since everyone in the room already knew that she had fallen out with her family members and was also strongly against the marriage. Her attendance was already unexpected, so they chose to ignore her presence.

Ariyah sat still waiting for the meeting to be over. Once it was over, she led Quinn away in haste to discuss her problem.

"Is there really a way to help me rid his heart of Willa? I really don't want to lose him but if he loves someone else and that someone is not me doesn't that mean I have to let him go?" Ariyah bent her head sadly

"don't say that sister, I'm sure Nate loves you too, he doesn't just know it yet, all he need is a little push and he would discover his love for you" this is what she had always told Ariyah and once again Ariyah was invited by it. She lifted her eyes and stared at the girl expectantly.

"do you really think so?"

Quinn nodded, then she looked round cautiously before digging something out of her pocket. She squeezed it into Elissa's hand and whispered something into her ear.

Ariyah looked up shocked. she wanted to refuse but was too enticed by whatever Quinn had said to get, so she folded her hand and kept the substance in her pocket.

....

Few minutes later, Ariyah and Quinn walked into the club. All dolled up and looking gorgeous. They were originally preeety girl, so with a few embellishments, people would see just what they wanted them to see. Her magnificent dress up added a much need boast to her courage.

Nevertheless everything went down the drain when the scene she walked in to see was, the scene of a drunk Nate locking lips with an equally tipsy Willa.

Crash!

Something fell to the ground. It sounded like glass but felt more like it was her heart that had fallen to the floor.

"Nate!" In panic she rushed forward and Yanked the two of them apart. Quinn acted faster than the other girls and helped lead the tipsy Willa out of the room.

Left alone with Nate, Ariyah sat there like her soul had been sucked out.

He kissed her....

If she had come any later, would it have gone beyond a kiss?

Looking at the still drunk young man murmuring the name of his best friend out of drunkenness, her heart stilled even further. After minutes of internal confliction within herself, she dug out what looked like a pill sachet and held it firmly in her hand.

"This place is too noisy Nate, let me take you upstairs to rest" she informed him in a slightly shaky voice. Not that he would hear her but incase he remembered any of this tomorrow morning, she needed him to remember she had only wanted to take care of him.

Staggering and stumbling around, she dragged his drunk body away from the public area over to the private rooms upstairs. The key card in his pocket told her he had booked a room do she directly took him there.

Ariyah opened the door with the key card. For her small body, the tall young man was a little too heavy for her to carry alone still she had no intentions of asking anyone to help her. Whilst trying to set him on the bed, she lost her footing and the two of them came crashing to the floor.

The young man landed on the soft furry rug, whereas she had struck her head at the wooden edge of the bed. Her sight went black almost immediately and she passed out.

With a panging headache Ariyah woke up an hour later. She could barely open her eyes from the headache and there was this uncomfortably buzzing sound, and this incessant beeping noise in her ears.

She stretched like a lazy cat and sat up, still with her eyes closed. As she sat up she remembered something.

She remembered stumbling in her room and feeling very dizzy before she passed out.

Slowly her eyes opened, blue ceiling, red walls, multicolored club light and music sounds booming through the walls. The room looked nothing like her room, she could tell at first glance that she wasn't in her room neither was she where she had ever been to.

Where was she?

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