T H I R T Y O N E

"You have a fish pond? Wow," I commented as I trudged along the cobbled path, leading up to the front door of Jessica Johns mansion at six at night. Spirals of green plants, ranging in different varieties brushed against my arm as I walked my way through. Jessica stopped to position a plant in a different way so that the space was larger as we walked.

"My mum hates it though. She's planning to get rid of it for more plant pots."

I raised an eyebrow.

Her front door was grand and white, yet the sides were crawling with ivy, healthy and bursting with life. A few ancient-looking clay pots circled the porch. She looked satisfied with her home as she fished her keys out and unlocked the front door, pushing the door wide open and breathing deeply.

I hugged my chemistry textbooks closer to my chest, feeling anxiety creep up inside of me. If Jessica really was the one to drug me, who knew what I was stepping into at that moment?

"Come in," she said brightly, looking at me. I hadn't realised that I had been standing there awkwardly, gazing at the small lights that decorated her door at the top, creating shadows and luminous light patterns in the setting sky.

"Oh, sorry," I said, shaking my head and stepping inside. Inside, her house was large. Very large. There were two big and grand white staircases, leading upwards. The only thing that was missing was a giant chandelier. Instead, cute little aesthetic lights hung low from the ceiling. Her home smelled of cleanliness and a new book from the library that had been untouched for a while.

I looked down at my feet and took my shoes off, arranging them neatly beside hers. She ushered me inside and up the first flight of stairs to a second level, where a lounging area was placed, paired with large television. Books littered the glass table in front of me.

"Sorry, it's a mess. I was studying hard for a test," she said with a small blush. I eyed her before sitting down. Jessica and I had been friends for a while now, but being alone with her in her empty home was making me feel easy, especially after hearing things about her and Kira possibly drugging me.

"It's fine. I get you," I replied, making myself comfortable on her soft seats. I stared at the ground, wondering how I was going to figure out if she were the person to drug me. Should I search for clues?

"So, do you want anything to eat? I can order pizza if you want," she said. "Mum's not home."

"Where is she?"

"I don't know. Somewhere with my dad," she mumbled, uninterested.

"Oh. Do you have a maid or a chef?"

"No," Jessica said, shaking her head. "My dad doesn't believe in that kind of service."

I raised an eyebrow. "Oh?"

"Yeah. Anyway, Mum cooks great and so does my dad. It's not a problem."

"Okay."

"So... what topic are you failing?"

I panicked, not knowing what to say since I hadn't thought of this earlier, but settled with, "Overall."

Jessica, for the first time, seemed like she was doubting me. She stared at me strangely and then smiled. "Okay. So?" she asked, sitting down opposite me. She chucked a few pillows onto the floor and due to a beam of the last orange flecks of sunlight, shining through a high window, I could see the dust particles floating about.

"I-- need the toilet," I said, making a face. She nodded and stood up, pointing down to the left. She then shook her head quickly, as if changing her mind. She pointed to a door on the right instead. I nodded hesitantly. "Thanks."

"The lights are being fixed, so be careful," she added before I turned the door handle and opened it.

It looked like a normal pristine bathroom to me. The floors were twinkling and the sinks were scrubbed clean. I didn't see any trace of lights being fixed. I closed the door and did whatever I needed to. After that, the house felt oddly silent and an aura was left drifting in the air.

Perhaps it was because of the lack of people in this house. I was also very familiar with the house.

I turned the tap off and looked in the mirror, trying to smooth out the bags underneath my eyes. I knew it would do nothing so I went to open the door, only to realise that I couldn't open it.

The door handle was wedged between the wall and the door, not budging. A chorus of panic wavered through me painfully. I tried again, twisting at the door knob but it was stuck. I took a deep breath and bent down, closing one eye and peeking through.

I could make out the staircase railing and the jacket that had been tossed over the side. I shivered, suddenly regretting coming here. All I wanted was to find out if Jessica and her evil friend Kira were the ones to drug me. If they were, then why?

But none of that was possible because I was stranded inside the bathroom of Jessica John's house.

I pressed my ear against the cold wooden door, making out faint murmurs and voices, coming from Jessica. I figured she was on a phone call with somebody. She was awfully quiet and skeptical of me today. I wondered if she knew that I suspected her of doing anything.

"Jessica?" I called out.

No answer.

My heart race picked up. I thumped my fist against the door loudly, knowing I was going to regret this later on. I called her name out again and the only thing that anwsered back was silence.

I gave up and dug into my back pocket for my phone. I called her. She didn't pick up. Was she not just out there, taking her phone call?

"Jessica! Your door has fuucking problems," I mumbled, sitting down on the edge of her bathtub. I looked around and my eyes landed on the window that was position above her shower area. "Jessica?" I tried again.

"You think I'm stupid?"

I closed my mouth. I blinked. What?

"You think I don't know what you're doing in my house?" she said, her voice angry and flustered. "How are you so stupid?"

"What are you talking about?" I said loudly, considering the jump from the window.

"You're in my house to snoop," she said blandly. I imagined her crossing her arms and glaring.

"No, I'm not," I grumbled under my breath. Yes, I was.

"You know if you know that I was the one with the Haxcist, then you should know there's plenty from where that came from," Jessica spoke loudly and firmly. A waver of panic rushed through me. She really did know. She really was the one who drugged me. I needed to get out of here and tell Caleb and Lola and everyone, including my mum.

I didn't reply to her, instead, I stood up on the edge of the bathtub, peering outside of the window. Below, there was a stretch of trees. I cursed. Could I make it?

I thought about the time I was with Sarah back in New York. We had been in the shopping mall until after one in the morning and gotten locked in the staircases, so we jumped from the second floor, landing with no injuries but beating hearts.

"I can call the police, you bitch," I yelled loudly, wobbling on the edge of the bathtub. I steadied myself, placing my hands on the wall. I was awfully close to the ceiling and the lights were flickering.

God, the lights were really in the process of fixing.

"No, you're not."

I froze. That wasn't Jessica's voice. That was Kira's. Oh, dear God, help me.

"You've got him at your heels, Stella. You've got them all. Why not just do it now? It didn't work before. How do you feel about a second dosage, Stella? Hmm?"