"Drugged?"

Without a word, Jack and I thanked the janitor and hurried to the clinic, my heart racing as we rushed down the hallway, passing classrooms and lockers as we made our way to the school nurse's office.

I usually hated the clinic, the smell of antiseptic was strong in the air, and the sound of beeping machines filled the room.

Jack waited in the reception area in order to call and update Kira while I knocked on the door and entered the nurse's office.

I found Mrs. Nicks in her office, her head buried in a stack of files.

"Good afternoon, Mrs. Nicks," I said as I entered the room. "I'm a friend of Ray, he was brought in about an hour ago unconscious."

She finally looked up at me, her face etched with concern. "Oh, Samuel," she said, using my full name. "I was just about to call Ray's mom, but since you're here, I guess there's no need yet."

"What's wrong with him?" I asked, my voice shaking with worry.

"He was drugged," she told me, her voice laced with concern. "We've stabilized him but right now, we have to transfer him to the hospital."

My stomach twisted in knots at her words, and I couldn't help but feel a sense of panic wash over me.

As I learnt about how serious Ray's condition, my face contorted with worry.

Mrs. Nicks explained that after series of test was carried out, it was discovered that Ray was drugged with Xanax, a very strong sedative that doesn't react well with alcohol.

There was still remnant of alcohol in his system and that's why he's in a bit of a bad situation.

Mrs Nick must have noticed my worried expression, because she immediately tried to reassure me with a warm smile and a gentle voice.

"Don't worry," she said, rising from her seat and placing a comforting hand on my shoulder. "He's going to be fine."

Despite her words, I couldn't shake the feeling of anxiety that had settled in my gut.

I fiddled with the hem of Ray's face towel I was still holding, trying to distract myself from the swirling thoughts in my head.

"Can we check on him?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.

"Of course," Mrs. Nicks replied, her voice laced with understanding. "This way please."

She gestured for me to follow her out of her office, and I did, my legs feeling like jelly beneath me. Jack was waiting for us outside, his expression concerned as he saw the worried look on my face.

"Shouldn't we call Ray's mom to let her know what's up?," Jack asked out of Mrs Nick earshot.

"Emm…I don't think that will be necessary. I'll call her myself later on," I told him, knowing that Ray's mother would likely freak out if she found out her son was in the hospital.

'This wasn't a big deal,' I convinced myself. I could handle it.

In about 30 minutes later, we were at the hospital and Ray was being transferred to a room.

As we waited in the sterile waiting room, the smell of antiseptic and the sound of beeping machines filled the air. Jack kept Kira updated on how things were going, his voice low and soothing.

I also called Phoebe to cancel our plans for the evening. It wasn't really a date, but we had planned to meet up later on.

"Em…Jack, thanks for helping out with Ray. But you can go home and rest now. It's getting really late," I said, trying to mask my concern with a forced smile.

"Are you sure you'll be okay on your own?" Jack asked, his voice laced with concern.

"Yeah, I think so," I replied, trying to sound more confident than I felt.

"I'll just wait until we can see Ray and make sure he's okay. Then I'll head home," Jack insisted.

"Alright then," I agreed, grateful for his support.

As I sat in the waiting room, my thoughts were filled with worry for my friend and the events of the day. All I could do was hope and pray that he would be okay.

CHANGE OF POV: KIRA'S POV

As I stepped out of the shower, droplets of water clung to my skin, slowly dripping down my body. I wrapped a soft, fluffy towel around myself and made my way back to my bedroom, the cool tiles beneath my feet a welcome sensation.

Despite feeling exhausted from a long day at school, my mind was racing and I couldn't seem to fall asleep.

Mia was lying on her bed, staring at the ceiling with a troubled expression. She seemed upset about something and wasn't willing to talk about it.

I couldn't shake the feeling that it had something to do with Ray, especially since she mentioned seeing him and Lily making out. I couldn't help but wonder what I was missing out on.

I tried to push the thoughts to the back of my mind and focus on something else, but it was difficult. I was relieved to know that Ray had been found and was safe, or at least he will be.

All I could do was wait for Mia to wake up and see if she would open up to me about whatever was troubling her.

Just as I was lost in my thoughts, my phone rang, the sound piercing the silence in the room. It was Jack, and just hearing his voice made me smile despite my tired state.

He told me that he was leaving the hospital and that Sam had insisted on waiting alone for Ray to wake up.

"Do you want me to come over?" I asked, offering my support.

"I appreciate the offer, but I'll be fine. Just stay with Mia and make sure she's okay. She seemed a bit off today," he replied.

"Alright, I'll stay with her," I agreed.

"I'll call you before I go to sleep," he said, his words causing a blush to spread across my cheeks.

"Ok love, I'll be waiting," I replied before hanging up the phone.

I turned on the TV and tuned into a Netflix series that I had missed, hoping to distract myself. It wasn't long before I dozed off, only to be awoken by someone snuggling into me.

"Hey Mia, are you awake?" I asked, still feeling sleepy.

"Mmhmm," she mumbled in response.

"Well, you've succeeded in waking me up," I said as I gently lifted her and rearranged myself so that she could lay on my lap.

Mia and I have a special bond, one that goes beyond just being cousins. We see each other as sisters, and it's always comforting to have her around.

Looking down at her laying on my laps, I couldn't help but notice the sadness etched on her face. She looked pale and fragile, her eyes red and swollen as if she had been crying.

"How you doing?" I asked, trying to start a conversation. She turned her face away, her shoulders slumping in defeat.

"Not fine," she replied, her voice heavy with emotion.

I tried to persuade her to open up, offering a listening ear and a shoulder to lean on.

"What's wrong? You know you can always talk to me."

To my relief, she started talking, her words tumbling out in a rush. "It's Ray," she said, her voice laced with pain. "I caught him making out with Lily today in the gym."

I was surprised by her confession. "Wait. You were actually serious today when you said it at school?" I asked, trying to wrap my head around the situation.

"Yeah, do you expect me to joke with something like that?" she replied, her voice barely above a whisper.

"Tell me exactly how it happened." I said.

And so she began recounting the events of the day, from the moment we separated at the cafeteria to the painful discovery in the gym.

As she spoke, I gently stroked her hair, offering a small measure of comfort. She told me about how she had walked in on them in the gym, how Lily was straddling him and how their bodies looked comfortable together as Lily kissed him passionately.

He seemed relax, not struggling to ward her off or anything. She described the shock and disbelief she had felt as she realized what was happening, the hurt and betrayal that had washed over her like a wave.

When she finished, I took a moment to gather my thoughts before speaking. "Kira, I don't just understand him," she said, her voice filled with frustration and hurt.

She sat up and looked at me, a hint of suspicion in her eyes. "Where you listening to me at all? Or are you thinking of ways to defend him since he's your friend?" She asked, a note of accusation in her voice.

"Sure I was listening," I replied, trying to reassure her. "It's just that I'm thinking of how to tell you this."

"Tell me what?" She asked, her eyes narrowed in confusion.

I took her hand in mine and looked into her eyes, trying to gauge her reaction. "Ray…. He blacked out today. He was found unconscious at the gym and was rushed to the school clinic and later to the hospital. Turns out he was drugged."

Her eyes widened in shock. "Drugged?" She asked, her voice laced with disbelief.

"Yeah. Sedatives were added to his drink, which reacted badly with some alcohol remnants in his system."

"Oh God," she said, running her hands over her hair. "That means there's a possibility he wasn't even conscious when I met them in the gym."

I nodded in agreement. "And if things happened the way you just told me, there's only one person capable of this mischief…."

We looked at each other, our thoughts turning to the same person. "Lily," we said in unison.