Chapter 6 – Three Roofies
They were planning to roofie their drinks!
"Hey, where are you looking while I'm talking to you?"
I looked into Jack's eyes again, and he was a bit too close to my taste. His breath smelled like tuna and it made my stomach twist a little in disgust, but it was not what I concentrated on in that situation.
"Nowhere, I was just nervous," I said, and knew right away it was a mistake to show a weakness. But oh well, it was better than telling him I suspected him of attempting to drug the ladies while his arm was still around my neck.
"As you should. Listen carefully, you will stay with us for 15 minutes, sing a song, and then say you must leave because you feel unwell without ruining the mood. Understood?"
"Yes, you don't have to worry," I mumbled as I tried to think of a way to save all the girls. My priorities were Merry and Nyssa, but I'd rather not let Shelly fall victim either.
"Good boy," he answered, making my blood boil in my desire to hit him. Only chanting in my heart that it was not the time yet helped me hold back my fists. There was a limit to how much of my dignity those assholes could crush.
We entered the larger room, finding the three girls sharing a sofa while Steven was fuming by their side. There were three sofas arranged in half a circle and at the front stood a small stage and a big TV where the customers could pick the songs and enjoy the videos or read the lyrics off the screen.
"Hey guys, how about sharing the sofa for four?" Merry suggested with a devilish smile that made me want to curse her. The middle sofa was the longest with four seats and the other two only had three, including the one the girls took for themselves. Obviously, the guys planned on distributing the sofas one per couple, but something went wrong somewhere.
"No, I'm sure it'd be too cramped if we all sat in the middle one. I will sit over there," I hurriedly stopped my sister's stupid ideas and sat on the right couch where I had a good angle to look at Nyssa and contemplate about my next steps.
"Nick is right," the other guys forced a smile and shared the middle sofa. Steven got the leftmost seat which was the closest to the Merry, while Toby was the closest to me.
"Great, how about starting with a duet? Shelly, sing with me!" With an excited squeak, my sister grabbed her friend's wrist and pulled her up. With a few quick taps that showed it wasn't her first time there, she picked her choice.
"Wh- what?! I can't sing that with you!" Shelly turned red as she saw the song, it was "Do You Love Me?" by Sharif Dean and Evelyne D'haese, a song that a straight female might find embarrassing to sing with another female. Not my sister, however, who enjoyed teasing about anyone.
"Of course you can. Look into my eyes and sing it," Merry gave her a charming smile that made the other girl lose her way in those shining white teeth for a moment.
"Do you love me?" Shelly sang with a shaky voice, and Toby seemed oddly jealous.
"I love you, more than words can say~"
Merry's voice flowed effortlessly, clear and warm, filling the karaoke room with its inviting tone. It had a natural vibrancy, making each lyric she sang resonate with a sincerity that felt both comforting and captivating. I wouldn't blame Shelly if she turned gay after that.
There was a smoothness to her delivery, the way her notes transitioned from one to another without falter, showcasing not just her confidence but an innate talent for bringing a song to life. Her voice wasn't overpowering; instead, it carried a kind of gentle strength, able to convey the emotions of the song in a way that felt genuine and unforced.
Even her laughter, interspersed with the lyrics as she encouraged Shelly as the latter blushed with every word, was musical, adding a layer of warmth to the performance that made the moment not just about the song, but about the joy of sharing it with others.
"Woohoo! You are doing great!" The guys cheered, and in the heat of the moment, most of us didn't even pay attention to the waiter who came in with a large tray filled with food and glasses.
"Strawberry Daiquiri for the ladies," he said and placed the three large glasses on the table, filled with red-pinkish alcohol with a piece of lime and a strawberry hanging on the edge of the cup. I had to admit, it looked delicious.
"Whisky with some coke for the guys," the man offered me a glass, making me sigh in regret for sitting with this macho group. Sure, it was a high-quality whisky, but why did they have to choose something that simple just to look manly?
"I feel a bit dizzy," Nyssa suddenly said, making me look at her in surprise. Oh, crap. I was so absorbed in the atmosphere I totally forgot about the roofie thing!
"Hey, you drank ours!" Merry complained, stopping the song as she pointed at the table. In front of her stood three empty glasses with some pinkish leftovers coloring the glass. Nyssa's cherry lips were redder than always, and a single drop drew a stain from the edge of her lips to her chin before she wiped it clean.
"Nyssa!" The three guys stood in panic. I understood their fear; she was only supposed to consume one portion of the drug! What will happen now? will she be poisoned to death?
'Wait, calm down, you shouldn't panic. Even if she goes to the hospital, it's none of your fault,' I told myself, trying to convince myself that the hospital would be able to save her from three doses of roofie easily.
"I'm okay…" Nyssa said and leaned back, but I knew she couldn't be okay.
"Relax, everyone. I will take her to the private room to rest and make sure she is okay. You guys can keep singing," Jack hurriedly interjected. After all, he planned on drugging her in the first place. Since she didn't seem in a dangerous condition, he probably thought to follow the original plan.
"I'm going home, I lost my desire to sing," Merry shrugged, her mood ruined. I thanked God for the incident, at least one girl is saved, and the other is probably going to be too poisoned to be assaulted.
Maybe a higher force intervened to stop those atrocities. It made sense, there must be some kind of a protector, perhaps an angel whose job was to arrange easier lives for beautiful people.
"I'm coming with you," Shelly got up, apparently also discouraged to continue without her best friend. Well, maybe that angel gave her that service for free while he was at it with the other two.
"Wait, Shelly, I was hoping to get to talk to you tonight…" Toby held her hand, trying to get her attention. If he didn't try to put illegal stuff in her drink I might have cheered for him. Shame that he did.
Shelly looked at him briefly before glancing at Merry to get instructions on how to proceed. A little headshake from the curly beauty sealed the matter.
"I'm sorry, it's not the time. I can talk to you tomorrow, okay?" she apologized.
"Yes… of course," Toby answered helplessly.
Just as I was wondering if Merry planned on leaving Nyssa behind, my sister proved me wrong. "Nick, why are you standing there in a daze? We need to take Nyssa back home to rest," she instructed, and I complied since I didn't have a better solution other than the hospital. I figured talking about the drugs right now wouldn't be helpful with the guys still around.
"No need," Jack stood between Nyssa and us. "I will take care of her. Nyssa, do you want me to take care of you?" He asked the barely conscious girl.
"Yes…" she answered, probably having no idea what she just agreed to.
"Good, it's settled. It was her choice, please don't worry. We already called her parents, and they will be here to pick her up within minutes. I will take her to rest in the other room while the guys can stay here," Jack spoke decisively, and I did not know how to refute. Evidently, my sister didn't know either.
"Okay… but I'm calling her parents too, just in case."
Just when I did not know how things could go worse for Nyssa and how I'd be able to save the woman I love like some kind of superhero who'd also get the girl afterward, things went worse.
"Wait, Jack. Since we stopped singing anyway, just let her rest here. With the three of us here she will be safer."
I could see beyond Stven's calm demeanor the true ugly meaning behind his words. Since the other two didn't get the girls they were aiming for, they wanted to share the only prey they hunted successfully.