C4

When you want to escape, it may

                                                                 It will be too late...

Camila looked carefully at Adrien, who was staring at the bustle of people downstairs, wondering what he was thinking. She felt a strange tingling in her stomach, something unusual and new. Chris noticed the look on Camila's face, so he smiled sideways. Carmen observed the surroundings with a smile on her face. There were tables all around her, lights of all colors and the music was blaring.

-We are in the VIP area! -Carmen exclaimed. Chris hid a smile.

-Do you want something to drink? -He asked the girls, "If you want, you can sit at a table and I'll get the drinks.

Camila took her eyes off Adrien and looked at him, she didn't like being among wealthy people, looking at them funny. They belonged down there.

At that moment, Adrien's gaze fell on her and he frowned seeing her there.

-Hey, it's not necessary, but we have to be down there," he let her know. Carmen looked at her blankly.

-But... -said the girl.

-See you, and thank you," she smiled at Chris, took Carmen by the hand and they went down the stairs to where all the other people were.

-Why didn't you want to stay upstairs? -asked Carmen. When they were downstairs, people started to push them when it was time to dance. It was too crowded.

-We are not part of that, Carmen," he answered.

Carmen snorted.

-Well, I think you're right," admitted the girl. "And I'm sorry, I've never been there before, but whenever I came here I always saw those guys sitting in that place, feeling like they owned the world and... I got excited! I got excited! I confess it.

Camila half smiled.

-Come, let's get something to drink," she said, walking to the bar.

Chris approached his friend, observing that he did not take his eyes off Camila.

-Are you having fun? -he asked.

Adrien blinked.

-What is she doing here? -Adrien questioned. He didn't like that she was involved with those drunks who might overdo it with her.

-Relax, Adrien, she came with Carmen. It's obvious she brought her. -I didn't know you cared so much about her. You only met her today.

Adrien thought he was right, he had only met her today, but there was something about that girl that made him unable to get her out of his mind. When he closed his eyes there she was, and he had no fucking idea why.

-I'm not interested in her. -He answered, taking a puff on his cigarette.

-Really? Then you won't have a problem with Hector hitting on her, will you, Adrien?

Hearing those words coming out of his mouth, Adrien looked for Camila with his eyes, finding her at the bar, Hector was talking to her. He clenched his fists, starting to get angry, but he didn't have to. Chris was watching him attentively, he knew his best friend too well, he knew he was interested in that girl, but he just wanted to test him.

Camila smiled at Hector so as not to be rude. They were sitting at the bar. Carmen was chatting animatedly with the waiter, while that boy had approached her. He wasn't bad at all, Camila thought, but honestly she didn't like him. He didn't catch her attention. And it was clear that this guy was flirting with her.

-So, you're from New York, right? -commented Hector.

Camila nodded, taking a sip of her drink. It wasn't liquor at all, she had just ordered an orange juice.

-It's a beautiful city," she spoke again.

Adrien continued drinking his liquor on the top without taking his eyes off Camila and Hector, still with his fists clenched. He didn't like it at all that Hector was talking to him.

-It is," Camila replied so as not to be rude.

-So you live in the house in the forest," she murmured.

Camila looked at him with a frown. How did they figure out so quickly where he lived? This town was small. Very small.

-That's right," she looked at him, "Who told you? -she wanted to know.

-Everyone at school knows.

Camila doubted it, what was the problem with him living there? She didn't understand them.

Adrien took his last drink from his glass and hurried downstairs, something he never did. Chris was sitting at a table next to his girlfriend Veronica, when he saw his friend coming downstairs, he broke away from her and followed him. Adrien didn't plan on getting involved in the conversation, he would just be around for anything. He sat at the other end of the bar, ordering a drink. Chris hurried to sit next to him.

-Hello, Adrien, until you finally come downstairs -a blonde girl, too bare, approached him flirtatiously- -You don't know how long I waited for you.

Adrien didn't even look at her.

Camila was starting to get uncomfortable, she didn't want to keep talking to Hector but she didn't know how to tell him. When she got angry she didn't mean the words and they just came out, and she didn't want to fall badly on the first day of socializing. But she didn't care about socializing. She just wanted to be alone.

-So, how old are you, beautiful? -asked the boy.

Camila rolled her eyes without looking at him, raised her hand to call the other waiter. The boy looked at her and approached her.

-Can I have a beer? -he asked.

The boy nodded, turning toward a cooler.

-So, honey? -he insisted again.

Okay, Camila was starting to get angry. She just wanted him to go away because at any moment she would explode.

-Why do you want to know my age? -she asked, at that moment the waiter was putting the verb e débete to her.

She immediately took a long drink.

-Curiosity, besides, I want to keep talking to you," answered the boy. Because I see that you are of few words.

-Haven't you ever thought that I don't answer you because I simply don't want to talk to you? -he spat. Yes, he had finally said it. He took another long swig of his beer. Hector raised his hands in peace.

-All right, whatever you say," he said, walking away from her. He walked over to where Adrien and Chris were standing.

-But it's Adrien himself! -Hector exclaimed, clapping him on the shoulder. Adrien tensed.

-What's up, Hector," Chris answered for his friend, "Did you get bored of the girl so quickly?

Hector laughed.

-Yeah, that girl is weird, she's not sociable. I got bored of making conversation," he answered. Too bad, I wanted to take her to bed tonight.

Adrien clasped his hands.

-I doubt she would have listened," Chris joked.

-Don't think so, brother, they play hard to get, but sooner or later he'll be in my bed.

Adrien was angrier than he should be, but he couldn't make such a fuss because he barely knew her, what would they think of him? However, he told himself that if Hector kept saying stupid things, he wouldn't put up with it anymore.

Camila was finishing her drink, Carmen was still talking to the waiter, leaving her alone. She thought about going back home, maybe she would look for a cab or something, but she still couldn't decide, if Carmen still didn't pay attention to her in a few minutes she would leave without telling her. He looked up in the direction where Adrien was supposed to be, but he wasn't there anymore. Only the other boys were there, where had he gone, she had wondered. She searched with her eyes for that mysterious and serious face, but her gaze stopped in a dark corner, where there was little illumination.

He couldn't get a good look, but there was someone standing there. She narrowed her gaze to make him out. His heart was racing as the lights illuminated his figure. It was dim, but it was noticeable. A tall, thin man was there, he was wearing a suit and she couldn't see his hands, they were behind his back, nor could she see his face because it was too dark in that place. However, Camila immediately thought of the legend that Carmen had told her. She began to feel a sudden fear, her breathing became agitated, she felt his gaze on her. And she didn't want to feel that anymore.

She got off the stool she was sitting on, without taking her eyes off the man. She just wanted to get out of there. And suddenly, as a group of young people passed by, she didn't see him anymore. He was gone. The corner was empty. Camila frowned when she didn't see him anymore. She didn't know whether to be relieved or alarmed. She was sure she had seen him, or maybe it was a product of the drinks she had already had.

She walked through the people in search of a restroom, walked in the direction of a hallway, and found a door that said ladies' restroom. He was thankful there were no girls lining up, he guessed it was still too early.

He opened the door, stepping inside. She looked at herself in the mirror for a moment, she was agitated, tired. She turned on the faucet, leaned over, starting to splash water on her face. It was just a figment of her imagination, there was no such thing, she wanted to convince herself.

She turned off the tap, dried her face with a towel and then took a deep breath. He was determined, he would leave. Before turning to leave the bathroom, she was startled to hear a noise coming from one of the bathrooms. Fear came back to her.

-Hello? -Her voice had come out shaky.

The light in the bathroom began to flicker, threatening to go out, which made it look more frightening. He was startled again when he heard the noise again.

-Is someone in there? -he said again. He got no answer.

He took slow steps in search of the bathroom where the noise came from, apparently it was the last one. Maybe there was someone there, he wanted to convince himself, it was just someone. When he was in front of the bathroom, he raised his hand to open the door, his hand was shaking, the light was flickering and his heart was beating faster. She grabbed the door handle and, taking a deep breath and summoning the courage she didn't know what she had, she opened it.

She could breathe easy when she noticed that it was nothing more than a girl sitting on the floor, her head almost stuck in the toilet. God, it had really scared her. The girl was wearing a baggy black dress, and black leather booties. Her reddish hair was loose. The girl was half conscious.

-Are you all right? -asked Camila, coming a little closer to her.

But the girl did not answer.

Camila bit her lower lip, she didn't know whether to leave or help him.

-Hey, are you all right? -she asked again.

The girl stirred, turning her head towards her, her eyes were red, her pupils dilated, her nose red and a hint of saliva was coming out of her mouth. She was vomiting.

-Just go away," she had said in a whisper, then returned to her previous position.

-Are you sure? -Camila insisted, "If you want I can help you.

-Just go," she repeated.

Camila didn't want to leave her there, but the girl didn't want to be helped.

-Okay," she nodded, starting to walk toward the exit.

Adrien was still drinking, Chris at his side keeping him company. Hector had left a while ago for another table.

-Now I only see the friend, there's no sign of Camila," Chris told him. -I think she already left.

Adrien looked up, his gaze fell on the entrance of the restrooms, that's where Camila was coming from. He noticed something strange about her, she was very attentive to her surroundings, she looked a little scared.

-There she is," he said to his friend.

Chris followed her gaze, looking at the girl like that.

-It looks like she's leaving," Chris muttered, watching as Camila headed for the exit, pushing people out of her way. -If you want I can drop her off, her friend has no intention of leaving.

Adrien mulled it over, somehow he didn't want Camila to leave alone, but he didn't want to be a stalker either. He watched her, standing near the door he stood, shook his head and turned back. Apparently she would look for her friend.

-Take care of her, will you? -He looked at Chris, "I'm going.

He had nothing else to do there, he didn't feel like listening to music. He went upstairs, took the car keys out of his pocket and went through the red door that led to the hotel. There was no one in the corridors, no music playing. He walked towards the main doors.

As he stood outside, he felt a cold blizzard. He pressed a button on his keys, jingling his black car up ahead. He got in it, standing there for a few seconds. Staring at the forest. He hated it. Because she knew he had taken her brother, and that she still wouldn't forgive him.

He was about to leave the parking lot and go to his apartment, but before he did he noticed how Camila came out of the hotel doors, she was running, she looked scared, she was looking everywhere. What had happened to her to make her look like that? He didn't think twice, got out of the car and went to her.

-Are you all right? -he asked her.

Camila turned to him, exalted, holding a hand to her chest.

-You scared me," she reproached him. And yes, I'm fine.

She still couldn't get over seeing that tall figure. I just wanted to get home.

-You seem upset," Adrien commented.

Camila thought he was good at reading expressions, but he wouldn't tell her anything.

-It's just that... I want to get home now. -I don't feel safe here.

And I didn't know why he said that last thing.

-If you want I can give you a ride," he offered, "There are no cabs at this hour. Unless you want to walk.

She thought about it. She didn't feel like going alone in the dark, in the woods. A shiver ran through her body, Adrien noticed it.

-I... -She started to say, but she didn't know what to say. I don't want to disturb.

Adrien hid a smile.

-I'm serious, I can give you a ride," he insisted.

Camila took a deep breath, she had no choice but to accept.

-It's okay. Just this once.

Adrien smiled. They started walking to the car, he got in the front seat while Camila got in the passenger seat. That was twice she had gone with him in the same day. He started the car and they walked towards that house that brought back so many memories.

And there, in the darkest part of the search, a tall, thin figure was watching them.