NICOLE

Chapter 4

My eyes fluttered open and I looked around, I was in some sort of room and laying on the couch.

"Nikki, thank God!" Sindi exclaimed.

Upon looking around I saw everyone that I had come with cramped into the tiny room. I went to stand up but Jake pushed me back down.

"Don't move, we're still waiting for the medic."

"The medic? What happened?" I asked not remembering much apart from being on the dance floor.

"You don't remember? We were dancing and these strange guys came out of nowhere wanting to dance, I think one of them may have pushed you down and that's why you passed out." Sindi said taking a seat next to me, "We think you may have gotten a concussion."

I simply blinked and continued staring at her because I didn't remember any of that. The door opened and in walked a tall bald man sharply dressed in a 3 piece suit followed by two women in EMT uniforms.

"Hi, I'm George the club manager. I apologize for what had happened earlier, the men swear that they didn't push her down but we kicked them out. Please let the EMT attend to her and anything else you need just let me know and I'll take care of it." 

Arthur shook hands with him and thanked him for his kindness. Turns out we were in the employee's lounge. The two medics came to attend to me and deduced that I didn't have a concussion and I was perfectly fine. They let shortly after with instructions for me to take it easy.

"Well, this was a bust." Marcel murmured.

"Let's just go back to the hotel." MacKenzie sighed and gave me a small smile.

"I'm sorry I kind of ruined the night." I said softly.

"You didn't do anything girl, men are just trash that's all." Sindi bumped my shoulder lightly then stood up and held her hand our to me.

"It's okay, I got her." my bother said then lifted me off the couch before I could protest.

He eventually put me down and we all walked out of the room after deciding that we should just go get food and then get back to the hotel.

I felt a little bit woozy and held on tightly to Jake's arm. I looked down and swear I saw the necklace around my neck light up but it quickly faded so I imagine that was just a trick of the lights.

I stayed quiet as we walked down the strip in search of a restaurant that was still open.

Jake abruptly stopped "Oh my God!!"

He dragged me into the game shop and everyone followed in. I let go of his arm and he ran towards the stand in the middle and came back holding Asphalt 4, a game we all used to play together as kids when on conference.

"Is that..." Marcel chuckled "Man, we gotta get it!"

That's how we all ended up passed out in Jake and I's hotel room after playing 7 straight hours if Asphalt 4 and eating obscene amounts of junk food.

"Yo, what time is it?" I heard Arthur ask and Sindi answered that it was heading towards 1pm.

Everyone started getting up and cleaning the mess that we'd made.The whole episode at the club last night long forgotten.

Shortly after everyone left Mom and Dad walked in to fibd Jake and Iaying on the floor.

"Do I want to know?" Mom asked brow arched.

We both cast her a sidelong glance and shrugged. She shook her head and looked around the room

I noticed dad staring at me and I raised my eyebrow and he just shook his head and smiled.

"Well I'm going to take a shower." Jake announced then jumped up then extended his hand and helped me up then walked to the bathroom.

"So..." I said, still noticing dad's weird expression.

He cleared his throat and mom looked at him, her gaze softening. "You're turning eighteen tomorrow" dad started "and I know that we're not your real parents but know that you, Nicole are our only daughter and we love you and will understand if you want to look for your birth parents"

I looked at my parents my heart full with the love I had for them, I mean it must have been hard for them to come out and say this because really no adoptive parents want their child out there looking for their birth parents so I smiled at my parents and shook my head.

"I love you two so much and I don't think I want to look for my birth parents, not yet anyway" my throat thick with emotions.

Mom looked at me while trying to hold back tears while dad just grinned and I went and hugged them.

The moment was soon broken by my dumbass of a brother, "Aw man, I go in the shower for five minutes and it turns into a chick flick in here" he said grinning then squinted at my dad "Ah dad they got you too?" He said then shook his head.

We all just laughed and my parents left after that, going to some lunch date with old friends.

I plopped down on the couch and started playing with the locket around my neck. I looked down at it and all I could hear in my head was a voice saying "Never take it off"

"Nicole!" Jake called out standing in front of me.

I blinked then looked up at his concerned face.

"You okay? You just spaced out. "

I blinked again and let go of the locket.

"Yeah, I'm good" I said then plastered a smile on my face to make it seem more convincing.

He nodded then said something about going to get food with Angelo, one of our friends.

I waited till he shut the door and I looked at the locket, there was something weird about it, it made me wonder if I had truly I imagined it lighting up or if it really did.