Find Me

12. Orchid

This chapter contains a huge plot twist. You were warned.

POV Scott

I woke up from the cold air under my blanket. I wrapped up and turned to ther other side almost choking up when I noticed someone's blonde head on the other bed. Did Kirstie move to our room? Have they made up with Mitch? Why am I not aware? Yesterday they didn't say a word to each other! Not wanting to wake the lovebirds up I got up quietly and headed to the bathroom still wrapped up in my blanket. Hot water was extremely needed right now. Warm and clean, I got dressed and walked out. I surely needed some fresh air. First class was PE that I decided to ditch. 

For some reason I felt like I wanted to find that cabin in the woods Stevie and Deuce used to live in. I walked through the trees trying to remember where the cabin was settled. My feet were wet from all the water that was still on the grass after the rain. Still amused by the enormous territory of the campus I felt like I almost walked a mile before I found a cabin covered in ivy. 

It was indeed small but very beautiful because of all the plants around. It looked like no one has visited it for ages, I got a few cuts on my hands while trying to reach the door. It wasn't locked so I just put all my weight on it and entered. 

Inside the house smelled just the same as outdoors - forest and freshness. All horizontal surfaces were covered with dust. There were some footprints on the floor which meant someone had actually visited the house recently. The prints led to cupboards and shelves, that person was looking for something. Did they find what they needed? I didn't think about it any more and just looked around. 

The little room was very cozy itself: an old soft brown armchair in the corner, almost the entire floor was covered with a carpet, a coffee table with a few books near the armchair. The books were so old and had so much dust on them that you couldn't read the titles. On the left there was a big old chest of drawers made of red oak which surprised me a bit. That thing must cost quite a lot by today. There were some more books there and an old lamp. 

In the further corner there was a wardrobe, I opened it. Inside of it I saw two similar coats but they were different sizes. Each had a name on the sleeve: one said "Stevie", the other one - "Deuce". I closed the door and pursed my lips. Those two actually lived here, this means Steve told the truth. A lonely coat hanger stood next to the door and on the other side there was a ladder leading to the second floor. 

I somehow managed to climb up and realized I was in a bedroom. A large soft bed was not less old than the chest of drawers downstairs and it wasn't set. There were also footprints in this room that led to a small window on the wall. I sat on the bed. Everything in this place was radiating energies of the two people who were happy to live here together. 

I took my phone out and, not knowing why, typed 'orchids' in Google Search. There were lots of links to different websites but I clicked on 'pictures'. Why have I never known about such beautiful flowers before? Each of them was different in a way which amazed me as well. 

Suddenly I saw a photo of the flower that was tattooed on Kirst's neck and Stevie's arm. I clicked on the picture and froze, reading the caption: 

'Cataleya Orchid. South Africa.' 

I re-read the first word few times, even spelled it out loud so I could be sure that wasn't just my sick mind. Cataleya is... a flower? So the Stranger fooled me? What if that's her actual name? She told me she loves orchids. God this is so complicated and tangled... 

Stranger. Orchids. Cataleya. Tattoo. Tattoo! I have to find Steve and Kirstie IMMEDIATELY!!! 

I rushed out of the house, shoving my phone in my back pocket on the way. Breathing in the warm air mixed with the forest smells I prayed that this mystery will be finally solved. I was so sick of trying to find out at least something that I was already losing hope. I've already looked through all guest lists but there qas no person named Cataleya there.

When I finally reached the college the 2nd class has already started. I hurried to the classroom barely breathing. I shortly apologized and sat at the only free desk in the corner. As luck would have it, Kirstie was sitting next to Mitch and Stevie - next to Casey. All were our of my reach zone so I was fidgeting, trying to think of how do I interrogate the grils about their tattoos. Stevie turned to me and I called her to come closer. 

Not understanding a thing, she quietly sat next to me. 

"Why do you look so messy?" 

"We need to talk." I told her, pointing at her tattoos: "What do your tattoos mean? And the one Kirstie has?" 

She smiled: "All this panic caused by some designs?" 

"Stevie..." 

"Okay, okay, chill out, I'm already hot sitting next to you. Only I, Kirst and Kitty have these. We got them at the age of sixteen, like a symbol of eternal friendship. The heart is Kirstie because she loves everyone. And everyone loves her. Only me and Kittie have this tattoo. Kinda, even when she's not around we still have her as this little heart. I couldn't come up with something original so I'm marked as an arrow. That's because of my last name, Right. And the orchid is Kitty - she adores them." 

"What's that orchid?" 

"That's her n..." 

Stevie didn't manage to finish her sentence, someone knocked on the door loudly. The teacher looked at the person behind it and invited them in with a wide smile. The second the girl entered the room, Stevie and Kirstie exclaimed "KITTY!!!" and rushed to the newbie, hugging her. 

I stayed in my place numb, not blinking, staring at the new student. 

Right in front of me there was the one I've been searching for months. 

My stranger.

$ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $

*insert troll face*