Chapter Forty-Six Maya

Chapter Forty-Six

Maya

February 2012, Bretton Woods, New Hampshire

I death-gripped the chairlift as it bobbed up the mountain while Daisy sat, gazing blissfully out at the passing landscape. I hadn’t been raised skiing and didn’t realize how high some of the chairlifts went—and I was quickly reminded that I was deathly afraid of heights. I closed my eyes and took a steadying breath, trying to pretend we were only a few feet off the ground.

We’d woken up early that morning to take advantage of the fresh powder that had accumulated overnight, but the sky was starting to show signs of a storm. There were dark clouds hovering overhead and an icy-cold wind that made the chairlift shudder.

“You ready?” Daisy asked, when we’d gotten off the chairlift and skied to the top of the run. My chest clenched. Um, absolutely not. But what was I going to do, walk back down? Wind whipped my hair against my face as I forced myself to gaze down at the steep descent—a sheer icy drop. Taking a deep breath, I nudged the tips of my skis forward. Okay, I can do this. Keep the skis straight.

“Let’s go,” Daisy yelled over the wind. She pushed off, a streak of neon orange disappearing down the steep slope in a flash.

I tentatively tilted my skis forward over the edge and tried to imitate the way she’d done it. And suddenly I was falling, stomach fluttering, skidding down fast. Wind lashed past as my skis bumped over the snow. I’m doing it! I was cutting back and forth through the snow like Daisy, lungs burning with crisp cold air as I bent my knees, absorbing the uneven surface. A rush of adrenaline pumped through me as I soared as fast as I’d ever gone. Pines blurred past. My jacket whistled in the wind. This is what it feels like to fly.

I was also fully aware that at any moment I could hit a chunk of ice and tumble forward into a tangle of skis, poles, and snow…Maybe that was part of the thrill.

“You’re doing great, come on!” Daisy waved at me from where she was waiting at a fork in the run.

I followed as she disappeared down one path—a Black Diamond, the sign read. I grew increasingly uneasy as the trail narrowed, snow thickening, trees springing into our path. Somehow I’d followed Daisy off the main run.

“Where are we going?” I shouted over the wind, but she didn’t turn around.

I stopped to catch my breath, throat raw from the dry cold air. Now the trees blocked the wind, and I only heard the faint creaking of their branches. I grew more anxious as the tiny dot that was Daisy’s orange jacket disappeared into the distance. Shit. Where’d she go?

A branch broke behind me and I whipped around—nothing.

After struggling for another stretch, I stopped. I was going to seriously injure myself if I tried to keep going. My hands were numb as I fumbled with the bindings. Once I managed to get them off, I looked back the way I’d come. I was lost. My face heated with anger. I can’t believe she left me here.

That was when movement in my periphery caught my attention.

I could feel it. Someone was watching me. Or something. A branch shuddered overhead, sending snow falling over me. I heard a forced exhale. What the hell was that?

I turned my head. Beady black eyes stared back.

Bracing to run, I squinted into the dense snowfall, heart hammering in my chest. The wind whistled through the treetops as I held my breath, until moments later, two deer emerged from the trees. The first had long antlers, sharp as blades, and steam coming from its nostrils. The animal was muscular and three times my size—only feet away. He could kill me.

He turned his head and we stared at each other, wondering which of us was going to react. I wanted to run, but hadn’t I read somewhere you weren’t supposed to run from animals? That it triggered a chase instinct? Was that for a buck or a bear? But there was also something captivating about him—being so close. Before I could move, he bowed his head and took off. The smaller one followed.

When I was pushing myself to my feet there was a huge CRACK —a branch had broken behind me, loud as a gunshot, and a heavy weight on my shoulders made my heart stop. I dropped down in the snow, screaming until I heard…laughter?

Daisy’s, Cecily’s, and Kai’s voices. Cecily laughing so hard tears welled in her eyes. And Kai was keeled over, clutching her stomach. My fear was replaced by anger. Jesus Christ.

“You should have seen your face!” Cecily said, wiping a tear from her cheek.

Daisy stifled a laugh and looked at me, concerned. “I’m sorry, don’t be mad.”

“You guys are assholes,” I said, sinking back into the snow as my heart slowed. “You took five years off my life.”

“Sorry. But we came to let you know”—Cecily’s eyes lit up as she reached into her coat, revealing the amber glass vial—“whoever is last down the mountain has to put the drugs in Matthew’s drink.”

I, of course, was the last down the mountain.

By the time we’d gotten settled at the cabin that afternoon, the altitude was really getting to me. I had the start of a low, throbbing headache, and my nose kept bleeding on and off.

—

That night, we made margaritas and invited everyone over for a party. It was the four of us, Cecily’s boyfriend Theodore, Lila, and other Greystone members and alums pouring in and out of the cabin. The altitude made one drink seem like two…two seem like four…and pretty soon I was drunk in the hot tub between Daisy and Cecily as Afrojack’s “Take Over Control” blared over the speakers.

Needing a break, I went to the room to look for something and saw movement outside the window. Professor DuPont was talking to a few alums, probably trying to get more donations out of them that he could siphon into his personal accounts.

Despite being lightheaded from the alcohol, my anxiety rose as I thought of what I had to do. He was distracted. Now would be a good time.

I filled my drink in the kitchen and returned to the back deck. As the party elevated, people turning into blurred shapes, their voices loud and echoing, I knew this was a terrible idea. Maybe I should try to get out of it. I could come up with an excuse. Say I forgot.

Just as I was thinkingt they’d forgotten about it, Cecily leaned over and whispered in my ear, “Let’s do it now.” And my pulse quickened.

I finished the rest of my drink, hoping it would calm my nerves. Cecily exited the hot tub and wrapped a towel around herself. She gave my shoulder a squeeze and hopped off to find Matthew.

Through the sliding glass door, I could see her approach Professor DuPont in the living room. “Hey, you guys want to come outside? We’re going to do a toast.”

Sweat beaded at my hairline as I made my way to the kitchen, where I’d hidden the vial of GHB. My head spun and I regretted drinking so much so quickly.

Okay, breathe. It’s only a prank. All I have to do is slip the stuff in his drink. I glanced into the living room at the bouquet of flowers over the fireplace and could make out a sliver of the camera hidden behind the vase.

“What are you doing?” a voice startled me. It was Marta again. How the woman seemed to appear out of nowhere, I would never understand.

I closed my eyes for a moment and then gave her what I hoped was an innocent smile. “Nothing, I was looking for the shot glasses.” Her eyes dropped down to the counter, where the shot glasses were lined up in a row.

My cheeks warmed, and I couldn’t stop my eyes from glancing past her at the hidden camera once more. Was it fully hidden? A silver edge was sticking out from behind the flower arrangement, and that was when I noticed something strange—the red light wasn’t on. It wasn’t recording.

Marta frowned and looked over her shoulder in the direction of the mantel—and the camera behind it. I held my breath and prayed she wouldn’t notice.

“I have to go—they’re waiting for me,” I said, fumbling with a bottle of tequila. I felt the alcohol numbing my limbs, making me clumsy.

“All right, I don’t think you guys are drunk enough,” I heard Cecily say from outside. “How about a round of shots?” That was my cue.

Marta began cleaning up around the kitchen, clearly suspicious of me. Please leave me alone. “Hey, Marta? Do you know if there are any extra towels somewhere? I couldn’t find any.”

“I washed some this morning,” she said with a nod, and took off in the direction of the laundry room. Okay. That should buy me some time.

Hands shaking, I prepared the shots. Grabbing my purse, I dug around until my fingers located the smooth amber bottle. I had no idea how much to add. What the hell, I thought. He’s an abusive creep, might as well hit him hard with the stuff.

I was dispensing another eyedropper full when I heard the wood floor creak behind me. I whipped around, hiding the vial behind my back.

“Here you are, dear.” Marta had returned, holding a stack of fresh towels.

“Thanks, Marta.” I smiled, but she didn’t move. She was still holding the stack of towels. I set the vial down behind me and quickly grabbed them from her.

“This is a bad idea,” Marta said in a low voice, concern filling her eyes. At first I thought she’d somehow become aware of our plan, but she added, “She shouldn’t be here.” And I realized she’d been talking about Lila. I remembered how Marta had confronted me in the library, shown me what Professor DuPont had been hiding from us. The files, the photos…the start of all of this.

I nodded, keeping my back tight against the counter, unease tight in my throat. Looking her in the eye, I said, “I’ll make sure nothing happens to her.”

Marta gave me one last look before pressing her lips into a line and walking away, shaking her head as she disappeared behind a corner.

“Maya?” Cecily called my name from outside. But first I had to fix the camera.

Leaving the shot glasses on the counter, I moved quickly to the living room. After turning on the camera, I carefully tucked it back in place and adjusted the vase in front of it, so the red light was concealed. There.

But when I returned to the kitchen for the shot glasses a moment later, they were gone. My heart skipped. Oh god.

I ran outside to the back deck to find everyone with a shot glass and beer raised in the air.

“I brought them out,” one of Matthew’s friends said casually as I approached. Shit. This wasn’t good. Anyone could have the shot.

I glanced around at the party. Theodore’s arm was wrapped around Cecily, his eyes red from the chlorine; Daisy’s eyes were drooping. Professor DuPont stood near the hot tub with two of his friends, each clutching a shot glass.

Panic shot through me. What would happen if someone else got it? Would they get sick? I didn’t want some innocent person to get sick for no reason. This was a disaster.

“Come on, Maya. Get in,” Cecily shouted, waving me over.

I slipped into the hot tub next to Cecily and leaned close. “I don’t know which one it is.”

She brushed me off. “Don’t worry, it’s fine.”

“Are you sure?” I whispered. “I put like half the bottle in there.”

Cecily brushed me off. “Don’t worry. ” My frustration only rose. How is this at all fine?

I sank deeper into the water as steam billowed around me, obscuring their faces. Kai handed Lila and me a shot. I carefully plucked it from her hand.

Cecily stood in the hot tub, beads of water dripping off her skin and steam rising from her shoulders. “I want to thank Professor DuPont for bringing us together.” They locked eyes and she gave him a flirty smile. “This has been quite a year, but I don’t know where I’d be without this group of people. To health, happiness, and tequila!”

Everyone cheered and raised their shots in the air. My stomach twisted.

Theodore stood and beat his fist against his chest before tilting the shot to his mouth. One by one, each person tipped their glass to their lips.

Stop! I wanted to yell, but I was frozen in shock. It all happened so fast it was over before I could react.

Afterward, I studied each person for signs of slurred speech or drooping eyelids, but each person looked as drunk as the next. Kai was laughing with Lila on one side of the hot tub; Cecily was tucked under Theodore’s arm. Professor DuPont and a friend were playing ping-pong on the other side of the deck. Before I knew it Daisy was making out with the guy next to me. Kai left the hot tub and returned with another round of shots and a deck of cards.

“Kings cup. Whoever loses has to streak around the house,” she said. Cecily turned up the music and slipped back into the hot tub. “All right, everyone knows the rules, right?” She flipped over the first card. “Ace!”

Everyone started pouring their beers into their mouths. Theodore splashed me and shouted, “Waterfall!” Kai handed me a beer, and I gulped it down. It shot straight to my head, blurring my thoughts. Everyone was laughing as they pulled cards. They seemed fine.

I was taking a card from the stack when I felt someone’s stare on the back of my neck.

I glanced behind me. Professor DuPont sat in the far corner of the deck watching me. The darkness in his eyes pierced straight through me. What are you thinking? One side of his mouth curled upward, and I shuddered.

I stood and a wave of nausea washed over me. It was too hot. I’d had too much to drink, too fast. And the altitude. Shit. I tried to inhale fresh air but got a lungful of steam. Chlorine stung my eyes, and I could barely see. I had to get out of there.

On my way out of the hot tub, I tried to grab ahold of the side and missed. The edges of my vision blurred, but I caught myself just in time. To my relief, I felt the side of the tub, cold and hard beneath my palm.

“Hey, you okay?” Theodore asked. Panic and shame flooded my system. This was so embarrassing. I’m going to be sick. I need to— I need to—

“Is she okay?” Daisy repeated, her voice rising in concern.

“Fine,” I choked out before my vision went. Seconds later, I felt myself falling. A loud thud as my body hit the floor. My head collided with something sharp, and a searing pain shot through my skull. The sounds around me faded and the rest of the night was a dark void.