"Maeve Stark has always been unusual. Being the offspring of a genius, billionaire, playboy, and philanthropist had its demands. She constantly struggles to maintain her life out of the public eye, even though sometimes there was no evading it. All Maeve wishes is to make it through her last year of school as smooth as imaginable. Unfortunately, being captured wasn't on her list of things to do. They take her to a secret underground facility, where she get's saved by someone who realizes her abilities could be of some value to his own agenda, but first he must make her trust him."
Beep, beep, beep! I groaned as my arm slowly found its way out of the covers towards my nightstand and I started feeling around for that annoying object. I eventually found it after knocking over many other things in my way. Finally, the terrible sound had ended. I rolled onto my side, trying to get a few more extra minutes of sleep, but that soon demolished when I heard my father's computer creation.
"Miss. Stark, it is time to get up."
"Shut up, J.A.R.V.I.S," I groaned.
"Forgive me, Miss Stark, but, by my calculations, if you do not get up within two minutes, you will not make it to school on time." J.A.R.V.I.S informed. I was back laying on my back, staring at the ceiling and with a heavy sigh I tore the covers off of me and headed for my bathroom to take a shower and closed the door.
Half an hour later I was out of the shower with a towel wrapped around me and another around my damp hair. I walked over to my closet to find something to wear. I grabbed a grey shirt off the hanger and my plain dark blue jeans and changed. After I finished zipping up my pants zipper I went back to the bathroom to blow-dry my hair. I came out twenty minutes later, looking like this. I left my room and followed the smell of strong fresh coffee being brewed in the kitchen. "Morning kiddo,"
"Morning dad," I greeted back as I poured myself a cup. I sat at the bar counter, reading a group text Chloe, Danielle and Beth had added me to with the rest of students in our year. They were all talking about the Halloween party tonight that Chloe will be hosting. I was really debating on whether to go. Every year I always came up with some lame excuse on why I couldn't attend. I was not very fond of Halloween or anything that came along with it.
"Need a ride to school, kiddo?" Dad offered.
I looked up from my phone to my dad. "It's okay dad. Chloe is going to pick me up in about fifteen minutes." I told him.
"Are you sure? I can get Hogan to drive you and your friends." He insisted. Dad always worried about my safety. He had no shortage of enemies, and he always feared one of his adversaries would find out about me and use me against him. Sometimes I wish I wasn't a Stark and could just be normal. I got up from where I was sitting and went to put my mug in the sink.
"Dad, the last thing I want to do is role up in a big fancy limo with my personal bodyguard. It's bad enough two years ago when I was going to Hamilton High School you sent Hogan to pick me up on the last day of school, all summer people were calling me the spoiled rich bitch Stark, and even worse my classmates were saying I was the daughter of a terrorist." I explained and my dad's eyes seemed to expand hearing this.
"Wait.. you told me, you wanted to switch schools because a group of mean girls were terrorizing you at school with their pranks." Dad thought, looking at me more serious this time, and crossed his arms, waiting for the truth.
"Yeah, that was a lie... I thought it sounded better than what people were actually saying." I admitted.
"Why didn't you tell me the truth Maeve. I would have taken care of it."
"What would you have done dad? Showed up as Iron Man and threaten to blow them up into tiny pieces?" I suggested.
He dropped his arms to his side, his posture changing, trying to come up with some witty response like he often did in these types of situations. "Well, I don't think I would blow them up, but I would definitely leave them in different corners of the world." He stated sarcastically.
"Not helping dad." I looked at my dad, unimpressed. He acted like such a teenager sometimes, and I felt like I was the one acting like the responsible adult here. "Look dad, things have been way better for me since I transferred over to University High School Charter. I have a few good friends, people don't treat me like I'm the daughter of a billionaire, philanthropist slash hero during the week. I feel normal and I don't want to lose what little of 'normal' I have in my life."
My dad stepped towards me and hugged me. "I know. I just worry about you, kiddo. There are people out there that would do anything to hurt me. Including hurting you to get to me if they found out about you."
"I know, I promise you have nothing to worry about." I assured him.
"Love you, kiddo."
"Love you too, dad." I said back. I felt my phone buzzing in my back pocket and I pulled away from my dad's embrace to see who it was. It was Chloe, texting me she was here. "Chloe is here." I quickly said, as I looked around for my bag and grabbed it. I was walking towards the front door when I stopped and turned around. "Oh dad. Tonight Chloe's throwing a Halloween party, mind if I go?"
"You hate Halloween," My dad stated.
"I know, but I told Chloe I would be there. It's only for a few hours." I explained.
"Will there be boys there?" He questioned.
"Dad, I'm seventeen, not twelve." I muttered. Annoyance clear in my voice at his typical father question.
"I want you home by eleven." He insisted in a firm voice.
"Really dad? It's Friday night. Can't I at-least stay out till one?" I begged.
"Twelve."
"Fine." I agreed.
"Oh, and Hogan will drive you to Chloe's and pick you up." He also added.
"Fine." I said again, not arguing.
"If you get into trouble, call me right away."
"Dad, trust me. It is just a party with a few people from school. Nothing's going to happen." I insisted. I heard honking outside the door, reminding me that Chloe was still outside waiting and I said my goodbyes to my dad and left the house and got in the front seat of my friend's Audi and we headed off to school.
I was staring out my window at passing streets, people and cars deep in thought, wondering if it was such a great idea to go out tonight.
"Maeve... Maeve? MAEVE!" Chloe called, waving her hand in front of my face frantically. I turned in her direction, looking a little surprised, wondering how long she had been trying to get my attention for. Had I spaced out that much?
"Sorry," I quickly said, as I ran my fingers through my hair.
"I know that look. Your not thinking of not coming to the party tonight now, are you?" Chloe questioned immediately.
"I don't know, Clo. I mean Halloween, it's not my thing." I explained, wondering if she would show me a little sympathy.
"No, come tonight. I already told Jason you were going to be there." She told me.
"What?"
"Yeah girl, he's totally into you. You two would make such a great couple and not to mention he is so hot." Chloe emphasized on the last part.
"Yeah, and a womanizer, not really my type." I added, half hoping she would drop the subject, but who was I kidding. She had to push further.
"Then what is your type, Maeve?" She demanded, always up for any chance to play matchmaker.
I shrugged my shoulders at her. "I don't know. I want to meet someone who you know is funny, kind, loyal and loving. Is always there to make me smile."
Chloe choked back a laugh. "Oh my god Maeve, your not looking for a husband. You need to have some fun. You have plenty of time to find Mr. Right," She declared as the car came to a stop at the lights.
I looked away from Chloe to stare at the road in front of me as the car began rolling again when the light turned green. Chloe was my best-friend and I know she means well, but sometimes I felt like she really didn't know me at all. Chloe had more in common with me then either Danielle and Beth. Her parent were both lawyers and the best in the State and were constantly in the media light, but that's where our similarities ended. Chloe thrived on the attention she got from everyone. She craved it. Where I always wanted to avoid it every chance I could.
We turned into the school parking lot and saw Beth and Danielle waiting for us by their cars and pulled into a parking stall beside their rides. Both were from middle-class families, which sometimes Chloe forgot and often rubbed it in their faces which made her a very shallow person but she always had her friends back when needed so if you could look pass, and I mean really look pass her superficial self she could be a decent human being.
"Maeve, promise me you'll come tonight. It will be fun." Chloe insisted as she turned her car off looking at me. She would not stop pestering me until I said yes.
"Fine." I surrendered, taking the easier way out. I knew in the long run Chloe would never stop until I was at the party, even if that meant her kidnapping me and dragging me there herself.
"Great!" She shrieked excitedly. She opened her door and was about halfway out of her vehicle when she turned around and poked her head inside the car. "Oh, and don't forget to wear a costume or at least something sexy." Chloe ordered in a stern voice.
"Chloe, you better not be trying to set me up with Jason. I am not interested in him." I told her.
"I'm not. I promise, but you might meet someone you like at the party." Chloe suggested, and I got out of the car and we walked over to join our other friends.
"Hey, Beth! Hey Danielle!" I greeted. They said their hi's back.
"Oh, girls! Guess what? Maeve will join us at my Halloween party I'm hosting for once!" Chloe praised. Both Beth and Danielle looked at me with shocked expressions. I had attended none any other year, and I could tell they were curious how Chloe had convinced me to come.
Thankfully, before they could start questioning me, the warning bell rang for students to get to classes before the last bell rang. That temporary interruption didn't mean I was safe from either of them. They had all day to interrogate me. I eventually told them it wasn't much of an explanation. I honestly didn't feel like being exhausted by Chloe's constant pestering.
The day went by slowly. It didn't help that I was constantly looking at the clock on the wall. I don't know why I was so nervous about going to this Halloween party; I mean, it was just a party with a few people from school. I inhaled and slowly let out my breath to calm myself. I was getting worked up over nothing.
Lunch break went by in a blur for me. Beth and Danielle didn't really question me on why I wanted to come to this stupid party, which was a surprise. But it was also such a relief because Chloe would have grilled me until I gave it up. She had to know everything about everyone. I must have been in one of my staring into space mood's again because it wasn't until the bell had rang, that I realize Chloe had been talking to me.
"Maeve? Did you hear anything I've been saying to you?" Chloe questioned.
"What?" I muttered, confusion clear in my voice.
"I said, do you know what your wearing tonight? I can come over and help you?" She offered.
"Oh, right, the party? Yes, I'm sure I have something in my closet to wear." I told her. Chloe seemed somewhat happy with my response, but knowing her, if she wasn't happy with what I wore, she would already have a backup waiting for me at her place. We got up from our chairs and headed off to our next class.
Finally, the last bell of the day rang and Chloe dropped me off back at home to get ready for tonight. When I opened the front door and closed it, I saw my dad wasn't home. Which wasn't a tremendous surprise? He was always in meetings that lasted for hours sometimes. I went up to my room and put my bag on my bed and walked over to my closet and started looking at my outfits, wondering what I should wear.
By the time I got done rooting through my entire closet, I had about ten dresses lying on the bed to choose from. Nearly two hours of trying on dresses went by and finally narrowed it to the one I wanted to wear. Chloe would probably tell me I wasn't showing enough cleavage in this dress. I then went to my bathroom to curl my hair.
An hour and a half went by and I finished the final touchups to my hair and makeup. I left my bathroom and went back over to my closet and grabbed a cover in case I got cold and I went downstairs. My dad texted me, telling me he was going to be awhile before he came home. I went into the fridge looking for something to eat. We still had leftover Chinese from the other night and made myself a plate and warmed it up in the microwave.
I glanced at the time to see it was eight O'clock and I phoned Hogan to come pick me up and take me to Chloe's. I sat in the back of the limo, told my dad's chauffeur the address, and I felt the vehicle beginning to move. The vehicle stopped at its destination half an hour later and Hogan came around and opened my door. Chloe's parents owned a massive mansion. I stepped out of the vehicle and told Hogan to pick me up at twelve unless I called for him to come earlier. The door man let me in. There was security everywhere. One of them phoned to inform Chloe I was on my way up.
I had the choice of taken either the stairs or the elevator. I took the elevator up. Only a few minutes had passed and the doors opened. They decked the place right out. People were everywhere, dancing to loud party music. "Maeve!" Chloe called, practically screaming at me. I walked out of the elevator towards her, Beth and Danielle followed her. They were all dressed up in Halloween costumes, and Chloe immediately looked at me with disappointing eyes. "Maeve, your supposed to dress up in a costume." She whined.
"Um, your forgetting I hate Halloween and I don't own any costumes." I admitted.
"It's called shopping sweetie. You should have told me. I have plenty you could have borrowed." Chloe insisted. "At least you dressed up." She added. Chloe was wearing a pink energizer bunny costume, Beth was a cop, and Danielle was a nurse. "Well ladies! Go mingle, get a drink in your hand and go dance!" Beth and Danielle left right away, and I looked at Chloe.
"I thought you said this was going to be a small gathering." I stated.
"This is." She answered. I looked at her like she was crazy.
"You call this a small gathering? You invited over half the school."
"Maeve, if I only invited a small group, how are you ever going to find your type?" She said as she put cat ears on my head. "So go get a drink and whatever you want at the snack table, I'm going to have a word with the DJ." Before I could say anything she was already making her way through the crowd.
I made my way slowly over to the punch bowl table. I went to fill my cup when I caught the smell of alcohol. I was not into the party scene, like my dad was at my age. Sometimes I think Chloe and I got switched at the hospital when we were born.
"Maeve Stark." A male voice spoke beside me. I jumped, nearly spilling the juice all over the table, and I wondered how long he had been standing there.
"Jason Gray." I replied, before turning away again.
"I didn't think I would see you here tonight." He admitted, trying to make conversation.
"Why's that?" I questioned, humoring him for now.
"You've never come to any of Chloe's other parties."
"Maybe you were just to busy with other girls to notice I was even there." I muttered at him.
"No. I'd definitely remember if you were there." He insisted. He grabbed a cup and filled it up with punch for himself and filled the rest of mine up for me. I looked at the cup and then at him. Did he really think I was going to allow him to get me drunk so he could get in my pants?
"Her name is Veronica Acker, right?" I said before walking away.
Jason caught up to me. "Look her and I were a thing, yes, but it's over. I know you've heard all those things about me, but I promise I'm not that bad. Just give a guy a chance and let's just talk. Get to know one another." He suggested, sounding so sincere. I looked at him for a second and fell for those blue-eyed puppy dog eyes of his.
"Alright." I said, taking a sip from my drink. I decided for once, I was going to enjoy myself. One drink would not hurt and a conversation was harmless enough, plus it would make Chloe happy to see I was attempting to enjoy myself even if I wasn't totally into him. We went to the other side of the room where the music wasn't so loud and we sat down on one of the love seats.
The conversation started off innocently enough. He mainly asked me simple questions, like if I was an only child or if I had any siblings. How long Chloe and I had been friends for. If my parents were together still. Unfortunately, I only had my dad. A drunk driver swerved into the oncoming lane, hitting my mother's car head on, and fled the scene. I was only four. Jason steered away from that subject and told me about him, and before I knew it we were both sharing funny stories about our childhood and we both laughed.
The music continued to fill the room; I was looking around when I saw Chloe standing across the room and gave me the thumbs up and shook my head at her. Jason was really putting on a show to convince me he was a genuine gentleman and that the rumors weren't true or at-least not all true. Or maybe he wasn't that bad of guy. He had gone to get us a refill and Chloe took this opportunity to get the inside scoop before he came back.
"So. You and Jason seem to are getting close." She teased.
"Were just talking Chloe." I told her, knowing it would go nowhere. A guy like him could find another girl, no problem that would happily give it up.
"Hey. It's a start. Awe, you guys would be so cute as a couple. I can already see you two being crowned King and Queen at the homecoming." Chloe praised. Chloe was already drunk, she was always this sappy when consumed by alcohol. I saw Jason was coming back and before she left, she told me to keep up whatever it was I was doing and that she was rooting for me and Jason and I mouthed at her to get out of here.
"Here you are." He said, handing me my second drink. I thanked him and slowly started sipping on it. I wasn't much of a drinker so it didn't take much before I felt drunk and Jason and I continued to talk some more and laugh. Jason had moved in closer beside me and notice I hadn't taken a drink from my cup in some time. He offered to fill our cups again. I should have said no, but I was actually for once having a good time. Maybe he could be a decent guy.
I suddenly had the urge to look at the punch table, I don't know why but I did. I saw Jason filling up our cups. I almost looked away if I hadn't had noticed him pulling some kind of baggy from his pocket. He ripped it open and began dumping it into one cup. Was he planning on drugging me? I quickly got up from the couch and my head started spinning from the booze and getting up so fast. I stumbled through the crowd of people towards the elevator. I didn't know where Chloe was or my other friends. With great difficulty I found the button to take me back down to the main floor.
How could I have been so stupid? I should have known his sweet talk was all a ruse so he could drug me into sleeping with him. The elevator dinged, and I trudged towards the door, telling the doorman I just wanted to get some air. I stumbled over to side of the building, which was close to a dark ally. I pulled out my phone and tried to dial Hogan's number to come pick me up, but everything kept moving up and down in front of me, making it tough to hit the right button. I waited for the bouncing to stop and finally Hogan's number was visible enough for me to hit when suddenly I felt a cloth cover my mouth, muffling my scream. My hands instantly dropped the phone as I calling Hogan. I could hear his voice faintly after he picked up, and I struggled with my attacker until everything went black.