I'm glad when the short trip to the small town center comes to an end. Courtney kept on talking about Quinn and the engagement. I don't know if she was just rubbing it on my face or she was just simply happy.

It is an old town with dusty paths. I dig my hand deeper into my jacket and shut my eyes for a moment when the wind blows my hair. I open them and look around and realise the natives are staring at us with questionable looks.

"Pfft! Haven't this people seen a Porsche before or a pretty girl?" Courtney flips her rainbow coloured hair.

The small town defines what the gap between the rich and the poor is. On our way I saw acres of lands which the rich owned and then there's the other side of the coin that looked more like the projects. Houses crammed to one another.

"Let's keep up with time before night falls." Lee warns and casts me a sideways glance. I have been meaning to ask him to keep his finding a secret.

Courtney leads the way she seems to know her way. I wonder how many times Quinn has brought her here. I slow down to keep up with Lee who is texting on his phone.

I breath in before I speak, "Uh-about earlier... " I try to find the correct words.

"Your secret is safe with me if that is what you want to confirm." He looks me over his phone.

I sigh in relief.

"As long as someday you will tell me who the mysterious Cara is. " He is quick to cut my relief short.

Am about to answer when Jermaine swings his arm round my shoulder.

"What are we whispering about?" He winks at me. I smile in return.

"I... We... " I stammer.

"Am just messing with you. Don't let him. " He points at Lee. " ...Charm you, he's a smooth talker." He slaps the back of Lee who throws him a murderous glare.

I don't know why but I do like Jermaine. He just got a way to warm into your heart.

He turns to me, "Is your friend seeing someone?" He asks me.

It takes me a while to realise he is talking about Roxanna.

"She got out of a complicated relationship recently; I don't think she is ready to dive into dating again." I answer and look at Roxanna as she tries Courtney glasses. They seem to get along pretty well and it does not settles well with me.

Jermaine heaves a disappointed sigh, "What a bummer, She's hot."

I nod in agreement as we walk inside a fancy store. Ryan catches up with us. He has been talking to his mother for a while. He tucks his phone away and leads me to the dress section. The prices give a migraine considering my current financial crisis. I have to keep up with everyone. I don't know how long I can fake it.

"Quinn gave me his card, I buy you girls anything you want, he put more emphasis on you. I don't know why."

I know.

"Maybe he finds me tacky." I shrug and pick a red dress. Courtney and Roxanna join us their arms full of clothes.

Hours later, everyone has their share of clothes. I only chose the red dress, a pair of black pumps and gold coated earrings. Ryan decides to pay for everyone. Just as am about to step out. The store alarm goes off. I stand frozen at the spot and watch two security guards approach me.

"Ma'am you need to step aside." One orders ready to frisk me.

They remove everything from my bag until they find what they are looking for. A Rolex watch. I didn't put it there. I start to panic.

"You will have to come with us." He grabs my arm.

"This must be a misunderstanding, I didn't steal it." I plead. My eyes land on Courtney who has a smug on her face.

She did this. That demon's mother!

"She didn't steal it. I was with her the whole time." Ryan tries to stop him.

The guard raises his eyebrows daring him to explain. "Stealing is crime." The guard speaks when Ryan doesn't respond.

"What are the repercussions of such a crime?" Courtney asks and rolls her bubble gum on her tongue

Please let it not be Jail. I pray.

"Jail" The guard says and everything starts to fade until he speaks again. "Or pay thrice the price of the item stolen."

"That is extortion!" Jermaine half yells.

"I will pay for it." Ryan offers.

We go back and forth declining his offer even though I can't afford the money. Finally as expected Ryan wears me out and pays. Courtney looks displeased with the turn of events.

As we leave, the boys promise to pick us up after our facial. They head to a local pub and we get into a parlor.

We are halfway through the face massage until I start to feel a burning sensation on my face. I spring up fast. Fear weaving it's way into me. What if my face is disfigured? I go in circles trying to find any water until I find a tap and dive my head into it.

I hear sounds of laughter emanating behind me. I lift my head several pair of eyes are staring at me, laughing at my expense. Sadist!

Courtney is at the front, her mouth drawn into a content smug. I pat my face to make sure not a part has been deformed. But I will be more satisfied if I saw it on a mirror.

"That's just a warning." Courtney spats.

"What did you do?" I ask, my hands continuously examines my precious face for any anomalies.

"You got served." Her eyes travel down my body. "You shouldn't....

I don't let her finish as I fly towards her and jump on her. My hands move straight to her hair and I pull it with all my might. She groans in pain and kicks me in the stomach and I slide back. Before I recover she bites my arm, and I dig my nails deeper into her shoulder.

"Get off me..." She shouts at the top of her lungs.

I knee her to the floor. "What did you do to my face?" I ask her.

"Get off me!" She withers beneath me like a chicken ready to be slaughtered.

More anger builds up, "What did you do?"

She spits on my face, I raise my hand to slap her only to feel my body floating in the air. I turn and find it is Ryan who lifted me.

"What is going on here?" He asks.

Courtney stands up, her hair is a mess so is her masked face. She huffs, "You will pay for this!" She points at me, turns and walks the opposite side.

"What happened to your face?" Ryan's eyes grow bigger. "It looks burned on the right cheek." I touch it, it is very painful.

"It will be okay by morning." Roxanna says.

"Did you know she planned for this?" I ask surprised.

"It was just a prank, relax." She rolls her eyes and follows Courtney's direction.

I exhale defeated and remember her question. 'What can go wrong in just two days?'

****

The first thing I do once back at the ranch is rush to my bedroom and find a mirror. There is a big red patch on my cheek. How am I going to conceal that?

The rest of the night I decide to hide myself in my room as I hear the rest talk and laugh in the dinning room. I submerge myself into the my novel, Quinn might have spoiled it for me but I don't have any other to read.

After hours of intense reading, I stop and realise the house is silent. Probably everyone is asleep and am hungry.

I slip a rob over my nightdress and walk out. The house is pin drop silent. I manage to find my way into the kitchen. But the open that leads to the back of the house seduces my curiosity. I step out, under the moon.

I keep on walking until I find myself at the stables. I don't find anyone. Then who left the door open?

I decide to go horse riding since I might not get the chance again. My father taught me much about horses. I mount one easily.

We ride through the wheat plantations that swing back and forth to the direction of the wind, until we get to a barn. There's light from the inside. We ride closer to it.

After I have tied the horse to a post I decide to discover what is inside there. I should have been an archaeologist.

I push the door open, I expect it to be empty but I find Quinn. He is typing on his laptop.

"I knew sooner or later you will find your way here. A woman of curiosity." He doesn't lift his head.