Betrayal

Diane was Samantha's best friend. They've been best friends since Samantha's first day of Junior high. Samantha was in a foreign country for the first time in her life and she was nervous and excited at the same time.

It took her grandma weeks and lots of pleading on her behalf before her father agreed to send her to the prestigious private school her sister graduated from in Switzerland. He was convinced she would further drag the precious Da-Silva name in the mud if she was allowed to school outside America.

Even though Samantha was excited to meet new people and maybe make friends, since she didn't have any at home, she was feeling nervous about attending her first class because of the socio-cultural differences of the two countries which were continents apart from each other.

Would she be accepted or would it be like in the movies where foreign students were bullied and always find it difficult to fit in? She however immediately felt at ease and happy during the class introduction when she heard the name, Diane Smith.

'An American!?' Samantha questioned and her mind was put to rest when she further learned Diane was also an American. Here's someone she could relate to and identify within her class, she thought happily to herself.

When it was Samantha's turn to introduce herself to the whole class, she was able to speak boldly with confidence, like a true Da-Silva that she was. All traces of nervousness gone.

Diane was the first to approach Samantha immediately after the class was over. The new girl from America fascinates her. She was struck by the confidence, vivacity, humor, and charm with which Samantha talked while introducing herself.

Diane was born in Switzerland and has only been to the States twice on holidays when her parents could manage to get the time away from work. Shen was also excited to meet a girl her age who just came from her country of origin.

Diane who was a social butterfly was quite popular among some of the students. She introduced Samantha to her friends and told her what was acceptable in school in terms of fashion so as not to stick out like a sour finger. As for her worry about getting bullied... Who would dear bully Diane's friend!?

Samantha on her part told Diane all about America, California State especially... Everything Diane didn't hear from her parents and didn't see on social media she learned from Samantha

The two girls were like inseparable Siamese twins from the first day of junior high up until they graduated from high school. They got accepted into the same university and registered for the same course, accountancy.

Convincing her father to let her stay in Switzerland for her university degree was another round of pleading entirely. One of the many ridiculous rules and conditions that he gave to her grandma before allowing her to stay was for Samantha to always come back and spend the weekend at their house in Switzerland which her grandma was staying to keep an eye on her

When Samantha was eighteen, during her second year at the university, her father came to Switzerland for a business conference unannounced. On this particular Friday, she was out all night and the whole of Saturday celebrating Diane's birthday. She came back home on Sunday morning to find her furious father who demanded without mincing words to her grandma...

"It's either she transfers back to America or be disowned!"

He spoke to her grandma like Samantha was not in the room with them. He didn't even say her name but chose to use a pronoun instead. Samantha was hurt by his action. She felt he has been waiting for the opportunity to disown her for a long time.

'"Why did you hate me this much!? I was just at my best friend's house celebrating her birthday... What's the harm in that!?" She said to him but he stood his ground.

Samantha chose to be disowned, to her father's surprise and annoyance before he stormed out of the house. If not for her grandma who kept crying and pleading with her, Samantha would have been glad to rid herself of the name Da-Silva there and then. They never wanted her anyway so what's the point!?

Diane insisted and convinced her parents she would come back to California with Emma. It was a great opportunity for her to get to know her extended family and mingle with the people.

Samantha trusted Diane with her life. They were soul sisters who had a deep soul connection from the moment they met. That was why she found it difficult to believe the first time Ty told her Diane was sleeping with Justine her boyfriend. She thought he cooked up the story because she rejected him.

And she still found it very difficult to believe but decided to call Shey the girl they both made friends with when they came back to America She needed to get rid of the tiny seed of doubt Ty had sown in her heart.

The phone rang for quite some time and Shey finally picked just when Samantha decided to stop calling.

[Hey Sam! Why aren't you here yet? Please don't tell me you aren't coming anymore because this party is missing your vibes.] Shey's voice blared over the loud music Samantha could hear playing in the background as soon as she picked the call.

[I'm on my way already. I'll be there sooner than you know.] Samantha replied and chuckled before continuing. [Shey would you be a darling and hand the phone over to Justine, please?]

[Sorry girl, Justine is not here...]

[Really? What about Diane? Help give the phone to her then]

[Diane told me she was going to the lady's room some five minutes ago... I wonder why she's taking so long? Don't worry I'll go check on her and ask her to call you]

[Oh no don't bother, I have an incoming call coming from her right now. I'll see you in a bit] Samantha said and immediately cut the call.

There was no incoming call. She just didn't want Shey to alert Diane she was looking for her. Does that mean she believed her boyfriend was cheating on her with her best friend?

Just thinking about that notion made her felt a strange, coldness-like feeling that tightly gripped and squeezed at the center of her chest.

'They are both not at the party!?' She thought with fear and recalled what Ty told her...

'They are alone together right now. They got a room at the Lakes hotel beside the club where we're having the TGIF party.'

'God please don't let this be true... It is not true.' She silently prayed in her mind as she looked around on the floor for her scattered hair clips. She managed to tame the curls hurriedly the best way we could before grabbing for her keys and hastily left the room.

'How can both of them be missing from the party at the same time?... There must be a genuine reason for this. Yes, I'm sure they have a reason.' She unconvincingly assured herself as she rushed down to her car.

+

The Lakes club and lounge was owned by Brad Beckley, one of three brothers from the Beckley family which was one of the richest families in California. It was a strip club that was normally frequented by the state's rich crème de la crème bachelors and bachelorettes.

To enter the Lakes was strictly by invitation and parties like the Scholar suits' TGIF could only be hosted at the lakes strictly by recommendation from a respectable regular of the club.

The TGIF party recommendation came from Abby, a 300 level Polymer and Textile student that also had a room in the same Scholar Suites hostel as Samantha. Abby who was envied by most of the girls who had a room in Scholar suites was able to give them the recommendation because she was dating one of the Beckley brothers.

The huge Lakes hotel building was standing right beside the Lakes club and lounge. Samantha drove through the hotel's gate, park her car, and went straight to the reception, where truly a brown envelope that had her name written on it was waiting for her.

As she walked towards the elevator that would take her to the floor she was going to, Samantha was overwhelmed with the strange feeling of fear again, thinking...

'What if Ty was trying to get me alone in the hotel room?'

"Whatever... Le upt him try his best." She replied under her breath to the voice. Samantha was sure of the self-defense class she once took in Switzerland and also felt inside her bag to be sure she still has her pepper spray.

'Let Ty give it his best shot The