I heard a familiar laugh from somewhere to my left, and when my eyes caught hers I narrowed them. Neala was perched up on a stool at the bar. For a moment I found myself staring at her legs, but I shook myself out of it and growled in her direction. She was looking right at me and she was smirking.

She did this to me.

I didn't know how I knew she was responsible for my sudden pain and desperate need for a toilet, but I just knew it was all because of her.

"See you soon," she mouthed at me then winked.

I froze like a statue and widened my eyes in horror as she got up from the stool, turned away, and got lost in the crowd. I swallowed down the bile that rose in my throat, and forced myself to push on through my friends and families friends until I was outside in the freezing cold.

Did she know I took the doll or was this just her getting me back for the antics in Smyths the other day?

I didn't know, and it freaked me out.

I forced all thoughts of Neala aside as I slipped and slid down the pathway on my way to the car park. The crippling pain in my stomach was so bad that at one point I considered crawling along the path because walking only added to the pain.

What the hell was happening to me?

I was breathless and sweating like a pig by the time I got to the car park and found my Jeep. I fumbled with my car keys as I pulled them from my pocket, but I managed to open my car door and climb inside.

"Home," I whimpered. "I need to get home."

Be a man.

I sucked in a huge amount of oxygen then forced my eyes to stay open as I drove along the slippery back roads that led up to my cherished house. I loved nature, which is exactly what I had my house in the middle of it. I loved the calmness that came with nature and the space surrounding it, but right now I didn't care for any of it.

Holy Mary mother of God.

I had never felt a pain like the one that took up residence in my stomach. It was so bad I wouldn't wish it on my worst enemy. That's right, I wouldn't even wish this upon Neala, and she was the ultimate bitch.

"Please, God, help me!" I whimpered as another cramp crippled my abdomen.

This wasn't happening to me.

I pressed down on the gas, and prayed to God above that I wouldn't crash, get stuck, or slide dangerously along the road. I prayed for my safety, and for a toilet.

God, I needed a toilet badly.

The journey was ten minutes too long, and it was dangerous. A few times I lost control of my car on the slippery road, but I managed to regain control enough to make it up to my house in one piece. When I was in my driveway, I shut off my Jeep and opened the door. I fell out of the Jeep and dragged myself with my arms through the snow and over to my porch.

I growled deep in my throat as stabbing pains attacked my rear.

"No! Christ no!"

I fumbled with the keys in my hands and I opened my front door.

"It's coming! It's coming!" I yelped and shouldered my door open when the key finally turned in the lock.

I stumbled down my hallway, and opened the bathroom door just as it happened. I let out a whimper when the realisation, and smell hit me.

I shit myself.

I literally shit myself.

I was going to bloody kill Neala Clarke when I got my hands on her.

I couldn't believe what I had resorted to in order to follow Darcy up to his house. All to get the doll back on what had to be the coldest day in the entire history of Ireland. Freezing my arse off on my mission wasn't enough though. To make matters worse I had to pay some bratty kid fifty Euros to 'take a lend' of his mountain bike! The little shite made sure to let me know his mother knew my mother and would tell her I hit him and stole his bike unless I got it back to him in the condition he gave to me in. The stupid bike wasn’t even worth fifty Euros? he practically hustled me.

The little bastard!

"Bloody kid!" I growled as I peddled uphill as hard and fast as I could.

No matter how hard or fast I peddled though, the wheels of the bike just spun in the slushy snow. I wanted to scream and cry. My legs were on fire, my lungs were seconds away from collapsing, and I couldn't feel my body. No really, I couldn't feel it. I was numb all over. The below freezing temperature, and stupid snow made sure of that. I thought about nothing else but this plan over and over since I found out about the engagement party two days ago, I plotted everything out... except my stupid attire!

I was in a blue dress, black blazer, and black heels.

That was is.

There was a picture of my face next to the definition of stupid on the Internet, I was sure of it.

"Stupid, stupid, stupid!" I screamed in anguish.

I was tired, cold, and just wanted to get the doll back from Darcy, but I was still a good hundred meters away from his house. Thirty minutes or so ago I saw the lights of his Jeep switch off as he pulled up his driveway and stumbled out of his Jeep and all but ran through his front door.

I looked up at his house and noticed it was still in darkness, but his garden and some of the surrounding area was well lit. Darcy had surprisingly great street lighting for being up in the mountains where the back roads were usually dark and dangerous. The road up on this side of the mountain was still dangerous, but not dark which was probably the only stroke of luck I've had all evening.

Well, the second stroke if I'm being honest. The first stroke of luck was by far when Darcy drank the whiskey I spiked with the laxative. That went off without a hitch. It really was a thing of beauty watching him accept the tainted drink from his mother then watching him swallow down the very thing that would make him lose the doll to me.

The thought that I would have the doll soon comforted me somewhat. It did nothing for my freezing body, and tired limbs, but it helped put my mind at ease at least.

I tried once more to peddle the stupid bike, but when the wheels endlessly spun in the snow I gave up. I put my foot down into the snow and lifted my other the leg over the bike, but I lost my balance and fell backwards. I screamed then groaned in pain when my arse hit the hard and cold ground under the blanket of snow. The pain from the impact sent shockwaves up and down my body, and because I was ice cold it hurt that much more.

I fought back tears as I struggled to my feet. I wanted to give up, but I could do nothing except stick to my plan and walk in the direction of Darcy's house. I couldn't turn away now. I still didn't have the doll and that was my reason for being here.

Ten minutes of careful slow paced walking later, and I reached Darcy's front garden. I silently thanked God I made it, because just as I stepped foot into the garden, it started to snow again.

"Stupid bleeding weather!" I snapped then flung my hands over my mouth.

Shite.

I had to keep quite.

I carefully walked over to Darcy's porch, and tiptoed up onto the decking. I gently tested the handle of Darcy's front door and found it to be locked. My heart sank a little, but I didn't let it completely dishearten me. I knew the chances of me having to literally break into his house were high, but I was kind of hoping a door would be unlocked.

I shook away the disappointment and walked down from the porch and made my way around to the side of the house. I tested the first window I came up against and found it to be locked tight.

Crap.

I pressed on through the snow, and found myself gasping for breath as it became increasingly difficult to walk through. I was so cold that I couldn't feel anything so maybe walking through the snow was hard because my legs were starting to give out. I quickly realised why walking through the snow suddenly became harder. It was because it was snowing very heavily. Each flake was large and thick and made my task even more energy consuming.