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“What’s on your mind?”his tone sounds almost caring.
“What are you even doing over here?” I turn to ask him and I’m greeted with a guilty face.
“Honestly? I came over to apologize. I know I’ve been a shit to you this past year, you didn’t deserve it. I guess I just don’t know how to handle rejection.” He picks up a rock and throws it into the water, creating a ripple over its calm surface.
“It’s done, in the past, forgotten,” I tell him. Hoping it will send him on his way. I’d say he’s paid a fair enough price for it, two months in intensive care and the end of his football career. Maybe he’ll think about how he treats ‘rejection’ in the future.
“It doesn’t have to be,” he says, sliding his hand gently over mine. I have to check I’ve heard him right. After all he’s done, all he’s said. His constant shit.
“I heard you turned down Albuquerque and that you’re sticking around in Colorado.”
“You heard correct,” I tell him, cursing Abby and her big mouth in my head, she seems to have taken sympathy in him since his incident.
I had to make a college acceptance somewhere. I can’t have anyone suspect what I have planned. And it still makes me cry every time I think that I’m gonna be leaving town alone. Crying seems to be all I can manage to do these days, and it pisses me off.
“Now that my college plans have fallen through, I’m sticking around too. And I know you’ll think it’s crazy, but we’d be good together, Ella.” Luke shifts a little closer.“I know you’ve been hurt. But anyone can see he wasn’t meant for you, you’re better than him.”
“You don’t know anything about me.” I stand up and start marching away. Then I feel his hands on me, pulling me back by my wrist, forcing me to crash onto his chest. His lips press tight to mine, starving me of oxygen. Making him the second person today who’s touched me without my permission.
He holds both his hands around the top of my arms to keep me tight against him, and I react in the only way I can. By lifting my knee and slamming it hard into his crotch. He releases me instantly and falls to the ground clutching at his balls.
“You stupid bitch,” he cries out through his pain. Relief washes over me as I see him squirming on the floor and suddenly, I get it. Nyx’s need to cause pain. Luke rolling around in agony gives me a sick little thrill.
“Don’t ever touch me, you were warned,” I remind him of Nyx’s threat.
“Yeah, well I don’t see your guy here to protect you now,” his words sting as he calls after me but I let them settle and merge with all the rest of the pain I carry inside me.I make my way back towards the party, dialing for a cab on my way, and then going in search of Abby to tell her I’m leaving.
I find her in the bathroom, sucking some white powder off the vanity unit up her nose. Shelooks out of her head.
“Come on I need to get you home.” I grab her arm and start dragging her towards the door. Hell knows what I’m gonna do with her once I get her out of here, I can’t take her back to her place in this state, her parents would flip.
“Elz, I need to tell you something,” she slurs, trying her best to focus.
“Tell me on the cab ride home.” I steady her on her feet and take her weight when she wraps her arm around my shoulder.
“Stop being nice to me, I can’t stand it.” She pushes me away suddenly, with way more strength than I expected.
“Babe, you're my best friend. I know I’ve been distant lately but I’m missing Nyx, come on you can crash at my place. My parents are out.”
“It’s my fault,” she blurts out, I ignore her, trying to get her to move forward.
“It was me. I was the one in Luke’s car the night Nyx…” she swallows hard, unable to say it. “I’m the witness. I told the police everything that happened and I’ll have to testify when it goes to trial.”
I take a step back, trying to figure out what I’m hearing. Abby wouldn't do this to me, she’s my best friend. She knows all the shit Luke put me through. She would never…
“What were you doing in his car, Ab?” I ask, her betrayal starting to sink in.
“Me and Luke we kinda, we see each other out of school. He… I need…”
“You know what, I don’t wanna know.” I stop her from continuing. “You knew what Nyx did was to protect me, why would you testify against him?”
“I saw what he did, Ella, it wasn't human. He was gonna kill Luke. Nyx is dangerous. I thought I was doing the right thing. But seeing you so sad. I feel awful for it.” She buries her head in her hands and I notice the marks on her arms, deep purple bruises, and crusted over scabs.
“What the hell is this” I grab her wrist and stretch one out in front of me. “Abby are you…”
“She doesn’t want to leave, Ella, do you, Abby?” Luke fills the bathroom door, reaching out for my best friend and dragging her on to him, she props her body against his. Her eyes looking up at him adoringly.
“Abby, we need to go,” I warn her. I can’t worry about all the shit between us right now. We’ll figure it out. I just want her to be safe.
