After the police show, the party dies like a burned-out match. Upon the insistence of the paramedics, who also show up, I’m taken to the ER to have my face checked out. I have a bad cut on my cheek where Blake’s fist made contact. Apparently, the guy wears a large ring. Dick. I also have another fun cut on my cheek. But hey, at least my nose isn’t broken.
And the pain is worth it. I stood up for River, something I should’ve done five years ago for Joy—a moment I’ll regret as long as I live.
An hour and a half later I’m still sitting on a gurney in the ER, waiting to be discharged, when my phone rings. It’s River.
“I’m outside in my car. Where are you at?” she asks.
“Almost done. They need me to sign some stuff. Did they arrest Blake the Rake?”
“No. He ran off—probably passed out on a friend’s couch’r something. But don’t worry, by morning word’ll get out, and he won’t be able to hide. Don’t forget, you have to come with me to the station to file a complaint, or the police won’t do shit. Blake’s brother is the sheriff and—”
“Sheriff? Oh, great. I can already imagine how this’ll play out.”
“I hear he’s a strict, by-the-book kind of guy, but even if he weren’t, he can’t sweep this under the rug if we make formal complaints.”
“Okay.” I’m too tired to argue with her. All I want now is to get some ice and go to bed. The topical numbing medicine is going to wear off soon, and I’m not going to feel so great.
“Huff?”
“Yeah?”
There’s a long pause. “Thank you,” she finally says with a crackle in her sweet voice.
River doesn’t need to thank me. She just needs to stay away from pieces of shit like Blake. “I don’t know what I’d do if I let something happen to you.” I lift my head and stare up at the tiles on the ceiling next to the fluorescent light. I don’t like getting emotional. So I won’t.
“Well, your face would be in better shape. How many stitches?” she asks.
“Stopped counting after five.”
“Ohmygod. I’m so sorry. This is all my fault.”
“Hell no. Blake is the asshole. Not you.” The nurse walks in with my wound care instructions. “I have to go. See you outside in a minute.”
“Okay. Bye.”
I end the call, and the nurse starts talking about caring for my stitches. Meanwhile, my mind starts going crazy. Tomorrow, after we file formal charges, the police are going to arrest Blake, the sheriff’s brother, for assaulting River and me. It’s going to be a scandal, and he’ll likely be expelled. Definitely kicked off the football team. His friends aren’t going to be happy that we’re “the cause” of their buddy getting in trouble. Of course, they won’t care that Blake assaulted River. They won’t care I was protecting her.
I thank the nurse and slouch on the gurney, hanging my head. This is going to get ugly. Maybe coming to this place was a mistake.
Or was it?
If I hadn’t been there tonight, something much worse might’ve happened to River. Still, Blake and his friends are going to make our lives miserable.
And now I can’t leave. I can’t leave River alone in this place. But how can a guy like me protect her? I’m no match for them. I’m no match for anyone.
Just before midnight, River pulls around to the back entrance of my dorm to park and help me to my room. I keep telling her there’s nothing wrong with my feet, but she feels responsible for everything.
So stupid. She did nothing wrong. “I’m fine, Riv. You don’t need to take me up.”
She turns off the engine of her red Chevy Spark. “Yeah, well, maybe I’m the one who doesn’t want to be alone.” She blinks her mascara-smudged eyes at me, silently pleading. Or maybe it’s more of a warning: Don’t, Huff. No fighting. Not tonight. Just say yes and give me what I want.
I can tell she was crying before she picked me up. This night feels so messed up. “Okay. Come on.” I exit the vehicle, and she walks around to meet me. “Is it always so dark in this lot?” There’s only one light, and it’s coming from the glass door leading inside.
She shrugs. “Never been back here so late.”
My eyes scan the dark lot filled with cars. I notice two lampposts are out and think about girls like River coming home late. “I’ll say something tomorrow. It’s not safe like this.”
“This campus is probably the safest there is,” she replies as we start walking between several large SUVs to get to the door. “Well, excluding Blake—”
“Funny you should mention my name, sweetheart,” says a deep voice behind us.
I swivel in my Converse and catch the silhouette of the grand master douche himself.
“Oh, Jesus,” River hisses with frustration. “What are you doing here, Blake? Aren’t you in enough trouble already?”
He stands there but doesn’t say anything, and I suddenly get the feeling he’s not here to apologize.
I slide my phone from my pocket to hit the emergency call, but a hand comes out of nowhere, and my phone goes flying. Suddenly, River is screaming. I’m only able to make out her shadow kicking and punching against a large guy.
“Leave her alone!” I charge toward her, but I’m yanked back by the neck of my T-shirt.
“Where you going, dipshit?” Blake growls.
I no longer have the power of tequila in my blood, but I do have painkillers. I twist my body and punch Blake, but it’s like hitting a tree trunk. I don’t make a dent.
One of the SUV’s back passenger doors open, and two guys shove River inside.
“No! You can’t take her!” I wiggle free of Blake and charge toward the vehicle, only to be tripped from behind.
River’s cries turn to muffled whimpers, and I jump to my feet. All I can think about is getting to her, but I’m pushed to the ground again.
Blake sits on me, covering my mouth. “Shut the fuck up, or we’ll hurt River. All of us. Taking turns, if you know what I mean.”
I freeze. Yeah, it’s fear. Fear fueled by the violent image my mind just produced of these guys doing some very bad shit to River. And somewhere inside this fucking mess I call a head, I’m figuring out that these dudes are either morons for doing this—because they’re already in deep shit—or they’re out of their minds for coming here.
What the hell are they thinking?
This visit could be meant to scare us so we won’t file charges. That’s the most obvious explanation. It’s what a normal person would believe. But I’m not normal. My sister was murdered. Right in the middle of the day in a middle-class town, in a middle-class high school, where middle-class parents sent their children to school every day. It was the sort of place people moved to, believing nothing bad could ever happen.
But I’m not naïve. I know how life can turn into a senseless nightmare when you underestimate the depths of an evil person’s heart. No one wants to believe that people act like animals. But I know.
My mind quickly plays through the possible outcomes. These guys are here to silence us. In which case, they’ll threaten River to shut me up. Then they’ll tell her I’m going to have my balls cut off if she presses charges against Blake. That’s scenario number one.
Then there’s scenario number two. They’re going to kill us.
As these thoughts rush around my head, I know it behooves me to assume the worst.
Why? Because River will tell them to go fuck themselves when they threaten her. She’ll tell them they’re idiots because the police will be looking for them. Half my upperclassmen dorm must’ve heard the commotion. And by morning, the entire campus will have heard about the incident.
Unfortunately, River will be thinking like a person who doesn’t believe this situation is anything more than a bunch of drunk assholes trying to make us piss our pants.
No. Wait. I’m wrong. River knows. She knows how the most “upstanding” of people can behave like monsters. She was the one who found Joy in the locker room first.
Yes, she’s going to play this smart. She’s going to play this like our lives depend on it.
But what if she doesn’t?
She’s a hothead, something I love about her, but she might not be able to keep herself from reaming these guys.
My only move is to protect her, to offer myself up to save her life. If I’m wrong about their intentions, then great. I’m probably in for one hell of a beating. I can live with that. But if I’m right, then only my life ends tonight.