I was staring at the counter top willing my vision to focus and I could feel Keiran watching me from the side. A guy, who I don’t think even goes to our school, had come in during my third shot as I was begging for Keiran to stop making me drink. He was watching me with too with interest in his eyes.
I didn’t bother to beg Keiran to stop this time but surprisingly he did after we had been standing quietly for a few minutes. I found it seriously fucked up that I was drunk but he was not.
“Hey, man if you really want to get her going, you can have her pop a couple of these.” The guy pulled out a Ziploc bag full of pills and waved them at me with a sly grin. “I’ll even give them to you for free if I can get a turn.”
My alcohol-riddled brain was slow to catch on but when I saw the lust in the stoner’s eyes and Keiran take the bag from him, I looked on in astonishment. He was not seriously considering drugging me, was he?
“Can you walk?” Keiran asked.
“If it’s to your car then I can skip if you like.” There was no way in hell I was letting him drug me.
“Go lay down in the guest room and lock the door.”
“But –”
“Now, Lake” I didn’t bother to argue anymore and headed in that direction but just as I made it to the stairs, Trevor intercepted me. I so did not need this right now.
“Well, well, well. I never thought I’d see little Miss Prim at a party, much less Masters’.”
“Don’t get your hopes up. I’m trying to find the nearest exit out of this cesspool.”
“Looks to me like you were sneaking upstairs.”
“No one would ever accuse you of having bad eyes. Excuse me.” I tried to go around but he linked his arm around my waist and leaned into me. I could smell the stench of alcohol on his breath.
“Have you been you taking care of our little secret? Wouldn’t want to make an enemy out of me too, would you?”
“It’s not my secret, Trevor. It’s yours. The only one afraid of making enemies right now is you.”
“Whether you like to admit it, Lake, you helped me bring Keiran down. You should be grateful. I even let you take the credit for all the work.” He grinned and slithered away like the snake he was. As much as I hated Trevor’s treachery, I think I was madder at myself. I should have seen it coming. I should have been more careful…
* * *
“Enemy? I don't have enemies. I’m no one,” I stated, dumfounded.
What or who could Trevor and I possibly have in common? We didn't share the same social status and our circles – or rather my circle of one – were different.
He looked at me impatiently when I stared up at him in confusion. Gosh, was everyone on the basketball team freakishly tall? He dwarfed my five-eight easily.
Trevor was blonde and good looking, but Tiffany and her friends were right – Keiran was better looking…with a hotter body. Trevor was bullish looking as his muscles strained and pulled against his skin while Keiran was lean with the right amount of muscle tone that made him look naturally powerful.
“Keiran Masters,” he stated simply.
I stepped back, anxiety kicking in. It was my usual reaction to hearing his name. I also didn’t understand what he was asking or what he wanted from me. I looked around thinking it was a setup and Keiran was waiting to jump out to screw with me. He hasn't gone a day without a prank, condescending look, or taunt, once in ten years. It was like my pain was an addiction and he needed his fix. Sometimes I think he went out of his way to find me so he could hurt me.
“What about him?” I swallowed deeply wanting to be anywhere but here.
“I know a way we can stop him so he’ll no longer be a problem for either of us,” he stated simply as if he was telling time.
“Why?”
He frowned down at me not expecting that answer I guessed. “Why what?”
“Why are you doing this?”
“Why not,” he scoffed. “Keiran thinks he’s untouchable. He runs this school, but he doesn't run me. “Don’t you want the bullying to stop?”
“Yes.” It was true, I did but how far was I really willing to go for peace?
“Good. I know the perfect way to teach him a lesson.”
“How?”
“We frame him.”
* * *
My run-in with Trevor and remembering the day he propositioned me, sobered me up a little but I still stumbled up the stairs one at a time. When I reached the landing I felt the urge to pee so I stumbled further down the hall to the bathroom. Lucky for me, I found it on the first try and no one was in there. In fact the second floor seemed deserted altogether. I thought people usually occupied the bedroom for…stuff.
After using the bathroom, I made it to one of the bedrooms and pushed the door open. I dropped face down on soft blankets that smelled familiar and quickly passed out. If I weren’t so drunk I would have realized what I’d done. If I wasn’t so drunk I could have prevented what happened next.
The sound of the door opening and closing, followed by heavy footsteps across the carpeted floor jerked me out my sleep some time later. It was dark and I couldn’t make out much in my room but I could feel eyes watching me while I remained as still as possible and tried not to panic.
It was the scent of the bed sheets beneath me that gave the first clue. The scent was familiar and undoubtedly masculine and the sheets didn’t feel like mine. This isn’t my room.
“I know you’re awake.”
Keiran. Relief flooded my mind that it wasn’t some creep from the party and I released the breath I was holding…Oh, God. It was Keiran.
Panic returned full force and stronger than before when I remembered exactly where I was and exactly why I was there. I shot up from the bed and hovered by the headboard, pulling the blanket around me for protection.
His eyes flickered to the blanket and back up to meet my gaze as a mocking grin spread his lips. “What is that?”
I clutched the blankets—his blankets, tighter and closed my eyes, squeezing them tight. My knees were knocking together under the blanket and I prayed he couldn’t hear it.
“Is that supposed to protect you from me?” I could hear the sarcasm in his low voice coming from across the room but still I remained silent. “Should I come over there and make you talk?”
“How did you get in here? I locked the door like you said.” I thought I was safe from him with the door locked…at least for tonight.
“I have a key…and you didn’t lock the door.” I swallowed hard against the lump in my throat. My heart pounded too fast and my breathing became short spurts of air. “Did you think you would be safe from me?”
“Yes.”
“Do you feel safe now?” His voice sounded closer and I realized he must have been standing next to me now so my eyes popped back open.
“No.”
“No, what?” he asked unnecessarily. I knew he wanted to taunt me. I could see it in his eyes and hear it in his voice.
“No, I don’t feel safe.”
“Yet you parked your ass in my bed anyway.”
“I didn’t mean to come in here,” I said through clenched teeth. He leaned over his nightstand and cut on the lamp, creating a dim glow.
“I don’t believe you,” he said in a low voice.
“Look, why don’t I just leave?” I offered even though the look in his eyes told me he wasn’t going to let me go anywhere.