As soon as I realized what would happen if I didn’t get out of that room, the panic set in. I didn’t see any other doors or windows than the one he had just left from and locked behind him. I quickly looked around the room and, realizing that I was definitely trapped, began frantically banging on the door and screaming for help.
I knew no one would find me, down in a dark bedroom hidden in the corner of the basement, but I wouldn’t give up. I tried to think how I had gotten myself into this. The last few hours of a drunken make-out session with a guy who I knew was sketchy, were very lost to my now sobering mind. I couldn’t even remember who the guy had been. It sure as hell wasn’t my boyfriend. Well, ex-boyfriend.
What with finding him cheating on me and being held hostage by another creep, I’m starting to think there is no such thing as a decent guy in this town.
I gave another seemingly hopeless pull on the handle of the door, and to my surprise, it swung open. I was about ready to make a run for the stairs when I realized how bad it would be if the guy was waiting for me. I took a look at my body, and seeing the bruises beginning to form on my arms and legs, knew he was probably not somebody I wanted to mess with, or could defend myself from.
I slowly stepped out of the doorway and looked around cautiously before walking as quietly as I could to the bottom of the stairs. I hear a T.V. on upstairs, but no voices. I moved my feet soundlessly up the stairs, keeping my head low until I got to the top.
A loud and obnoxious, but familiar voice came from a doorway a few feet away.
“Don’t worry, man. She’ll be fine. She’s gotta be waking up soon anyways,” said the voice.
“Shouldn’t we at least go check on her? What if she’s sick?” Another softer voice chimed in.
I was confused. Were they talking about me? How could they be acting like I was just a guest and I wasn’t just locked in a dark basement?
“See? She’s awake!” The loud voice called, and I was instantly terrified. I started to walk towards the front door, but a large figure stepped in front of me, stopping me in my tracks. I looked up to see a familiar face, and I felt somewhat safer. My ex-boyfriend’s friend Jason was towering down over me. Their other friend Kyle, the softer voice of the two, was standing behind him, staring at me with terror-filled eyes.
Jason lifted up my arm, examining the bruises. His eyes shifted to my other arm, and then my legs. “What the hell happened to you, Emma?”
His voice was now concerned, rather than loud and irritating.
I pulled my arm away, and was instantly defensive. “I should be asking you. This is your house, isn’t it? And I was just locked in your basement.”
He raised an eyebrow, then laughed and looked at Kyle. “He didn’t tell her the door jams.”
“He who?” It sounded colder than I had meant it to. He looked at me like I was crazy. “Your boyfriend, that’s who. He just left, like, 5 minutes ago.”
The previous night’s events came flooding back to me. That’s who had just left. And the door jams, I wasn’t locked in. I guess it was him who I had been making out with. But, wait…
“I was screaming, though. I thought I had been kidnapped.”
Jason stifled laughter, and then pointed to the T.V. where a football game had been playing. Of course. How could I expect a boy brain to focus on anything else?
I glanced back at Kyle, who was still staring at me with worry in his eyes. My mind went back to the bruises on my arms and legs. I looked down at my purpling body. “What happened last night?”
Jason looked concerned again as well, and sighed. “You’ll have to talk to Travis about that…” I nodded. “Ex, by the way.” He looked confused, so I added; “Ex-boyfriend. We broke up last night. Or so I thought. I caught him with Katrina, again.”
Kyle laughed at this, making the first noise since I’d been upstairs. It was my turn to be confused. How could that be funny?
“Sorry. It’s just… Travis is such an idiot. Going from you who’s, well… you, to Katrina, who’s not.” My heart gave a little jump, and I could feel my cheeks burning. Kyle looked away, looking as though he wished he hadn’t said anything.
I looked back at Jason. “Well, I should be going. As long as you guy s are done holding me captive?” He laughed and nodded. “You need a ride?”
I thought and tried to remember the location of my car, and then finally remembered that I had left it at Travis’ house across town.
“Uh, yeah I guess I do. As long as you don’t mind. I left my car at Travis’ house.”
Kyle chimed in again, “We don’t mind. I can drive you there.”
I nodded and said my goodbye to Jason, who insisted on sending me with a cup of his famous, but awfully strong coffee to help with my “intense” hangover.
Honestly, it wasn’t that bad. The bruises were worse.
Kyle and I got into his car and were on our way into town. He kept glancing at my arms and legs and looked like he wanted to say something. I tried my best to cover them, feeling self-conscious, but with my lack of clothing, as I had decided to be slutty chic last night, this wasn’t easy.
He pulled into Travis’ driveway next to my little turquoise bug, and turned off his car. He looked at me and finally spoke.
“I’m sure it wasn’t Travis.”
I looked at him quizzically and he nodded at my bruises.
“Oh. You’re probably right…” I said this and was surprised when my voice didn’t shake. It sounded more believable than it was. In truth, it wasn’t the first time Travis has been violent.
He still may have been right though, I could have just fallen. I’m a pretty clumsy person.
I started to gather my things. “Thanks for the ride, Kyle.” He nodded silently, and I got out of the car and waved to him before getting into mine.
I was pulling out of the driveway when the door to his house open and Travis came jogging out to my car. I pulled to the curb and rolled down the window, not wanting to let him into my car.
“Hey baby,” he said grinning.
I rolled my eyes. “You’re not allowed to call me that now.” His grin faded. “Why not?”
“Because were not together anymore.” His expression became angry.
“Why not?” He repeated.
“Because I’m breaking up with you. Because you cheated on me, again.
I don’t deserve this and I’m not putting up with it anymore.”
He shrugged of my words, as if they really hurt him, and put the mean façade back up. “Good, so I don’t have to do it. I was breaking up with you anyways.” I nodded. “Fine. You can go be with your little tramp now.” I was angry and being ruder than I would usually by to anyone, no matter who it was.
He backed away from my car and I almost drove off, but hesitated.
“Travis… Did you do this?” I nodded to my arms and legs, and he looked at them, just noticing them for the first time.
His eyes grew wider, looking shocked, and then his expression changed. He smirked. “You wanted rough sex last night. It was hot, which is out of the usual for you.”
I scoffed. “You’ve never complained before.” With that, I drove off.
————————————————————————————————————————————————-
Three Months Later
It had taken awhile getting used to being away from Travis after a two year relationship. Despite his ass-y attitude lately, he’s really always been there for me.
I also haven’t gotten drunk since the graduation party at the beginning of summer, and was now packing to move into my dorm at UCLA. Also, my bruises had healed and disappeared, even though I was still unsure of the source.
I sat across from my best friend, Kelly on my bed as I folded and put all my clothes into a suitcase. She was getting tearier as the day went on as we had to say goodbye to each other in about an hour.
She sniffled again and tried to casually wipe her eyes, but I caught on that she was brushing away silent tears.
“Kelly… You know I’ll come back to visit. And you can come see me anytime. It’s not that far of a drive from your work in West Hollywood.”
“I know, Emma, but we’ve lived together for the past four years. I’m going to miss sharing clothes and secrets at night.”
I laughed. I wished I didn’t have secrets to tell. But, she was right. It would be hard living away from her. I had moved in with her the summer before our freshman year of high school when my parents had decided to move to Germany. With my 4.2 GPA and being on the cheerleading squad, moving with them was not a possibility. Kelly’s parents graciously let me move into Kelly’s room. Well, not that gracious, since their house was easily one of the biggest in Beverly Hills. They were filthy rich, and were barely around for Kelly, so they thought having me here would make her bother them less about being home. We spent our entire high school career together.
I nodded and stood up after I finished packing. She sniffled some more. “It’s time for you to go, huh?”
I gave a small chuckle. She was acting like I was leaving the country, when in reality, it was maybe 30 minutes away.
“Yes, it is. I have to be there to check in at 11.”
She nodded and started collecting some of my bags, helping me carry them down to my car. When we finished shoving them into my trunk, she gave me a tight hug. I hugged her back, but got slightly worried.
“Are you still coming with me to the dorms?” She nodded and I let out a sigh of relief. It would be much easier getting adjusted if she was there. Even if she didn’t go to school there.
I pulled back from her tight embrace. “We better get going.”
She nodded and grabbed her purse before getting into my car. I got in after her, and soon, we were off.
After a few hours in my dorm, Kelly and I had made it completely me and pink. We had gone to walk around the campus, trying to find my classes for the following Monday when we saw him.
Kelly was babbling about some club she thought I should join when I spotted him a couple feet away. I gasped, getting Kelly’s attention and then pulled her in the opposite direction.
“Emma! What the he-” I cut her off with a hand over her mouth and a loud Sshhh. She protested and I took my hand away, but gave her a look that apparently got the message across because she stopped talking.
“It’s him!” I whispered.
“It’s who?!” She peered her head around the tree I had pulled us behind, looking at who I had hidden from. I could see her mind reeling when she saw no one that looked threatening.
I took a deep breath. I had hold her about my sudden crush on a boy but I just didn’t tell her who. Now, I didn’t have much of a choice.
“It’s Kyle.” She raised an eyebrow and thought. Her eyes lit up after a moment.
“Kyle Kyle? Best friends with Travis and Jason, Kyle? Oh no, Emma, you’re not in love with him just because you he said you were better than slutty Katrina, are you?”
I laughed. “I am not in love with him, at all. I just like him a little.”
She looked at me doubtfully. “You’ve barely even spoke to him.”
“Yes, I know, Kelly. I’m not trying to have sex with him, for god sakes. I just kinda like him, like, a tiny bit.”
She sighed. “Well you’re not doing a very good job.” With that, she walked out from behind the tree, right in Kyle’s direction. I stayed where I was behind the tree, trying with all my might to get her to come back, but she just kept going towards him. Finally, she reached him and he turned to her. She pointed to me, and I had no choice but to come out from my hiding spot.
I approached them and was surprised to see that his face lit up with a big grin when he saw me. I tried to act non-chalant. “Hi Kyle.”
“Emma! Hey! Do you go to school here too?”
I nodded. “Next week’s my first day.”
“Mine too. Wow, that’s so cool. I didn’t think I would know anyone here. I haven’t seen you since after the graduation party when you thought we kidnapped you.” He laughed, and I tried to join him, but I couldn’t help the burning in my cheeks.
“You guys can totally hang out, like, all the time. Wouldn’t that be great, Emma?” I glared at Emma, but Kyle seemed to like the idea.
“That would be awesome. I mean, only if you want to, Emma.”
I nodded. I did want to. A lot. His small and meaningless comment that morning about Katrina had not escaped my mind all summer. That, and how concerned he was about my bruises had really gotten to me. I didn’t understand how I had never really noticed Kyle before then. He had always been with Jason and Travis, and I was always with him, but he was so quiet. He was completely different now, outgoing and enthusiastic.
“I would love to. It’d be great to know someone on campus.”
He nodded in agreement, and we stood, the three of us, in silence for a few minutes. It was Kelly who spoke first.
“Well, we should probably continue our tour, but you guys should totally exchange phone numbers! You can go on a date or something once school starts.” I glared at her again, but saw that Kyle blushed slightly, but was still smiling. He got out his phone, and I had no choice but to do the same. After we had each other’s numbers, and had said out goodbyes, Kelly and I continued our walk around campus.
“Oh my gosh! He totally likes you! I can’t believe I didn’t see it before! What is wrong with my radar? I always know when someone likes someone else.” She thought for a moment. Maybe trying to figure out where to get her “radar” fixed.
I finally broke her train of thought. “What do you mean he likes me? How could you have seen it before?”
She laughed as if it was a ridiculous question. “Didn’t you see the way he looked at you? And you were right, it was sweet, him saying that thing about slutty Katrina. Every time you and Travis were around him, he was totally quiet and shy, right?”
I nodded. “Yes, but what does that have to do with anything. And I never said it was sweet. And how did he look at-” She cut me off.
“He was quiet because he was jealous! I always thought he just was like the rest of us; wondering what you saw in him. And you did say it was sweet. Well, not in so many words, but you liked him because of it. And he was totally smiling his face off at you! And he was so excited to get your number. He likes you! I’m sure of it.”
“He just wanted to know someone on campus, that’s all.” I said, trying to reason with her, and maybe myself.
“Stop making up excuses. You know he likes you. And you like him. And he complimented you. That is so fetch!” We laughed as she mocked Gretchen Wieners from our favorite movie.
I thought about it as she continued to talk nonstop. It wouldn’t be so bad if a guy like him liked me, would it? I mean, he was definitely a step up from Travis. I don’t know if there was even a step down from him. And he did seem happy to see me. More than just wanting to know someone here. I smiled at the thought of his boyish grin. He was cute, too, so that wasn’t a problem. His dark brown long-ish curly hair framed his face perfectly, accenting his piercing green eyes. And his smile could definitely make me swoon.
I liked the thought of us going on a date.
Now, I just had to see if he was really interested, or just being friendly.