Foul Play (Whithall University Book 1) (17 page)

“That could be your sister, your mother, your daughter or your wife. You might laugh at me now but one day, if it happens, and I pray to fuck that it doesn’t, it’s going to turn your whole world upside down. It’s going to tear you up inside knowing that there isn’t a damn thing you can do to save your loved one,’’ he breathes out, pausing. I hiccup a sob, holding onto Cole tighter as I ignore the stares from the others around me.

“If any of you had a soul, you’d delete that fuckin’ picture. You’d grow up, take responsibility and help a girl in need out. You’d make sure your friends deleted it too. That picture was taken so he could get away with what he did. All you guys are doing is feeding that guys ego. He wanted it spread. He wanted her broken so she wouldn’t go to the police. I mean, if she saw everyone else not believing her then why would she think the police would? Think about it,’’ CJ finishes and I hear him walk back over to the table and grab his bag.

“Let’s take her back, man,’’ he whispers to Cole and I feel Cole shift before he stands up with me in his arms.

“I had the picture emailed to my uni account. I’ve removed it. My sister was raped last year and every day it’s killed me not knowing who her attacker was and not being able to save her,’’ someone voices nearby.

“I’m sorry, man,’’ CJ replies.

A chorus of people informing CJ that they’ve removed it rings around the room and I begin to sob harder, knowing it’s just one more step towards it being gone.

A chair tipping over echoes around the room and for some reason it has me lifting my head. Peeping through my damp eyelashes, the girl that was sitting in the front row is standing there, her eyes solely focused on me.

Tears are running down her cheeks as she clings to the books held against her chest. She’s a chubby girl, not fat, but not skinny either. She’s a healthy size. She’s beautiful, but the pain etched into her features is heartbreaking.

She looks right at me, dead in the eye as if she sensed I was looking and needed me to listen, to understand her pain.

“I’m so sorry. I’m so very, very, sorry. It’s my fault, it’s
all
my fault,’’ she sobs before running out of the room.

“Go,’’ Cole grumbles, his voice hard. I’m assuming he’s talking to CJ, though, I can’t be sure. “Sir, we’re leaving for today. If it’s okay can you email us today’s lesson?’’

“Yes, Cole. Please give Willow my sincerest apologies. Despite what CJ said at the beginning, I didn’t know what was being passed around. I would have put a stop to it. I’ll make sure it doesn’t happen again.’’

I’m utterly speechless. Moby is known for his strict rules and stricter attendance. One student missed a week of his classes and he kicked them out, sending them to the other Introduction to Journalism professor. I overheard two students talking about it once.

“Thank you, sir.’’

As Cole walks out of the classroom I feel everyone’s eyes on me and I have to cling to Cole tighter. The minute I know we’re clear from prying ears I begin to sob harder into his chest and he holds me tighter against him.

“I thought I could do it. I thought I was strong enough,’’ I cry out, brokenly.

“You are strong. What CJ just revealed in there would have broken the strongest man, but you stayed, you showed them. You are the strongest person I’ve ever met,’’ he tells me, his words heated.

“I don’t know if I can face anyone ever again,’’ I sob.

“You will. You just need time. You should have given yourself time to let everything sink in.’’

“That’s what Allie told me I needed to do this morning,’’ I sniffle, remembering my friend’s words.

“She’s right and I heard from a good friend of mine that she’s never been wrong,’’ he tells me lightly.

I chuckle into his chest, wiping my nose with the sleeve of my hoody. I feel his chest vibrate under me and I groan in embarrassment. I forgot I was wearing his hoody.

“Sorry,’’ I sniffle.

“It’s fine,’’ he chuckles. “Want to go back to ours and watch a movie? We can chill for the rest of the day if you want,’’ he asks.

I open my mouth to answer but running footsteps pound towards us. Looking up I see its CJ and I notice his face is grim the closer he gets.

He looks to Cole and does that silent communication thing that lads love to do. It would normally drive me mad, but I actually find it amusing.

“Bad?’’

“Yeah,’’ CJ answers honestly, wincing when he looks down at me.

“Who was she?’’ I ask, still wrapped in Cole’s arms. “You can put me down. I probably weigh a ton.’’

CJ snorts disbelieving and Cole grunts. “A loaf of bread weighs more than you.’’

I sigh, leaning further into him. “So?’’

“Let’s get back, I’m starving,’’ CJ says, avoiding my question.

“You ate, like, what, five minutes ago?’’

“Twenty, but who’s counting?’’ he grins.

“Alright,’’ I sigh, giving in.

“Allie’s going to be worried,’’ I sigh when Cole sits me down on his sofa. I’ve exhausted myself to the point where I’m physically and emotionally drained, so I make myself comfortable and lay my head down on the arm of the sofa, curling my knees up to my chest.

“I’ll go to English. She’ll never get through that class without me anyway,’’ CJ winks, sitting down on the two seat sofa across from me.

“I’m sure she’d survive,’’ I state, teasingly. He really does love getting under that girls skin. I’ve also noticed he’s a little different around her than he is around other girl’s. I just can’t put my finger on what exactly is different, but I know it’s something. Maybe it’s the way he looks at her. I’m not sure.

“Nah. No one can survive a lesson as boring as that one without me,’’ he grins, throwing his legs over the leg of the sofa looking cocky.

Cole walks back in the room with a stack of DVD’s and a blanket. He throws the blanket over me and I breathe in his scent. I hide my face in the blanket, hoping CJ doesn’t see the blush on my cheeks. All I need is for him to point it out with Cole so close by. Cole takes a seat next to me and pulls my feet into his lap. My eyes flicker to the quick movement, feeling stunned. A part of me wants to pull away yet, I can’t seem to move my limbs and I’m not sure I even want to.

“Talk!’’ Cole demands, causing me to jump. I glance over at him, his chiselled jaw is clenched and his eyes are hard as he glances at CJ, waiting for answers about the girl who ran from class.

“I didn’t get much before she ran into the Private Halls. She kept repeating she was sorry over and over,’’ CJ starts and my eyes close, picturing the look on that girls face. I think it will haunt me for the rest of my life.

“She say anything else to you?’’ Cole questions.

“Just rambled on about; if only she had gone to the police, Willow wouldn’t have been attacked. Then she mentioned some other chick’s name, saying she hadn’t seen her since Friday. I don’t know man; I really think we need to talk to her more. She was pretty fucking scared.’’

“What’s her name?’’ I whisper.

“Fuck if I know. I’ve never seen her before. Didn’t even see her in class last week,’’ CJ admits.

I think back to last week when I stood in front of the whole class and gave my speech. Her face doesn’t stick out for me either. Then again, today I wanted to be invisible too, maybe that’s what this mystery girl has been trying to do, she’s just been more successful than I have.

“So, he’s done it to other girls,’’ Cole bites out, his fists clenched into tight fists on his knees.

“Yeah, man. I’m going to go to English after, I’ll find out if she’s in that class.’’

“How?’’ I ask him, wondering if he recognised her from English last week.

“If she does take that class then there will be an absent student in class today. Can’t see her going to class after what just happened. Plus, I’ll work my magic and find a way to find out who she is,’’ he tells me, smugly, wiggling his fingers.

Yawning, I take the first DVD box from the blanket, surprised to see the Chicago PD boxset. I’ve seen this advertised on the TV and have been meaning to watch it.

“Can we watch this?’’ I ask.

“Yeah,’’ Cole agrees softly.

“I’m going to go see if I can find out anything from his school record. If someone has made a complaint against him then we’ll know. Not everyone will have been brave enough to go to the police and file a complaint.’’

“Unless his parents paid them off,’’ Cole adds.

“Yeah, there is that,’’ CJ grits out.

“When you find out who she is, can you let me be the one who talks to her?’’ I ask them.

“What? Why? I thought we were a team,’’ CJ whines, sending a pleading look to Cole, pleading for him to take his side.

“A team?’’ Cole repeats, looking at CJ like he’s lost his mind.

“Yeah, you know. You’re the muscle, I’m the genius and I’m unsure of what Willow is in this whole thing. She can be the glue,’’ he suggests after a minute.

“The glue?’’ I ask, feeling slightly offended.

“Yeah, the one that keeps us together.’’

“You’re seriously weird,’’ I tell him, raising an eyebrow. “I just think I should be the one to talk to her. If something has happened like we think it has then she’s not going to want to speak to you two. You’re giants.’’

“Friendly giants, though, right?’’ CJ asks, his eyes hopeful.

Cole looks at me, seeming far too interested in what my answer is going to be. They may both look like giants but they aren’t a danger to anyone or to me; that much I am sure of. Even Cole with his dangerous, dark looks and mysterious behaviour, he’s the only person I feel safe around at the moment. There’s just something calming about being around him.

“Yeah,’’ I giggle, although its cut short, turning into a yawn as Cole gets up, putting the first disk into the DVD player.

“Well, I’m off. I need to get some shit done before the next class. Don’t have too much fun without me,’’ CJ chuckles, getting up from his seat and grabbing his bag.

“See ya later.’’ I wave goodbye just as another yawn escapes me. “Urggh, I feel so tired.’’

“Exhaustion will do that to you. You okay if I shut the curtains?’’ he asks, the question confusing me.

“Uh, yeah; why wouldn’t it be?’’

“I just wanted to make sure,’’ he grumbles, seeming flushed. It makes a small smile fall to my lips. He can be so sweet.

When he sits back down he puts my feet back in his lap, covering us both back up under the blanket. He could have sat down on the sofa CJ just vacated; instead, he chose to stay next to me. It both warms and comforts me.

A thought occurs to me, one that has crossed my mind a few times but I’ve never had a chance to voice it. It slipped my mind last night with all the drama going on too.

“What?’’ Cole asks, once he realises I’m staring at him.

“I know why
I
hate Logan but why do
you
hate him?’’ I ask him and watch as a dark shadow crosses over his face.

He clears his throat, turning a little in his seat to face me. “We don’t know for sure how much of this is true, but knowing what I know now, you never know,’’ he shrugs.

“What happened?’’ I ask softly, hating how lost in he looks.

“A friend of ours, Colin, who played rugby with us was also friends with Logan. Colin got badly injured during a game and kept having problems with his injury after. Basically, Logan convinced him he could get a hold of some drugs that could help Colin with the pain. It was a shit storm. Didn’t take him long to become addicted and none of us could get him to see that he was damaging his body further. This is the part that is just a rumour...’’ he shrugs, looking at me like he’s unsure whether to tell me or not.

“Go on, I can handle it,’’ I whisper, not trusting my voice. My heart goes out to his friend and my mind can’t help but wonder where this story is going and what happened to him in the end. For some reason I can’t remember what Cole had said was wrong with him.

“Logan owed a huge debt to whoever his dealer was and because his parents only gave him a strict allowance he couldn’t afford to pay back his debt after he used the product himself. He blamed it all on Colin, telling his dealer that he stole the drugs for himself. In retaliation Colin was given a bad drug, one that has made him brain dead,’’ Cole grits out and I gasp.

“They did that to him? And Logan caused it all?’’ I ask, my eyes wide and watery.

“Yeah, the fucker didn’t even think we’d find out but the dealer is well known around these areas, so it wasn’t hard for word to get around what they do to people who steal from them. We ended up getting in a scrap with Logan and the rest of the football team over it. They were all trying to defend that sick fuck,’’ he tells me.

“I don’t even know what to say. Do you think he’s still selling drugs?’’

“Yeah I do, and because of who his parents are the police stay away from him. I think that’s why he still works for the same dealer. They know they can get more sales through him without the cops breathing down their necks.’’

“No wonder you hate him,’’ I mumble.

“Yeah, but now I loathe the fucking prick,’’ he grunts, his jaw clenched.

“Yeah,’’ I say absently. “Let’s talk about something else. Tell me about your family,’’ I yawn and he chuckles.

“Lie down; we’ll talk after.’’

“Okay,’’ I say, my eyes already closing.

*** *** ***

“Put me down, I can walk you big goof,’’ Allie screeches from close by, and I lift the blanket high over my head, trying to block out the sound.

A door opens, followed by a cool breeze causing me to shiver under the blanket.

“Low’s asleep,’’ Cole hisses from close by, no longer next to me.

“Soz, man. She’s a screamer,’’ CJ chuckles, suggestively.

“Can you keep it down?’’ I moan, throwing the blanket from off my face. I regret it the second the cool breeze hits me, shivers racing over my body.

“Willow,’’ Allie calls, sounding relieved to see me. “Are you okay? Knobhead filled me in.’’

I chuckle when I catch CJ’s face fall, his eyes narrowing slightly at Allie until her perk arse distracts him.

“I’m fine. I should have listened to you and taken the week off,’’ I tell her, chewing on my lip. “Was everyone talking about me?’’

Her soft expression falls, a look of dread crossing her features and the back of my eyes begin to burn.

“It’s going to be okay,’’ she promises, her voice hitching slightly.

“How bad?’’ I ask her, looking at her in the eye, so she can see that I’m not in the mood to be messed around. I just want the truth, even if it hurts.

She looks back at CJ, a sceptical look crossing her face. She’s hiding something and I know it’s to protect me, yet, all it’s doing is feeding my anxiety.

I’m about to argue with her, to demand answers but when I open my mouth to talk CJ jumps in, saving Allie from getting anymore grief from me.

“Someone recorded my speech this morning in class and shared it all over Facebook and Twitter,’’ he admits sheepishly, looking at me apologetically.

I understand why he did what he did and why he revealed so much. This subject is something that hits close to home with him and that’s why he flew off the handle. You can’t blame him for that.

Looking closer at CJ, I notice his jaw clench, his eyes glancing briefly over at Cole. With just that look alone I can tell that that isn’t the only thing that happened in my absence.

Glancing back at Allie, she’s wearing a similar expression and it makes me wonder what happened that has them so worried to tell me. My stomach sinks just thinking of the possibilities.

“Why do I feel like I’m only getting the abridged version?’’ I bite out, eyeing Allie accusingly. She should know by now that keeping secrets doesn’t help in the long run.

Now I’m just being a bitch.

“Logan,’’ Allie gets out before she has to take a nervous gulp. “We bumped into him on the way back.’’

“He was sprouting off some shit by the cafeteria. You really don’t need to hear what he was saying,’’ CJ tells me.

Allie looks at me, nodding her head in agreement, her expression full of sorrow. I know they’re just trying to protect me but I need to be prepared for what I’ve got to endure in the near future. Better they tell me now in private than to let me find out what was said in front of a crowd. I’ve gone through enough embarrassment; I don’t need any more.

“Please, I need to know,’’ I plead.

“Willow,’’ CJ warns, shaking his head.

“Please,’’ I beg louder.

“Low,’’ Cole says gently as he walks over to me. I sit up, ready to argue with him too. He just takes a seat next to me, pulling my back against his side. “Are you sure you want to know?’’

Surprised that he isn’t going to fight me on this, I turn, showing him my gratitude, my eyes watering.

“I’m sure.’’

An emotion flickers across Cole’s face before it hardens, his gaze flicking to CJ’s. “Tell her,’’ he demands.

“Fuck,’’ CJ snaps, looking to Allie with a helpless look. “He was laughing and joking with his mates about it all. He’s even told the people that will listen that Cole smashed his face in because he fucked you first.’’

Cole growls, his body tensing behind me. “What else?’’

“When he saw us he just started being a dickhead,’’ CJ grunts. “He got in Allie’s face, accusing her of brainwashing Willow against him. He even told her he’d fuck her just so she didn’t feel so left out,’’ CJ growls, his voice hard.

My face pales as I look to Allie in horror. Guilt must be written all over my face because she rushes to assure me that she’s okay.

“It’s fine. I’m used to him saying shit like that to me,’’ she explains, like that makes everything okay.

“I’m so sorry Allie. If it weren’t for me you wouldn’t be here dealing with all of this, you’d have already been close to finishing your course,’’ I remind her, feeling sick. “Nor would you have had to face
him
every day.’’