Foul Play (Whithall University Book 1) (18 page)

“Don’t say it like that. We both know I’d never have taken this step in life without you beside me to hold my hand,’’ she tells me with conviction.

“You’re stronger than you give yourself credit for,’’ I scoff. I can feel my face flush when I realise the boys attention is solely on us and on our emotional heart to heart.

Allie gives me a doubtful look, pushing her glasses up her nose in a nervous gesture.

“Too right you are,’’ CJ agrees from nowhere, making me chuckle.

Allie turns her flushed face towards him where he’s sitting on the other couch and rolls her eyes.

“Shut up,’’ she warns him, scrunching her nose up at him in a way I’m familiar with. It’s one she does when she’s done something she’s not proud of and doesn’t want anyone to find out. It’s freaking adorable.

“What did she do?’’ I ask CJ, a small smile playing on my lips.

“Don’t you dare!’’ she warns him again, her voice high this time. CJ opens his mouth but before he can even take in a breath, Allie is flying across the room and throwing herself at him, covering his mouth with her hand.

“No!’’ she screams and you can hear CJ’s muffled laughter behind her hand.

He starts wiggling and in seconds he has Allie’s arms pinned to her side with one hand whilst his free hand covering her mouth, shutting her up.

“Did you just lick me?’’ CJ chuckles. She narrows her eyes, a grunt and a few muffled curses slipping through her lips.

My smile is wide and I find myself laughing at their antics, finally feeling somewhat normal.

“She only attacked him. The prick is gonna have a few claw marks down his face.’’

I gasp. “You hit him?’’

She smacks CJ’s hand out of the way and before she jumps up from his lap, she shoves him hard in the shoulder.

“He asked for it,’’ she breathes out heavily, her words heated.

“She kicked him good and proper in the nuts too,’’ CJ chuckles, looking at Allie with a proud expression.

“I’ve been dying to do that for so long,’’ she admits with a shrug while she straightens herself out. “I didn’t even get a chance to punch the fucker out.’’

I laugh and it feels so good. “Get you,’’ I giggle teasingly, glad to see this side of her and in front of other people.

“Oh, that’s not the best part. The part where it took me and another lad to pull her off him was the best part. She kept screaming; ‘Let me at him,’ over and over,’’ CJ tells us, using his best girly voice.

“No wonder she was screaming at you in the hallway,’’ Cole chuckles light heartedly. He’s been pretty quiet through the whole exchange that I forgot he was even here even though I’m still leaning against him.

“Yeah, I was worried if I let her go that she’d go back and kill him and ruin our plans of destroying him.’’

My body tenses and my eyes widen in horror. I’ve not had time to talk to Allie about our plan to take him down, I wanted to keep her out of it for as long as possible. She’ll either be pissed that I didn’t tell her or annoyed she wasn’t brought in on it. Either way, this isn’t going to be good.

“What plan?’’ she asks, looking between us with a lost and hurt expression from being left in the dark.

“I was going to tell you about it later,’’ I rush out to explain, but she still looks hurt and disappointed that I didn’t tell her sooner.

“Tell me, I want to know what’s going on,’’ she pleads, looking between us all for some sort of answer.

CJ explains the plan – one that may backfire on us if we’re not careful. I watch Allie’s reaction closely, wanting to know what she makes of it all but she keeps her expression pretty blank throughout, not giving anything away.

“So, now you know,’’ I tell her, after CJ finishes explaining our plan. I’m still busy trying to gauge her reaction; however, her facial expression is completely blank.

She stays quiet, not glancing at any of us. The silence is killing. She isn’t one to usually hold back on me.

“Say something,’’ I plead. If she thinks that this plan isn’t going to work, then the plan isn’t going to work. Allie is the sort of person that will over-analyse everything, making sure to check all possible outcomes.

“You’re going to need evidence, recordings, photo’s and statements for all of this to work,’’ she finally answers, causing me to relax.

“We know, we’re getting another phone to hold everything we do manage to get.’’

“The police could think you set him up, though. Maybe you should tell them before you get any evidence? I know they’ll probably tell you to stay away but if you get the right officer they would probably help,’’ she explains helpfully.

We’re all mulling over what she said, coming up with other options and what we can do when Cole suddenly speaks up.

“You’re right. My uncle is a cop. I can talk to him and see what our options are.’’

“Won’t he tell you to leave it alone, to let the police do their job?’’ I ask, looking over my shoulder at him.

“Nah, his uncle is the shit. He’ll probably want to join us,’’ CJ chuckles.

I’m still staring at Cole when amusement dances in his eyes and his lips twitch at his friend.

“He’ll be cool,’’ Cole agrees.

“When do we start?’’ Allie pipes up, looking eager to start digging up dirt on Logan.

“Woh, woh, woh!’’ CJ shouts, flying to his fit. “There is no
we.
You ain’t getting involved with this, cupcake.’’

Allie stares unimpressed at him, her mouth agape. “Really?’’

“CJ,’’ I try to warn, but it’s too late to stop him, not that he’s listening to me.

“Really,’’ he answers stubbornly, his attitude cocky.

“Listen here, Mister, I’m already involved. I’ve been involved a lot longer than you. I want to see him suffer,’’ she yells at him.

“Allie, CJ’s right. You and Low don’t need to be put at anymore risk,’’ Cole starts. My back straightens and I scoot away from Cole, putting some breathing distance between us.

“Hold on a goddamn minute. Technically, this was all my idea so I’ll be damned if I let you take all the glory.’’

“It’s not like that,’’ he says, seeming flustered, yet controlled.

“We either do this with you or without you, but either way, Allie and I are doing this,’’ I argue, crossing my arms over my chest.

He sighs, scrubbing his hands down his face. Even CJ seems to struggle with my outburst, his hand gripping the back of his neck.

“Okay,’’ Cole gives in, not seeming too happy about it.

“Good,’’ I tell him, trying not to smile.

“What did you get on the girl?’’ Cole asks CJ, trying to come off as bored.

Allie and I give each other smug little triumph smiles before relaxing back to listen to everything CJ found out.

It’s been two days since we brought Allie in on our plan and since then I agreed to listen to Allie’s advice and take the rest of the week off, so that I can recoup. The school has been helpful by sending me what I’ll miss in my lessons to my email account.

It’s also given me a chance to visit the mystery girl from my class, only, every time Allie and I have turned up at her shared room door, she hasn’t been there. Her name is Becca and from what I remember about her, the name suits her.

She lives in one of the Private Halls owned by the university. Most of the first years have an option to move into the Private Halls or in one of the Resident Halls. You can – like me and Allie, also move into your own accommodation or a shared flat.

From what CJ found out, Becca shares her room with another student which might make it hard for us to talk to her. She’s not going to open up to us with someone there. We can only hope we manage to catch her today by herself.

“Do you think she’ll be here?’’ Allie asks as we huddle together under the umbrella.

“I hope so. God, Allie, you should have seen her face on Monday. It still haunts me,’’ I tell her, my voice cracking.

“We’ll help her,’’ Allie promises as we step inside the Private Halls building. Since we’ve made this trip three times already, we’re able to navigate ourselves pretty easily through the building, coming to Becca’s door in no time.

Allie takes in a deep breath before knocking on the door. My pulse beats hard in my chest from nerves. A huge part of me is scared and worried about what we’re about to find out from Becca.

The door opens slowly, revealing the girl from class and my breath hitches when I see how tired and worn out she looks.

“Hey, I’m Willow,’’ I say, introducing myself. Her eyes are as round as saucers and I see her hand move wanting to shut the door on us. Her eyes become fearful, unsure and when she begins to fidget, Allie steps forward.

“Please don’t shut the door on us,’’ Allie pleads gently, seeming to read Becca’s intentions.

“We just want to talk to you,’’ I tell her softly. She looks over her shoulder, back into the room at something or someone and the hairs on the back of my neck starts to prickle. When she glances back at us her eyes are filled with tears and gut wrenching sadness.

“I can’t talk to you,’’ she tells us and I find it odd that she’ll say something like that when she seemed so desperate on Monday to unload everything on me. I’m about to ask her why when Allie gets there before me.

“He already got to you didn’t he?’’ Allie sighs sadly and realisation dawns on me. She’s talking about Logan. He’s obviously turned up here and threatened her not to say anything. It’s a coward’s move on his behalf. He must have done a number on Becca, for her to be visibly shaking in front of me.

“He won’t hurt you, again,’’ I promise her, putting all my strength into the promise. She’s about to object but I’m not going to let him win again. “We’re going to stop him once and for all but we need your help. Please?’’

Becca seems to weigh my words, her eyes glancing between me and Allie, her expression a mixture of uncertainty and fear. She looks so goddamn petrified and it’s painful to see, it’s a look I’m waiting to see when I look in the mirror.

“Please,’’ Allie pleads, not hiding her desperation.

Whatever she sees in Allie’s eyes must ease her somewhat because she takes one look at the hallway behind us, like she’s searching for someone before inviting us in.

I don’t even get a chance to survey my surroundings when I step inside, not when I’m greeted with the sight in front of me. My eyes zero in on the broken girl curled up on the far end bed next to the window, her eyes widening at the sight of us. She’s battered and bruised and I’m pretty sure she was once beautiful; however, it’s hard to tell with all of the swelling on her face. My stomach turns just looking at her, my heart hurting.

What happened?

“Oh my God,’’ I gasp, horrified once reality sinks in.

“What happened?’’ Allie asks softly over her shoulder to Becca, who is still standing by the door with a fearful and crest-fallen expression.

“Becca?’’ the girl calls, her voice brittle and low, clearly in pain. She doesn’t take her eyes off me and Allie and I can’t say I blame her. I can’t even imagine what happened to her or how scared she must be right now.

“It’s okay, they’re here to help,’’ Becca rushes out, moving over to her friends’ side.

“But... But they said,’’ her friends says, her voice wobbly and her body trembling. Just looking at her my eyes begin to water and the yearning inside me wants to reach out and soothe her.

“Rosie, calm down. It’s going to be okay,’’ Becca assures her, yet still looks over at me and Allie for reassurance.

I begin to question myself, wondering if I can actually protect these two girls and still take Logan down but as soon as the thought runs through my mind, I know I’ll do everything humanly possible to help them. I nod my head, vowing to keep them safe it’s the last thing I do, even if it means jeopardising my own safety.

“They?’’ Allie asks, looking between the two girls with confusion.

Becca looks back at us with confusion of her own and I notice the second doubt seeps in because her eyes cloud over. She seems to think we would know who
they
are and I worry that we’re not here about the same person.

“Jamie and Logan,’’ Rosie whimpers, the names falling from her lips causing her pain.

“Jamie? What does that sleaze bag have to do with any of this?’’ I question, beginning to feel frustrated and a little lost.

“I thought you said you could help us?’’ Becca shouts, damn near hysterical.

“We can,’’ Allie rushes out, trying to calm her down.

“I was best friends with Logan my entire life. He blinded me from seeing who he really is from the very beginning of our friendship. He raped me, took something from me that wasn’t his to take and now I want to make sure he doesn’t do it to anyone else ever again. You need to help us help you. Help us fit the puzzle pieces together and tell us what happened to you and your friend. I promise, whatever you tell us in this room will stay between us,’’ I tell her. My voice stays strong and determined but it’s nothing to the raging turmoil storming inside me.

The room is silent for a minute or two, all of us left to our own thoughts. When Rosie speaks up I barely hear her.

“Tell them,’’ she pleads weakly.

Should she even be here? I’m wondering whether we need to take her to the hospital, but the chemist bag catches my eye and I relax a little knowing she’s already been seen by someone professional.

“Logan raped me,’’ Becca blurts out, a sob catching in her throat. She manages to get it out in such a mad rush that it sounds like this is the first time she’s said it out loud. “I had gone to a party last week. I’d only gone because I’d never really been invited before and I heard their party’s were legendary. And Logan...’’ she bites out and I watch as she loses herself in thought before managing to shake herself out of it. “He seemed really nice. We had been talking all that week before the party so I felt like I had gotten to know him on a deep, personal level.

“I had gone to the party even though it’s not really my scene. I don’t drink because I hate the feeling of being drunk so I wasn’t going to drink, but then he talked me into having one. I didn’t want to seem like a weirdo or the odd one out so I thought
one
wouldn’t hurt.

“I don’t even remember finishing the drink. All I can remember is wondering how on earth I could get rid of it so that it looked like I at least drank some of it.

“The next thing I know, I’m waking up in his bed completely naked. I was a virgin,’’ she sobs brokenly, her hands covering her face.

Not being able to sit and watch any longer, I move off the bed needing to hold her, to reassure her. Sitting down next to her I pull her into my arms, holding her tight against my chest as hard sobs rake through her body, causing her whole body to shake.

“If I had just gone to the police, you and Rosie would never have being attacked,’’ she cries into my neck.

“Don’t think like that. What he did, he did because he’s a monster, a sicko, not because of you,’’ I tell her soothingly.

“I tried to help you,’’ Rosie confesses all of a sudden, seeming a little out of focus. It’s hard to look at her without my stomach rolling. Her one eye is swollen to the point it’s swelled shut and her neck has bruised finger marks marking her. Nothing could have prepared me for this today. I’m not sure I’m equipped to handle anymore, not without fully breaking down.

“What?’’ I ask, blinking and wondering if I heard her right.

“We...’’ she pants, wincing in pain.

“Are you okay? Do you need anything?’’ Allie asks, sitting forward a little on the opposite bed from us.

Unable to talk she shakes her head, her eyes are closed and her faced is clenched in pain. Taking in a deep breath she opens her eyes, tears immediately falling from them.

“Becca didn’t want to go to the police; she didn’t...’’ she tries again but when it’s clear she isn’t going to be able to finish, Becca carry’s on from where she left off.

“I didn’t know what to say to them,’’ she finishes. “Logan had said it was consensual. He even showed me pictures of us all over each other,’’ she chokes out. “Because I was a virgin, he used that as an excuse as to why I was so sore. He made it sound so real that it made some sense but I knew; I knew it wasn’t because of that,’’ she cries whilst trying to wipe away her tears. “I was saving my virginity. I wasn’t waiting for marriage but I was waiting for the one. I didn’t want it to be someone I barely remembered in a few years time, now, whenever someone asks me who my first was, I’ll always be reminded of this.”

Rosie coughs, moving in the bed to try and get comfortable, though, nothing seems to help the poor, defensive girl. “I went to the party Friday to try and get some sort of evidence to prove what he said wasn’t true. I was just about to give up and leave when I saw you. I had just finished up in the bathroom when I walked out and bumped into you and Logan. He was basically holding you up. You were out of it and begging to go home. I asked if you were okay,’’ Rosie whispers but I don’t hear anything. I’m lost in a memory; one that I thought was a dream up until now.

“Oh my God,’’ I whisper, completely stunned whilst focusing on my breathing. “I remember hearing you and vaguely him replying, saying I was drunk or something but that’s it.’’

Rosie nods her head, sadly. “Yeah, that’s right. I laughed it off, trying to not act suspicious. As soon as you were out of sight I grabbed my phone, ready to call the police.

“Jamie, the lad who is always hanging out with Logan grabbed me. He took me to his room down the hall, laughing about me being a fighter in the bedroom to people passing by. He was so drugged up and drunk. He kept rambling on whilst hitting me over and over again. He told me everything about him and Logan, though, I don’t think he meant to,’’ she tells me, tears running down both of our faces.

“I’m so sorry that happened to you,’’ I tell her, my heart breaking. “Did he... Did he rape you?’’

Her face crumbles and she nods her head as she bawls, also admitting to being a virgin.

We sit in silence while comforting Rosie and each other, waiting until her cries subside before continuing.

“What did he tell you?’’ Allie asks gently, treading lightly. It’s a question I wanted to ask myself but didn’t know how to approach the subject without hurting her by bringing it all up again. It’s killing me inside having to talk about this. I’d do anything to be able to take away their pain.

“Jamie and Logan do this for kicks, for money. It’s a running bet that they’ve had going for years. They get so many points for each girl, all of which need to be unwilling participants. Virgins get the most points, unavailable or unattainable are next.’’

I physically gag and I have to lean forward, shoving my head between my knees to breathe through the sudden nausea. How could I not know what kind of a monster he was? Just thinking about him makes my skin crawl and every memory I have of him is now tarnished. I’ll never be able to look back on my younger years and be able to remember a good time because all of it will be filled with him. It makes me sick that I’ll never be able to get him out of my life.

“You said to my friend that you hadn’t seen Becca since Friday. What did you mean?’’ I ask Becca after a few tense seconds pass.

Becca looks to Rosie with a sad expression, like she’s reliving another nightmare all over again. Instead of Becca answering, Rosie does, her voice getting weaker.

“He left me unconscious in his room. If I’m honest, I believe he kept me there for his amusement because I couldn’t tell you how long I was there. It’s all a blur to me.

“I woke up in the early hours of Monday morning or late Sunday? I’m not sure. It was still dark out so I’m not even sure what time it was. I used what little strength I had to grab my clothes and get dressed. I got out of there and called a taxi. I must have passed out in the back because I don’t remember any of the drive.’’

“They need to be stopped,’’ Allie grits out, her face like thunder and I can feel her pain.