Foul Play (Whithall University Book 1) (28 page)

“Are you okay?’’ Allie repeats; this time standing next to me.

“No thanks to you two,’’ CJ snaps.

Allie turns her narrowed eyes on him but says nothing, just glares before turning back to me with a softer expression.

“I’m okay. Just shaken up,’’ I tell her through teary eyes.

A figure comes running through the door and all I see is her wild hair before I feel her arms wrapping around me.

“Allie told me. Thank you. Thank you so much,’’ Becca sobs hysterically. “I never thought I’d get justice, ever,’’ she cries harder. I cling onto her, feeling my walls of bravery crack and I end up wobbling on my feet. I would have fallen to the floor had it not been for Cole reaching out and holding me up.

“It’s okay. It’s over now, it’s really over,’’ I tell her, but feel like I’m telling myself more than I am her. For some reason it doesn’t feel real, none of it does.

“Where’s Rosie?’’ Allie asks Becca gently.

“She couldn’t come. She knew she wouldn’t handle being here or near them. I just needed to come to see for myself, to know this isn’t a dream,’’ she explains.

“I know exactly what you mean,’’ I sigh, glad I’m not the only one who feels like none of this is real.

“I need to get back to Rosie but let me know if anything changes I mean
anything
,’’ she asks us and I move forward, giving her another hug, knowing she needs it.

“We will. Go be with Rosie,’’ I tell her.

“I’ll see you later,’’ she tells me, her eyes still watery from her heavy tears. “Thank you so much. You have no idea how much. I already feel like the weight that’s been pressing on my chest is gone. I won’t have to watch my back every time I step out of my room or look round every corner to make sure they’re not there, waiting for me. I’ll sleep better knowing that they can’t hurt another person,’’ she admits and I get choked up by her admission, I never truly knew how much this meant to her until now.

“I understand,’’ I whisper and fall into Cole, needing his strength more than ever.

We all wave goodbye to her and CJ offers to walk her out, but not before leaving Allie with an angry glare. I wonder what happened there. He seems so mad at her.

“When can we go?’’ I whisper to Cole, wanting to get out of this ridiculous costume and out of this flat.

“The police need to talk to us,’’ he tells me and moves us so we can sit down on the sofa, pulling me into his side.

My eyes drift shut and it’s not long before I’m out, feeling the effects of the altercation between me and Logan.

The police woke me up for questioning, taking a statement from me and the others before they let us finally go home.

Logan’s been escorted to the hospital by the police for the injuries I inflicted. They should have let him suffer if you ask me; it’s the least he deserves. I don’t feel an ounce of remorse for what I did either. The only time I felt any kind of remorse or doubt about what I’d done was when Allie had asked the police officer if I was going to get arrested for what happened to Logan. I hadn’t even thought about the consequences my actions would cause. I’d gotten so hysterical back at Logan’s flat after Allie asked that question to the police. I kept explaining over and over to the police that it was self-defence, well, for the most part it was, the rest was because I lost control. Cole and one of the female officers managed to calm me down, explaining I wouldn’t be charged with anything.

I also met Cole’s uncle and, CJ was right, he’s freaking awesome. He wasn’t lanky, just really tall with a swimmers build. He had kind eyes just like Jackie’s which made me feel completely at ease with him. I just wish I had met him under better circumstances and I think he wished the same from the look he gave me when we had said our goodbyes.

It had been a good thing that he was there as he was able to explain things a little better to us once the police told us what would happen next.

They don’t think there’ll be a trial, only a sentencing since there’s too much evidence for it to be dismissed in court. It was comforting to know that we had someone we could trust, especially when I know how influential Logan’s parents could be. There’s no telling what kind of story they’ll try to spin to get their son off the charges. However, Cole’s uncle and the other officers promised to not let that happen. I can only have faith that the system will work, that we will get our justice.

I also found out what happened to Cole, CJ and Alex. Had it not been for my gut feeling, the plan would have gone to shit, like I predicted. Cole and CJ were angry that we had showed up, Cole said as much after I gave my statement to the police, telling me I could have been seriously hurt, asking me what I had been thinking.

It turns out some girl in the library overheard us that day we all met up to go over what the plan would be. The girl turned out to be their roommate’s girlfriend. Obviously, Chinese whispers occurred and it got back to Logan and Jamie pretty quickly. They knew what we were planning, the main parts anyway. They didn’t know about the police being outside or that we were looking for the chest, only that we were looking for something to get them both into trouble. How we never noticed someone close by shocked me since the place looked pretty dead when Allie and I arrived at the start of her shift.

In the end Logan and Jamie decided to make a plan of their own, making sure they were one step ahead of us. Knowing we all walked into some sort of trap still scares me. We still don’t know if they had time to go through with their own plan or what they actually had planned for us. I can only guess that Logan trying to force himself on me again was part of their plan.

I shudder, not wanting to think about what would have happened had I not grabbed that bat.

Alex, bless his heart, is getting checked out at the hospital after being drugged by one of the girls that were hanging off his arm. It makes me sick to my stomach knowing so many people, including girls, had a part in drugging someone, especially knowing what we were doing there. It’s not like what happened to me has been kept a secret since Logan and Alec decided to spread those pictures of me around the school. Had it been me, the person on the outside who didn’t know
what
to believe, I would have stayed away, not got myself involved, yet, it seems there were people willing to jump at the chance to help Logan.

Anyway, from what Cole and CJ put together, Logan and Jamie spotted Alex first, knowing an outsider when they saw one. According to Cole they knew the minute they arrived something was off because people kept giving them weary looks and they were the only ones wearing masks. Everyone else had makeup on, not that I took any notice of what people were wearing. Then when they got to the door they felt something stir in the air but they didn’t want to back out, knowing how upset I’d be if they didn’t get the chest. I kept telling him he should have gotten out of there but in a way I’m glad he didn’t. If he had left after I got there then God knows what would have happened to me in that room. I guess some part of me knew he’d come to my rescue. I know I saved myself from Logan, physically... But emotionally? The jury is still out. Cole saved me from dealing with it all at once and having a major breakdown. He calms everything raging inside me, giving me some semblance of peace.

What Allie saw before I ran off into Logan’s room, was a few of Logan’s friends from the football team targeting CJ. They ganged up on him, trying to rip the mask off and it turned violent quickly. When Cole jumped in to help him it started an all round fight, everyone in the room somehow getting involved.

It must have been a ploy for Logan to sneak away because he came into that room expecting me to be there, like he knew I wouldn’t stay away, and that thought scares me. I didn’t even know until the last minute that I would be there so how he knew... I shiver. I can’t even think about that right now.

One step at a time.

The only one that they didn’t figure out was involved was Jane. She was safe the entire time she was there. They knew they were going to be spiked, just not by whom. It’s why they never accepted drinks from anyone all night. Jane explained to Allie whilst Cole and CJ were in the room with me that she knew something wasn’t right and that’s why she didn’t drug them or offer them a drink. She continued to explain that she heard some girl offer to get Jamie a drink and he declined. But afterwards he gave a nod to someone standing across the room. Jane had watched someone dressed up as Frankenstein walk up behind the same girl and take her out of the flat, making it look like a scare prank. It wasn’t until Jamie gave Logan a smirk and a high five that she knew they knew the whole plan and they thought that girl was the one going to drug them. Jamie got up and followed the girl and Frankenstein.

Jane had followed where they were heading, messaging Cole’s uncle and CJ right away, telling him where she was and what was happening. I feel bad for what she saw, what she went though. I also know the guilt she must have been feeling because it’s the same guilt that I feel, knowing I’m the reason that the other girl was dragged into it. Jane didn’t want to wait for Cole’s uncle; she found her way through to the other flat, finding Jamie shirtless and the girl lying unconscious on the bed. I don’t want to think what could have happened had she not gone in there with CJ. My stomach twists just thinking about what
did
happen to that poor girl.

CJ got there before Cole’s uncle and did a number on Jamie, I saw that part for myself when the police were dragging him out, handcuffed. I think seeing the attack right in front of him set something inside him off, bring up painful memories and that’s why he attacked Jamie so brutally.

After the paramedics checked out me, Cole and CJ we were all able to leave. I let Cole drive us back in my car after saying goodbye to Jane and Cole’s uncle.

Now, I wish there was someone, anyone, to help break the tension radiating in the lift. You could literally cut it with a knife it was that thick. In the car it was smothering, now, though, it’s suffocating, sucking all the air out of the lift.  CJ has been quiet, the air deadly around him, like he’s going to snap at any second. At first I thought it was because of everything that happened back at the party but every time he looked at Allie his fixtures hardened, his eyes rolling.

The ding to announce that we’ve reached our floor seems louder than normal, causing me to jump. I’m bone tired even with the half an hour nap I somehow managed to get back at the flat. The paramedic assured me it was the adrenaline wearing off and that shock was beginning to sink in.

“I can’t take it anymore, will you just say something,’’ Allie snaps and I turn wide eyed thinking she’s talking to me but her narrowed eyes are aimed at CJ.

His eyes mirror hers, narrowed into tiny slits and he looks like he’s seconds away from blowing up.

Uh, oh!

Here we go...

“DID YOU LOSE YOUR GODDAMN FUCKING MIND?’’ he roars, throwing his hands up in the air. “I told you to stay here, to watch out for Willow, to keep you both safe.’’

“HOLD ON A GODDAMN MINUTE,’’ Allie yells, stepping towards him and poking his chest which is like poking a wild bear at the moment. “I wasn’t going to sit back and watch her go cray cray all night long waiting for you two idiots to come back. God knows what would have happened if we hadn’t shown up. We were the ones that got YOU out of trouble if I remember correctly. Did you forget it was me that pulled the fire alarm?’’ she snaps and I blink wondering when the hell a fire alarm went off. I never heard it, not once. It would explain how the whole floor of their building was emptied of party goers so quickly.

“No! And it’s not the point. You put yourselves in fucking danger.
You
could have been seriously hurt or fucking worse...’’ he sighs, stopping himself from finishing his sentence.

“You’re an overgrown ape. You know that? You drive me fucking insane. Can’t you just be polite and say thank you so we can all move on? No... You have to make a bigger deal out of it than it needs. You also put Alex in danger. You saw he was being manhandled by that fridge and neither of you moved to help him but the minute someone clocks you everyone’s jumping the CJ train,’’ she yells at him. Cole and I stand frozen by the front door, waiting and watching to see how this will all play out.

“You’re fucking crazy,’’ he shouts back. “He was enjoying himself. The guy needs to get laid and stop obsessing over you,’’ he snaps at her and it’s the wrong thing to say because Allie turns bright red, her anger palpable.

“You arrogant, self-centred, little minded dickhead. How dare you think you can...’’

I gasp, finding it hard to look away or stop the laugh bubbling up my throat. Covering my mouth with my hand, I giggle, watching as CJ completely dominants her, kissing the life out of her like a succubus.

“Holy hotness,’’ I giggle, leaning into Cole.

“It’s about fucking time,’’ Cole grumbles, his lips twitching.

Allie pulls back, slapping CJ around the face, her face now red for other reasons. “You can’t just kiss me,’’ she snaps, but her heavy breathing, swollen lips and molten eyes speak otherwise.

“I can,’’ he tells her huskily and pulls her in for another kiss, ignoring the fact that she just slapped his cheek good and proper. She doesn’t even fight him and when he picks her up, carrying her over to his door. I wait for the fireworks but none come. He manages to open the door and kick the door shut behind me him with his booted foot.

“Guess I’m not welcome,’’ Cole mutters, looking at the closed door.

“C’mon,’’ I giggle and open up my own door. We’re about to step inside when we hear it, her shrill scream.

“I said: don’t kiss me,’’ she yells, the sound echoing in the hallway. I laugh, no longer able to hold it back.

“Shut up and kiss me,’’ we hear CJ shout back and everything goes quiet again, making me laugh harder.

“Want a drink?’’ I ask when we walk in, heading towards the fridge.

“Water,’’ he answers, leaning against the doorway, with a heavy expression. “How are you?’’

“Honestly?’’ I ask, not knowing how to answer, everything still feels up in the air.

“Always,’’ he nods.

“I feel light, free. Everything that Becca said she felt, I feel the same, tenfold. I can’t explain it. But knowing I won’t bump into him tomorrow or the next day or wake up to him standing over my bed is a blessing. It feels like I’ve gone to confession and rid myself of all my sins but this time, ridding myself from all of my nightmares. I hate him, Cole, really hate him and I never knew I’d feel this kind of darkness towards anyone. But I do and tonight I could have killed him because of it,’’ I admit, feeling ashamed of myself somewhat.

“You did what you had to do to survive,’’ he tells me, the same thing he had said to me earlier. “We all have to do things we wouldn’t normally have to do to survive.’’

A deeper meaning is behind those words so I ask, “What do you mean?’’

He thinks for a minute, debating whether to tell me or not but I see the minute he decides to, his face tightens and a dark look flashes in his eyes, worrying me.

“Did mom tell you about my childhood before they adopted me?’’

I lean against the fridge, feeling saddened already and he hasn’t even told me anything yet. “Not really, she just mentioned it wasn’t good.’’

“It wasn’t. My mom was a drug addict, my dad long gone. She cared more about getting her next fix than her own child. I know I was only five but I remember stuff that I wish I didn’t. I ate out of dustbins just so I wouldn’t starve to death.

“When that started making me sick, I started eating the other kid’s lunches at school. I knew it was the only way I would get a decent meal. We all have to do things we wish we didn’t have to do so we can survive. Does it make us bad people? No. What happened with Logan isn’t the same, I know, but I know the conflict and war you have going on inside that head of yours. Like I knew back then that I needed to eat to live, even if it was scraps, you knew that you needed to fight back so you could live.’’