When Summer Ends (29 page)

The guy moved away a little, smiling. “Want a drink?” he
asked, picking up a cup from the side and passing it to me.

I shrugged and downed the cup of what I thought was juice,
but it had an alcohol burn too so maybe there was some vodka in it too.
“Thanks,” I mumbled.

“So, your guy’s still watching. Want to dance again?” he
asked, running his hand down my arm. I flinched my arm away from him, not
really liking him touching me.
Hmm, I can dance again I guess. I wonder how
long I would have to dance with this guy before Will comes over and tells me we’re
leaving.
I probably had about another two dances I guessed before he would
come over and put a stop to it and demand we leave for home.

“Okay sure.” I nodded. As the song progressed, my head felt
a little woozy. I had definitely drunk too much, and my eyes were a little
heavy. The guy grinned and stepped closer to me, putting his hand on the small
of my back.

After about five minutes I felt terrible. It was like the
drink had caught up with me all of a sudden or something. My whole body felt
heavy, and I was so damn tired all I wanted to do was sit down. My head slumped
forward onto the guy’s chest as I struggled to carry on dancing. My energy was
fast running out.
I need some fresh air or something to clear my head.

I pushed back away from him unsteadily. “I need to go sit
outside or something. I don’t feel well,” I mumbled, but my voice barely worked
and I wasn’t even sure if I’d said it out loud.

“Okay, come with me, I know a back way out. We can sit
outside for a little while until you feel better.” He took my hand and instantly
starting to pull me through the crowd, heading for the back of the house. I
followed weakly behind him, and he pushed open a door, ushering me through it.
I stopped and frowned.
This isn’t outside! It’s a bedroom. Huh?

“What the?” My head spinning, making me feel slightly sick.

The guy smiled and tugged on my hand, making me move to the
bed. “Why don’t you just lie down for a little while. You’ll feel better soon,”
he cooed. I sat on the bed and put my spinning head in my hands, willing myself
not to throw up. There was pressure on my shoulder as he guided me to lie back.
My whole body felt weak so I wouldn’t have been able to fight him even if I
wanted to. I laid down on my back.
Hopefully my head will stop spinning in a
minute and then I could go find Will and ask him to drive me home or something.
Wow, I hope I’m not sick in his car.

I was snapped out of my thoughts of Will when I felt
something on my neck.
What is that?
I forced my heavy eyelids open to
see the guy hovering above me. The guy was kissing down my neck as his hands
were lifting my shirt. I groaned groggily and tried to push him off, but I
could barely even lift my arms. They felt like they were ton weights or
something.

Oh God, why aren’t my hands working properly? What is he
doing?
“Stop it, I don’t want to,” I slurred, but my voice was barely above
a whisper.

He pulled back and grinned at me wickedly. “Oh come on,
you’ll enjoy it.” His eyes raked down my body slowly making my skin crawl.

I shook my head and tried to push myself up using my elbows,
but I was so damn heavy that nothing really happened. As I moved my head I
suddenly felt dizzy and lightheaded. The guy laughed and pushed me back down
onto the bed, his hand trailing up my leg cupping my ass as he pressed his lips
against mine.

Oh my God, am I about to be raped? Why the hell is he on
top of me, and why don’t I feel right?
My whole body felt heavy, but yet
weightless at the same time. My heart was beating so fast in my chest that it
was banging in my ears. I was literally scared stiff.

I whimpered and tried to move my head away but I was so
tired that my movements were barely even recognisable. Every time I blinked, my
eyelids would get heavier and harder to open. I was fighting a losing battle. The
blackness was taking over and I knew I needed to go to sleep; there was nothing
I could do. I didn’t even have the energy to scream or cry.

Chapter Nineteen

Just as I was about to give into the blackness, the guy’s
weight was gone from on top of me. I heard a crash and the sound of a scuffle.
I forced my stinging eyes open; turning my head towards the sound just in time
to see Will slam the guy against the wall. He pulled back his arm and punched
the guy in his already bloodied face.

Will’s here!
My heart stuttered in my chest. The
panic receded. I smiled weakly, trying desperately to keep my eyes open. I
tried to roll over so I could push myself up on all fours, but I was so
uncoordinated that I almost rolled off of the bed. Will threw the guy on the
floor, screaming profanities as he kicked him in the stomach and chest. His
face was the picture of rage. I actually felt a little scared for the guy on
the floor who was covering his head with his arms and trying to curl into a
ball.

Someone else ran into the room and grabbed Will, pulling him
back from the guy on the floor. Will was still thrashing violently, trying to
throw off the arms that restrained him. His face murderously angry. I squinted
through the haze and realised it was Jack holding him. He was saying something
in Will’s ear, holding on to him tightly. Will’s head snapped round in my direction,
and his face softened instantly. He nodded and calmed himself down immediately.
Jack let him go and Will ran to my side, gripping my shoulders pulling me up to
sitting as he wrapped his arms around me.

“Shit, Chloe, are you okay? Did he…” he trailed off, looking
at me horrified.

I buried my face in the side of his neck and breathed in his
delicious smell as I gripped the front of his T-shirt. I couldn’t stop the
silent tears from falling down my face.
I was almost raped and he saved me.
It was so close. If he was just a few minutes later it would have been too
late.

Will’s arms tightened around me as he stroked my back,
rocking me soothingly. I forced one of my heavy arms around his neck even
though it took almost all of my strength to do it. I clung to him as tightly as
I could while he pulled me into his lap, murmuring soothing words that he was
there and that I was safe. I could hear him talking to Jack, but it was like he
was a long way away or something instead of pressed against me.

“Do I need to take her to the hospital? What should I do?”
Will asked, sounding almost desperate.

“No, I found an Ambien packet in his pocket. It’s a sleeping
sedative. If he’s given her that then you just need to let her sleep it off.
The hospital wouldn’t do anything for that, and if she was going to have a
reaction to it she would have had it already. Just put her to bed,” Jack
answered. I knew from previous conversations with him that Jack was a resident
doctor at the hospital, so he knew what he was talking about. Will obviously
trusted his opinions.

His arms tightened around me. “Chloe, I’m going to take you
home okay? Can you hear me?” he asked as he shifted me in his arms.

I nodded but didn’t bother to open my eyes. I tightened my
arm on his neck as I was jostled. I cracked my eyes open, wincing against the
light in the room, to see that he’d stood and was carrying me. He strutted
effortlessly out of the room, heading through the lounge, weaving past people
as he muttered “excuse me” here and there. The party still carrying on,
oblivious to what had almost happened to me. Crying to my right caught my
attention. I glanced over to see that Amy was stumbling along behind us, crying
uncontrollably. I tried to smile reassuringly, but I was just too tired. Cool
air blasted against my face making me moan and press against Will more as I got
goosebumps.

“Get in the backseat, Amy; I’ll lay her down with you so you
can watch her. Shit, her parents are going to go crazy,” Will mumbled. I winced
at the thought of my parents.
I can’t go home like this, I’ll never be
allowed out again until the day I die!

“I don’t want to go home, don’t make me go home,” I croaked against
Will’s neck, gripping my hand in his hair as he moved me and laid me down with
my head on something soft. I didn’t move my hand, not letting him pull back
from me. “Please, Will, my parents will kill me,” I begged him with my eyes.

He sighed and reached behind him, pulling my hand from his
hair effortlessly. He frowned and looked like he was trying to decide something
before he groaned and nodded. “How about I take you to mine?” he offered,
looking from me to Amy. I turned my head looking up at Amy and realised I had
my head in her lap.

“She’s supposed to be staying at mine tonight though.” Amy
shook her head sadly, obviously knowing we were both in deep trouble for this.

Will straightened himself up and nodded. “You can both stay
at mine. Text your parents and tell them you’ve decided to stay at Chloe’s
instead,” Will ordered as he moved my legs slightly and then pulled back,
slamming the car door closed.

Amy smiled weakly and pulled out her cell phone. I looked at
her apologetically, but she just smiled and stroked my face softly. “It’s okay
now, Chloe. Don’t worry, Will’s got it,” she cooed.

I smiled and closed my eyes. I knew she was right, Will had
everything under control and just being here with him made everything okay. I
didn’t need to worry about anything when he was near me.

I was vaguely aware of being moved again, this time I didn’t
even have the strength to hold onto him as he carried me to goodness knows
where. I felt him settle me on something soft and I gripped his shirt weakly,
not letting him away from me.

“Where are we?” I mumbled, forcing my eyes open but it was
fairly dark in the room so I couldn’t make anything out.

“You’re at my place. Everything’s fine now. Amy’s going to
sleep in with you and I’m sleeping on the couch. Do you need anything?” he
asked, brushing my hair from my face softly. His fingers left a burning trail
along my cheek.

“I need you to stay with me.” I pulled him closer to me as I
snuggled into the bed more. I should have guessed where I was, his smell was
all around me making me feel safe and content.

“I can’t, Chloe,” he whispered, shaking his head slowly as
his eyes flicked behind me. I felt the bed dip as Amy got in the bed the other
side of me.

I gripped his shirt tighter; I needed him near me tonight. I
didn’t want him to leave. “Please?” I begged, trying not to cry.

He sighed and nodded. “I’ll stay until you fall asleep.” He
sat down on the floor next to the bed and took my hand, tracing circles in the back
of it with his thumb. I smiled at him gratefully and he smiled back tenderly,
his other hand stroking my hair softly. “Go to sleep,” he whispered. I nodded
and closed my eyes again, gripping his hand for dear life, afraid to let go
because I knew he would get up and leave.

After a few minutes of silence I felt his hand leave mine. I
tried to open my eyes but I couldn’t. I needed to sleep now and I couldn’t
fight it anymore.

“You’re Will aren’t you? Chloe’s Will,” I heard Amy say
behind me.

“Yeah I am,” Will answered. Something soft pressed against
the top of my head.
Was that his lips? Did he just kiss the top of my head?
I
smiled, but no matter how hard I tried, I just couldn’t open my eyes. “We’ll
talk about it in the morning. Get some sleep, Amy,” he muttered. I heard the
door open and close, but I couldn’t remember anything else.

Chapter Twenty

I slowly started to come around in the morning. I fought
desperately to hold onto the last moments of sleep though, because in my dream,
I was surrounded by a beautiful smell. I didn’t want to open my eyes and wake
from this incredible dream. I felt so contented and happy that I never wanted
it to end. I ignored the pounding in my head and just focused on the scent that
could only be one man, the one I was crazy about, the one I needed in my life.
Just Will plain and simple.

My mind started to wake even though I didn’t want it to and
I sighed deeply, squeezing my eyes shut, begging silently in my head for more
sleep. After a couple of minutes I cracked my eyes open to see red numbers
flashing on an alarm clock, instead of the usual green.
What on earth?
I
pushed myself up a little and groaned as the room span making my stomach lurch.
The pounding in my head got louder as I glanced around the familiar room, a
room I never expected to wake up in again in my life.

Wait, am I still dreaming?

Something moved behind me in the bed. I gasped with
excitement as I flicked my head around, expecting to see Will.
Maybe the
last couple of weeks have been a horrible dream. Maybe he isn’t my teacher, and
this was all just some sick nightmare that he’ll laugh at when I tell him about
it.

Though my thoughts were crushed when I saw the person there.
Instead of Will lying behind me, spooning my back, it was Amy. I felt a rush of
disappointment as I swallowed the lump in my throat. She was still sound
asleep. Her make-up had smudged under her eyes making her look like a panda. I
laugh quietly. I sat up slowly, gripping the edge of the mattress, wondering if
I was going to be sick.  I definitely needed to get out of the bed because lying
down was making me feel worse.

Why on earth am I at Will’s apartment with Amy? The last
thing I remember is going to the party with Sam, then Will showed up and we had
a little argument then that’s about it.
My memory was all a little hazy
from then on. I swung my legs off of the bed and tentatively stood up. I needed
to find Will and ask him what the heck we’re going to say to Amy about how we
both wound up in our teacher’s apartment for the night.