I still haven’t said anything to anyone about Cole standing outside my house in the middle of the night. I know my mum would just laugh it off and convince me that I had dreamt up the whole thing, whereas Lisa would take it much more seriously. She would probably want me to inform the headmaster at school or at least confide in a member of staff about what happened. I do realise that this would be the most sensible thing to do but there’s still something deep down inside of me that refuses to do it.
As bizarre as this might seem… I don’t want to get Cole into trouble. I don’t want him to feel like I’ve betrayed him by telling anyone else about our unnerving encounters and I guess I almost like the fact that it’s our secret. It’s something that only the two of us share and a part of me wants to keep it that way.
That doesn’t stop the feeling of dread I have in the pit of my stomach when I wake up on Monday morning. I hardly slept the night before, tossing and turning for several hours before I finally managed to doze off around four o’clock. I guess that’s why I now have huge bags under my eyes and can’t stop yawning as I slowly get ready to leave the house.
I have no idea what’s in store for today. I don’t know what to expect and I presume that’s the reason behind my anticipation. I’m on edge, anxious, excited and beyond nervous, wondering how on earth I should act around him or if I should behave any different to how I normally do. There’s a good chance that Cole will ignore me like he has done for these past three weeks, why the hell should I expect anything different now?
The journey I make to college seems to take even longer than usual. Every single step takes so much effort due to my mental and physical exhaustion. I haven’t slept properly since Friday, unable to find comfort in sleep because I know I’ll only see his face when I close my eyes. The inexplicable and perplexing pull I feel towards him terrifies me, mainly because I don’t understand it. I can’t even begin to explain it and that’s what unsettles me the most.
I spot Lisa as soon as soon as I walk through the front gates, observing her long blonde hair in the sunlight before she even turns around. She’s leaning against the side of her new car with her phone in her hand, oblivious to my presence as she plays on her phone. Words cannot describe how shocked I was when she told me she was bringing her car to school this morning. I guess she got sick and tired of leaving it at home and decided to drive to college in it for the first time. She offered me a lift but I politely declined, certain that the walk to school and the fresh air would make me feel better.
“Wow… you actually did it! You finally drove to school in your new car.” I grin at her, admiring the pristine condition of it.
She startles at the sound of my voice and looks up, rewarding me with a dazzling smile when she sees me.
“Yeah, I finally decided that it was the right time for me to do it. I feel so much more confident now than I did before.”
“That’s great, Lisa. I’m so proud of you.”
“You’re going to let me give you a lift home tonight, right?”
“Of course. You think I’m going to walk by myself whilst you’re cruising around in this?” I joke, linking my arm through hers.
We make our way through the entrance, neither one of us wanting to revisit the painfully embarrassing events that took place on Friday. I told Lisa on Saturday night when she stayed over that I didn’t want to talk about it anymore and I’m lucky enough to have a best friend who will always respect my wishes.
I still can’t help that I’m on red alert as I walk through the hallways, constantly on the lookout for Cole, desperate to catch just a glimpse of him before our morning lessons start. The only class we share together is English and we don’t even have that class on a Monday. I guess I’m going to have to wait until dinner before I see him.
If he’s even there. My subconscious taunts me once again, refusing to let up on the sarcastic comments and negative musings.
“Are you sure you’re feeling ok after… well, after what happened on Friday.” My friend asks, unable to hide her concern.
“Lisa, we spent most of the weekend together at my house. You know I’m alright.” I assure her, trying my best to sound convincing.
We’re standing by my locker which is just a few yards away from hers. The hustle and bustle from the other students walking by prevents us from being able to talk properly… something I’m actually grateful for. The last thing I need right now is Lisa trying to figure out what’s bothering me. For some strange reason I know I have to keep what happened to myself and will do anything in my power to keep it that way.
“You’re just so quiet these days, it’s as though something is bothering you but you won’t open up to me about it.”
“Nothing is bothering me.” I lie, plastering a false smile onto my face. “I’m really ok so please stop worrying.”
The first bell starts to ring, giving us our five minute warning. Lisa and I quickly make our arrangements to meet up at dinner and head off to our different classes. My first lesson of the day is Sociology, one of the three subjects I chose to study for my A levels and probably my least favourite of them all. Now that I’m in my second year of college the workload has suddenly become so much harder. Last year was fairly easy, I remember I had hardly any exams and not too much coursework. This year, however, is far more challenging. My exams aren’t until the end of the year but the work I have to complete between now and then is more than a little overwhelming.
The rest of my day is a little blurry. I can barely concentrate on my lessons and feel like my surroundings are starting to become unclear and out of focus. I know this probably comes down to how tired I am. Surviving on six hours sleep in two days is not enough to get me through a gruelling day at school and I know I really need to go straight to bed as soon as I get home, hoping that some rest and recuperation will make me feel better.
Of course, I have to get through the rest of the afternoon before that can happen and now that’s its actually time for lunch, the anxiety and trepidation I’ve been struggling with all morning has resurfaced.
The cafeteria is the only place I might catch a glimpse of Cole but it’s not a guarantee. I don’t think he’s even set foot inside the dining hall for the past week. Why should today be any different?
Because you caught him standing outside your house.
I try to quieten the disconcerting voice in my ear, fighting to maintain a small amount of dignity before I might be forced to face him.
Lisa is already at our table and waves me over. I smile weakly, struggling to ignore the butterflies in my stomach and my accelerated heart rate as I make my way over to her. I can hardly bring myself to look in the direction where he might be sitting. My legs are weak and my whole body is now trembling as though I have something terrible to fear. My instincts are heightened, my nerve endings are on fire, crackling with suspense and nervous excitement.
I know he is here. I don’t even have to look… my body can just feel it. My senses are aware of him before I am and it frightens me because I’ve never experienced anything like this before in my entire life.
“Hey, you. Good day so far?” Lisa asks, taking a sip of her hot chocolate.
She gets the same drink every single day, regardless of how warm it is outside, she always has her cup of hot chocolate. I normally make a joke about this with her but today I’m far too distracted. I can barely focus on what she’s saying, let alone find the appropriate answer to respond with.
“It’s been alright.” I reply absentmindedly, taking the seat opposite my friend so I can keep a watchful eye on the whole cafeteria.
“No one has said anything to you, have they?”
“Huh? What do you mean?” I frown, wondering what she’s referring to.
“I mean… after Stacey’s party.”
“Oh, um… no. No one has said anything.” I answer, unscrewing the top off my water bottle.
I should really go and order some food but I honestly don’t think I’d be able to
eat anything right now and decide to stick with water instead.
“That’s good.” She assures me, smiling warmly. “I’m sorry to bring it up, Serena. I just wanted to make sure.”
“It’s fine.”
We engage in casual conversation for the next few minutes before I finally find the strength to look directly at his table. I instantly regret when I spot him with a breathtakingly beautiful girl on his lap. He’s talking to one of his male friends whilst stroking the girl’s bare leg, running his fingers up and down her tanned skin, caressing her thigh in a way that makes me feel sick with envy.
I force myself to turn away, transfixing my gaze on the table in front of me instead. How could I be so stupid? Why did I allow myself to think that Friday night meant something to him? It clearly doesn’t. It didn’t mean anything at all. I don’t know how he found out where I live, I don’t know if he followed me and Lisa when we left the party or if he found out from someone else but what I do know is that it didn’t matter. It was meaningless to him and that’s exactly how I have to feel about it from now on.
“Are you sure you’re ok? You look a little peaky.”
Lisa’s question startles me, pulling me out of my deep contemplation as I’m brought back to the present moment in time.
“I’m just tired. I can’t wait until the day is finished.” I yawn, raking my fingers through my hair which is already tussled and messy.
“Why don’t you ask to go home early?”
“I don’t know…” I say uncertainly, already feeling guilty about the idea.
“They can’t stop you.” She encourages me. “We’re in college now, Serena. So long as you let them know and sign out at reception before you go, they can’t say anything about it.”
“I suppose you’re right.” I murmur, seriously starting to consider it.
“Go home and get some rest, you will feel much better by tomorrow.”
The bell rings two seconds later, announcing the start of our afternoon classes. I pick up my bag and head towards the exit, taking one last look behind me before I go. Cole is still sat down but the girl who was sitting on his lap is nowhere to be seen. I breathe a sigh of relief as I turn around and walk through the main door, thankful I didn’t have to witness them together again before I left.
It really was a simple as Lisa said it would be. I told the receptionist that I wasn’t feeling well and wanted to go home early, signed my name and that’s all there was to it. It felt so good to walk through the school gates and leave everything about my tumultuous day behind me. I’m already halfway home and can feel some of the tension I’ve been carrying start to disappear.
The sound of a car’s engine forces me to turn around. I recognise the expensive BMW from school but have no idea who it belongs to and it’s only when the drive steps out of his vehicle that I remember.
Jonathan.
He’s one of the idiots who hurled abuse at me at me as soon as I arrived at Stacey’s party the other night. He’s actually one of the guys who made my life a living hell last year after my picture was spread around and just the sight of him makes me feel nauseous and afraid.
“Serena!” He calls after me, quickening his footsteps. “You need a ride?”
“No thank you.” I respond coolly, keeping my head down as I walk on.
We’re on a quiet road and no cars hardly come by here. There’s a field to my right but no main road. Our journey home has always been a little creepy and that’s why Lisa and I come back together. If either one of us can’t make it, the other one will choose the long route instead. This is the first time I have chosen to head back by myself and now that Jonathan has turned up… I’m starting to regret my decision.
“Come on, I don’t mind.” He says, taking hold of my arm.
“I said no.” I snap, wrenching myself free from his grasp.
“That’s not what you said to Lewis.” He taunts me, his eyes gleaming with cruelty.
“What?” I whisper, coming to a halt when he stands right in front of me.
“He asked you to send him that photo and you did it. Why can’t you say yes to me giving you a ride home?” He challenges, towering above me in an intimidating manner.
“Just leave me alone. I’ve never done anything to you.”
“That’s right, you haven’t. You haven’t done anything for me either.” He whispers softly. “I’m pretty sure that’s about to change.”
“W-what do you mean?” I stammer, peering up at him in fear.
“You see this?” He asks, reaching for something in his back pocket. He pulls out his phone and scrolls through it, only showing it to me when he’s found what he’s looking for. “I still have that picture of you that Lewis sent to me last year and unless you do exactly as I say right now… I’m going to resend it.”
“To who?” I gasp, suddenly overwhelmed by the feeling that I’m going to faint.
“To everyone I know. The whole thing will be stirred up again, Serena. Now, I can make things really, really hard for you or I can make things easy. It’s your choice.”
He takes a strand of my hair, twirling it around his fingertips. I’d pull back from him but I can’t move, it feels like I’m frozen to the very spot where I’m standing.
“Y-you’re blackmailing me?”
“Not yet.” He answers calmly, trailing the thumb of his other hand down the side of my face. “But I will do if you refuse to cooperate with me.”
“What on earth could you possibly want from me?”
“What do you think I want, Serena?”
His tone is direct, loaded with a sexual insinuation I can’t ignore.
“Me?” I murmur, disbelief and dread consuming every single part of my body.
“Precisely.”
“You’ve mistreated me for an entire year, why in God’s name would I want you?”
“Because you know what the consequences will be if you don’t do what I say. Just imagine it, having to relive all that pain and humiliation all over again. You don’t really want that, do you?”
Before I even have a chance to respond to him, he’s got his hand around the back of my neck, pulling me into an unwanted kiss. I squirm and fight it, trying my hardest to escape him. However, it’s no use… he’s too strong for me. There are no houses close by and not a single person in sight. I can’t even scream because I can’t get enough air into my lungs. His vile mouth is pressed so firmly against mine, I can hardly breathe. Ten thousand thoughts are swirling around inside my head and I can’t even begin to make sense of a single one of them. I’m paralysed by fear and the merciless grip it has around my throat.
I somehow manage to process that he’s pushing me backwards. He’s forcing me towards his car and I’m powerless to stop him. It’s only when he’s about to shove me through the car door that my protective instincts finally kick in. I lash out and kick him, determined to do everything in my power to get away.
My efforts are futile. He’s far too strong for me and absolutely determined to carry out what he must have had planned when he saw me leave college early. He must have followed me with a sinister intention in mind and now he’s going to see it through.
I try and scream, frantic in my attempts to draw attention to myself. If there’s someone close by I need to make sure they will hear me and pray to God that they will come and help me.
“Let go of me!” I wail, scratching and clawing at his face in desperation.
“Don’t worry, baby. I’ll make sure you enjoy it.”
He has a smug and victorious grin on his face, gloating over the fact that he’s almost managed to defeat me by conquering my small frame.
“She said let go.”
A threatening voice startles us both, causing Jonathan to let go of me when he turns around to face our intruder. I need to catch a glimpse of him for myself and gasp when I see who it is standing just a few feet away from us.
Cole.
He’s actually here. He’s right in front of me and I
can’t even begin to figure out the reason why. His fists are clenched and the murderous expression on his face is one I don’t recognise. He’s glowering at Jonathan, making sure he is the sole recipient of his malevolent glare.
“This has got nothing to do with you, Cole. I’m just talking to her.”
“After what I said?” Cole asks, taking one step closer towards us.
His voice has changed as well his posture, causing him to appear even more savage and sinister than he did when I first saw him.
“You were actually been serious?” Jonathan asks him, sounding shocked. “You really meant it when you told every single one of us to stay away from her?”
“That’s right.” Cole growls menacingly, closing the distance between us.
I’d be terrified if I thought he planned on causing me any harm but for some peculiar reason… I know he doesn’t. His fury is aimed entirely at Jonathan and I’m so thankful I’m not the one on the receiving end of Cole’s bitter wrath.
“Ok, so maybe there has been some sort misunderstanding.” Jonathan tries to explain, slowly starting to back away from him and his ferocious scowl.
“I think you’re right.” Cole replies smoothly, refusing to tear his eyes away from my attacker.
He’s stalking him like a predator would his prey, circling in on him until he has no means of escape. Jonathan is trapped and I have no idea how he’s going to find a way out of this. Cole is frightening. He’s strong, tall, powerful and athletic, he could easily destroy Jonathan and even though he wanted to harm me himself just a few moments ago, I don’t think I’ll be able to witness him being hurt.
“Come on, Cole.” Jonathan begs, trying to discourage him. “We can talk about this, right? There’s no need for it to turn nasty.”
“You touched her.” Cole seethes, striding over to him. “You touched her against her will and against mine. I told you to keep away from her!” He grabs Jonathan around the throat and throws his body on the ground, towering above him with a monstrous gleam in his eyes.
“But she’s fine! Look at her, she’s ok. You’re alright, aren’t you?” Jonathan pleads with me, begging me to intervene and stop what’s about to happen.
That Summer (Part One) Page 4