by Jasmine Walt
Mom nodded and took her place at the table. I filled two glasses with water and sat. Out of habit, I brushed my hair behind my ear. Bad move.
“What happened?” Dad asked, his fork hovering in the air.
My eyes flew to the plate of lasagna in front of me. I hated lying, plus I was bad at it. “I ran into something.” I waved my hand in the air. “I’m fine.” My eyes flitted to Harrison, who mouthed, “Sorry.”
“You ran into something?” Mom questioned, giving me a look that said she didn’t believe a word I was saying. “What on earth did you run into?”
“A rock.” I broke my garlic bread in half. “That was on the ground.”
“Anora—” Mom started.
I took a deep breath. “All right. I fell off Mystery.” That wasn’t a total lie. Just not the whole truth. “He spooked.”
Mom got up and hurried around the table. She took my head in her hands to examine me.
“I’m fine,” I said again.
Mike, who had been too busy looking my boobs, hadn’t noticed the cut.
“You don’t look fine,” he said, eyeing my forehead. I couldn’t tell if he was concerned for my safety or for my looks.
“Thanks,” I told him sarcastically, pulling away from Mom.
“Were you not wearing a helmet?” Mom asked, her face serious. I thought about saying yes, of course I had a helmet on, but I knew she was testing me. A helmet would have prevented this injury.
“No,” I said meekly.
“You’re lucky, Anora. I’ve seen—”
“I know, I know. You’ve seen enough head injuries to last a lifetime. I’m sorry, okay?”
“Anora,” Mom said sternly. “You know better than to ride without a helmet. Do I need to ground you?”
Ground me from riding? I’d die. “No. I learned my lesson, and I won’t do it again.” I fidgeted in my seat and moved my hair over the gash. I picked up my fork and shoved a piece of lasagna into my mouth.
Harrison changed the subject, and I managed to survive the rest of dinner without being lectured on safe riding. Thinking about the fall chased away my appetite. That dog-creature was still so vivid in my mind. I saw it every time I closed my eyes and smelled the dirt and sulfur on its fur like it was right in front of me.
“Hey, look at the time,” Mike said several minutes later. I blinked and looked up, only then realizing my heart was racing. “We’re going to be late. Ready to go?”
I finished my garlic bread and drank the rest of my water. I raced upstairs to brush my teeth and grab my overnight bag. Mom and Dad gave me a hug goodbye, and then I was out the door.
3
Mike and I walked hand in hand up to the front door of the big, white house. I had never been to a frat party before, and I wasn’t sure what to expect. I imagined it would be like something in the movies: loud music, people dancing and laughing, and a keg in the corner.
When we entered the living room, I was surprised at how mellow the atmosphere was in the house. Music was playing, but it was quiet enough to talk over. The house smelled like alcohol and unwashed clothes. I wrinkled my nose, trying to casually bring my hair over my face to block out the smell. Several people sat in the living room, wearing jeans, t-shirts, and flip-flops. I immediately felt overdressed. Their conversations ceased when they saw me. A girl with short bleach-blonde hair ran her eyes over me before raising her eyebrows.
“You must be Anora,” she said with fake charm. She got up and strode over. “I’m Mike’s friend Alix. It’s so nice to finally meet you.”
I forced a smiled. Negative energy poured off of her, making me sick. “Yeah, nice to meet you too.”
Alix was very tan, thin, and wore so much perfume that it gagged me. “So Mike tells me you’ve never been to a party before.”
Blood rushed to my cheeks. I didn’t think it was a big deal that I hadn’t, but the way she said it was belittling. “Uh, no.” I stepped closer to Mike. Alix moved in. What did this girl want from me?
“Well, it will be fun. You’re a senior, right?”
“Yeah, I am.”
She tipped her head back. “High school seems like such a long time ago. Come on, I’ll show you around.” She held out her hand. I smiled again and took it, wondering if I should take my shoes off. I wanted to; these heels weren’t very comfortable. Everyone else had their shoes on. I took a breath. I’d leave them on. It was ridiculous stupid shoes could cause this much stress.
Alix led me around the house, introducing me to everyone and telling them that this was my first party. By the time we were back in the living room, a few more people had filtered into the house. I sat on the couch next to Mike.
“Want anything to drink?” Alix asked, perching on the arm of the couch and putting an arm over Mike’s shoulders. He looked up at her and winked.
“No thanks,” I said.
“Aw, you’re so cute,” Alix laughed.
I played with the hem of my dress and felt very out of place when everyone else had a drink in their hand. I leaned back on the couch, wishing I could disappear into the cushions. I brushed my hair back behind my ear.
The guy sitting across from us leaned forward. “What the hell happened to you?”
I blinked, then shook my head when I realized the ugly scab was showing.
“She fell off her horse,” Mike said for me and slowly slid his fingers up the hem of my dress. I put my hands in my lap to stop him from going any higher up my leg.
“You have a horse?” the guy asked.
“Yeah, I have two actually,” I told him, perking up. I could talk about horses all day.
“Cool. My sister wants one. She won’t shut up about it.”
“Oh, well, she should really get one. They’re a lot of work, but they are totally worth it. I don’t know what I’d do if I didn’t have mine. I’d have too much free time for sure.”
He raised his eyebrows and then got up and walked away. Great. Now I felt stupid. I took a breath and looked for a clock. I wanted Laney and Marie to hurry up and get here.
The house slowly began to fill with people as the minutes ticked by, and when two boys walked in carrying a keg, the party turned into what I had imagined.
An hour and a half later, my friends had shown up, and we were having a good time. Marie downed two drinks within five minutes of being there and was already drunk. Laney slowly sipped a beer, and I stuck to water.
I left my friends, who were dancing in the living room, to go find Mike. I pushed through the crowd, making my way to the kitchen where Mike was playing beer pong with Travis. He stopped when he saw me and pulled me close.
“Anora!” someone called excitedly, as if we were best friends. I pulled away from Mike. Natalie and Jill, two popular girls from my school, smiled and waved. I blinked.
“I love that dress,” Jill cooed. “You look amazing in it.”
“Thanks,” I stammered. Natalie and Jill, along with a handful of other cheerleaders, sat at the opposite end of the long lunch table we shared at school. They acted as if Laney, Marie, and I were invisible. I was surprised they even knew my name.
Mike pulled me in again and kissed me. “Want to go to my place? No one is home,” he told me. Mike still lived at home; his parents’ house was close enough to the University for him to easily drive to his classes, and his mom still did his laundry, cooked him dinner, and paid all his bills. I guess I couldn’t blame him for not wanting to move out yet.
I didn’t want to go back to Mike’s house. I knew what he wanted, and I didn’t want to have sex with him. I was still a virgin and wanted my first time to be a bit more meaningful than this. “Let’s stay here a while longer,” I blurted.
“All right,” Mike said with a smile.
I went back to join my friends. Marie pulled me in, dancing with me. I laughed and put my hands on her waist, swaying along with her. Time passed quickly, and soon, my legs were tired. It was hot in the crowded house, and I was thirsty.
Marie bro
ke away from the group, returning with red plastic cups. I took one from her, eyeing the liquid that sloshed inside. It was a vivid blue and smelled like Kool-Aid. I gulped it down before realizing it tasted like alcohol. Oh well. One drink wouldn’t kill me, right?
Dizziness crashed down on me right when I decided to find Mike. I teetered on my heels as I walked around the house. He was nowhere to be found. Spying one of the girls who had been chatting with Alix when I first arrived, I waved to her and asked if she had seen Mike. She said she saw him go upstairs a while ago.
I nodded and smiled before turning on my heel. The stairs were steep and narrow and led up to a long, dark hallway. The effects of the alcohol were settling in, and I had to grip the railing to keep my balance. A sliver of light spilled out of the last room in the hall. I could still hear the thumping base from the music downstairs, but it was quiet enough up here to hear three distinct voices coming from the bedroom.
“Have you banged her yet?” It was Travis.
A girl snorted with laughter. “No. He still hasn’t.” It sounded like Alix.
“What’s taking so long?” Travis again.
“She’s not easy.” Oh my God. It was Mike. I wasn’t aware that I was edging closer and closer to the door. This can’t be happening. “I’m gonna score tonight.”
“You better, or the bet is off,” Travis said.
“I will,” Mike said.
“Don’t get me wrong, man. Anora is probably the hottest girl you’ve ever dated, but she’s weird.”
“Yeah she is. I’m getting tired of listening to her talk about her damn horses all the time,” Mike agreed.
Tears filled my eyes. I felt numb. I could see Alix lying on the bed.
“Suck it up, man. I would totally listen to her talk about horses if it meant I could get my hands on those perfect tits!” Travis said, holding up his hands.
“She’s not even that hot!” Alix sat up.
“Yes, she is!” Mike and Travis said in unison. My hands were shaking. I was hurt, mad, embarrassed, and ashamed of myself for thinking that Mike had really liked me. I wiped the tears out of my eyes, flicking my hand down so fast it hit the doorknob.
Crap. All three of them jumped.
“Anora,” Mike gasped and rushed over. He tried to put his arms around me. Alix began to laugh. Travis stood there, not knowing what to do.
“Get your hands off me!” I shoved him and stumbled away. Why did I have that drink?
“Let me help you.” Mike put his arm around my waist.
“Asshole! Do you seriously think that this is going to work? I heard every word. Get away from me!” I shoved him again, this time with a strength that I didn’t know I had. He fell backwards into the wall, head cracking against the drywall. I ran for the stairs and made it down before he could reach me. Tears pooled in my eyes. I quickly looked around for Marie and Laney and didn’t find them. I didn’t want to be in this house any longer.
“Anora,” Mike called from upstairs. “Wait!”
I grabbed my purse from behind the computer desk where I had stashed it earlier and marched out the door, biting my lip to keep from crying. I kept walking, wobbling on my heels, until the sights and sounds of the party were gone.
The air had a chill to it, but it didn’t bother me. Maybe it was from the drink, or maybe it was from the emotional pit I was in. I felt so stupid that I had let Mike use me like that. I should have seen it coming. He rarely called, he made no effort to like my family or my friends, he never seemed to care if they liked him either. He acted openly bored about the horses, and he hated Romeo! Okay…maybe the last point was a bit off the deep end, but I needed to be angry right now. It certainly beat being sad.
Cars zoomed past me, and I realized I had no idea where I was. Chatter echoed up and down the street. I kept my head down, not wanting to be around anyone. I’d figure out where I was eventually and decide what to do from there.
I paused under a street light, feeling eyes on my back. I angrily wiped tears off my cheeks, too drunk and upset to be scared.
Shoes scuffled on the sidewalk. “It’s not safe to be walking out here alone,” a man said, his voice deep and calm.
“What’s it to you?” I spat before fear crept over me. If that didn’t sound like a line from a horror movie, then I didn’t know what did. I turned slowly, expecting to see a man with a hook arm or a shaggy gray beard or something creepy, but what I saw shocked me even more.
A very attractive man, who I guessed to be in his early twenties, looked at me. His eyebrows were pushed together, and his brown eyes showed concern. A five o’clock shadow covered his defined cheekbones, and his full lips were pulled into a frown. He was tall and muscular, dressed in a dark blue t-shirt, jeans, and a black motorcycle jacket.
“Are you okay?” he asked.
“No,” I said before I knew what I was doing. I turned back around and stumbled, feeling the effects of the drink even stronger now. He rushed forward with inhumane speed, catching me at the last minute. I stared at him, feeling dizzier by the second.
“Want to sit?” he asked.
“How do I know you’re not a psycho killer?”
“And how do I know you’re not?” He smiled. Damn it. He looked absolutely charming. I didn’t want to find him—or anyone—attractive right now. “I’m Ethan.”
“I’m Anora,” I said, trying to gather my composure. A car drove by, and the bright lights hurt my head. The world spun around me. Sitting really did seem like a good idea.
Ethan held out a hand, as if he thought I might fall. I held my head up and did my best to walk over the uneven sidewalk. I sank down on the bench. Ethan sat next to me, keeping a respectful distance.
“Anora, what are you doing out here alone, especially dressed like that?” he asked.
Oh geez, he sounded like my mother. “I was at a party. I wanted to leave, so I left.”
“Okay.” He looked behind us, eyes shifting back and forth.
“Expecting someone?” I asked.
His shoulders stiffened for a brief moment. “No, not at all.”
“What are you looking for?”
“I thought I saw…never mind.” He smiled, and his whole face lit up. I shivered and wrapped my arms around myself. “Are you cold?” Ethan asked.
“A little.”
He took off his leather jacket and draped it around my shoulders.
“Why are you being so nice to me?” I asked, pulling the jacket around my arms. It was warm from his skin. Maybe he was a psycho killer, and he lured girls in by pretending to be nice to them. It wouldn’t be the first time I fell for a pretty face. Well, except Mike wasn’t a murderer, just a douchebag.
He shrugged. “You looked like you could use some help.”
“Oh. Thanks.”
“Listen, I don’t think we should be out here.” He looked behind us again nervously. “Want to get some coffee or something? Then you should call a friend to come get you.”
“Yes, but I’m not getting in a car with you. I’m still not convinced you’re not going to kill me.”
He laughed. “Fair enough.” He stood and held out his hand to help me up. I didn’t take it.
“I am capable of doing things myself, you know,” I snapped. “Sorry, that was rude.” I tripped as I stood. “It’s been a long night.” I sighed. “A long day, actually.”
Ethan started walking in the opposite direction that he had come from. I was too drunk to ask him where we were going. I wobbled along next to him for two blocks before I spoke.
“How do you feel about ferrets?” I looked up at him. He raised an eyebrow, looking at me as if I was crazy.
“They’re fun. I had one when I was a kid.”
I smiled. “And what about horses?”
“I’ve never ridden one, but I’d like to.” Ethan still looked a bit confused. “What’s with the twenty questions?”
“It was only two, and I was curious.” I took a deep breath and closed my eyes in a l
ong blink. Before I knew it, we were in a small coffee house, run by college kids. I went to the bathroom while Ethan ordered drinks. My eye makeup had run down my cheeks. I wiped it away and ran my hands through my messy hair. By the time I emerged from the bathroom, Ethan was sitting at a table at the back of the cafe.
His eyes met mine as I walked over. There was something familiar in his gaze, something I had felt many times. Living with a gift—or maybe it was a curse—in a world full of people who didn’t believe in the supernatural isolated me, no matter how many people surrounded me. I was different, separate, not on the same level as the rest of the world. Was he lonely too?
“I thought you could use this,” he said when I sat.
“Thanks,” I said and picked up the muffin. My stomach grumbled in hunger at the sight of it. The barista called Ethan’s name. When he got up to get our drinks, I pulled my phone out of my purse and saw that I had a voicemail from Mike. I didn’t want to hear his lame excuse, but I was curious as to what he would say. I jammed my finger onto the screen, pressing play on his message.
“Annie, baby, I don’t know what you thought you heard, but it’s not like that at all—” I didn’t need to hear the rest.
“Go to hell, you asshole,” I said as I deleted his message.
“Oh, so this is about a guy,” Ethan said, two drinks in hand. He sat down across from me and slid me a coffee.
“Was about a guy.” I picked at the label on my drink. “There is no guy anymore.” I stared at the coffee. I felt tears well up again. I blinked them back. Mike wasn’t worth crying over.
“What happened?” Ethan asked gently.
Maybe it was the alcohol flowing through my system that made me trust him. Or maybe I had reached a breaking point. Either way, I looked up into Ethan’s brown eyes. “This guy, Mike, was using me. He had a bet with his friend on how long it would take to sleep with me. I overheard him talking about it at that party.”
“So that’s why you left?”
I nodded and sipped the coffee. I didn’t like black coffee, or any coffee for that matter, but the warm liquid felt good as it ran down my throat. I took another sip and then took a bite of the muffin. I sighed. “Yeah. I just didn’t want to be there anymore. I feel so stupid, like I’m not worth anything more than…that.”