Party Boy Love Story

by Grace Wilkinson

  "Can I pick you up now?" Dylan interrupted my thoughts.

  "I'll go back to your place when I’m ready to."

  Dylan sighed into the speaker, "When is this, Emm?"

  "Let me just sleep and I’ll go back tomorrow night, okay?"

  He was silent for a few seconds and I could hear Natasha talking in the background. "Okay."

  I could hear his breathing through the speaker for a few more seconds.

  "Emily, I love you. I'm sorry I keep getting you hurt."

  Before I had a chance to respond the line went dead and the annoying beeping noise could be heard through my speaker.

  Brandon sat at the edge of the bed. "What happened?"

  "Dylan got out of jail. He told the police what happened tonight."

  Brandon stood up and took a deep breath. "I'll turn the lights off on the way out, just sleep." he said, walking towards the door. He shut off the lights and closed the door. The only light left in the room was the glow of the skyline through the floor to roof windows surrounding a wall.

  The last thing I saw before shutting my eyes was the glow of the city.

  I awoke to the smell of coffee. I rubbed my eyes, not aware of my surroundings for a second. I had to remind myself that I slept at Brandon's.

  I stumbled out of bed and towards the spiral staircase, walking downstairs. Brandon stood in the kitchen, two cups of coffee and a variety of food was set up on the kitchen island.

  I stood still for a few seconds before he turned away from the balcony window and smiled.

  "Morning." He smirked. "I didn't know what you liked so I just asked the hotel chef to give me a little bit of everything on the breakfast menu."

  "Little bit of everything?" I raised my eyebrows.

  He nodded.

  "Some of the stuff looks gross but I’ll put it in the fridge or something."

  I settled with a few pancakes, some fruit, and bacon. I picked at the food, not very hungry.

  "Eat, Emily. I hate seeing food go to waste."

  I laughed. "Then why did you order so much."

  "I wanted to be a nice brother."

  I laughed and shook my head.

  He watched me eat the remainder of the food sitting on my plate before speaking.

  "When do you want me to drop you off?"

  I pulled on the fringe of the boxer shorts I was wearing. "Huh?"

  "You know, back to Dylan's?"

  I had forgotten all about last night till now. Some part of me wanted to keep it forgotten but another part of me wanted nothing more than to be with Dylan right now.

  "Can you just drop me off at my dorm?"

  "When?"

  "After breakfast?"

  Brandon nodded, walking over to the coffee machine and pouring me a glass.

  "Cream, sugar, or both?" He asked.

  "Both."

  He slid the glass across the counter and I took a sip.

  "Are you going to see him tonight?"

  I shrugged my shoulders as I took a sip of coffee. "I guess."

  He slowly nodded as I finished my breakfast and walked over to the sink, rinsing my plate under the water.

  "Get dressed and I’ll take you home." Brandon said as I continued up the stairs.

  I retrieved my dress from the guest bedroom and slipped off Brandon's boxers and shirt. I quickly pulled the long dress back on and grabbed my heels from downstairs.

  It felt strange wearing this outfit in the morning without any makeup on. I felt out of place.

  "Ready?" Brandon asked, grabbing his keys and slipping on his shoes.

  I nodded.

  We walked down the hall towards the elevator and stepped inside when the doors slid open. Brandon pressed the button labeled 'garage' and we descended.

  The doors slid open again as we stepped out into the garage and walked towards his parked Range Rover.

  "You look pale. Are you alright?" Brandon asked.

  I nodded my head, I hadn't noticed but I must have been thinking about seeing Jasmine. I knew her and I weren't talking but I was sick of this drama and just wanted to ask her if we could be okay.

  I leaned my head against the seat the whole short ride back to the dorms.

  "Thank you for last night, Brandon." I hug him across the consul and he runs his hand in a circle on my back.

  "No problem, Emm. If you need anything, please call me."

  I nod before turning and walk towards the door.

  The hallways were empty. Guess it was because it was still quite early. I took the stairs to the third floor and ran down the hall till I came to my dorm. I unlocked the door and walked inside. Jasmine was sleeping on the bed.

  I quietly took off my dress and slipped on some sweats. I shut the closet door, causing a loud noise to fill the room.

  I cursed under my breath as I saw Jasmine stir awake and look up at me.

  "Shit," she murmured, "I didn't know you were coming back."

  "Well, I mean, I do pay to stay here."

  "Are you okay?" Jasmine asks, lifting her head off the pillow and rubbing her eyes.

  "Why?"

  "Last night." she began, "I was in the car with Dylan and Natasha."

  "I'm fine." I responded curtly. I didn't want to talk about this anymore.

  "I'm sorry, Emily." Jasmine apologized and I turned from the dresser to look at her, "I'm sorry for being a bitch."

  "It's fine. I just don't think things will be the same anymore."

  Jasmine sighed. "It will take time. But I’m okay with that."

  I nodded, walking over to my bed and finally resting in my own bed sheets.

  When I awoke, Jasmine was pulling on a shirt.

  "You're coming right?" she asked, "I didn't want to wake you."

  "I'm going where?"

  "To the party."

  I groan, no way. No way in hell am I going to another party.

  "Why would I go to another party, Jasmine?"

  "Because, it's at the frat house and Dylan wants to see you."

  I sit up in bed and walk towards the closet, slipping on a pair of leggings and a flannel. I put on a small amount of makeup and slipped on some boots.

  "I'm going but I’m not partying. I'm just going to meet Dylan there."

  Jasmine nodded. "I can drive you."

  I was going to deny the offer but I realized if Dylan was going to drive me home I wouldn't have to worry about picking my car up.

  "Okay." I answer as we step out the door towards the ground level.

  We walk to her car in silence and I sit down in the passenger seat.

  "What's this party for?" I ask.

  "Just fun, I guess." Jasmine answered.

  I nodded my head slowly.

  The rest of the car ride is silent and as we park in front of the house, I already see people through the windows.

  We step out of the car and make our way inside. I make my way through the crowd and know immediately that Dylan is probably hiding upstairs. I abandon Jasmine and make my way up the stairs.

  I open his door but his room is empty, where is he?

  I make my way back down the stairs and find Dylan standing in the foyer with his phone held to his ear.

  "Hey." I whisper as I approach him.

  He angrily talks into the phone before hanging up.

  "Are you alright?"

  "No." He had trouble breathing.

  I grabbed ahold of his arm. "What happened?"

  "It's Natasha."

  "What about Natasha?"

  "She's in trouble."

  My eyes search his for answers.

  "She got in this car with some weird guy and she's drunk. I need to get her."

  I try to stop him before he opens the door and runs outside towards his car but instead I run over and collapse down into the passenger seat.

  "Stay here," he commands.

  "No, I don't feel comfortable at these parties unless you're here with me. Especially if Max is here," I answer, pulling on my seatbelt.<
br />
  "Fine," Dylan says, backing up out of the driveway and pressing down on the gas.

  Chapter 43

  Dylan stepped on the gas, going over the speed limit by, at least, twice the amount.

  I leaned back in my seat, clutching the arm rest. "Dylan, please slow down."

  He shook his head before saying, "I see their car. I have to catch up."

  My eyes widened, if the streets weren't so empty, we would have already been pulled over.

  He pushed down more on the gas and we began to drive even faster, Dylan was running stop signs and red lights.

  I finally spoke again, "Dylan this is dangerous, stop!"

  We turned the corner, screeching sounds were heard because of the friction between the wheels of Dylan's car and the road.

  I shut my eyes as he began to near the car Natasha was in. I could hear music blasting from the speakers inside. The windows were tinted and it was hard to make out if she actually was in the car.

  "Just let her go, she's old enough to take care of herself." I yell over the sound of the engine blaring.

  Dylan shook his head, "I can't have something happen to her when she's drunk."

  "I thought you two weren't talking?"

  "She apologized when she picked me up from jail."

  I dropped the subject. I hadn't even noticed that our driving had turned into a race. The car next to us stopped at a stop light, raving his engine. Dylan narrowed his eyes as he looked into the open window in the opposite car.

  A boy I didn't recognize sat in the driver’s seat and Natasha was passed out in the passenger seat.

  "Let her out." Dylan yelled.

  The boy laughed.

  "Bring her in my car." Dylan demanded, "We can end this the good way or the bad way."

  I looked over at Dylan as if he were crazy. This guy wasn't going to give up Natasha that easily. He would take the challenge.

  "Maybe I can take your girlfriend, too." The boy smirked.

  "This isn't funny," Dylan threw open the driver’s side door but before he could approach the boy’s car, the light turned green and he sped off.

  Dylan ran back into the driver’s seat and slammed the door shut. "Fuck!"

  "Who is that?" I asked as my head slammed into the head rest.

  Dylan sped up and approached the car before answering me, "His name is Robert."

  "How do you know him?"

  "He goes to a different university but comes to our parties a lot."

  Dylan slammed on the breaks, causing me to jerk forward and almost slam my face into the dashboard. Dylan cursed under his breath as he made a sharp turn.

  We were on the other cars tail, Robert's car was picking up speed. Dylan noticed and proceeded to go over the speed limit.

  I wanted to tell him to stop but I knew that would only get him more mad and frustrated which would make him start to yell and curse.

  Robert cut us off, causing Dylan to swerve into the right lane. I held onto the arm rest for dear life, hoping and praying nothing terrible happened.

  Robert made a sharp turn into an alley which caused Dylan to slam on the car's breaks and turn the wheel till it couldn't go any farther.

  I screamed as a garbage can flew into the air causing trash to fly onto the windshield.

  Oh my god, oh my god.

  "Dylan!" I shouted. I finally had enough.

  He didn't answer. He stayed focused on the Robert's car.

  "Dylan!" I shouted, again.

  "What!" he yelled, never turning his attention away from the road.

  "Pull over, now." I demanded, unbuckling my seat belt.

  He violently shook his head. "No, we're right on their tail. I have to get Natasha."

  I ran my hands through my hair. "For gods sake, Dylan! You're gonna kill us both!"

  He furrowed his eyebrows.

  "Let me out now!"

  "No!"

  I pressed my palms to my cheeks, trying to hold back a scream of anger.

  I shut my eyes and felt the car shake. Dylan's swore under his breath before he rammed into the side of Robert's car.

  Both cars were running red lights and, eventually, the roads began to get more crowded.

  Cars honked as we passed them. At one point Robert rode into oncoming traffic. I bit my lip. I could feel my heart in my throat. It was beating so hard I felt like it would pop out of my chest.

  Dylan passed a number of four way intersections, Robert finally was gaining speed. Dylan however was slowing down.

  Robert drove ahead of us, hitting a car. Dylan slammed on the breaks, causing us to stop in the middle of an intersection before the damaged car could collide with us.

  I shut my eyes, waiting for the impact but it never came. I slowly opened my eyes to see Dylan taking heavy breaths as he hands rested on his lap.

  "Are you insane?" I scream.

  Dylan turns and looks straight past my face, his eyes wide. I furrow my eyebrows in confusion, turning my head around to see what he is so focused on.

  I didn't even have time to react as the truck's headlights blinded me and I felt my whole body relax.

  The last thing I heard before everything went black was Dylan's bloodcurdling scream and him calling my name.

  Chapter 44

  Dylan's Point of View

  I lifted my head from the steering wheel and saw the most horrific sight. Emily was lying on the dashboard. Her seat belt hadn't been on her, causing her to slam onto the dashboard and have her head collide with the windshield. I grabbed ahold of her, wrapping her body in a hug.

  I felt my whole body shaking as her limp body rested against my chest. My skin was now covered with her blood.

  I released my tight grip around Emily, as I pulled away the front and back side of her head was bleeding heavily.

  I turned back to Emily and held her head up as my hands pressed against both her cheeks, "Emily?" I called. I could hardly feel my legs. They must be crushed. There was smoke surrounding my car and the truck that had crashed into the passenger side.

  "Emily!" I shouted, my voice coming out raspy and dry. She wasn't answering.

  This was all my fault. I should have listened to her and let her out when she asked me.

  I punched the steering wheel until my knuckles were numb, then I began to scream and cry into my hands.

  I hear someone approaching, the sound of the sirens echoing through my head.

  A firefighter approached the car and began to help us out.

  "Sir," one man firefighter said, "We're going to get you out."

  I shook my head. "No, help her first."

  The fireman shook his head, "We need to cut you both from the car. It will be too dangerous pulling you out from the damage."

  I nodded.

  Once they removed the top of my car, they helped me out first. I was carried out in a stretcher even though I could now feel the circulation coming back to my legs.

  "We're gonna stitch you up." A paramedic said. I sat in the back of the ambulance watching as they removed Emily from the car.

  "Will she live?" I asked, biting my lip.

  The paramedic looked around at first to see if I was talking to her, "Oh, it would be a miracle if she did."

  I felt my heart speed up and tears built in my eyes. "Why?"

  "Internal bleeding, hit her head extremely hard. She could go into a coma." she said.

  I pressed my hands to my head and took deep heavy breathes.

  Another paramedic came running towards us. "Do you have the parent’s numbers? We need to call them and tell them we're sending her to the hospital."

  The paramedic that was sticking me up handed him a slip of paper and he sprinted off in the other direction.

  Out of the corner of my eye, I see Natasha. She clasps and hand over her mouth at the sight of the scene and slips under the tape. A few police officers grab her and pull her away but she shouts my name. Even though this would have never happened if she got in the car with Robert, I still blam
e this all on me.

  "There you go, sir." the paramedic helping says, "We still need to send you to the hospital, though."

  I nodded. "Will I be able to see her there?"

  "Who, Emily?" She shook her head, "Unless she wakes up."

  I cut my eyes closed and leaned back in the stretcher. I felt the engine start as she drove away.

  I sat in the waiting room, the hospital had let me go after I paid for my medical bill and the tow for my totaled car.

  I walked over to the front desk. "Can I please see Emily Marshall?"

  The nurse looked at me with a sad face. "You’re her boyfriend aren't you?"

  I rolled my eyes and nodded.

  "So tragic," she pressed a hand to her chest and frowned, "I'm sorry but she's in a coma."

  "What's wrong with her?" I asked, even though I had a strong urge to break down in tears.

  "She cracked her skull which also led to internal bleeding and a very serious concussion."

  "Is that fatal?"

  "Some people have survived. Some just had a brain that couldn't handle the pressure."

  I collapsed back down in the waiting room chair, anxiously tapping my foot.

  I lifted my head from my hands when I heard heels of shoes running down the hall.

  It was Jasmine.

  "Dylan!" she shouted, running towards me, "What the hell happened?"

  "It's all my fault." And finally the tears came and even though I was a foot taller than Jasmine, she still wrapped me in a hug.

  I heard her softly crying, too.

  "I have to see her." She looked around the room, makeup running down her face.

  I grabbed ahold of her arm. "No visitors."

  She collapsed down in the chair next to me, running her hands through her hair.

  I looked away from her to see Emily's father and Brandon running down the hospital corridor, and stopping at the front desk.

  They sprinted and disappeared through the two doors.

  "How come they can see her and we can't?" Jasmine threw her hands in the air.

  "Immediate family only. I reminded her.”

  To be honest, as much as I wanted to see Emily, I didn't want to see what I had done to her.

  Her father stepped out from behind the doors and approached me. "We need to talk."

  I tightened my jaw.