Falling - On the Banks of Lake Saint Clare (Falling - Book One) (12 page)

Good lord, I thought. I was trying to get out of a conversation but I made it worse.

“It’s under control.” I had no idea why I kept lying. But I had a feeling if I came clean then, it would make him mad. “I’m going to get into the pool. See ya later.”

“Hey” he grabbed my hand, “You look really hot tonight.”

I didn’t answer.

“After the party,” he said, not letting go of my hand, “I was wondering if you want to go cruising. Maybe go down to the lake.”

“Thanks,” I said, pulling it away. “
B
ut I think I am going to call it an early evening. I’m going to swim and then probably go on home.”

He stepped in front of me, “You know, one day you will have to say yes,” he smiled.

I didn’t know what to say. I had no idea what he meant. I just knew I wanted to get away from him.
“I’m going to swim. We’ll talk later.”

I got out of the pool and grabbed another diet coke and a towel and made my way to the girls. Has anyone seen my phone?” I asked.

“Here,”
Abbie
handed it to me and danced off.

I saw a text.
Twelve more hours- Michael

I smiled knowing he was going to be home at nine the next day and he wanted to see me. Why else would he text me that from a borrowed phone
?

I sat watching the people at the party dancing and having fun. I always loved to dance
,
but I just wanted to watch tonight. I was enjoying sitting alone and watching.

Hailey walked over to me and smiled. “Are you having a great time?”
S
he asked. “I wish there was something stronger to
drink at this party, don’t you
and stuff
?
”

“I’m fine. I don’t drink.”

“
Hm
m” she said, “Coke? I like Pepsi,” and she walked off.

“Why is Hailey here?” I asked Erica as she danced over to me.

“Beats me. I think a lot of people that weren’t invited are showing up.” She danced away.

I took another drink and sat back. I started to get really chilled from sitting in my wet swimsuit, so I went into the pool house and changed into my dry clothes.

I went back out and sat down in the lounge. I reached over and took another drink. I never drank sodas but I didn’t want to go in the house to get tea. I looked around the party and saw Jeremy and Brandon sitting across the pool. They were good friends of ours. We had a lot of classes together and were in student council with them. I saw they were looking at me so I waved. They looked at each other and waved back, holding up their drinks as to do a toast. I smiled and took a drink.” They smiled and did it again. I took a small sip and decided to ignore them.

Brad came over and sat down in the chair beside me. “Drinking another diet coke?”
H
e asked

“Yeah,” I said, looking around the pool.

“Funny that your best friends had no idea you are diabetic. Why did you lie to me?” He asked.

I couldn’t tell if he was angry.

“I was joking,” I said, getting a bit uncomfortable.

“I really didn’t find it funny,” he said. “I was concerned.”

“I’m sorry. I didn’t think you cared. It was bad of me and I am truly sorry.”

I took another drink, finishing the can so I had a reason to get up to throw it away.

Apparently, he suspected what I had in mind and took the can from me. “I’ll get it,” he said and threw it across the patio, hitting the trashcan dead center. “Think Mr. Basketball could make that shot?”
H
e asked, starring at me.

“Not sure,” I managed to say. “I’ve got to call my mom to pick me up.”

I moved to the edge of the lounge and my head started feeling weird. I was getting so dizzy. I just needed to get up and go inside. I wanted to go home.

“Here” he said, handing me my phone. “I figured it was yours since it has your pic
ture
on the front. It’s very sexy.
”
He looked down at my breast, “
Why are you calling your Mom to pick you up? You live across the street?”

I held my phone up but I couldn’t make out the names or numbers. I was so dizzy and everything was extr
emely fuzzy. Brad was still sta
ring at me.

I pushed myself to the edge of the lounge chair. I knew I had to get away from him so I could call my mom to help me. He was making me so nervous that I couldn’t even see.

“Don’t bother your Mom. I’ll walk you home,”
he said, standing up.
He
reached for my arm and
started to help me up
. “I don’t mind at all.”

“Is she drunk?” I heard Erica ask. “What the hells going on? Is she drunk?”

“Alex!”
Abbie
was screaming at me, “My mom is going to kill me!”

“I’m not drunk,” I managed to say. I could hear my voice was slurred. “I swear.”

“Maybe she is having a diabetic seizure,” Brad said sarcastically.

“Something is wrong,
” I said, getting really scared. My legs wouldn’t move.
“Help me. I want to go home. I need to go home.”

“I can’t believe she is doing this to me,”
Abbie
cried. “Who brought the liquor?”

I wanted to scream at her that I wasn’t drunk.
Everything
went black.

“Mom,” I said, feeling my head pounding. “Mom?”

“Hey sweetie,” she said, taking my hand. I looked around the room. “Am I in a hospital?”

“Yes, but you’re fine.”

I looked over and saw a police officer talking to my dad.

“Mom! I wasn’t drinking!” I started crying, suddenly remembering
Abbie
accusing me. “Please Mom! Please believe me! I didn’t do anything wrong! You have to believe me! I don’t want to get arrested. I wasn’t drinking. Mom! Please don’t have me arrested, I wasn’t drinking!”

“Calm down
,
Alex. We know. Please
,
calm down.”

“My stomach really hurts
,” I said, crying harder. “Why is there a policeman here?”

“You overdosed on
Rohypnol.”

“I don’t even know what that is.”

“It’s a drug,” the policeman started to explain.

“I don’t do drugs,” I cried. “I never have. It’s a mistake. I swear, Mom. I have never taken drugs.”

She picked up a pamphlet, “Rohypnol is a drug that is used for the purpose of having intercourse with someone while they are sedated. It’s also called a roofie or the date rape drug.”

I could feel the tears still pouring, “Who?” I asked, “Who raped me?”

“No one, Honey. You went unconscious and your friends called 911. By the time the ambulance got there you were in cardiac arrest.”

“The policeman walked over to the bed, “Did anyone give you a drink, offer you a drink or was interested in what you were drinking?”

“Why?’ I asked. “What will happen?”

“They get arrested. It’s a felony.”

I started to think about what had happened. “I don’t know. I’ll try to think about it.”

He handed Mom his card, “Call me if she can think of anyone. We have questioned everyone at the party. No one saw a thing.”

My head was killing me and I felt like I was going to throw up at any second.

The next
two
days were a blur. All I could remember was the party Friday night and I wasn’t released until
early
Sunday
evening
. I didn’t even remember leaving the hospital
.
I just knew I was home and I wanted to see Michael.

I thought I had a dream he was with me
,
but found out later he had been at the hospital and had come to the house
.
I was so exhausted. Every time I woke up, someone was asking me who could have done it. I tried to think about the night. It was all fuzzy but I remembered certain things. I didn’t want to say who it was and be wrong. I just didn’t know what to do or think.

I rolled over feeling my back hurt. I decided I needed to get up. I walked into the kitchen and saw Michael sitting at the table with my dad playing cards.

“Hey,” I smiled. “When did you get here?”

“I’ve been here all day. Just hangin’ out, waiting for sleeping beauty to get up.”

“I guess she needed a kiss.”

I looked at my Dad, seeing if there was a reaction and didn’t see one.

My dad stood up, “I’m going to the other room. Good night, Michael.”

“What are we playing?”
I asked.

“Go fish,” he smiled.

“I miss you,” I smiled, dieing to lean over and kiss him.

“Me more,” he winked, placing his hand on mine. He suddenly pulled my cards down so he could see them. “Oh! I cheat at games.”

We started playing poker but I couldn’t concentrate. I was so tired and hungry.

“You suck at cards,” he finally said. “And don’t blame it on being sick, you just suck in general.”

I started laughing.

“Oh,” he said
,
walking over to the microwave, “you’re mom left you some soup. You feel like eating?” He asked, setting it in front of me.

“
Where’s Mom?” I asked my dad as he walked through the kitchen.

“She went over to
Abbie
’s house. I guess her parents are freaking out that we are going to sue them for what happened. She went over to reassure them that we aren’t.”

“I’d love to go on Judge Judy,” I whined. “Oh she would have a field day with us. The second I see someone from
Missouri
go on there, I think snap, they are guilty.”

“Its small claims,” Michael corrected, “No guilty or not guilty.”

“Oh
,
she decides guilt. Trust me.”

“Can we go in my room?”
I asked my dad, after I ate.

He looked at me and then Michael. I wanted to say Rachel always has boys in her room, but chose to just drop it.
             

“I’m tired. I just want to lie down.”

“I guess,” he said. “Door stays open.”

We went into my room and I turned on the TV. I
lay
down on the bed and patted it for him to join me.

“I better just sit” he smiled.

“What do you want to watch?” I asked, flipping through the channels.

“Anything is fine,” he sat down at the head of the bed.

“Basketball reruns on ESPN classic?” I asked, stopping on the channel.

“We don’t have to watch basketball.”

“I love basketball!” I moved over and laid my head on his lap.

“Right,” he said sarcastically. I could feel his hand starting to stroke my hair.

“Test me,” I rolled on my back looking up at him.

“What do you mean?”

“Any player and I’ll tell you the team and his number.”

“Forget you,
”
he laughed. “ Seriously?” He sounded extremely curious. “Marcus Camby?”

“I am going to take a wild guess and say the Blazers, Center and hmm, 29?”

“Awe! That was just a lucky guess. Try another one?”

“Shoot, hotshot.”

“Chris Bosh.”

“Hmm
, could it be Heat, forward, number one?”

“Wow.”

“That’s all you can say is wow?”

“Well, I was thinking about asking you to marry me,” he laughed. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

“I knew that was the clincher. If I was having trouble trying to get your attention, I was going to bring out the big guns. Move in for the kill. But I am so irresistible, I didn’t need it.”

“That, you are.”

We started watching the game together. I saw Dad walk by and glance in, looked satisfied
that we were behaving and walk
on by.

“So obvious,” I laughed.

“I don’t blame him. If he wasn’t here I’d have you naked and on top of you in a second,” he winked.

I rolled my eyes, “You are so bad ass.” But the thought sent my heart racing and that turned on feeling flooded my body instantly.

He rose up and put his hand under him and started looking around. “What is that?”
H
e asked.

“What?” I was confused.

“Hm
m, I don’t know.” He put his hand down on the bed again. And then I felt it move to my chest, in between my breasts. My heart started pounding harder.