10. Simonton Lake
10
Simonton Lake
Two weeks. I’d been without Ben for two weeks, and I was dying. Of course, that was completely melodramatic, but it didn’t stop me from feeling like I was slowly suffocating in a pine box, buried six feet under.
The musical kept me busy for a few hours after school, and my friends had rallied around me. They were supportive and helped keep me distracted. I knew they talked with Ben when I wasn’t around—at least, Jordan did. Jordan and Ronnie were good friends now, and since Jordan and I had never been all that close, his loyalty was split.
Kim and Caroline had sided with me, of course, but they weren’t outwardly hostile. I’d simply drawn a line in the sand, and Jordan was the only one who jumped across it. Well, Jordan and Esther. Like a divorced couple, Ben and I had dual custody over Ezzy, and she did her best to be Switzerland.
All in all, it sucked donkey balls, but that was life. At least our restraining orders had been approved by a judge and the papers were served to Eric. He couldn’t come within five hundred feet of me outside school grounds. At school, if he so much as spoke one word to me, it would violate the restraining order. It didn’t stop him from glaring any time we were in the same room or hallway, but it was something.
Maybe I’d finally be able to move on. From Boyt, at least. Moving on from Ben was proving harder than I thought.
Try as I might, I couldn’t stop myself from searching him out in the crowded hallways. Every time I spotted him, he looked worse than the day before. He always had dark bags under his eyes, and his skin was sallow and pale. I heard from Esther that he’d gone to Sectionals but hadn’t placed.
And as much as I wanted to revel in his sadness, I’d apparently gotten soft. I hated the depression weighing his shoulders down. I wanted to feed him and tuck him into bed for a good night’s sleep. I wanted to kiss him and tell him I loved him. But there was still a small part of me that wanted to punch him in the face. I’d never been a very forgiving person, and some things never changed.
When Kim invited me to a party out by the lake Saturday night, I was almost swayed. Moping at home didn’t sound fun, but drinking myself silly held no real appeal either. Since Ronnie was going, I assumed Ben would be too. It was the final nail in the coffin of my refusal. It would seem I had a date with my chemistry homework—or, let’s be real, Pornhub.
Of course, the universe was a bitch, so when my phone rang a little after midnight and Kim’s name flashed on my screen, I knew I was screwed.
“Hello,” I said irritably, tucking my phone between my ear and shoulder as I continued surfing Pornhub on my laptop.
“Silas?” Kim’s voice screeched through the phone, music blaring in the background. “Silas, are you there? Can you hear me?”
“Yeah, Kim, I can hear you.” I shut my laptop as muffled shouting sounded in my ear. “Kim? Hello?”
“Silas, oh my God, I need—get your hands off me, you asshole!” Her words slurred as she told off some handsy guy. “Things are getting crazy here, Silas. Can you come pick us up?”
“Are you okay?” I stood up, pressing the phone harder to my ear. “Kim, are you safe?”
“Ben was the DD, but he’s trashed. I don’t know where Caroline is, and Jordan almost got in a fight with some college guy.” Her voice trembled. “Silas, I’m scared.”
I was already tiptoeing down the stairs, not wanting to wake Dad. “I’m on my way. Text me your location. If you’re scared, find the bathroom or an empty bedroom and lock yourself in, okay? I’ll call you back once I’m there.”
“I don’t feel good.”
“Kim! Listen to me.” I grabbed the keys to Dad’s SUV and shrugged on my coat. “Find a safe place to hunker down, and I’ll call you when I get there. Text me your location.”
“Okay.”
“Okay, I’ll see you soon.”
Sneaking out of the driveway, I headed toward Simonton Lake, waiting on Kim’s text. She sent me her location, and the closer I got, the louder the thumping music grew. I was shocked no one had called the cops. Or maybe they had, and the police were already on their way. The last thing I needed was to get arrested right now.
I parked outside a house with white siding and green shutters like Kim had described in her text and got out. There were so many people, and most of them looked a lot older than me. What the hell had my friends gotten themselves into?
After pushing my way through the claustrophobic entryway, I called Kim. She was in an upstairs bathroom, and when I finally found her, she threw herself into my arms, half-hysterical.
“I’m sorry, Silas. I didn’t know what to do. I think I drank too much,” she blubbered against my neck.
“It’s okay. I got you, Kim. C’mon.” I hauled her into the hallway as someone shoved past us and puked in the sink. “I’m gonna take you to the car, okay?”
Nodding, she clung to me as I half-carried, half-dragged her out of the house. Once she was locked inside the car, I dove back into the crowd. I found Harris in the living room, eyes glazed. It took little convincing for him to stand and follow me out of the house. Ronnie was on the back porch sharing a joint with Jordan. They both cheered as Harris and I walked up.
“Silas, you made it!” Jordan yanked me into a hug. “We were just talking about you, man, and now here you are. That’s crazy.”
“Where’s Caroline?” I asked, and he blinked.
“Uh, I dunno. She was with Kim, right?” Jordan looked at Ronnie. Ronnie shrugged.
“We’re leaving now,” I said.
Jordan didn’t want to go, but Harris and Ronnie each took one of his arms and tugged him along behind me. I ordered them into the SUV where Kim was waiting. She looked calmer now, staring blankly out of the window.
“Kim, where did you see Caroline last?” I asked, and she sniffled.
“I dunno. She was talking to some frat boy out by the firepit.”
“Okay. Everyone, stay here!” I barked, and four heads nodded. For good measure, I locked the doors, hoping they were too inebriated to figure out how to unlock the doors from the inside.
With a calming breath, I headed around the house to the firepit smoldering in the backyard. It was less crowded here, and I breathed easier as I approached the campfire. There was more than one couple stuck together by the face, and I wrinkled my nose as I inspected each one.
I didn’t find Caroline at the firepit, but I did find Ben. I didn’t think it was possible for him to break my heart any more than he already had, but watching him twist his fingers into some girl’s hair as she thrust her tongue down his throat proved otherwise. It hurt like a white-hot poker to the chest, and I gasped through the startling severity of it.
Like a bad dream, I watched him cradle her cheek the way he used to cup mine, and potent fury coated my tongue with metal. I’d never wanted to punch a girl before. To calm the sudden bout of rage, I took a step back and breathed deeply.
Once I was no longer seeing red, I circled the campfire and nudged Ben’s back with my foot. Okay, it was more of a kick than a nudge, but he deserved it, the asshole.
The brunette toppled out of his lap with a shriek as he grunted, spinning around with a “What the hell?” He took one look at me, and his anger morphed into unadulterated horror. “Silas?”
“If you want a ride, get your pathetic ass up and follow me. We’re leaving now.”
Ben flinched at my clipped hostility. “What?”
“You wanna stay here with her , fine.” I waved my hand at the girl who had already crawled onto someone else’s lap. “But if you want a ride home, then come with me now before the cops show up and bust your ass.”
I didn’t wait for him to reply. I stalked back to the house as he called my name. With a glance over my shoulder, I saw him stagger to his feet and trip after me, falling numerous times. I was too pissed to find it funny. Which was stupid since we weren’t together anymore and he could technically suck face with anyone he wanted.
“Si, wait.” He stumbled up the back porch steps, banging his shin with a curse. “Just hold up.”
“I need to find Caroline still, so either stick with me or get to the SUV,” I said, and he nodded meekly.
“With you,” he mumbled. “Stick with you.”
Rolling my eyes, I grabbed his hand and made him fist the back of my shirt. “If you lose me, I’m not coming back for you.”
“I won’t lose you,” he whispered, and—
Nope. Nope, not going there.
“Whatever.”
The moment before I stepped back into the house, he tugged on my shirt. “She was doing shots with a guy, last I saw her.”
“Fucking perfect.”
Ben’s fist in my shirt didn’t loosen as we fought our way through the partying bodies. Dread curled in my gut as I, once again, climbed the stairs to the upper level. The doors to the bedrooms were shut, and I steeled myself as I barged into each one.
I saw a whole lot of skin that I would never be able to burn out of my memory. Most of the couples—and one threesome—didn’t notice us peeking in, but a few shouted at us to get out. When I had verified that none of the participants were Caroline, we left them to their drunken sexcapades.
“She’s not up here.” I twisted my fingers in my hair and yanked until my scalp prickled. “I can’t leave without her, Ben.”
“I think I’m gonna puke,” Ben said.
“Puke on me, and I’m punching you in the scrotum,” I threatened.
He withered under my glare. “I don’t think I’m gonna puke anymore.”
“Good choice. Let’s go.”
Back downstairs, we checked the kitchen and the dining room where a game of beer pong was in progress. Navigating the crowd was hell, but I finally spotted a head of familiar, dirty blond hair in one of the back hallways. Ben let go of my shirt to retch into a potted plant beside the bookcase, and I left him to it as I tracked the blonde.
Yeah, definitely Caroline.
The closer I got, the clearer the situation grew. Some guy had her against the wall, mouthing at her neck. But her head lolled, her eyes closed. She was wasted, barely conscious. Righteous fury ignited in my blood as I stalked up to the stranger and tapped him on the shoulder.
Glassy eyes blinked at me, and the guy scowled. “Fuck off,” he said gruffly.
“That’s my friend you’re macking on, and she’s unconscious. I suggest you get your grubby hands off her.” I shoved the drunk out of the way, and given his inebriated state, he stumbled under the unexpected force. I cupped Caroline’s face, smoothing a hand over her forehead. “Caroline, open your eyes. Look at me.”
She groaned, eyes unfocused as she looked right through me. She slumped forward, and I caught her with an oomph . Her dead weight was almost too much, but I kept us upright somehow. Unfortunately, her drunk friend was not happy about my interruption.
“Hey, fuck off, man. She’s into it.” He lurched toward me, and I backed up, dragging Caroline with me.
“She’s unconscious, you asshole. She can’t be into it if she isn’t even awake. What the fuck is wrong with you?”
Ben swerved through the crowd, closing the distance between us. Drunk Asshole reached out and grabbed Caroline’s arm. He jerked her out of my grasp while his other hand knocked me in the shoulder, and I dropped to my ass. Drunk Asshole never saw Ben coming.
“Ben, no!” I jumped to my feet as Ben body-slammed the guy.
Caroline flailed, and I dove to catch her before she crashed against the wall. Ben and the stranger rolled around on the ground, throwing punches and curses.
“Ben, stop it. Ben!” I yelled.
“Silas?” Caroline slurred, and I sat her down on the ground before turning back to the fight.
At the first opening, I lunged into the fray and wrapped my arm around Ben’s neck. A few partiers helped me break them up, and I hauled Ben back, practically choking him as he struggled against me.
“Ben, stop it! Jesus Christ, do you want to get arrested?” I hissed in his ear as Drunk Asshole allowed some pretty girl to lead him away.
“Fucking asshole. Pushing girls around,” Ben spat. “See how he likes it!”
Spinning him around, I grabbed his face in my hands and shook him harshly. “Look at me. You need to calm down.”
“He pushed you,” he snarled, blue eyes hard as ice. “He hurt her.”
“And you stopped him. Okay? You stopped him, and he isn’t going to hurt her again. It’s over.”
He shook his head, his rage melting into sorrow. “It’s never over.”
“What?”
“I could never stop him. He hurt her all the time, and I couldn’t—” His voice broke as his eyes flooded with tears. “I just hid under the blankets until the crying stopped. I couldn’t protect her.”
Emotion swelled in my chest, and I pulled him into a hug. “It wasn’t your fault. Your dad was a piece of shit, okay? And he didn’t deserve you or your mom. It was never your fault. It was his.
“It wasn’t your job to protect her, but you can protect Caroline. She needs our help, right now.” I ran my fingers through his soft hair. “ I need your help. Will you help me?”
Nodding against my throat, he sniffled. “Y-yeah. I can do that.”
“I know you can.” I kissed his temple. “Help me get Caroline outside.”
Somehow, we managed to carry Caroline out of the house without too much trouble. Seeing as we were two guys hauling an unconscious girl into a car, it was rather disturbing that no one stopped us. But there were sirens in the distance and a brawl happening on the front lawn, so no one paid us any mind.
Thank God everyone was still in the SUV when we arrived with Caroline propped between us. Ronnie helped us situate Caroline in the back with Kim. Kim was crying again, cradling Caroline’s head in her lap. Harris looked terrified. Jordan was shit-faced, skin pasty and eyes wide and wet. Ronnie was either a very chill stoner or he had sobered some because he calmly helped Ben into the passenger seat and buckled him in.
As the sirens grew louder, I peeled onto the street and gunned the engine. I put as much distance between us and the lit-up houses before slowing the SUV to the legal speed limit. A line of five police cars passed us on their way to the party, and I prayed to whatever god existed that they wouldn’t pull us over. They didn’t, and I breathed easier as their flashing lights faded behind us.
“Is she gonna be okay?” Ben asked.
“Yeah, she just drank too much.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes, Ben!” I clenched my jaw and took a deep breath. “She’s wasted, but she’ll be fine once she sleeps it off.”
“What if—”
“Shut up, Ben. Please, just… I have a car full of underage drunk people. I have no idea how much weed Jordan has on him right now. And there are cops everywhere.” My hands shook, and I tightened my grip on the wheel to force them to stop. “I need everyone to stay calm and be quiet.”
Everyone stayed calm and quiet.
By the time we got to Kim’s, Harris had passed out, and Kim had finally stopped crying. Ben stared out the window, mumbling to himself as Ronnie watched me, his eyes burning a hole in the back of my head.
“What?” I hissed at him as I parked in the driveway, and he shrugged.
“Nothing.”
Ronnie and Ben stayed in the idling SUV as I carried Caroline inside. Kim’s mom was awake and furious, and Kim burst into another round of tears. Sending Jordan and Harris to the guest room, Ms. Granger sat Kim at the dining table before directing me to lay Caroline on the couch.
“What happened?” she asked stiffly, and I shrugged.
“They called for a ride, so I picked them up. Caroline’s been kinda out of it.”
“Did she take any drugs?” Ms. Granger was a paramedic, and her training was in full swing as she checked Caroline’s pulse.
I shook my head. “I don’t know. I wasn’t at the party. I think she just drank too much—is she okay? Should I have gone to a hospital?”
She stood and put a hand on my shoulder. Her dark eyes were so much like Kim’s, even if her skin was a few shades darker. “You did good, Silas. Caroline will be fine. I’ll monitor her, and if she shows any signs of alcohol poisoning, I’ll take care of her. I promise.”
“Okay.”
With a groan, Caroline sat up. “I’m gonna be sick,” she said a second before blowing chunks all over herself and the couch.
“Holy shit, that’s disgusting.” I gagged as Ms. Granger sighed.
“Kimberly!” she barked, and a sniffling Kim came into view. “You think you’re old enough to party, then you’re old enough to clean up the mess. Get a bucket.”
“Yes, Mama,” she whimpered.
“Uh…” I pointed outside. “I need to get Ben and Ronnie home. I mean, I can help first—”
Ms. Granger cracked a tight smile. “I’ve got this covered. Get everyone else home.”
“I’m sorry, Ms. Granger,” I said. “I-I—”
“You got them home safely,” she said as she rubbed Caroline’s back. “You did good.”
Relieved that I didn’t have to clean up Caroline’s vomit, I took my leave and jogged through the cold night back to the SUV.