Chapter 42
CECILIA
“I’ll wait in the car,” I tell Wyatt as he turns left, detouring to his friend’s place.
“You don’t have to do that,” he says. “You can come in. Say hi, maybe?”
“It’s fine. Really. I’ll just dink around on my phone while you do your thing.”
His shoulders dip in relief. “I appreciate how cool you’re being about this,” he says. “But no way am I leaving you in the car. Spencer’s place can be crazy, and I don’t want anyone to bother you while I’m inside.”
Why would anyone bother me? I’ll just be alone in the car. I’m assuming Wyatt will park in the driveway. Maybe on the side street. Does his friend live in a shady neighborhood or something?
He takes another left, and my heart starts to pound as we pass a series of familiar houses.
“Where did you say your friend lives again?” Shit. This is not good.
“Greek Row.” He slows, driving well below the speed limit as we approach the— “He lives there.” Wyatt points toward a large two-story house, fully illuminated with loud music coming from it and the lawn littered with PacNorth students.
“The Zeta Pi house?” The blood drains from my face. This is a dream. It has to be.
Wyatt nods, confirming my worst fear. Dread sits like a lead weight in the pit of my stomach.
Scratch that. Tonight is a fucking nightmare.
“Yeah. Have you been to one of their parties before? They’re dope.”
“Not in a long time,” I mutter. “Never again,” I whisper to myself.
Unaware of the sheer horror flooding me, Wyatt brings the truck to a stop at the curb. Killing the engine, he reaches into the backseat and grabs his friend’s bag before getting out. But me, I’m frozen in my seat. I can’t be here. I can’t—No. Just no.
There’s a knock on my window.
“You coming?” Wyatt asks, his voice muffled through the glass.
“I think I’ll just wait for you here.”
He shakes his head and opens my door. I consider grabbing the handle to hold it shut but he’s faster than my frozen fingers are. The music is louder now. A heavy thrum that hits me square in the chest.
“No way. These parties get crazy. My mother would kill me if she knew I left a girl out in the car at one of these things.”
He reaches for my hand and, with a mind of their own, my legs move to follow him.
With our fingers laced, Wyatt climbs the front steps of the house with me close at his side. Instinctively, I tuck myself closer to him. “Please don’t be here,” I whisper under my breath. Please.
I don’t miss the curious looks from some of the partygoers. There are a few faces I recognize and plenty of people who seem to recognize me. As we step inside, the noise grows louder, but Wyatt doesn’t hesitate as he weaves through the crowd, effectively dragging me along with him.
He heads to the kitchen, saying hello to the occasional person here and there. Adriana said he wasn’t in any of the fraternities, so why do so many people here know him? Is this his crowd? His usual scene?
“Wyatt!” a voice shouts, and Wyatt drops my hand to wave.
“Hey, man.”
“You made it! I didn’t think you’d show.” The guy approaches. Tall. Wide. Corded with muscle. He has a lopsided smile on his face as he nears, but that can easily change. He holds his hand out and Wyatt takes it, the two pulling one another into one of those guy handshake hug things.
“Sorry to disappoint,” Wyatt says. “I was on a date when Spence called, whining about needing his books.” He lifts the book bag off his shoulder.
“A date—?”
His gaze finally flicks toward, me and the newcomer eyes me with open curiosity.
“I’m Terrance,” he offers.
I open my mouth to speak, but nothing comes out. With a quizzical look, he turns to Wyatt as if to ask what’s wrong with her? But Wyatt brushes the silent question off. That’s good. I don’t think I can talk right now. It’s hard enough just to breathe.
“This is Cecilia,” he tells him.
I’m in the Zeta Pi house. Austin’s house. Is he here? Of course he is. Austin never misses a party, let alone one his own frat throws. I scan the room, looking for any signs of the boy who’s been hell-bent on tormenting me, but I don’t catch sight of him.
Okay, good. If we can do what Wyatt said, just get in and out, it’ll be okay.
I can do this.
I can be here for a few minutes. Not see Austin. Not talk to people. Leave.
I suck in a breath. Then another.
I’m fine.
Is it hot in here? I tug on the neckline of my dress.
“Have you seen Spencer?” Wyatt asks his friend. “I can’t stay long—“
“Yeah. He’s upstairs in his room trying to study.”
“With all this racket?” Wyatt asks.
I focus on their conversation, using it to block out the noise and intrusive thoughts swirling around inside my head. I’ve got this. Deep breath.
Terrance shrugs. “You know how he is. Kid’s allergic to social activity.”
Can’t say that I blame the guy. I’m pretty allergic to people right about now, too.
Wyatt chuckles. “Cool.” He jerks his chin toward the staircase and steps that way. “We’ll head up and drop this off.”
Wait. Up?
Wyatt reaches for me, and on instinct, I step back.
Brows furrowed, he gives me a bewildered look.
“I’ll uh ... I’m going to wait down here.” Yep. That’s what I’m going to do. I’ll stay right where I am. Wyatt can go drop off the bag and then we can get the hell out of here.
“You sure?” Wyatt asks, his blue eyes warm and concerned.
I eye the staircase warily and try to tamp down on the fear flooding through my system.
Scenes from that night flicker across my vision.
Austin’s smile. Him offering to help me find my friends. Me following him upstairs. That was my first mistake. He led me into a bedroom he swore he’d seen Kim go into, and I believed him. God, I was so naive.
The moment I realized my friend wasn’t inside the room, that it was his friends in there instead … I should have bolted. But Austin was fast. He didn’t give me time to think before closing the door and leaning against it, intentionally blocking my escape.
All of it comes rushing at me, and suddenly I’m drowning. Hyperventilating where I stand.
“Cecilia?” Wyatt’s voice is laced with concern.
I can’t do this. I can’t be here. My head turns left and then right, my eyes frantically searching for the exit, but the crowd is thick, and my feet are frozen in place.
“Dude, what is going on with your—“
Someone touches my shoulder. I scream. “Don’t touch me!”
“Whoa. Hey. It’s just me—“ Wyatt’s voice.
It’s just Wyatt. But what do I really know about this guy?
He’s friends with people in Zeta Pi. This could have all been some elaborate plan to get me here.
He could be friends with Austin. What if he brought me here so they could hurt me again?
What if Austin put him up to this? To asking me out?
I bring my arms together and curl into myself. If I hold myself tight enough, maybe I can keep myself together. But I can’t — breathe.
“Just Wyatt.” I whisper to myself. Adriana vouched for him. He’s a nice guy. Don’t jump to conclusions. Nothing happened yet. That word—yet. That’s what worries me.
I need to get out of here.
“Cecilia?” He tries again, stepping closer and invading my space.
My heart races, and there is this ringing in my ears. My vision narrows.
No. No. No.
“What is happening right now?” he asks, but I don’t think he’s talking to me.
“Move!” someone else shouts. “Get the fuck out of my way!”
There’s a commotion behind Wyatt, and a few seconds later, Felix is there, pushing his way through the crowd, swearing at people to back up and get out of his way.
My eyes track his progress, a flicker of relief trickling through me. I know him. It’s going to be okay, I tell myself.
With my lips parted, I suck in a shaky breath.
It’s not enough.
“Hey man, we’re sorta dealing with something here …” Wyatt starts.
Felix wedges himself between us and shoves Wyatt hard in the chest. “Back the fuck off!” he roars.
I catch Wyatt’s startled expression over Felix’s shoulder. He doesn’t strike me as the confrontational type—despite being on the football team—but the same can’t be said for his friend Terrance.
“What the hell is your problem?” Terrance snaps and takes two steps forward.
I shrink back.
“You,” Felix challenges. “Why the hell are you two up in her space?” With every word, he pushes forward, putting more space between the two of us while simultaneously forcing the surrounding people to take several steps back. He’s giving me breathing room and god, am I grateful for it.
“Look man,” Wyatt tries, his tone nothing but reasonable. “I don’t know what you think is happening here, but we were on a date and—“
“A date?” There’s doubt in his voice.
Wyatt nods just as Felix turns, peering over his shoulder to look at me. He raises a brow in question, and I give him a small nod.
His lips quirk, and there’s a spark of mischief in his eyes. “You’ve got some explaining to do, pequenita.” What is that? Little girl, I think.
I should probably be worried, but there’s no bite to his words. He’s teasing me. Something about Felix doing that, here and now, it eases some of the panic clawing at my chest.
Wordlessly, I nod.
“Did they hurt you?” he asks with genuine concern, ignoring Wyatt when he answers for me, assuring Felix that they didn’t do anything to me. That they don’t know why I’m all of a sudden freaking out.
Through all of it, Felix keeps his dark brown eyes locked on mine, waiting until I answer him.
I don’t have the right words. My initial panic drains out of me with him near. Felix is safe. He’s … not my friend. He’s Gabriel’s. But I trust him in a weird sort of way. I know he won’t hurt me. He isn’t an unknown. He’s never been anything but friendly.
Swallowing hard, I shake my head. It’s the best I can do right now to assure him that I’m okay.
It’s enough.
Felix turns his attention back to Wyatt and Terrance, and though I can’t see the expression on his face, I can hear the clear authority in his voice. “Here’s what’s going to happen,” he says to them. “I’m going to take Cecilia home.”
Wyatt opens his mouth, but Felix cuts him off.
“Your date is over. If you weren’t a complete asshole, maybe she’ll call you.” He shrugs. “But I wouldn’t hold my breath because you, my friend, you fucked up.”
I guess it’s a good thing I wasn’t hoping for a second date after this.
Wyatt’s brows draw together, and the corners of his mouth dip down into a frown, but Felix saves him from asking the question that’s clearly written across his face.
“You brought her here. To Zeta Pi.”
My stomach tightens. He wouldn’t say anything. Would he?
Wyatt looks even more confused now than he did before, and I silently pray he stays that way. It’s bad enough with the number of people who do know what happened to me. I’m not in any rush to add to that list.
“Look, man—“ Terrance interjects.
“No. You look.” Felix’s voice takes on a menacing quality.
“This is your house.” Felix spreads his arms wide.
“These are your brothers. Right?” He waves at the crowd hovering around us.
Most of them are pretending not to eavesdrop, and thankfully, the music is loud enough that they’d have to strain to hear our words.
But there are a few people openly gawking.
I can only imagine what they think of this right now.
Felix draws a lot of attention, even when he’s not trying to. And right now, he’s damn near putting on a show.
“Yeah, what of it?” Terrance says.
“You need to clean house.” There’s an edge in Felix’s voice. One that feels a lot like a warning.
“What the hell are you talking about?” Wyatt asks, but Felix keeps his gaze trained on Terrance. Stabbing a finger in his direction, he adds, “You know what went down here this past summer. What happened to her. This is your house. There’s no way you don’t know.”
An oily feeling slicks down my spine. No. Please no. Why is Felix saying all of this? Why can’t we just leave? I don’t want to be here for this.
Terrance looks at me in question, and I see the second recognition slams into him. His eyes go wide and he curses right before his jaw hardens.
He wasn’t in the room. Wasn’t one of the guys who—I can’t even think of it. It hurts too much.
But he wasn’t there.
He lives with them, though. He belongs to the frat and was probably here that night. At the party. If not, I’m sure he heard the stories. The rumors. Austin would have made sure of it. He was proactive when it happened and made sure everyone knew his version of the story.
Felix is right. Looking at him now, it’s obvious Terrance knows. Because Austin did what he set out to do. He painted me as the villain. The liar. The fraud. And it’s just as obvious that Terrance doesn’t believe my side of what happened to me.
“Nah,” Terrance shakes his head. “You got it all wrong—“
My back stiffens even though I knew this was coming.
“No.” Felix barks. “I don’t.”
Terrance doesn’t look convinced, and a part of me hates that. I don’t even have to voice the words to know he’d never believe me. I’m just a cleat chaser to him. A floozy. As far as he’s concerned, I got exactly what I wanted that night.
Felix makes a sound of disgust at the back of his throat and shakes his head. “?Que te jodan, cabrón!” Fuck you, asshole. “Does her behavior line up with someone making shit up?”
He doesn’t give Terrance the chance to answer, but I can see that he’s thinking about it now. Probably replaying whatever stories he’s been told and trying to match them up with whatever he thinks he sees in me now.
Meanwhile, Wyatt’s gaze is flipping back and forth from me to Terrance to Felix and then back to me. I’m not sure if he heard the rumors or not.
He doesn’t look surprised like his friend. He just looks confused. Not that it matters.
This date is a disaster, and it’s obvious it won’t be happening again.
Felix turns his back on them, and warm brown eyes settle on mine in apology. “Lo siento, pequenita.” I’m sorry, little one. “Te puedo llevar a casa?” Can I take you home?
I want to say yes, but suddenly, my throat is filled with broken glass and my limbs are locked. All I can seem to do is stare at Austin through Felix’s chest because even with him in the way, I know Austin is there. It takes every ounce of my being just to breathe.