Page 6 of Worth the Risk

Where are you??

Me

Trying to avoid some creepy guy sos.

I’m walking away from the fire, back towards the entrance to the house when someone snags my wrist.

“There you are.” A deep, drunk and unfortunately familiar voice says. I try to tug my wrist away and keep walking. “I told you to wait right where you were.”

Internally, I'm panicking but I’m trying to keep my composure on the outside semi-collected. I’m desperately looking around for someone I know, Garrett, Rosie, heck at this point I’d take anyone slightly familiar. His grip on my wrist is tightening and I just know there will be a bruise there tomorrow. He yanks me away from the fire and towards the fence that blocks the neighbor’s yard. “Ouch.”

“Oh shush, this is what bad girls get and you’re bad, aren’t you? Can’t follow simple directions.” If this is him trying to be seductive, it’s not even close to working. We’re over towards the side of the backyard, it’s almost pitch black over here and he turns me towards him pressing my back into the wooden fence. I can’t make out his features in the dark or read his face, but I can smell the alcohol on his breath. He tries to tuck my hair behind my ear and I flinch.

“No need to be so wound up. I’m not going to hurt you.” He chuckles. Taking a step closer, he presses himself into me, our bodies are flushed together. I try to move back, but I can’t go anywhere. He leans down slightly, whispering in my ear. “C’mon, let’s go back to my place.”

“I have to use the restroom.” I blurt out. That’s the first thing that came to my mind to buy me time. To figure out how to get out of this mess and find my friends.

“Ugh, fine. I’ll take you there and then back to mine.” I just nod. He grabs my wrist again, dragging me through the backyard and back into the house. The line for the bathroom is a few people deep, thank god, this gives me time to figure out a plan.

“This isn’t going to work.” He mumbles under his breath and drags me away again this time up the stairs where there is another bathroom, with no line. Fuck. “There.” He points. “Don’t be long. I’ll be right here.” I nod and close the door, trying to lock it but my hands are shaking. When did that happen? I look at myself in the mirror and notice my skin is now void of all color and my blue eyes are even brighter, with tears stinging the corner. What should I do? I need to get out of here. I look around and that’s when I notice this bathroom must also be adjoining a bedroom. There’s a loud rasp on the door.

“Hurry up.”

I jump. I need to get out, it doesn’t matter whose bedroom that is. They're probably not in there. Maybe I can escape from their window. I make the decision and shakily open the door that leads into the bedroom.

Chapter 4

Liam

After finding Ryan and giving him shit about going to get stuff for margaritas, for a girl he’s apparently only met once, I walk around the party for a bit nursing a beer. I talk to a few of the hockey players on Ry’s team and chat with some guys on my team. Some of them playing beer pong on our dining room table. I play a round with them but my game is shit. The side of the table I'm playing on looks directly into the living room and I can see the girl I met earlier, her strawberry hair swaying down her back, heading towards the dance floor with her friend. She looked nervous at first, it was cute, but once she started moving and getting into it she was actually really good and she looked freaking gorgeous swaying her slightly curvy hips. If I had half a mind I would go up there right now, look into her beautiful ocean blue eyes and ask her to dance.

“Hello, earth to Mills.” Dylan waves his hands in front of my face.

“Shit, sorry.” I throw my next ball and miss, again. Dylan makes his next two throws winning for this team. “Good game, Dyl.”

“More so yours was just bad.”

“You’re not wrong there.” I force out a laugh.

“Wanna go again, we can be on the same team this time?”

“Nah, I’ll let some of the other guys play. I’m going to do a lap.” I say and head off. I want to find Emilia, maybe ask her to dance. I look into the living room where she had been dancing but more people are dancing now and I can’t spot her through the crowd. Some girl I don’t know comes up to me and asks me to dance, I just shake my head and walk away, my sights only set on one girl tonight. I head to the kitchen and grab a bottle of water subtly looking around and finding myself slightly upset over the fact she wasn’t in here either. Maybe she left. I don’t see her friend either so they definitely could’ve gone home. Even though it’s barely been forty minutes of them being here, she didn’t seem like the party type so she could’ve had her fill.

Deciding I’ve also had my fill, I head up the stairs and into my room. It’s not that I don’t like a party, they can be fun, I just prefer smaller groups and the one downstairs has grown into a little too much for me. I’m also exhausted since I was up late all week studying for finals and then having a game today. I change into some sweats and take off my collared shirt. Turning the tv on I scroll to Netflix and watch the first thing it recommends.

I hear a loud rasp coming from outside on what must be the bathroom door. What the heck? Most people don’t come upstairs at our parties, they know it’s a no-go zone. Then, suddenly there’s the girl I’ve been looking for all night coming into my room through the bathroom.

“Emilia?” I ask, stunned, as if I summoned her with my thoughts.

“I - I - I’m sorry.” Her voice sounds weak, shaky and she looks like she’s seen a ghost, her body visibly trembling. I shoot off the bed and over to her.

“Are you okay? What happened?” That’s when the tears start to fall and she starts hyper-ventilating. I reach out to hold her as I’m scared she’s going to collapse but she flinches. It stings but I try not to take it personally, something is clearly very wrong right now. I search her face for any physical harm and then scan her body, my eyes catch on her wrist. Wrists that are beat red and forming bruises. “Who did this to you, Emilia?” She takes a few deep breaths trying to collect herself, to give me the name of the person I’m about to pummel, but before she can there’s more knocking on the bathroom door.

“Bitch, I told you to hurry up.” Emilia flinches, tears silently streaming down her face.

“Was it him?” I ask her, she gives me a weak nod. That’s all I need before I’m on the move. I head over to the door, ready to give this person what they deserve. I’ve never been one for violence, but who the hell does he think he is?

“Liam…” Her voice sounds like a plea, so I turn around, grab her hands again, and lead her to the other side of the room that will be blocked when I open the door.

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