Casting Shadows (17 page)

We both looked round. He was standing in the doorway, shaking, his white shirt completely covered in mud.

Flynn charged across the barn. ‘Get out!’ he yelled. ‘This is none of your business.’

‘No.’ Leo’s face was white with terror. ‘I’m not going without River. Not unless I know she’s safe.’

Flynn pushed him in the chest. Leo stumbled backwards. A new fear lurched inside me. Flynn would never hurt me but Leo was an easy target.

‘I told you to get out,’ Flynn shouted.

‘Leo, I’m okay,’ I said. ‘Please go.’

‘No.’ Leo clenched his fists. ‘Not if he’s bullying you. I won’t go without you . . .’

‘Don’t you dare talk about me like I’m not even here,’ Flynn snarled. He turned to me. ‘Been kissing him too, have you?’

‘No, of course I haven’t.’

‘Leave her alone,’ Leo yelled.

Thwack.
With a sickening crunch Flynn’s fist sank into Leo’s jaw Leo spun right round on himself and collapsed onto the ground. Flynn stood over him, fists clenched,
panting.

I ran over. Leo knelt up, holding his mouth. Blood was pouring out from between his fingers.

I stared at Flynn. And in that moment I suddenly realised how little I’d understood him. Anger and a harsh, ruthless pride were in his bones. He was never going to change.

‘Leo didn’t hurt anyone,’ I said, my whole body trembling.

Flynn just looked at me. For a second the fury in his eyes subsided and they shone a soft, agonised gold, full of longing and hurt and love. And then, as I watched, they hardened into cold
pinpricks of a rage I couldn’t begin to understand.

‘Well, he’s all yours now,’ he said quietly. And then he turned and walked out of the barn.

I bent down over Leo. Are you all right?’

He stood up shakily. Blood was still pouring down his face. I put my arm round his waist. ‘Come on, let’s get you up to the house.’

We walked quickly up to the kitchen. I grabbed a tea towel and some ice and told Leo to press them against his mouth. Then I ran upstairs and knocked on Dad and Gemma’s door.

Dad answered in his bathrobe. ‘Hey, Riv, how’s it going? Everything sounded quiet. I was just coming down to check . . .’ He glanced at my dress. ‘Hey, sweetheart,
what’s the matter? Is that
blood?’

‘There was a fight.’ I caught my breath, unable to say Flynn’s name. ‘Leo’s been hurt.’

I turned away to go back to Leo. As I glanced at our room, I wondered where Flynn was. There was no sound from inside and no light seeping under the door.

Dad and Gemma followed me down the stairs. Dad whistled when he saw Leo, while Gemma fetched the first-aid box from one of the kitchen cupboards. Dad tried to see inside Leo’s mouth but
there was too much blood.

‘Leo’s dad came in at about one, I think, River,’ Dad said. ‘Would you fetch him, please?’

I raced up to Leo’s apartment. The commune felt eerily still now the party was over. I still couldn’t see Flynn anywhere. Where was he?

Leo’s dad was fast asleep. It took me a full minute of banging on his apartment door to wake him, then he stumbled after me to the kitchen. Leo was still sitting at the table, white-faced,
while Gemma dabbed at his face.

Leo’s dad paled at the sight of all the blood.

I’m fine, Dad,’ Leo said quickly.

‘I think he is but we’re going to have to take him to casualty,’ Gemma said. ‘He needs to be properly examined. He might need a stitch or something.’

‘Who hit you?’ Leo’s dad asked, reaching for his son’s arm.

It struck me that this was the first time I’d ever seen them touch.

Leo shook his head. He kept his gaze on the floor.

‘For Pete’s sake,’ his dad said.

Gemma rested her hand on his shoulder. ‘Hospital first, questions later,’ she said.

A minute later Gemma and Leo’s dad took Leo off in the car. Dad looked at me curiously. ‘Are you all right, River?’

I nodded. Surely enough time had passed now for Flynn to have calmed down a bit. Maybe if I tried to explain again . . .

‘I’m fine, Dad, just a bit wired. I’ll be up in a second.’

‘Okay.’ Dad gave me a hug and padded off to bed.

I called Flynn’s mobile. It was switched off, so I began searching the house for him. I was sure he wasn’t outside anywhere. I’d been so close to the kitchen door while Gemma
was examining Leo that I’d have heard if he’d gone out to the barn or the meadow again.

But Flynn wasn’t in the house. I looked in our flat, then in all the communal rooms. I found a couple of partygoers asleep in the downstairs office and Stone snoring loudly on the living
room couch but the rest of the communal rooms were empty.

I went back to our room and sat on the mattress.

And that’s when I realised. Flynn’s drawer – the middle one in the chest of drawers – was half open. I was sure it hadn’t been left like that earlier. My heart was
in my mouth as I stumbled across the room to look inside. The drawer was empty.

I darted across the room to the big trunk in the corner where we put our bags and school books. Flynn’s bag was gone. Terrified now, I raced over to the hanging rail. My clothes were
draped across it, though not in the same way they had been earlier. I tore them down. Empty hangers clattered to the floor. I looked around and gasped. Flynn’s football boots and running
shoes and other bits and pieces – all the things most useful or important to him – were no longer here.

I staggered over to the bed, unable to take it in.

He can’t be gone. He can’t. He must be here somewhere. He’s just angry. Trying to scare me.
I sank onto the bed.
He’s coming back. He’s coming
back.

I sat on the covers, hunched over my knees. I caught sight of the framed photo he had given me earlier. It was on the other side of the bed from where I’d left it, face down, as if someone
had kicked it over the bed. I picked it up. Miraculously the glass was still intact, though a little of the frame had been chipped away.

I placed the photo back beside the bed where it had originally stood.

Any minute he’ll walk back in. Any second.

I didn’t want to be asleep when he came back, so I sat up against the cold, hard wall, still in my clothes.

Waiting.

I woke with a jolt. It was still dark but I hadn’t drawn the curtains last night and the sky was lighter than when I’d fallen asleep.

I twisted round so quickly I almost cricked my neck.

No Flynn.

I lay still for a moment, my body tensing as I remembered everything that had happened last night. I was on top of the covers, slumped sideways across the bed. Freezing cold.

I got up and found my phone. No texts or missed calls. I called Flynn but his mobile was still switched off, with no option to leave a message. I sent a text saying to
please, please call
me
. I took the phone to the bathroom but he didn’t call back. I had a pee, then a drink of water, then padded back to bed.

The whole house was silent.

I got under the covers, feeling strangely numb. I put the phone by the bed.

He’s here somewhere. He’s just punishing you. He’ll be back.

It took me ages to warm up and even longer to fall asleep again.

I woke up slowly this time. Light was pouring in through the window. I could feel the warmth of it on my eyelids. I lay there for a second feeling happy. I imagined opening my eyes, seeing
Flynn’s face on the pillow beside me, feeling his hand stroking my cheek.

And then I remembered.

My eyes snapped open. The pillow next to mine was empty.

There was a soft tapping on the door.

‘River?’

The tapping got slightly louder, then Leo’s head poked round the door. I gasped at the sight of his face. The area round the left side of his lip was swollen and bruised. Even from the bed
I could see where the lip was cut.

‘Are you all right?’ Leo tiptoed over. He was dressed in jeans and a jumper. His face was even paler than usual and there were dark rings under his eyes.

I stared at him.
No. I’m not all right.

Leo got within a metre or so of the mattress, then stopped. He shuffled awkwardly from side to side. ‘I’m fine. Just a cut lip,’ he muttered. ‘I was . . . I was so
worried about you. I knew you wouldn’t want me to say anything about Flynn. I told Dad it was some guys I didn’t know who’d crashed the party . . .’

My eyes filled with tears as I remembered Flynn’s face after he’d punched Leo. Then all the blood. I looked down at the stain on my dress. I looked up. Leo was staring at the blood
too. He caught my eye and blushed.

‘Sorry for bleeding all over you.’ He touched his swollen lip. ‘Has Flynn gone?’

I nodded again. Then I turned my face away, not wanting Leo to see me cry.

I could hear him padding back across the room and pulling open the door. It creaked. ‘Er . . . I’m going to tell your dad you’re awake,’ he said hesitantly. ‘I know
he’s worried about you seeing me beaten up.’

He left, shutting the door behind him.

I lay on my back, pulling the covers up around my neck. I stared up at the ceiling. Beaten up. Was that what Flynn had done to Leo? My heart told me it was. That punching him had been entirely
unprovoked.

A few minutes later Dad came in. He sat down on the edge of the mattress. ‘River? Are you okay?’

I nodded, not meeting his eyes.

‘What happened last night? Leo told me some of it but there’s stuff he’s keeping back. Stuff to do with you, I think.’ He looked round the room. And where’s
Flynn?’

I shrugged.

Out of the corner of my eye I could see Dad frowning. ‘River, please, I’m worried about you. Did something happen to Flynn? Was he involved in this incident with Leo? Where is
he?’

I shrugged again.
He’s coming back. He’s coming back.

Dad sighed. The floor creaked as he stood up. ‘I’ll be back in a bit.’

He left. I lay there for a few more minutes, wondering where Flynn was. The fact that he’d taken most of his possessions suggested he had left the commune, at least for a while. I tried to
work out where he could have gone with no money in the middle of the night. What would have been open? Who would have taken him in? Maybe one of his football buddies? My heart ached as I imagined
him alone and trudging down the road towards Norton, where our college was. It was over two miles away. He could have got too cold to walk. Or twisted his ankle. Or been attacked by some gang.

I scrambled out of bed and found my phone. There were still no messages. No missed calls. I dialled his number but, as before, it was switched off with no option to leave a voice message so I
texted him again, my hands shaking.

R U ok? Please come back. I love you. Please
.

I sank back on the bed, praying Flynn was okay, praying he was on his way home right now. I curled up, hugging my arms round my chest. It still didn’t feel real. Flynn was going to walk in
any minute. Even if he thought I’d wanted to kiss James, he must have realised by now that it was a stupid one-off. A mistake. And he’d made mistakes too.

Surely he’d be able to see that.

The door opened again. Dad walked in. This time Gemma was with him.

They came over to the bed and sat on either side of me. Now I was on top of the bed rather than in it, I could see Dad registering that I was still in my party clothes.

‘Is that
your
blood, River?’ His voice was hoarse.

I shook my head.

‘Just Leo’s?’

I nodded.

I could see Dad and Gemma exchanging glances. Then Dad leaned closer to me. ‘Please, River. Please talk to us. We’re desperately worried. You seemed fine last night. I mean, shaken
but . . . But now . . . Did something else happen? Did somebody hurt you?’

I lay still. Part of me wanted to explain but I knew that once I said the words that Flynn had gone, it would make it real.

Dad leaned even closer. He shook my shoulder. ‘River, please tell me what happened.’ He shook me harder. I curled up tighter into a ball. ‘River.’

‘No.’ I sensed Gemma pulling him away. ‘Sweetheart, listen.’ Their footsteps echoed out to the corridor. I could hear them whispering, though not what they were saying.
Then Gemma came back in. ‘I’m going to run you a bath, River, okay? I’ll help you.’

She left and a minute later I could hear the hot water tank gurgling into action.

My phone beeped. I was across the bed and picking it up in a single movement. It wasn’t Flynn. The text was from Grace, asking if I was all right.

Two minutes later it rang. Emmi. I switched off the call. She rang again. I switched off again. Then she sent a text.

Am so so sorry please call me

I deleted the text.

Gemma came back in with a big bathrobe in her arms. ‘Let’s get you undressed, okay?’

I stood up and let her unzip my dress. Her fingers moved swiftly and gently As she slid the dress over my shoulders, I could see her searching my body, as if she was looking for something.

Then she stood back. ‘You do your underwear, River.’

Obediently I unhooked my bra and peeled my knickers down my leg. Gemma covered me with the bath robe and tied it round me. Then she held my shoulders and looked into my eyes. There was such
worry and such kindness in her expression that I wanted to cry again. Except that now the part of me that wanted to cry was buried deep inside me and I knew the tears wouldn’t come. I stared
dully back at her.

‘River?’ She hesitated. ‘You don’t have to talk. Just nod for yes. Shake for no. Okay?’

I nodded. I didn’t want to shut myself off from Gemma. I just didn’t want to speak. Couldn’t speak.

‘Last night, did anyone hit you?’

I shook my head.

Gemma took a deep breath. ‘Did anyone . . . did someone force you to have sex or anything like that?’

I shook my head again.

‘So . . . so . . . River, it’s really important you are honest about this.’ Gemma’s voice shook. ‘Did anyone touch you or do anything to hurt you at all?’

I shook my head a third time.

Gemma nodded. ‘Okay, okay,’ she said soothingly. ‘Then let’s get you into that bath.’