Touching Melody (A Forever First Novel) (18 page)

“Hang on
,” she says, walking over to her jewelry box. She opens it and lifts out a long silver chain with a bulbous heart on the end. She places it around my neck and lets it fall against my chest. “That’s better.”

“Thanks, Gina.”

“Come on, Roomie. Let’s go have some fun.”

The party’s been going a while. I’m sitting on a large leather chair. Gina and I have followed our rules. I’ve had one shot. Just one. Pleasant detachment meanders through my insides. Every time I see a drink I want it, but I resist. Sipping water seems to help. Gina’s had two. Right now she’s dancing with a handsome guy. He has thick brown hair. A nice body under his white shirt and navy cargo pants. On his feet are loafers. They tell me he’s conceited but is casual about it. I’m bothered by the looks he keeps giving her. Looks I’m not sure are good. But I don’t know. Maybe it’s normal.

I haven’t seen Kyle yet. He hasn’t shown. And I wonder if he’s going to.

A giggly squeal forces my attention to a girl about to sit in the ratty green couch. It looks like the same one I saw at my first frat party. And I wonder if they pass it from house to house or if there was a giant sale on ugly green couches. As I’m watching, Stuart sidles over. He sits on the arm of my chair, reeking of too much cologne and not enough sense. 

“Hello, Maddie.”

A slow anger builds in my stomach. I see him watching Gina, a smirk on his boyish mouth, and I want to heave my knee into it. Make him bleed. I grit my teeth. “Get away from me,” I seethe.

He looks at me, shocked. “Come on. Don’t be that way. I know you hooked up with Kyle. I never would’ve guessed you were into the rowdy shit.” He smiles like I should know what the hell he’s talking about, but I don’t. “Maybe tonight you, me, and Gina can get together. Just the three of us.” He nudges my arm, and I shove him back.

I move to get out of the chair but Stuart leans over, blocking my escape. “Don’t go. Come on. Kyle’s got nothing on me, sweetheart.”

A knot of
alarm constricts my heart. I lash out. Use my annoyance to hide my panic. “Don’t you ever touch Gina or me again, you filthy prick.” My breathing is heavy, my fists clenched in my lap. I want to wipe the pretty-boy smile off his face with my nails. Take the stupid gold chain hanging from his neck and twist it until Stuart can’t breathe any more. I want to—

“Maddie
, is this assface bothering you?” Kyle grabs Stuart by the shirt and yanks him away.

“Hey, douche
. Watch the shirt. It cost six hundred bucks. That’s probably more than you’ve ever seen all at once.” Stuart readjusts his ugly, too fancy tee shirt, glaring at Kyle. “This isn’t an Alpha party and I’m not a grunt tonight. You, on the other hand, will always be the poor son of a dirty cop.”

Before I have a chance to be
shocked at the way Stuart is talking to Kyle, Kyle punches Stuart in the nose. I hear a distinct crack. Stuart screams and falls back onto me. Kyle grabs him by the collar, lifts him, and punches him again. Stuart's blood sprays across my face, my neck, my sweater, and my hands.

Someone pulls Kyle off Stuart. “That’s enough, man.
Take it easy.” I recognize one of the guys. He was our waiter the other night, and is Kyle’s cousin, Evan.

A couple of guys I don
’t know are helping Stuart. He’s got a hand over his nose. When he speaks he sounds like he’s sporting a serious sinus infection. “If it’s broken, I’ll kill you.”

Kyle is no longer struggling against his cousin and the other guy. “Back off,” he says, and shoves Evan. They r
elease him and he straightens. I’m surprised by how calm he looks. His breathing is calm. His hands are dangling loosely at his sides. There’s even a slight grin on his lips.

He takes a step toward Stuart.
“I’d like to see you try, little Stewy.” Kyle pokes Stuart in the chest. “I may be the poor son of a dirty cop, but at least I’m not the pussy son of a dirty congressmen.”

Stuart looks like he wants to say
more, but he must have a little sense because he doesn’t. He turns away. The two guys follow him.

 
Evan comes up behind Kyle and pats him on the back. “You okay, man?”

Kyle shakes him off, pushing out a laugh. “Why wouldn’t I be?” He turns his attention to me. Sticks out a hand. I grab it and he pulls me into his arms, kissing me full on the mouth.
I want to be glad, but distress bells are pounding inside my head.

Hoots and hollers go up all over the room. Thick tension, I hadn’t noticed until now, shatters. The air is
breathable again.

Kyle
steps back. “We need to get you cleaned up, and then we’re having a shot.”

“Me? What about you?” I say, wiping at something red next to his mouth. It’s thick, still a little warm, and kind of sticky.

It hits me like a wrecking ball. It’s blood.

Blood.

Blood.

Blood.

My mind says it over and over. And I see all the blood pooling under my parents. The way they were lying there like they were sleeping. Except for all the blood underneath them. And I’m shaking. Trembling so much my teeth are chattering.

“
Looks like Maddie’s in shock. What’s wrong, darlin’? Afraid of a little blood?”

The words ring in my ears, but I can’t focus on anything but the blood. It’s all over my fingers, my hands. I touch my face and feel it there.

“Shut up, Evan,” I hear Kyle snap.

“You and your family are nothing but trouble.”
Gina’s voice. I think she’s talking to Kyle. I silently pray she doesn’t say more, but she goes on. “Maybe you should just leave her alone. Haven’t you done enough already?”

I lean into Gina.

“Hey, Roomie,” she whispers. “Wanna get out of here?”

“Y-Yes,” I respond.

“Come on.” She grabs my hand and starts to walk, but I can’t move. I’ve forgotten how to put one foot in front of the other. “Maddie?”

Someone—Kyle—lifts me into his arms. I want to scream. Beat my hands against his chest. My
thinking is no longer rational. I know he just protected me, got in a fight with Stuart, but all I can focus on is the blood.

His father killed my parents, and it can’t be taken back.

“What are you doing?” Gina’s voice again.

“
I’ll take her to her room.”

22

Maddie

This is About a Boy

I sit up with a start. The sun is beating through the windows. Birds are chirping
, their nests built on the tiny ledge along the side of our building. For a split second I think I’m late for class. Then I remember it’s Saturday. The clock on the nightstand says nine sixteen.

Gina is asleep in her bed, her hands tucked under her face.

She’s at peace
, I think, noticing how soft her features are without all the stress and worry etched in them.

I pick up my shower bag and quietly go into the bathroom. Leaning against the sink, I stare at my reflection. I expect to see blood everywhere, but my face is clean. I glance down and realize I’m in my sweatpants and a tee.

There are two other girls in the bathroom, standing at other sinks, so I don’t freak out. I can’t help wondering how I got out of my blood stained clothes. Then I notice something dried in my hair. I’m guessing its blood.

I go to an empty
shower stall and turn on the water. I wash my hair twice, then once more for good measure, just to make sure I get out all the blood.

“Maddie! Maddie!” Gina screams.

I poke my head out. “What’s wrong?”

She heaves a sigh of relief. “You scared the shit out of me. I woke and you were gone. Why aren’t you still asleep?”

The other two girls getting ready suddenly decide they’re finished and bolt. One glances at Gina.

“What are you looking at? Cunt.”

The other girl lets out an offended huff.

I stifle a giggle. “I’m almost done. Be
out in a sec.” I let the water cascade over my body.

“Fine. Just hurry. I’m hungry.”

“For cafeteria food? Or Perky’s?” I can’t help sticking my head outside the shower curtain. Gina rarely eats—ever. Especially not breakfast. When she does eat, it’s usually pastries from the coffee shop, Perky’s, in The Mall.  I don’t think she’s ever eaten in the cafeteria.

She seems to understand my curiosity. “It’s not like I have anyth
ing against cafeteria food.”

“So, cafeteria then?”

“Why not?” She shrugs. “It could be fun.”

There’s something going on. I can’t believe she’s suddenly okay wi
th eating in there, unless…

“This is about a boy,” I say
, turning off the water and throwing on my bathrobe.

She gasps and her eyes get wide. “No it isn’t.”

But I’ve caught her. And I know I’m right. “What’s his name?”

She heads into a bathroom stall to pee. I walk over to a sink. Apply some face lotion, take a towel and rub it through my hair. Wipe the mascara residue out from under my eye
s. Apply some lip balm. Gina comes out of the bathroom and washes her hands. I walk over and catch her eyes in the mirror’s reflection.

“Fine. His name is Collin. I met him last night. We were dancing.”

“Oh, yeah. I saw him.” I run my fingers over my eyebrows. They are everywhere. “So, you gonna meet him in the cafeteria?”

She flicks me in the face with water. “Not if you don’t get your a
ss dressed.” She pushes open the bathroom door. I follow.

The cafeteria is packed. I get a bagel, some cream cheese, and orange juice. Gina gets water and a chocolate muffin. We sit at the little table in the corner. The same one I sat at the first day of class. Gina is nervous. Antsy.

“See him yet?”
I can’t help but be amused. She’s usually so laid back, uncaring. This boy has her flustered. It’s funny.

Gina
shakes her head.

“I’m going to go get some bacon. Want anything?”

“No.”

I
cover my mouth, hiding my shock.

The bacon is in the same area as the eggs, waffles, pancakes, and
hash browns. The line is long, but I don’t mind waiting. It gives me the opportunity to think about what happened last night. The way I freaked out.

Kyle seems to care. He seems like a good person. And I know he didn’t kill my parents. My brain comprehends that, but I can’t seem to convince my heart.

“It’s Maddie, right?” Someone taps me on the shoulder.

I turn and am face to face
with the two girls who came into the cafeteria with Kyle that first day. They are wearing matching outfits again—cheerleader uniforms. I think that explains a lot.

“Yep.” The line is moving.

Twin One whispers, “Did he take you into his special room?”

“Chain you
naked and spread eagle to the bed?” asks Twin Two.

My face
scorches with mortification, and I’m not even sure why. “No,” I whisper, keeping my eyes down.

They both giggle.
“I think he did.” Twin One laughs. It sounds more like a cackle.

“
And she liked it.”

I look up, ignoring the rapid beating of my heart. It isn’t that I’m afraid of these girls. Hardly. It’s only that they are confirming Kyle does things, likes things—sexually—that I don’t understand. “It’s none of your business,” I say, swallowing down some of my
irritation.

“Okay,” Twin O
ne says with a shrug.

“But if you ever feel like talking, I’m
Beth and this is Baby.” She smacks Twin One on the ass.

“Got it.” Beth and Baby.
I won’t forget their names even if I want to.

I final
ly reach the bacon, but it’s gone. Not wanting to leave empty handed, I put a waffle on my plate. Pour syrup over it and head back to the table.