Lingering Echoes (19 page)

I scoffed. “I don’t know. I’m not in the mood, Aaron.”

“Sure you are. You just don’t know it yet. Come on—just ten minutes and, if you’re not having fun losing to me, we can move onto something else.”

I couldn’t help but smile. “Ok, you win.”
Wearing jean shorts and a purple tank top, I didn’t bother changing, except to throw on socks and sneakers.

Reaching the
dimly lit court, we checked the ball to each other, with Aaron taking the ball first. He was quick, dribbling around me before he jumped, scoring an easy two-pointer.

My turn.
His towering height over me was going to be tricky. I dribbled forward, crouched low, looking for an opportunity to go around him. Backing up, I drew him in. He swiped, attempting to steal the ball. I spun around, taking advantage of the widened gap behind him. I beat him to the hoop, landing a layup.

Aaron
gave me a high five. “Not bad. See, less than five minutes, and you’re already having a good time. I’m telling you, basketball is life’s new remedy.”

“Yeah, well, you better not throw the ga
me just to make me feel better,” I warned, checking the ball.

“I wouldn’t think of it
,” Aaron said. “We’re even now, four-four. Game on.”

We played for the next
forty minutes, battling good-naturedly. Despite some proud moments on my part, it wasn’t a contest. Aaron crushed me in every game, no matter how many times we reset the points.

During the last play of th
e game, I tried to block a shot. I spread my arms wide, stepping into his path. Aaron’s momentum charged into me, knocking me over. On impulse, I grabbed his white shirt to brace my fall but, instead, pulled him down on top of me. I groaned as his body weight crushed me into the cement court.

I burst into an exhausted fit of laughter, sprawled on my back, my legs tangled with his. We laid there for a moment, sweaty and both too tired to move. I looked up at Aaron.

He wasn’t laughing. He was staring down at me, his face positioned just above mine. Without warning, he lowered his head, his lips enclosing around my own. His movements were slow and deliberate, his mouth opening to wrap around mine. For a surprised second, I tried to pull back my head, but Aaron’s persistence squashed my resistance. Instead, my body responded, moving my mouth with his.

It took another moment before my mind caught up with my body. When it did, I shoved my hands against his chest
with a gasp, pulling my face free from his.

Mortified,
I squirmed out from under him on my hands and knees. It wasn’t until I turned back around that my heart stopped. Brooke stared at us from behind Aaron, her mouth gaping.

Aaron, still breathing heavily, said nothing, though his guilty features said as much. I tried to s
peak, to soften her heartbreak.

“Brooke, I—”

Her countenance changed, twisting into fury with clenched fists. “How
could
you?”

Her eyes flitted back and forth, making it unclear whether she was speaking to me or Aaron, but I knew it didn’t matter.
The damage was done. Her eyes were brim-full with anger. It was the last thing I saw in her face before she took off, running back towards the cabins.

“Brooke!” I made a sound of frustrat
ion, hurrying after her. Standing to his feet, Aaron grabbed my wrist.

“Allie, wait—”

I yanked my hand out of his grip.

“Let go of me! Don’t you realize what we’ve just done?
”

Running
after Brooke, I left Aaron behind. I didn’t have time to tell him that I was more disappointed in myself than anybody—disappointed that I allowed impulse to hurt my friend, and disappointed because a weaker, subliminal part of myself welcomed Aaron’s subtle advances, gave in to the bold sensation of his lips against mine.

Stupid, stupid
, stupid!

Darkn
ess was falling. Still, I caught the shadowy outline of Brooke a good hundred feet ahead of me. She was in the parking lot next to a sedan. I could hear the running motor as the driver revved the engine. Who was she talking to?

I
nearly tripped. Brooke was flanked by two of the guys who had disrupted the volleyball game and gave us the party flier. The one with the black hat put a hand on her shoulder, talking with his face close to hers. She shrugged and nodded her head, allowing him to escort her inside the car.

What is she doing?

Brooke!” I called out again, as her head disappeared inside the car. The sedan began to pull away just as I reached it. I banged on the trunk. “Wait!”

The car stopped. The driver’s wi
ndow and rear-seat window slid down.

The guy with the darker skin sat in
front passenger seat. He flashed a wide smile at me. “You comin’ with us, baby?”

Gritting my teeth, I ignored
him. Brooke was in the back row on the far side. She wasn’t looking at me, but I could see the glistening in her eyes.

“Brooke. What are y
ou doing?” I kept my voice calm.

“What does it look like I’m doing?” she asked
in a cool tone, refusing to look my direction. “I’m going to go have some fun.”

“Yeah, you got that right
.” Hat guy smirked, sitting beside her. He wrapped an arm around her shoulders. I tried to hide my disgust at the way he looked her up and down.

“Come on, Bro
oke,” I pleaded, trying to conceal the desperation in my voice. “You can’t go with them. We need to talk about this.”

“Quit telling me what to do. You’re nothing but a lying, back-stabbing
hypocrite!”

Jeering laughter filled t
he car.

“Look out for the
catfight,” someone mumbled under his breath. More laughter and quiet taunting followed.

The guy behind the wheel addressed me. “Look. Either get in or move along. The party’
s not going to wait on us.”

I hesitated, fuming and distraught as I waited for Brooke to get out of
the car. Noting the hard lines around her eyes and her set jawline, I knew that would not be the case. I didn’t have a choice. “Move over, then.”

I slipped into the car as a
ll three guys smiled and hooted. The stereo system thumped with rap music.

I didn’t know what we were getting ourselves into, but I wasn’t abo
ut to let Brooke face it alone.

“Hey, so l
isten,” the guy next to Brooke said as the car pulled away. “Now that we have all night together, we got time for proper introductions. I’m Jordon. This here is my buddy, Rob,” he said, putting a hand on the driver’s shoulder. “And, of course, Joel.”

Joel
raised his hand. “Welcome to the party. “ He turned up the base, bumping to the music. “We’re going to have some fun tonight. Aren’t we, boys?”

“This is it, ladies,” Jordan said, stretching his arms into the air and puffing out his chest. “It’s time to get your party on!” He grinned at Brooke
, putting an arm around her once again. “Let’s go.”

She didn’t even look back at me
once. Concern and irritation flared inside of me as I watched her leave with him.

What is she thinking?
Of all the naïve, immature things to do…

“You
comin’ or what?” Joel called from ahead of me, but he didn’t pause to wait for an answer. He hurried to catch up with his friends—and Brooke, of course—all of whom were striding into the narrow, unlit street.

I hesitated a moment longer, my eyes sear
ching up and down the street for—for what? Who was I looking for? No one knew where we were. I kicked myself. Why hadn’t I at least stopped to tell Aaron where we were going?

Because Brooke would have taken off without me.

Answering my own question didn’t solve my problems, but it did remind me I was on my own. I needed to find Brooke, knock some sense into that thick blond head of hers, and get us both to a phone.

I hu
rried after them, pushing past a young couple in front of me. I ignored the sparsely clothed female who threw me a dirty look, her heels clicking behind me. I felt her look me up and down, no doubt criticizing my odd choice of clothing for a party. Picking up the pace, my tennis shoes thumped against the cracked asphalt.

It felt even darker inside the street
than it looked from outside. The buildings seemed to close in around me, most of which appeared rundown and abandoned. Despite the shadows, I caught sight of a curtain of highlighted hair disappearing inside a doorway.

I hurried past the shattered windows
of the building, stepping with caution around the shards of glass littering the ground. Reaching the entrance, I attempted to follow a group of people through the open doorway.

A
firm hand gripped my shoulder, holding me in place.

“
Hey—” I protested.

“Cash first.” A thickset man stood in my path, his tight shirt emphasizing his bulging biceps. His g
ruff features loomed over me as he held out an open palm.

My hands slipped into my empty pockets
, coming up with a mere shrug of my shoulders. “I’m sorry—I don’t have any money. I just need to find my friend and then we’re leaving.”

“Yeah, I’ve heard that one.” He pushed me out the door.

“No, you don’t understand—”

“Next!” he called.

“Wait. She’s with us.” I turned around in surprise. Joel grabbed my forearm, thrusting a five-dollar bill into the bouncer’s hand. Someone stamped my hand with little care as I was pulled inside the club. I allowed Joel to hold onto me while I stumbled inside, my eyes struggling to adjust to the large room with poor lighting.

Techno music blared in my ears
with every beat pulsing through my body. Twirling, florescent glow sticks helped illuminate the dancing crowd. To the side was a small stage seating a DJ and a table of audio equipment and other gear. Colorful, flashing lights projected from the ceiling, circling the crowd with spinning lights that made me dizzy.

“I was wondering w
here you disappeared to,” Joel said—or yelled, rather, over the deafening music.

Distracted,
I looked around. “Yeah, thanks. I guess.” Joel pulled me against him.

“No problem. Now you owe me one,” he sneered, laughing as I pushed him away.
I glared at him, daring him to put his hands on me again.

“Where’s Brooke?” I
demanded through my teeth, scanning the swarm before me with frantic eyes. It was impossible to distinguish any one person from the crazed, bouncing crowd. Towards the edge of the stage, they were smashing into each other and knocking each other over. How was I supposed to find her in this madhouse?

“Where is she?” I asked again.

Joel smirked at me. He pointed towards the back of the room. Brooke was leaning against the wall next to that guy, Jordan.

I pushed past the crowd,
disgusted as sweaty arms slid against my own. The air tasted staler by the minute. Reaching Brooke, I put my hand on her arm and said, “Come on, we have to get out of here.”

She
jutted out her chin and threw my hand off.

“What do you think you’re doing?”
I asked.

“How do you have the nerve to ask me that? I don’t suppose you asked yourself the same question when you were stabbing me in the back!”

I let out exasperated air. She had every right to be furious with me.

“
I just need to talk to you. Please,” I begged her. She hesitated with indecision.

“Why don’t you lighten up a little and let your friend be?” Jordan
motioned to the beer on the table, taking a sip from his own can. “You’re in and it’s paid for. Grab a can and relax.”

Ignoring him, I
waited for Brooke’s response.

“Fine,” she said. “
Five minutes.” She followed me back through the crowds, passed another bouncer, and exited the back doors. I inhaled the cool air. While I wouldn’t describe the hint of mildew in the air as fresh, it was easier to take in than the smoke-filled room.

“Ok. So what do you want?” Brooke snapped. She crossed her arms.

I sighed. “Look, I know I don’t have any business telling you what to do, considering what happened at the basketball court tonight. But if you stay here with these guys, you’re just going to get yourself in trouble.”

She rolled her eyes at
me.

“Brooke, I am so s
orry,” I said. “What happened between Aaron and me shouldn’t have happened.”

“Then why
did
it happen?” she spat out. “All this time, I’ve been excited and happy for you and Damien—at least before he turned out to be a criminal. And you knew how much I like Aaron. Why would you do that?”

I
shook my head, looking at the ground. “I don’t know. I’ve just been confused! Everything feels so screwed up with Damien—”

“So what—you
had to take second best?”

“No! Brooke, I
just want to fix it. If I could go back and change it, I would. You’ve been a good friend to me and you don’t deserve any of this.” I took a breath, watching her with a hopeful expression.

The fury seemed to be dying in her eyes.
She pulled away, sniffling. “I shouldn’t have made such a big deal about it. It’s just a crush, you know? I mean, let’s be honest. We both knew he wasn’t that into me. It was always you.”

Raising my eyebrows, I started to shake my head.

“Don’t look so surprised,” she continued. “I wasn’t entirely blind. I’ve seen the way he looks at you when he thinks nobody’s looking. I just hoped he’d change his mind and look at me like that, too. I guess I tried to force something that wasn’t there.”

I jumped as the door behind us burst open
. Jordan and Joel ambled towards us with an unsteady stance.

“Hey ladies,” Joel
said, stepping close to my side. “Time to get back to the party, don’t you think?” The smell from his warm breath made me gag.

I took Brooke’s arm. “You know what, guys? We’re
about done. We’ll find our own way home. Thanks anyway.” Brooke walked by my side, keeping up with my pace. I could feel them watching us.

“Quickly,” I murmured.
Brooke’s breathing increased in tempo, sensing my urgency.

Hurried footsteps echoed behind us.

“I don’t think so.” Joel’s menacing voice accompanied the grip around my bicep, swinging me around. Jordan yanked Brooke from my side.

“
Ow!” she cried out. “Allie—”

Joel
pushed my back against the wall. “You still owe me a favor,” he said, stepping into me. I turned my head, pushing both hands against his chest.

“Get away from me!” The fear in Brooke’s
voice seemed to fuel their intent. Their low laughter resonated through the hollow street.

From my peripheral, I could see Brooke squirming.

“Come on,” Jordan coaxed. “You wanted to have some fun, right?” His jeering laughter was cut off when he cried out in pain. “She just clawed my face! You’re gonna regret that.”

“Leave her alone!” I wrestled
against Joel’s weight. He had my arms pinned against the wall above my head, using his body weight as leverage. I dodged a sloppy kiss and spit in his face. He growled, releasing one arm to wipe it off.

I twisted around in time to see Jordan thro
w Brooke to the ground. Her body collided into the dumpster, slamming her head against the wall.

Pulse racing,
I jerked my knee upwards. Joel grunted as it made contact. He doubled over, cursing at me. I stepped around him, running to Brooke’s sprawled body, and crouched beside her. She whimpered as she lifted her smudged cheek off the ground.

Strong
arms grabbed me from behind and spun me around. Falling back onto my rear, I kicked my right leg out, aiming for Jordan’s face, but he grabbed my foot and yanked me towards him. With one swift movement, he struck my cheek.

I cried out in protest,
my eyes brimming with tears.

“
You shouldn’t have done that,” a deep voice informed from behind him.

Identifying the familia
r voice, my mouth fell open with a quick intake of breath. Jordan didn’t even have time to turn around before two hands wrenched him off me. I sat up, my breaths heaving in my chest, as Jordan was hurled against the asphalt.

I
n his place stood Damien, three feet from me, towering over Jordan’s body.

“Maybe you shouldn’t have done
that
,” Joel said, having recovered from my retaliation. Striding towards Damien, he called to Jordan, who was rising to his feet. “Come on, man. We got this.”

Damien eyed the duo. Reaching into the dumpster, he pulled out a broken two-by-
four jutting over the edge. “Look, the two of you together can probably take me.” He paused, gripping the wooden plank with both hands. “But whoever comes at me first will be going to the hospital.”

Wrapping my arms around Brooke, I pulled her as close to the wall as possible, distancing ourselves from the imminent fight.

With a cocky laugh, Joel made eye contact with Jordan and gestured towards Damien. They approached him simultaneously, each strategically choosing a side. Joel swung first. With a swift movement, Damien sidestepped him and cracked the plank into Joel’s rib. He hollered, curling over.

“Behind you!”
I yelled, but my warning came too late.

Jordan
charged and clocked Damien in the head, knocking him off his feet. Rolling, Damien evaded Jordan’s kick. Lunging off the ground, Damien tackled Jordan, landing his weight on top of him. Their arms locked around each other as they wrestled, jockeying for the upper hand. Damien won the advantage, locking Jordan down with his legs before striking one side of Jordan’s face and then the other. Jordan moaned, grabbing his bleeding nose.

I cringed at the sight, watching Damien rise to his feet. He picked up the board.

“Are you done?” Damien asked gruffly, surveying the two guys struggling nearby. Neither made a move except to tend to their wounds. “Now get out of here,” Damien finished.

Joel limped over to Jordan, still gripping
his injured rib, and helped his friend to his feet. Damien tossed the two-by-four against the wall, breathing deeply.

My
attention returned to my Brooke. I slid my arm under her shoulders, hoisting her up against the wall.

“
Brooke!” I tried to swallow my nerves, ignoring the blood pulsing in my veins.

“Is she ok?”
He met my gaze, his mouth drawn together.

I wanted to t
hrow my arms around Damien and hold onto him, preventing him from disappearing again, but I didn’t move from my position.

Damien knelt down
beside me to inspect Brooke, who held a hand at the back of her head. She winced in pain.