Page 109 of My Fault

“Now this is a party.”

As the night went on, weird things started happening that I didn’t like at all. The initiations for the new arrivals were really cruel. They tied one girl’s hands and feet and threw her into the pool. The poor thing thrashed around and tried to stay afloat for ages until some kid finally dove in and saved her from drowning. As I saw her crying, I realized this party was different from what I’d imagined. There were many morepranksof this kind. They stripped this kid with a face full of zits down to his underwear and laughed at him. They made someone else eat this gross plate of mashed-up something or other and he ran off and threw up.

What the hell was up with these people?

The scene didn’t seem to be getting any more pleasant, so I decided to go. Unlike me, Jenna was having a blast, but then, she didn’t even know what was going on; Lion had taken her off somewhere to make out. So that meant I was alone and surrounded by idiots. I grabbed my phone and sent Nick a text.

You said before you’d be here if I needed you… Can you come pick me up?

A minute later, I had my answer:

I’ll be waiting for you in the back parking lot.

He must have already known where the party was, and I told myself that if I found out Nicholas had pulled those same kinds of pranks in the past, I really would need to stay away from him. I didn’t like the vibe there at all, and I wanted to go.

At the door to the gym, four dickheads plus Cassie and her little girlfriends kept me from going outside. I wondered what the hell they wanted.

“Let me through,” I said.

Cassie smiled.

“You’re a newbie, too,” she said.

Oh no.

“You’ve got to pass your initiation, Noah, just like everyone else,” one of the big guys said.

“Don’t you dare put one finger on me,” I said, feeling the panic invade me. By then, the other guys had already surrounded me, blocking my path.

“A little bird told us someone’s scared of the dark,” Cassie said in a voice that reminded me too much of her sister. Had she been the one to come up with this idea? “You’re a big girl now, though, so it’s high time you got over your fears.”

My heart stopped. Was she suggesting…

My nightmares came true when two guys three times bigger than me grabbed me from behind.

“Let me go!” I shrieked as panic flooded my body. “Let me go!” I repeated as they carried me off to a closet where they kept swimming equipment.

“It’ll just be for a bit,” one of the guys said as I shook all over trying to get free.

“Please. No!” I screeched. Everyone behind me laughed and laughed.

Mom had left. Papa and I would be alone that night. I knew things would turn out bad. He stank; he smelled like that bottle I spilled that time without meaning to. I was scared Mom was gone because if Mom wasn’t there, he’d get mad at me. He never hurt me, but he’d threatened to many times.

When he got home, dinner was on the table. Mom had made it, and I had to heat it up… When he brought his fork to his mouth, I knew something was wrong. His face transformed, his eyes narrowed, and he overturned the table, scattering all the plates and glasses on the floor and making a huge mess. I crawled to a corner and curled up in a ball. I was scared; now was when the shouting and beating and blood came… But Mom wasn’t there, so what would happen this time?

“Ella!” he shouted. “What is this shit?”

I curled up more, remembering suddenly that I hadn’t put the sauce on the meat and potatoes. I must have left it in the refrigerator… I’d forgotten, and now Papa was mad.

“Where the fuck are you?” he shouted as fear gripped my entire body. When he started breaking things and shouting, I was supposed to go to my room. I ran toward it, and before I could stop myself, I slammed the door shut. I crept under the covers.

Papa kept shouting. He was angrier with every second that passed. I guess he didn’t remember Mom was away that night; she’d gone in at her job, and he was supposed to take care of me till she got back. As I heard the doors slam in succession, I knew he was getting closer to my room. I curled up even tighter as I heard the creak of the door opening.

“Here you are… You’re playing in the dark today, huh?”

38

Nick