Page 6 of Save Me
“Apologies, m’lady, but if I don’t get back to Annie, she’s going to cut my nuts off…with blunt scissors!” He gets up and stretches, revealing his tribal ink that snakes up and down his arms and over his surfer-toned abs. “Go to bed and lock the door. They’ll be randy fucking teenagers everywhere!”
“Yes, Dad!” I salute him and get up to give him a goodbye, please-don’t-leave-me, kind of a hug.
“You know it, baby,” he says before kissing the top of my head, obviously ignoring my pleas to remain by my side. “See you tomorrow night.”
“Ok,” I sulk, like a severely disappointed child being told it’s time to go home. Only, in this case, I would be more than happy to leave with him.
Bodhi waves his hand before escaping through the back gate and I secretly hate him for a moment or two, watching as he gets to do what I so desperately want to. You can’t hate someone like Bodhi for long though, he’s much too loveable. He’s like a laid-back, beautiful Afghan hound.
Once he’s out of sight, I sigh while contemplating sleeping on the bench and avoiding the whole scene going on out there altogether. However, my hidey-hole has proven to not be completely creep-proof with the two drunken fools from earlier. So, after a silent pep talk, where I give myself a clear plan of action, I wander back to the broom cupboard in stealth mode. What’s even more pathetic, is how ridiculously grateful I feel when I finally lay my eyes upon the dead dog’s bed.
I guess Casey must have had a slight attack of conscience because a blow-up bed and some sheets seem to have miraculously appeared out of nowhere. I momentarily smile, but upon closing the door, my smile turns into a curse when I realize there’s no lock. I just hope no one ends up stumbling inside of my secret hideout looking for somewhere quiet to engage in God knows what.
Just go to sleep, Beth, then you can escape when you wake up, and maybe kill your mother when you get home!
Xander
The kitchen looks like someone broke in and trashed the place, leaving small piles of crumpled chips, spilled booze, and cigarette butts along the way. Casey is making no attempt to clean anything, and neither is she likely to, not until I get up in the morning and force her into picking up a cloth. The oven clock reads two in the morning and the majority of partygoers have gone. They’ve either hooked up or collapsed on the side of the street while trying to navigate their way home. Either way, I’m locking up for the night.
Casey and her friends are giggling and gossiping while Sam and Kyle are sucking on their cigarettes in my mother’s favorite room of the house. I walk over without words, remove the offending sticks from their mouths before shoving them under the faucet, instantly extinguishing their amber glow with a satisfying sizzling sound.
“If you want to give yourself cancer, please do it outside,” I sigh at them before finally addressing my spoilt sister, “when are those two dipshits leaving?”
“Actually, Kyle’s staying with me,” she giggles and looks over to him, to which he smirks back with his dancing eyebrows instantly making me want to hit him. “Sam’s in Lainie’s room and Sarah and Celia are up in the spare bedroom. Where are your bro-friends? The girls were wondering if they had other options; if you know what I mean?”
“Really? Kyle?!” I gasp at her. “No accounting for taste, I see. They left hours ago; Rein and Matt have football practice in the morning and Mikey is already loved up with his latest squeeze. So, sorry ladies, but it’s a no go.”
“There’s always you, Xander,” Celia purrs as she tries to slink over to me, but I back up before she can reach. “You sure I can’t keep your bed warm for you?”
“Nope!” I reply bluntly, giving zero shits if that offends her. These girls are well versed in bitchy behavior, so I have no qualms about hurting their feelings. Shrugging my shoulders over my sister’s bad taste in men, I walk over to the cupboard room to retrieve some more batteries for my controller. The last thing I wanna hear is my twin sister getting her kicks from someone as slimy as Kyle. It gives me the creeps just thinking about it.
“But you’re prime property!” Celia calls over, just as Casey giggles up against Kyle’s chest and sinks her hand to cup his bulge. The sight of which makes me want to cut out my own eyes. I couldn’t get a hard-on even if I tried after seeing that tonight. “Every girl wants to tame the wild beast that is Xander Fenton!”
I ignore Celia’s offer to throw herself at me. I have more respect for her than to accept that kind of offer, even if she doesn’t have it for herself. Instead, I reach for the door and open it without looking back at the drunken idiots in the kitchen.
“Oh, wait up,” Casey calls over, “someone’s in there!”
Low and behold, I find Miss Moneypenny from earlier, curled up in a tiny fetal position, sleeping soundly inside of an ancient sleeping bag and what looks like a blow-up bed from the pool house. She’s still fully clothed and with a mass of untamed hair fanning out across one of the pillows from the living room. I still can’t see her clearly, as her hand is covering up half of her face, so only her closed eyes and the top of her nose are visible.
“Who the hell is this?” I ask, whispering so as not to wake her. “She was telling Kyle to do one earlier. It was quite amusing to watch, actually.”
“Oh wait, the British chick?” Kyle stands up straight all of a sudden, pushing Casey to the side of him so he can get a better look. “She was a fucking bitch!”
“Yeah, I like her though,” I reply with a shrug, then turn to give him a smug smirk. “I thought she described you rather aptly.”
“Mom made me invite her,” Casey huffs, “she’s coming to our school, and I’m supposed to make her feel welcome. She didn’t even hang around, just stuck her nose in the air and walked off to read her damn book. Who the hell does that at one of my parties?”
“What’s her name?” I ask, still looking at the tiny person laid out in front of me.
“Beth somebody or other,” Casey sighs, “she didn’t even dress for the occasion. Rude!”
“Not everyone wants to show off their tits and ass to the world, sis.” I half-laugh when she stamps her foot and stares open-mouthed at me. “Well, I’m off to bed. Make sure you clear this shit up before Mom and Dad get home.”
Taking in one last look at the girl before me, I finally pull my eyes away and push the door to, then skulk off to bed.
Beth
As soon as the voice closes the door, I let out a slow, silent breath, but remain frozen in my little huddle. I pray to God the lot of them follow suit and leave me to it. However, the guy from earlier, Kyle, is still whining on about what a bitch I am, with all the girls making noises of agreement.