Undeniable

“But you’re imagining things.”

He yawns. “My imagination is busy with important stuff, but I can’t help that I can see the calf love right in front of me.”

“Calf what…!” I smack him playfully on his arm. “Anyway, it's not like you would know, you don’t know anything about any kind of love.”

He shrugs and adjusts his glasses. “May’s going to hate herself tomorrow if she spends the whole night dancing like a ninja.”

We both laugh, still laughing when someone trips over my feet and spills her drink on my new dress.

“I’m so sorry.” She exclaims, baby blue eyes so sincerely apologetic that I immediately suspect that it’s an act. It’s Lindsay Gorman, Jackson’s ex.

“It’s okay.” I tell her resignedly.

She smiles and walks on. “Now I have to change.” I complain to Chace.”

He shrugs. “Or you could just pretend that the wet patch is part of the design.”

“Thanks Chace.” I roll my eyes. “I’ll be right back."

He nods and goes back to watching May. I walk into the deserted house and make my way upstairs to my room. It’s dark inside except for the dim light from the window. Reaching for the light switch, I’m about to flip them on when strong arms pull me towards a rock hard chest.

I only manage to wonder how Jackson got upstairs so fast before lips descend on mine, hard, forceful, and smelling of alc

ohol. That’s when I realize that it’s not Jackson. Someone else is in my room. Someone else is kissing me, and my arms are locked so tightly to his chest I can't even struggle.

He moves, pushing me against the wall and crushing me with his body until my back hurts. Terror rises like bile in my throat. I try to scream, but his tongue is in my mouth, and I can make nothing more than a few muffled sounds.

Cold fear grips me when I hear the sound of my zipper tearing as he rips my dress down from the neckline, taking my strapless bra with it. I push against him, desperation filling me as I realize I’m no match for his strength. I’m still trying ineffectually to free myself when his hand covers my breasts, squeezing them roughly.

Please, I plead silently, please whoever you are, don’t do this.

Suddenly the lights come on, and the weight pressing me against the wall is gone. I open my eyes, lightheaded with the aftermath of panic, and the relief at being free of my attacker, and I see Carter standing in front of me, wiping my lipstick from his lips.

I stare at him, speechless. For a moment, I can’t even think clearly.

Did Carter just try to rape me?

He looks repentant, panicked even. He’s looking towards the door. Realizing that someone else must have put on the lights, I follow Carter’s gaze and see Blythe at the door, a look of disbelief, shock, and anger on her face.

“What the hell?” she cries, the words ending in a sob.

“Blythe I’m sorry.” Carter says, “She just jumped me."

It takes a moment for me to process his words. I stare at him in disbelief. “What?”

“How could you?” Blythe screams at me. “I saw you, you were kissing him.”

“Blythe he was…”

“Don’t say my name.” She cries. “Don't even say my name.”

Suddenly I feel weak, unable to support my own weight. I lean against the wall, shaking, only managing to pull up my dress to cover my breasts, before footsteps announce that someone else has arrived.

I look up and see Jackson behind Blythe at the door.

“Lindsay thought she heard shouting upstairs,” he says, moving past Blythe to come into the room. He takes one look at me, and he’s immediately at my side. "What happened?” He asks, his hand on my shoulder, “Are you all right?” He turns to Carter, and in the next moment, he shoves Carter so hard, Carter stumbles and almost falls.

“What the fuck happened?” he barks.