Unreturned Love

Chapter 11

Kayline, Leeane, Tim and Michael were sitting in the bed, in the hotel room Leeane had booked for the night, and debating what to do for the rest of the night.

"Umm. Cards?" Michael asked halfheartedly, but it turned out that no one had remembered to bring any. Not that they were in the mood to play cards, actually.

"What about... Board games or something?" Leeane asked tentatively, but in the next instant decided against it and shook her head. "Let's see. Truth or dare?" Kayline suggested.

"Four people?" Tim asked dubiously. "We're going to get alot of rounds each, you know".

Kayline shrugged. "Well, it's not like we can play anything else".

"I'm for it!" Leeane declared.

"Well, I guess that's settled" Michael grinned. "What do us boys have to say when out two beautiful dates have already agreed to it".

Leeane stuck out her tongue at Michael, then shoved him away playfully.

"Truth or dare it is then". Kayline decided. "But wait, let me go and change into something more comfortable. I'm dying in this dress".

"Doesn't matter Kay" Leeane shrugged. "You look good in it, that's what is important".

"Well, feeling good is more important to me now", Kayline retorted and rose from the bed.

"You want me to go with you?" Tim asked, raising his head slightly in his prone position.

"Nah, it's not really necessary, thanks all the same"... "Alright then, but return quick".

"Sure" Kayline shrugged. With that, she stepped nimbly out of the room and walked down the corridor to her own suite.

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Finn stood unsteadily at the end of the corridor, a hand reached out, grasping the wall for balance. It had been a long time since he'd drank, and he had to admit that he couldn't hold his beer well. But, by god, he needed it tonight. Watching Kayline do dance after dance, her body pressed close to other boys, her beautiful face upturned to theirs. It had been too much for him. Too much. So he'd turned to alcohol, downed it bottle after bottle in hope of numbing his senses, dulling his jealousy. But it hadn't worked. He felt increasingly depressed, increasingly angered, drank even more, and in the end, ended up in the males toilet puking. And when he came out, Kayline was gone from her table. She probably went home, his alcohol-fogged brain told him. Her home. And he knew just where it was. Perhaps he could drive there tonight. Just... Just say hi. Or something? Something screamed at him, but it seemed so distant, so far off that he didn't pay attention to it. It seemed like a good plan anyway. So Finn lurched off into the direction he thought the car-park was located. He looked up, and saw the girl he had just been thinking about.

"Mr Gerald? Are you okay?" Kayline asked, concerned. He looked rather unsteady on his feet.

Finn didn't reply, but stared at her, gaping. She had been even more beautiful than he had remembered. God, her skin looked smooth, creamy, and he yearned to touch it. To feel it, to caress it. Her featured were perfect-- not too made up, still retaining some of its natural glow. And her figure looked like those hour-glass figures portrayed by beauties of old. It had always been hidden under those loose fitting t-shirts and jeans. But now, he saw her for what she really was. It only served to stir up feelings he had never been aware of.

"Mr Gerald?" Vaguely discomforted by the intense stare, Kayline tried to get his attention.

Her voice. It was beautiful. It was like notes in a song, with its ups and downs, a melody that he would never tire of. How he wished he could hear it everyday. He lurched forward, unaware of his own actions, and reached out a hand to cradle Kayline's face. He felt her stiffen under his touch, a slight tensing of muscles.

"Mr-"

"Shhh..." He raised a ringer, put it lazily to her lips and muffled her protest. "You're so beautiful", he murmured. Now that he was near, he could smell her. Her intoxicating scent. It made him dizzy, as if his very life depended on it. Maybe it did. He no longer cared that he was in the middle of a corridor, that it was a place with public access. Finn leaned down, and kissed her gently on the lips.

"I love you".

Instantly, he felt Kayline's entire body stiffen up, and her mouth opened in protest. Finn deepened the kiss not letting her make a sound. His hand fumbled with the doorknob beside them. With a click it swung open. Isn't it lucky that no one's inside right now? Must be fate. And so he broke the kiss and pulled her inside.

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Kayline stood in the room, the room which she recognized as the room she'd booked. Her heartbeat was racing, her breath coming in pants, her eyes wide open and terrified. This was a side of Finn that she'd never seen before. He'd just... Kissed her. She felt dazed and utterly scared, unable to do anything but watch him.  His eyes were bloodshot, his movements jerky, but still he stood, unsteadily by the door, eyes fixed blearily on hers. He looked... Hungry. Without warning, Finn lumbered over and shoved her roughly onto the bed.  His hands pinned her to the bed, and his mouth closed over hers, ravishing it. Kayline's mind registered shock, and she tried to struggle. He was stronger than he looked. All of a sudden, he broke the kiss for an instant, his head rearing back. "I love you". With that, he bent back down again. Riding on the spurt of fear that brought her extra strength, Kayline slammed her knee against Finn. She was still too scared to even feel the surge of satisfaction at having moved him. She sprinted towards the door, wrenched it open, and escaped. At that time, her only coherent thought was to go home.

Finn sat sprawled on the floor, staring stupidly after Kayline. "No... Don't go, I really do love you..." He mumbled, barely above a whisper. He wasn't;t sober enough to yet realize what he'd done. Unable to think anymore, he clambered onto the bed and was snoring in seconds.

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"Hey, what's taking Kayline so long?" Leeane grumbled on the bed, checking her watch yet again. "She's been out for thirty minutes already".

"Well.." Michael drawled. "Tis the legendary time that you girls take when changing, don't ya know?"

"Watch who you're talking to", Leeane muttered, distracted. "And Kayline isn't the type to spend hours in the bathroom. Not usually anyway".

"Go check on her if you're worried", Tim shrugged, still lying on the bed with his eyes closed.

"I will", Leeane decided, springing up. She made her way out of the door and down the corridor. "Room number... 248. Yup, here I am". She knocked the door several times, listening intently for a respons of any kind. There was none. "Kay? Are you in there?" She rattled the doorknob, found to her surprise that it was unlocked. "I'm coming in!" Leeane called out. After counting three seconds, she pushed the door open cautiously. And stared. Finn was sprawled out on th ebed, but Kayline was nowhere to be seen.

What in the world was going on?