Choices (Book Four)

Chapter 25

Lyla

Somehow I ended up at a frat party tonight. I ran into a couple girls from the track team when I went for dinner at the cafeteria on campus and they were able to convince me a fun night out might be just what I need. I raced to my apartment, showered, picked out an outfit and did my hair and makeup. It felt nice to actually dress up. I met them at their apartment for a few drinks before the party and found myself relaxing as the drinks started to flow and I decided to just forget about my problems for the night and just have fun. Now I'm in a stuffy room full of drunk college students as I try to navigate my way to a room that's a little less crowded.

I break through the edge of the crowd and enter the kitchen where I finally feel like I have some room to breathe as I approach the counter and eye up the different bottles of mix to choose from. I decide to make myself a vodka sprite as I find a clean cup and pour some ice into it to start. Next is a shot, or more like a double shot, of vodka and topped off with mix. I take my new drink with me as I head in the next room where I find some of the girls from the pre-drink playing a drinking game they pull me into with them. I happily oblige and take a seat at the table with them. A few rounds later and I've finished my drink, that I may have poured a bit stronger then I realized as the buzz in my head makes me wobble a little as I stand to my feet again and leave the table behind.

I decide to head to the keg this time and just stick to beer before I head back into the jammed packed room I was stuck in earlier. I feel like dancing for a bit, but there's barely enough space to even stand still, let alone try and move to the beat. I get bumped a few times and end up finding myself in the corner of the room. Everyone around me is oblivious to the fact I'm trying to push my way back out of the corner and out of the room as they bounce around off beat. Just as I step forward from the wall again to try and move back towards the kitchen, a large hard body steps in front of me, bumping into me and sending me stumbling back a few steps into the wall again. I'm about to unleash a slew of curse words on this asshole as I look up at them, only to feel my mouth go dry when I meet their eyes.

"You should be more careful wandering around parties by yourself, Ly. Pretty little girl like you could get swept away in the crowd."

Connor stares down at me, grinning wildly as if he's a predator that's found his next target. The look in his eyes is the same one when he grabbed me in the hallway of the bar two Christmases ago, there's a crazy glint to them. My heart starts to race as I stare up at him, unable to form any words still. He takes another step towards me and I have nowhere to go with my back already pressed against the wall.

"Where's your boyfriend to save the day again? You know that fucker broke my nose?" He shouts down at me over the music as his eyes darken.

"Connor please just leave me alone," I plead to him, hoping he might listen to me by some slim chance but he just smirks down at me, bending down closer as I squirm to try and stay as far from him as I can.

"Come on Lyla, we used to have lots of fun together," he says suggestively and the memories of when we used to be together flood my mind. I feel sick to my stomach that I could've ever believed I loved him.

"Connor stop," I manage to get out, but it's no use.

My words don't even register with him as I watch his eyes rack down my body and he leans in against me, his hips pressing into my midsection and pushing me harder into the wall. I try to keep calm and place my hands on his chest to try and push him back, but he just roughly grabs my wrists and holds them in place between us. I can feel the room closing in around me as I peer back up at him and he continues to grin menacingly. He has me trapped.

"Lyla!"

I hear someone call my name and look frantically into the crowd for where the call came from to see Bailey break through and come to a stop next to us. She eyes Connor up and down then looks back to me again with a look of concern. Connor releases his grip around my wrists but doesn't make any moves away from me.