Love story

75

*This chapter is quite a lot longer than my others! I hope you like it!*

We should get Jake tested." Toby said,
"What!?" I got off Toby's lap and looked at him, "For what?"
"For the cancer gene." Toby said,
"Absolutely not," I shook my head and looked towards Jake, sitting on the floor playing a game on the iPad. His mousey brown hair was all messy and he was sat in his Thomas the tank engine pajamas.

"Toby he's just a child! He's not even started school yet!" For some reason, anger bubbled inside of me.

"A child who could have the cancer gene. I think we need to be sure." Toby seemed genuinely serious.

"Toby he has his whole life ahead of him and you want to ruin that by thinking about cancer!?" I picked up Jake in my arms, fully aware of how irrational I was being.

"Jake, we're going to go to the park today! But just you and me, not daddy!" I smiled at Jake and he smiled back- his cute, white, cheeky smile.

"Spencer you need to seriously think about this!" Toby stood up and touched my arm. I flinched away and looked at him dead in the eyes.

"No. I don't. I'm going to take Jake to the park and then tonight I'm going to Ezra and Aria's anniversary party. By myself. My baby boy is happy and smiley and one hundred percent healthy." I wasn't sure why what Toby he said made me so angry. But it did.

When I got home, I went upstairs straight away to get changed. I slipped into a skin tight, short black dress and shiny black high heels. I straightened my hair and applied a thick layer of foundation and concealer to cover up the dark purple bags under my eyes and the redness on my face. I applied mascara and blusher and a dark, glittery eyeshadow.

I wanted to have a good time, and let go.

Toby wanted to go too but had to stay home to look after Poppy and Jake. He tried to persuade me not to go but I ignored him.

When I arrived at the party, hundreds of college flashbacks raced through my mind. Music was booming from speakers in their back garden and there was a table filled with drinks. White and pink fairy lights twinkled around hedges in the garden and hundreds of people were dancing and chatting and sipping drinks from red plastic cups.

This was just what I needed, a fun immature party where I could just have fun.

I filled a red plastic cup with white wine and bobbed in time to the music for a while.

"That guy has been checking you out all night," a voice said from behind me, I turned around to see Mona Vanderwall and her entourage of admiring friends stood right behind me.

Mona was wearing a silk black cropped top and a gold mini skirt, her hair was longer now and it cascaded down her tanned shoulders. I looked up and across the garden, I could see a pale boy with thick black hair staring at me through the sea of people. When I caught his eye he didn't look away.

Blushing I turned back to Mona who raised an eyebrow and walked off in her 7 inch black heels.

"You should totally go say hi! He's really hot!" One of Mona's friends smiled before hurriedly tying to catch up with her friends.

Thoughts of Toby flickered through my mind but I still felt angry at him. I wanted to lash out.

I was feeling angry and a little bit reckless so I finished off my red plastic cup and threw it on the grass behind me. Then, holding my head up high, I walked through the crowd towards the pale man with the thick black hair.

"Quit staring at me," I said, marching up to him.
"If you really meant that then you wouldn't have come over here," the man smiled crookedly, "I'm Zach,"
"Spencer," I replied coldly, I'd never seen this guy at any of Ezra or Aria's parties before.

"Drink?" Zach asked, already pouring vodka and diet coke into two red cups. I didn't really trust him but I did want a drink so I nodded and sipped at my drink politely. Zach grabbed my arm and lead me into the sea of people, and we danced for over an hour, I was so absorbed in the music and the atmosphere that I didn't even notice when Zach took my empty cup and replaced it with a full one, four times.

"You're so pretty, do you know that?" Zach whispered in my ear, I felt his hot breath against my cheek and blushed uncomfortably, "Lets go somewhere quieter where we can talk," he grabbed my hand and stupidly, I let him lead me through the garden and into a small alleyway next to Aria and Ezra's house. His hand was hot and sweaty in mine. I stumbled unsteadily, unable to walk in a straight line. Drunker than I'd been for a long time.

How did I get that drunk?

As soon as the party was out of sight, Zach suddenly pressed me up against the cold, hard brick wall of the house and kissed me forcefully, I hit my head and pain shot through my body.
"Ouch, Zach stop it! I'm married and you're hurting me," I hiccuped moving my head to the side and struggling but Zach just put his finger to his lips and kissed me again- his sweaty hands held my face in place as I struggled to turn away. His lips felt rough and cold. He moved his hand down to my waist and then to my legs. I shook my head, I wanted to scream and run but I felt so tired and dizzy,

I tried to scratch him or kick him but my whole body felt paralysed and weak.

"Please stop it," I said, my eyes sparkling with tears making my make up trickle down my cheeks. His breath stank of alcohol, so did mine. Zack's hands found their way to my bum and thighs, I tried to push them away but I wasn't strong enough. Thrashing and trying to shout I pushed him away but he was stronger than I was. And he wasn't as drunk.

"What the hell are you doing!?" I heard someone say behind me. Zach moved slightly to the side and turned around. It was Toby.

A huge wave of relief surged through my body.

"Calm down man, it's a party. Don't be such a buzzkill!" Zach sniggered as he turned back towards me. I shut my eyes and braced myself but Zach's hard lips never collided with mine.

When I opened my eyes Zach was holding his cheek and his lip was bleeding- Toby's hand was curled in a fist by his side.
"Whatever dude, she's not even worth it." Zach spat as he pushed past me and Toby and walked back to the sea of people.

Before I knew what I was doing I collapsed into Toby's arms, sobbing into his shirt. He instinctively wrapped his muscular arms around me and held me tight. When I pulled away, concern filled his eyes.

"You're wasted!" He said, laughing slightly, but he looked worried "what have you been drinking?"
"I, um, it was white wine and then Zach made me vodka and coke," I said, slurring my words- I felt as though I could have thrown up.

"Well, if he made it, it was probably a whole lot of vodka and not much coke," Toby grabbed my hand and squeezed it gently. I felt so unbelievably safe with him, and we walked away from the noise of the party together.