Where Two Collide

Chapter Fifty-Six - Cat

Chapter Fifty-Six

Cat

I pushed my way through swarms of people, searching their faces for someone I recognised. I found Rachel and Tia over by the makeshift bar. I frowned as I approached them, already not looking forward to the conversation.

"Have you seen my sister?" I asked, looking between them.

"She's with the asshole," muttered Rachel before downing the cup she was holding.

My eyes narrowed and I felt my forehead crease in confusion. "Asshole?" What asshole?

"Owen," Tia explained. "Did you know the truth about the car accident?" she asked, giving me a look, explaining the sombre atmosphere I'd walked into.

I nodded. I hadn't realised Alice hadn't told them the truth; I knew the rumour mill had spread all over school, but I'd just assumed Alice would have set her closest friends straight on the matter.

Tia shook her head in confusion. "I just don't get why she didn't say anything before. It's like she let him get away with it. It must have been so traumatic; I can't even begin to imagine."

"I honestly don't know," I replied, looking over my shoulder for Addie. She was supposed to meet me here when I found Alice, where was she? "Do you know where Alice and Owen went?"

Tia tipped her head in the direction of the sea and then reached down to grab a bottle of something off the table. I mumbled my thanks and rushed off in the direction she'd gestured.

Grains of sand made their way into my shoe and scratched uncomfortably against my skin. As I separated from the party and headed closer to the sea, I kicked off my shoes and leaned down to pick them up. That is when I saw them.

They were close to the water. Owen had his hands clasped around Alice's neck, his fingers digging into her skin. The pained look on Alice's face told me this was not a romantic gesture in any way. He was hurting her, and the fact that she didn't look at all shocked said this wasn't the first time.

"What are you going to do..." said Alice, sounding very calm and restrained for someone in her position. "Are you going to kill me?"

I saw her wince as he appeared to tighten his grip on her. I was frozen solid, unable to move, unable to intervene. I didn't know how to react. It felt as though I wasn't even really there, as though I was watching it happen on a movie screen. My feet glued where I stood.

"You'll go to jail," Alice continued. I wasn't sure how she seemed to be so relaxed, but that's how she was, completely in control of the situation, even with his hands wrapped tightly around her neck. "Is that how you think you're going to win. Is that how you'll make sure I can't stop belonging to you?"

He looked uncertain in that moment and his grip loosened enough that she was able to disentangle herself from him and gain some distance.

"Because I can promise you that even when I am dead, I still won't belong to you. I belong to me and nobody else!" she said, her voice raising as though she was gaining confidence with every word.

"Why are you always trying to hurt me, Alice?" Owen took something from his pocket. His keys. There was a swiss army knife attached to them and he flipped out the blade. "I'm already in so much pain, I'm already suffering, how can you do this to me too?" In one smooth movement he pressed the blade against the bare flesh of his arm. "You won't leave me."

"What the hell are you doing," said Alice, her calm façade melting away.

Shock set me into gear and in that moment, I was pulled abruptly from my reverie. I whipped my phone from my pocket and dialled the police, I gave details of where we were and hung up, slipping it back into my pocket before approaching the situation in front of me.

They hadn't seen me approach. They both hesitated at my sudden appearance, which gave me enough time to knock the swiss army knife out of Owen's hand. It landed in the sand at his feet.

"This has nothing to do with you Cat," Owen snapped irritably. "Why do you always get involved where you aren't wanted."

I lashed my palm across his cheek, and he shrunk back in surprise. My hand felt scolded from the amount of sheer force I'd put behind my slap. I ignored it, letting my hand fall to my side.

"You stay away from my sister," I yelled, loud enough for a few people at the party to turn around to see what was going on. "The police are on their way," I muttered, lowering my voice so only he could hear. "I hope they lock you up, you psycho."

I turned back toward Alice, she snorted quietly, before stepping up to Owen. "I should never have stayed with you this long, we're done, so leave me the hell alone."

With that, she spun on her heel and strode up the beach, not giving him a second glance. I rushed up to her side, concern for my twin flooding over me. What had been going on between them? I needed to know.

"Alice-"

She held up a hand for me to stop. "I want to go home; can we have this conversation when I'm in my own bed? I just really need to be somewhere that makes me feel safe right now."

I nodded. "Let me just find my friend and tell her we need to leave, she has her car, I'll ask if she can give us a lift."

"Okay, I'll meet you in the hotel car park," said Alice. She wrapped her arms around herself and gave me a half smile. "Thank you for your help by the way."

"Me? You had that yourself, I just jumped at the chance of whacking that idiot." I gave her a wink and turned back to the party.

Addie wasn't at the drinks table when I looked again. I found Travis sat beside the bonfire, staring at his mobile. Having found nobody remotely interesting to talk to, he offered to give us a lift home, grateful to bail on the party. I sent him up to the car park to find Alice, but I still hadn't tracked down Addie.

It was the red of her lips that I spotted amongst the mass of writhing dancing bodies surrounding the speakers. I sighed in relief and made my way toward her. She was lost in the music, her hips circling and her hands in her hair, but also on her body. No wait, those weren't her hands. I stopped midstride.

Addie was dancing with Sammy, the girl who'd given me a t-shirt to wear, the one I'd questioned about her sexuality. And now her sexuality was all over Addie.

My jaw was clenched so tight my teeth hurt and I could feel tears burning at my eyes to get out. And then our eyes locked, and something akin to doubt crossed her face. She called my name and I felt suddenly numb. My head spun and I thought, if I didn't get out of there I was going to faint, so I sprinted away from her. She kept calling me and I knew she was following.

I ran all the way to the car park, launching myself into Travis's car as though I'd just robbed a bank and he was my getaway driver.

"Go, go, go," I said, sliding all the way down in my seat.

Travis gave me a two-finger salute as he pulled out of his parking space.

"Wait, should we really be leaving our own birthday party?" said Alice uncertainly.

"It's our birthday," I said, trying to ignore the roaring in my ears. Everything hurt and I was struggling to catch my breath. "We can do what we want."

"To be fair, I don't think it's going to be going on for much longer," said Travis, as two flashing police cars passed us into the car park.

***I hope you enjoyed reading this, if you did, please vote by clicking the star icon in the top right of the screen. Don't forget to comment your thoughts below, I love to hear what you guys think!***