Love is a Drug

Chapter 7

Honk beeped a car. Lisa quickly grabbed her cell and opened the door. The sea breeze ran straight at Lisa with a draft in the house. Lisa stuck up her nose a little to smell the sea smell. It smelt salty, fresh, a smell Lisa will miss when she has to leave.
"Hop in" James smiled up at her and leaned over to open the car door.
"Nice car" Lisa hopped into the front seat. Her legs felt a quiver of coldness as they landed on the cool leather. Lisa inspected the car whilst James turned on the ignition. All the seats were a dark leather, shiny and rich looking. Wow, Lisa thought to herself. Outside, the car was a shiny red and looked like it had just been waxed. The roof was pulled down and Lisa felt the sea breeze gush into her face when she stood up. The sense of freedom made Lisa's heart feel so full and happy, and sadly made her think of September 11th, the dreaded day she would have to pack her bags and board that musty carriage train. Forgetting Lisa's thoughts, the drive was calming, James allowed her to pick her own music to play while James hummed along to it and Lisa smiled silently.
The beach was already full when Lisa and James pulled up on the parking lot. A chain of colourful lights were hung from tree to tree and the little bonfires were lit with small groups of people gathered around them. Surfers shack looked very busy as Lisa noticed a trail of people queue for their orders. Lisa stepped out of the car and felt the sand between her toes. James came walking around to Lisa's side and intertwined his fingers into hers making a secure hold between them both. Lisa felt like she was the only girl for James, she felt secure, safe and most of all, loved.
"Come on," James smiled and nodded in the direction of the beach bar. Lisa smiled and followed at James's heel. Suddenly she stopped when James came to a halt and spun on his heel. "Ok, your not a puppy, will you walk next to me please?" James ordered.
Lisa through her head back and laughed, "sorry, it's just you know these people, I don't."
"Well don't worry they're all lovely," James reassured her. He carried on walking and slowed as he became a presence to the party.
"James!" An already drunk man, barely able to walk, managed to stumble up to James and pat him on the shoulder. He was wearing just a simple blue button-down and some jeans. He had red short frizzy hair and a very strong sunburn on his freckled nose.
"Hey Kyle," James frowned as Kyle leaned his head on James's shoulder. "How many beers you had already?"
"No idea," Kyle waved his hand to drop the subject and little drool came out of his open mouth which revealed a set of yellow, uncared for teeth. Lisa felt her stomach churn and almost felt like throwing up. She could see all his chipped teeth, teeth with holes, rotten teeth and a fleshy gum where there once must've been a tooth. James must have seen Lisa inspecting Kyle's interesting teeth.
"Kyle here plays rugby," James explained as he tried and push Kyle's head of his shoulder.
"Wha-wha-wha hey man, why you pushin me away?" Kyle asked with his arms held out for a reason. Lisa watched in disgust as the drool continued to dribble down his chisel chin.
"Look dude, I love you," Kyle exclaimed and leaned in for a hug. Lisa had to put her hand up against her mouth to stop her giggles being from heard.
James wrinkled his nose and pushed Kyle away properly this time. "Ya um, I'm gonna go get drink. Lisa care to join me?" James asked and Lisa could sense from his eyes he was begging for her to say yes.
"Sure," Lisa smiled at Kyle and followed James to the bar.
"James!" Cody, one of James's friends who Lisa had met before, waved at James and pushed through the crowds. He was wearing a white v neck with grey short sleeves and navy chinos. Lisa inspected his outfit and saw he was wearing a pair of wine coloured vans and some brown "bracelets". Lisa admired his fashion sense and she peered closely but discreetly at his shirt and could see the shape of his abs through the material. Wow, she thought to herself.
"Lisa, Lisa, Lisa?" James wined, "can you please stop checking out my best friend?". Lisa blinked and stared at James now, her face turned bright red and her eyes scanned back at Cody, he stood there looking very awkward but yet comfortable and flattered.
"Of course," Lisa laughed nervously," sorry," she looked down and let her long hair hide her bright red cheeks.
"Anyway..." James broke the awkward silence and immediately changed topic. "There is a surfing competition here on July the 3 and the final will be on the fourth," James began after the bartender handed James a drink.
"July fourth?" Lisa stated the most obvious but she felt confused.
"Yeah," James laughed at the puzzled look that controlled Lisa's face now, "there'll be a party in the evening and all the traditional stuff. You wanna come?" James directed the question at Lisa. She looked at Cody for a moment then at James,"I guess I can," Lisa laughed. "Tanned topless guys surfing, I guess I can." Both men laughed at her joke even though Lisa felt confused as it was no joke to her.
It was 1:30 in the morning and the party was taking a hit. Many men were drunk and many slutty girls were kissing these men behind the bathrooms. James was beginning to get drunk. He became very cookoo and hyped on the brew. Cody still tagged along with the two and was getting very drunk. The three were dancing to the music in the crowd and every time the beat dropped the two men would lose it and put Lisa in an awkward position.
"Right, I have to go and make a number two," James have to much graphic detail, more than Lisa needed to know.
"Ok then, bye bye," She waved him off as he faded amongst the others in the crowd. Lisa smiled and turned back to Cody who stood with his empty pint, bobbing his head to the best.
"Ok well I need a refill," Cody held up the empty pint for his proof and left Lisa standing in the middle of the crowd.
When Cody returned Lisa could see him stubble and trip over other people's feet.
"Cody," Lisa called over the booming music, "you're drunk."
"Thanks for stating the obvious," Cody laughed and a bit of the beer spilled out of his mouth. "Come I need to show you something." Cody waved Lisa out of the crowd and behind the bar. She felt nervous when it was just them two under the string of the lights, away from everyone else. The music was heard far less now and all Lisa could hear was the steady breathing of Cody. He lifted his arm above Lisa and leaned in against the wall of the bar. Lisa looked up with terror in her eyes, she met Cody's eyes which were filled with so much intensity.
"You know you want me," Cody breathed down Lisa's back whilst he whispered in her ear; " you can't help it."
Lisa looked up, terrified, as Cody's hands clasped her jaw and drew her in. Lisa could smell the horrible breath of Cody.
"No." Lisa demanded, "I don't want it so go away!"
"Oh your a fiesty one are you?" Cody smirked as he snaked his arms around Lisa's bum.
"Ew get off me," Lisa tried to push away but only made Cody hold on tighter.
Cody leaned down and kissed Lisa's neck, his finger traced from where he kissed down to her chest and his lips followedy the trace. Lisa kept on trying to push away but Cody held on tight. His lips kept reaching lower and lower down her chest until it got to the point where he had to unbutton her cardigan.
"Cody, please don't! Get off me!!" Lisa began shouting but the music drowned out her calls.
"Your not getting away that easy," Cody moved his hand up her thigh and around her waist and back down to her bum. He snaked his other hand to the other side of her bum and held on tight.
"Help please someone!!" Lisa screamed but again her calls were drowned out by the music.
Cody began to kiss around her neck and back down to her chest.
Suddenly Lisa heard leaves being pushed away and her heart rose up when she saw James running as fast as he could. He ran up and pulled Cody away from Lisa. Cody pulled Lisa's hair down as he began to trip and Lisa fell on the sand.
"Go now Lisa," James shouted over the music. James leaned down and punched Cody in the face and Lisa saw his eye immediately swell up. Cody jumped back up and pinned James to the ground, he took one smack across the face and punched James in the jaw. Lisa saw blood trickle out of his mouth but James showed no signs of pain in his eyes. Lisa felt so angry with Cody that she punched him on his shoulder blade but immediately saw James's eyes change to a terrifying glance at her. Cody swung around and punched Lisa in the nose. She fell down to the ground again as she clasped her nose to stop the blood from stopping.
"James I'm getting help," she said through her muffled voice.
"No!" James demanded. And suddenly Lisa clasped her hands around her mouth as she saw Cody punch James in the eye and kick him between his legs. James clenched his teeth to stop from yelling but showed so much courage when, as Cody was walking towards Lisa, he neck-locked him and through him to the ground.
"Don't you ever mess with her again!!" James yelled in Cody's face before he punched him again this time on the nose. James sprung up from the sand and hobbled as fast as he could to Lisa and immediately swung his arms around her shoulder and pulled her away with him.
* * *
Lisa lay on James's bed with her back up leaning on the headboard. She ran her hands through his short brown hair and watched his chest as it rose then set again according to his steady breathing patterns. The ice pack that was on James's eye was thawing, the water dripped down his face, the light from the window now reflected on his cheeks. His jaw was clenched and showed off his beautiful cheek bones. Lisa raised her hand and ran her fingers from his hair, down along his chisel side burns, along his jaw, past his lips, down his neck and she securely held it there. Lisa reflected on the nights events; James came and picked her up, they arrived at the party, met Kyle, then Cody, oh no not Cody. the name made Lisa shudder. How was it that she had come between two, such close, friends? Lisa's heart ached at that thought and decided to brush past it. Forgetting the nights events, Lisa thought of what James had told her, the third and Fourth of July. It sounded quite appealing to her, fireworks, James surfing, probably winning the championship all together. Lisa had once seen him surfing and had really impressed her. She had come to the beach one Sunday and James, Mathew, (Cody), Kyle and some other boys were surfing. James had just come from the Surfers Shack with a surf board in his arm and Lisa, instinctively, remembered seeing his bicep flexed around the board. He had popped a kiss on her cheek and dove into the crystal blue water, when he came back up he began to splash water at her but then swam out of the bay with his board. A large wave had approached them and as soon as it came behind the men, they all lay on their boards. They used their arms as their paddles and paddled with the wave. The wave rose up and began to crush at the far side of the beach. Mathew was the first to fall over, then came Cody, the wave had now nearly fully crashed and their was no sign of James nor Kyle. Lisa recalled her heart racing, fearing they may have drowned. Mathew and Cody had almost swam completely in when out of the curl of the wave came first James, and a few moments later, Kyle. Lisa was almost positive James was going to win the surfers competition.
"I like waking up with you," James's voice brought Lisa back to the present. Lisa looked down and saw him smirk up at her, his eyes looked so full of life yet his face said different.
"How are you?" Lisa asked before she leaned in and brushed her lips across his . James heaved in some breath and pulled himself up as that he was sitting next to Lisa.
"I've been better," James replied just as the ice pack fell into his palms. "How bad is it?" He asked with a worried expression. Lisa lay her hands on his cheeks and pulled him in as she inspected his eye.
"Bad." she answered plainly," you need another ice pack. It's still purple but the swelling has gone down a bit. I'll go down and get another." She pulled herself up and pressed her lips on James' before she jumped off the bed.