Graffiti

Chapter Eight:

I tapped on Alex's door. I hated to admit it, but I was feeling slightly guilty from what I had done earlier. I'd barged in, whilst he was clearly scoring one in the bag with a girl he might have or might not have known, kissed him and then stole his graffiti cans that I knew cost a lot.  I was more worried about the kiss, though. Did he enjoy it? Would this ruin our friendship now? Surely he must've known I'd done it for fun, right? 

"Alex?" I asked in a small voice. 

Max opened the door. Uh oh. I was utterly f****d. This guy hated me, and I didn't feel too great about him either. His blonde hair had gotten shorter from the last time I'd seen him. He'd clearly developed a dress sense, a white button up shirt and dark jeans. His cold brown eyes roamed my body, I shivered in disgust. 

I'd ditched my thick black coat under the alleyway, it had become too hot to wear it, but now in the afternoon sun, I was regretting that decision. The way that Max was staring at me made me feel naked. My red jeans, platform shoes, and grey sweater were not enough to stop his prying hands. 

"Alex isn't here," Max informed me. 

"Well, obviously," I said in a 'duh' tone. Max's eyes narrowed. 

"Why? Did you actually think that just because it was you at the door that he'd jump up and answer it?" Max threw his head back and laughed. Son of a b***h. "You do realise that the reason he isn't here right now is because he's on a date," Max said. "With his girlfriend." I felt like I'd been slapped, and it was so stupid because Alex and I weren't even close! 

"So? I don't care what Alex does in his spare time, that's up to him," I lied. I had actually been stupid enough to think that because we'd kissed, things would change. But, no, I'd made it perfectly clear that the kiss was just a distraction so I could get the cans. These stupid cans were pissing me off, they'd become the cause of so many of my problems. 

"I was just returning these," I casually said, whilst I held up the cans. The red was nearly empty, the black can was half empty, and I hadn't even touched the yellow spray. Max grabbed the cans from my hands, in a rather rough way. "Where the f**k did you get these?" He spat. 

I c****d an eyebrow. Oh, I was so going to love this. "You mean Alex didn't tell you?" I asked, faking surprise. Max looked confused. "Oh, yeah. I wonder why? Maybe it's because it's you, and you really don't mean anything more than me!" I smirked at his flabbergasted expression. 

He was getting mad, but I really couldn't stop. "Or maybe it's because he had other people to tell, like Jared, for example." Max closed his eyes and I could hear him trying to control his breathing. 

"Oh. Wait. I've got it. It's because you can't spell, you have blonde hair, and your name's Max." I'd gone too far. I knew what was coming before it happened. Max raised his hand, and a second later my cheek burned. Now I'd actually been slapped. Oh wow. 

"You little b***h, shut the f**k up. Right now!" He roared. 

I was not going to get him get away with that. I got right up in his face, so close that I could see the veins jumping in his temple. "Or else what? You going to slap me again? Go ahead, it'll take a lot more than that to shut me up though," I hissed at him. 

Max grabbed my arm and dragged me into the cabin. It was dark, so I could only make out the outline of the couch as I was thrown down onto it. "I'll teach you a f*****g lesson, you'll never forget," Max grunted. In the darkness, I heard Max pulling down his zipper.

Shit. s**t. s**t! 

He was going to rape me! I jumped up from the couch and headed for where I thought the door was. Tears streaked my vision. My first time was not going to be inside of the cabin where the guy I may or may not have liked lived, with a guy who was forcing himself on me because I'd pissed him off. 

I couldn't see anything. I felt helpless, I was shaking and the fear was darker than the room I was in. "Get back here," Max demanded. 

"f*****g make me!" There went my mouth again. 

There was a shuffle of steps and the suddenly, someone grabbed my wrists. Max was dragging me back to the couch. I struggled; Hell, I even screamed. He was too strong though. 

"Stop f*****g moving!" He sounded annoyed now. I was forced on the couch, Max's heavy body on top of mine. I brought my knee up and tried to get him in the balls. I missed. 

He had my hands clasped in one of his, the other hand removing his jeans now. I brought our hands up to my lips and bit down hard on his. He groaned in pain, and I tasted blood in my mouth. I pushed him back, far back, got up and raced to the door. Or, at least, I hoped it was the door. 

It opened before I reached it. Alex walked in. "Alex!" I screamed in fear. My hair was sticking up, I had tear streaks down my face, my lips were covered in Max's blood, my sweater was ripped and I was shaking all over. Alex had a red and black chequered jacket on, black jeans and his running shoes. So he hadn't been out with his girlfriend, that was a lie. 

Funny how, even though I'd nearly just been raped, that was the main though in my mind. 

Alex turned the light on, I saw that the room was covered in beer cans. Max was on the couch, his jeans off. He was curled up clutching his hand that was trickling blood. Alex looked at me, then Max, then back to me. Finally, his gaze landed on Max. 

"What the f**k happened?" He asked in a deadly tone. 

Max started to say something, but I didn't want to hear the sound of his voice again! I rushed to the small bathroom, cowering as I passed Max. The bright blue tiles of the bathroom dazed me, and the little dolphins brought on a wave of nausea, so much so that I was sick in the toilet. 

After I'd finished puking up, I sat in the bath, staring at my face in the tiny mirror. My eyes were sunken, with angry red blotched around them. My hair was a mess and my skin was the same colour as a dead's persons. 

There was a knock at the door. "Who is it?" I asked in a dull, cracked voice. 

"Alex," Alex's deep voice said. 

"You can come in." I didn't want company, but I just knew that he wouldn't me alone if I didn't let anyone in. 

"Max has gone," Alex said as he came and sat on the floor beside me. He was wearing the same as earlier, but his hair was haphazardly strung over his forehead and he had a red mark on the side of his face. I don't know why I did it; I just did. I reached out and slowly brushed the tender spot. Alex closed his eyes and leaned into my touch. 

"I'm sorry," he whispered after a while. "I should've been there," he finished. 

I shook my head. "You couldn't have known." A traitorous tear rolled down my cheek, I was so, so close to being raped. I never wanted to go through that again. Being forced, handled and spoke to like that... It just wasn't right. 

My hand left Alex's face and rested by my side. I hugged my knees to my chest and hid my face in them. I heard movement as Alex sat in the bath beside me and put his arm around my shoulder. 

"Don't leave," he said. "I can't let you leave, at least not for tonight." 

"Why?" I mumbled. At first, I didn't think he heard me. 

But then... "Because I won't be able to sleep if I don't know that you're safe," he said. It sounded like he was going to say more, but he didn't.

At least, not for now.