The Lake house

FALSE LOVE

He left the two guy to continue their moody discussion and retired to join the party after noticing that the drinks were almost finished in their crates behind the bar. Stanley tried to reach out to his glass on the counter but didn't find it there which made him turned around gazing at empty counter except for Kelvin's glass of juice which stood beside him.

" Damn Max! I really needed those two ice cubes ", Stanley said angrily after realizing that Max had taken the glass including the whiskey away from the counter and turned back sheerly disappointed. Kevin picked up his glass swirling the remnant inside it against its round corners and drank it feeling utterly refreshed after a long weary hot day of searching endlessly for a phantom house.

They were silent for a while listening to the hot beats incessantly rolling in the background emitted by loudspeakers gazing at teenagers returning to the dance floor for another round of wild pleasure that seems not to end after recharging their strength with cold drinks of beer and soda. Both of them watched endlessly at the dancers performing acrobatically on the dance floor in front of others who stare in amazement including those walking around with queer partners chattering loudly at different angles of the party but their voices were swallowed by the loud beats.

"This party rocks but there must be some weird reason behind this party", Kelvin silently muttered puffing out cold air out of his lungs breaking the heavy silence that had descended upon them after Max left. He wasn't aware that Stanley had overhead his statement and kept quiet again staring hard at the dancers while waiting for his alarm he had set on his wrist watch.

"Did you say something about party?", Stanley asked rolling his eyes towards him that was unable to keep still because of the harsh effects of the whiskey which took full t control of his mind leaving his body empty for him to control.

"Nah, it's nothing man... just talking to myself", Kelvin replied looking behind the bar that was totally abandoned by Max.

"I heard you say something about a ..... hidden motive behind the party......", Stanley stuttered trying to control his speech and was quite infuriated by what overhead from Kelvin who wasn't paying attention to him.

"It's really nothing man....I just mumbled out some gibberish about the party", Kelvin answered again in utter denial trying to conceal his opinion about Stanley's motives of setting up a night party.

"And what gibberish are you trying to say about the party, huh?", Stanley snapped glaring angrily at Kelvin who was quite bewildered by his sudden outburst which made him to evade few drops of saliva that came out of Stanley's mouth when he spoke out.

"It.... just a wild speculation that you might have thrown this party ...as a charade to masked a secret .... agenda", Kelvin stuttered in fright which suddenly grip him unknowningly in response to Stanley's unexpected approach to his wild thoughts. Stanley surprisingly didn't retaliate but remain calm thinking of what to do next in order for him not to sabotage his plan by getting angry unnecessarily and to remove any possible danger that may hinder his secret plans. Then a thought came to him giving him a sure way to scare the thought away from Kelvin.

"Are you trying to end my relationship with Stacy?", Stanley sidetracked again with a calm voice on his seat which he sat on upright facing Kelvin totally capitalizing on his earlier statement of confronting Stacy before joining the party.

"No, I'm not.... like I said, it's just a wild thought and I meant no harm when I said that", Kelvin replied in his defense and took a quick glance over his shoulder at Stacy who had previously stood with her friend and some guys near the DJ but she wasn't there which placate his mind since he didn't want her to see them quarrelling.

"Yes, you are... and I know it sounds crazy but I believe you have ill intentions towards our relationship", Stanley replied with serious look on his face which seems to make his false accusations to be true.

"What are you implying? Are you saying that I come in between both of you?", Kelvin chuckled with a spiteful laughter that slightly infuriated Stanley but he suppressed his emotions.

"It may sound unreasonable but it's what you are trying to do right here and I think that you must have mentioned this to her when she confronted you earlier", Stanley rejoined looking bluntly at Kelvin that seems not to affect him a bit.

"Man... you're just paranoid...I told you that she only approach me earlier with her usual hunch about me. .if you don't believe you can go ahead and ask her", Kelvin retorted feeling agitated by his wild utterances.

"I don't trust you completely, Kelvin and I would have believe your story if I haven't heard rumors about what happened between both of you at the campus before we ended up together", Stanley said peering at him to see how he would react to his statements which came out true that he really had an history with Stacy but he didn't want to disrupt her current relationship with Stanley since he decided to let her go which he's already used to by now.

"That's already in past man and I have forgotten totally about it but don't accuse me of anything else", Kelvin replied figuring out Stanley's plan to lay false allegations on him.

"I know that's why I wanna warn you to stay away from her, you totally got that?!", Stanley exploded in anger which he had been nursing inside him. Stacy along with Rose, had seen them and decided to intervene after much persuasion from Rose who stood beside her peering at their conversation becoming hostile. Stanley's voice was loud but couldn't surpass the heavy music which resounded loudly throughout the pary.

"No! I don't......", Kelvin rejoined with a rage but instantly stopped himself from flaring up exploding with burning anger when he noticed Stacy walking over to where they sat down even Stanley was horrified at the mere sight of his girlfriend walking towards them from afar and stood in front of them sneering at them.

"Are you guys fighting over something?", Stacy asked looking at the confused fighters who stood dumbstruck at her sudden appearance while staring transfixed unable to respond.

"We....are just...... playing...a game that's all", Kelvin stuttered trying hard to find his voice which had left him and surreptitiously prod Stanley on his back with his right forefinger in order to wake him from his trance.

"Yeah! .....a game right..a good game", Stanley mumbled out and removed Kelvin's finger from his back which had brought him back to reality.

"Are you sure you guys aren't quarreling amongst yourselves", Stacy inquired vehemently to ascertain what was the cause of their hostilities towards each other even if she as well as Rose, didn't actually heard what the bone of contention was all about, a weird feeling had arose in her telling her that they might be arguing about something deep enough to stir them to actions which depicted two guys fighting under the cover of the rolling music which immensely filled the background shrouding any other noise except clattering of drinks that can be heard from the far corner of the party.

"And what kind of game is it, sweetheart", She interrogated again trying another approach which seems to be obvious to both guys and walked over to the counter where she stood resting the corner side of her body on the counter in order to listen to whatever they had to say in their defense. Stanley looked at her smiling awkwardly but couldn't response for his mind was completely clueless and had lost track of the conversation.

"It's huh...a game to see...huh an oral game! That's the kind of game we were playing, right Stanley?", Kelvin stammered with a clever answer trying to push forward with the fat lie in order to conceal their argument.

"An oral which entails what exactly?", She shrewdly asked looking at their discontented faces waiting for them make a slip from their false story. Kelvin had totally lost trail of what to say next which bore heavily down on him but Stanley save his ass by giving her a clever response that relieved them from getting into trouble.

"It's a game to see whose voice is louder than the loud music ", Stanley replied patting Kelvin's back with his right hand and brushed aside some ringlets of blonde hair in front of her face while Kelvin heaved a huge sign of relief feeling free of the tight tension he had land himself in.

"Is that so? But......", She responded but decided to retract her statement thereby admitting defeat which disappointed her. She never liked prying into people's conversation especially boys in her campus who loved to talk about things she find boring and detest partaking in such conversation except if two or more girl is present with them. She gave up her inquiry about what transpired between them and got up to leave but she stopped herself from departing away.

"Sweetheart... do you mind being my partner at the dance floor? ", She asked pointing towards the dance floor where each couples of teens carefully made the stage with their partners as Michael gently tuned the hard rock into a warmth emission of soft music meant for lovers.

"I'll love to dance with you and I don't mind at all to be your partner even till my demise", Stanley replied moving towards her while sneering at Kelvin who remain seated staring at them. "Let's go darling but I guess Kelvin will become lonely without anyone to dance with him",

"Don't worry about me, you guys can go ahead and have a lovely time", Kelvin stated staring at them with a forceful smile across his pale face. They obeyed him and left him alone to listen to the slow song that almost put him to sleep including Max who had returned with a some few drinks for the guest who would stay longer than the campers. Kelvin peered at them from afar with a little sadness clouding his mind which made him sniffed his nostril loudly that caught the attention of Max beside him.

"Are you alright, mate?", Max asked tidying up a dirty glass with a small rag that he had taken from the drawer beneath the counter while three other murky glass stood on the counter.

"Don't know about that... I'm just feeling quite a bit depressed all of a sudden.", Kelvin replied still gazing at the duo who slowly moved around oblivious to his hard stare.

"Maybe it's the effects of the song or something underneath your heart which is drowning you like a sunken ship, into the sea", Max replied taking up a second glass after he had done cleaning the first one. Kelvin glanced at him and chuckled loudly returning his gaze at the dance floor.

"You must have knock your head over something but I believe that this song is kinda reminding of something that I let go off and it's weighing down heavily on chest. Oh! Sorry Max, gotta go catching up on something else. See ya", Kelvin said and got up from his seat, taking a last sip of his cold juice after noticing red flashes from his wrist watches which beeps twice indicating the alarm he had set up two hours before midnight in order for his to adequate preparations. He placed the glass on the counter and left the party behind the counter heading straight towards the camp after biding farewell to Max.

"Do you know that you are beautiful?", Stanley asked as they slowly rock to the gentle music which filled the atmosphere with its drowsy spell in the party. They move gently but swiftly following each dance steps with ease and holding each other amongst other dancers who also embrace each other warmly to the mild song. They had joined the other couples on the dance floor after the music had changed its rhythm drowning everyone with its slow beat meant for those who love to dance to such calm rhythm especially married couples but as part of the agenda of the party secretly set up by Stanley, it was meant for those who are in a relationship and those who wish partake even though they aren't really in a relationship.

"Yes, I know that already. Tell me something else", Stacy replied resting her messy hair on his broad chest as he slowly swirl her around following the rhythm of the song beside Rose who had Leo as her partner but was quite irritated by his lack of understanding of each steps to take in accordance with the slow rhythmic structure of the song rolling in the background. Stacy watched them getting on each other's nerves which made her chuckled and turned around facing the others in warm embrace with Stanley.

"This is great and cool.... Thanks a lot for this", She remarked forgetting what she wanted him to say about her and puffed out cool air which swept her blonde hair upwards allowing her eyes to see the others clearly including those who stood peering at the dancers without getting weary by the gentle music.

"Yes, it is but I thought you didn't want the party", He responded placing his chin on her cranium which sank beneath her blonde hair while gazing at the bare sky which display empty darkness without a single star on it.

" Yeah, I know I didn't want before because I... wasn't aware that you are gonna plan something so elegant and I was a bit surprised about the party even though it wasn't part of the reason why we came to the beach but now...l feel different about the party", She replied with her head still glued to his chest which enabled her to feel and listen to the hard rhythm of his heart pounding inside his chest.

"That's the reason why I wanted it to be a surprise so badly. So that you can feel good and refreshed your nerves from the harsh sunlight but it was ruined by Kelvin...if only he was available in the camp, you wouldn't have known about it", He replied swirling her around gently with her wrapped in a tight embrace, within his arms.

"Thanks a lot for this sweetheart, I owe you very much for providing a pleasant way of relaxing one's strained nerves in the evening", She replied squeezing his huge body with her fragile arms under the denim jacket which shrouded her arms completely as she entangled his muscular body while Stanley slightly fondled her hair.

"Don't thank me yet, you still haven't seen the other surprise I have in stall for you", He responded twisting a loose ringlet of her blonde hair and prod her cheeks with his forefinger which made her giggle with a smile across her face.

"Another one? That's superb, tell me what kind of surprise you have already prepared for me", She replied pulling out of his grasp and staring at his face with her little chin on his chest while she fixed her gaze upwards at his blank face that was gilded by the florescent lights bulbs situated above him and throughout the party as well illuminating fresh bodies on the sandy beach. The night rolled on approaching midnight that had been the required time for the campers to end their session at the party, another rule enacted by Stanley but the guest were free to continue after midnight until they want to stop and returned back to Summerville using the school bus which was used to convey them to the beach apart from Michael who had his own van where his musical tools were securely kept.

"Come on, Stacy, it's a surprise anyway and shouldn't be revealed under any circumstances", He replied peering at a clear path outside the party on the bare where the bright light fade into the outer darkness. "It won't be fun if I tell you about it",

"I still wanna know about it.. please tell me sweetie", She responded trying to coax him into revealing the surprise and sank her head back into his chest but he wasn't paying attention to her as he kept gazing at the dark path that led to the campsite which was shrouded with heavy darkness creating a dark barrier around the party.

"Tell you what? I can show you instead of telling you, wouldn't that be more fun?", He asked her after recognizing the obscured path to be the pathway to the camp and pushed her back a little in order to see her face. She was a bit unsure of what he was trying to do and a queer voice in the back of her mind kept warning her not to oblige with his sudden request to leave everyone here at the party while the music was still rolling and other dancers hadn't finished yet. She looked at his smile for a while staring at his attractive blue eyes and was unsure to obey his demand or not but she agreed to leave in order to disappoint his efforts in making another special surprise for her.

"I...... Alright. Let's go see this surprise of yours, I hope it will be fantastic", She unconsciously answered allowing the words to roll out of her mouth which disappeared into the cold air with her frail breath. He was a bit thrilled that she had obeyed him despite his fears that she might reject his offer to leave suddenly which would ruin his plans for the night and conveyed her towards the darkness after telling her to leave her jacket behind which she find a bit strange but she obeyed and gave it to Jake who kept it inside his yellow knapsack he had used for his night duty assigned to him by Stanley. They plodded on the sandy beach leaving Rose and the others behind to the distant camp through the darkness away from the party until they arrive at a short distance beside the dark bushes where it's quiet and secluded from the others who were busy having fun at the party. Only the incessant shrill noise of the cricket was filled the air round them resounding inside the dark bushes but they didn't pay heed to it. Stacy began to feel uncomfortable with the total silence that bore heavily on them including the area but she brush aside some of her fears which had started to cloud her mind and decided to break up the silence.

"So..... where's the surprise, sweetheart?", She calmly asked in a pleasant voice staring at Stanley's opaque face who looked at her waiting for perfect chance to fulfill his vulgar desires.

"The surprise I have in stall for you is.....", He said halfway and drew close to her fondling her hair with his hands which made her feel more nervous. After that, he slowly moved his hands towards her neck and planted a gentle kiss on her soft lips leaving her aghast but she suppressed her emotions by remaining calm. Then he moved his right palm further down her breast that wasn't totally covered by her pink dress which exposes part of her abdomen and caress her slightly while he placed another hot kiss on her soft lips which turned harsh giving her no chance to breathe but she unexpectedly pulled away from him leaving him dumbstruck. Tears began rolling down her eyes she began to weep gently after realizing what he had planned along was for him to take advantage of her while the others were distracted by the party he had purposely set up right from the start. He glared angrily at her shocked by her unexpected reaction towards him when see suddenly withdrew from him.

"Why ..... did you pull away from me?", He asked breaking the long silence that had erupted upon them after she had left him stranded in front of her.

"You won't.... understand...", She mumbled shedding tears which rolled down her cheek totally damaging her facial makeup including her pale lipsticks on her lips.

"Is it because of Kelvin?", He asked trying to confirm one of his suspension about them was really correct and not a mere assumption.

"No! That's not it at all.... it just...", She replied but stopped halfway and looked towards the ground trying hard to hide her tears which now seem visible to Stanley.

"For goodness sake! Then tell me what is the problem?!", He interrogated almost flaring up in anger but decided to calm down waiting patiently until she had told him the real reason behind her refusal to indulge in their romance.

"It just that my parents aren't in support of.....our relationship especially my father who would disown me if he finds out that I have a secret relationship with any guy but he wasn't at home when I snuck out to join the trip to this camp here at the beach. Because of his strict rule, I had to ended my friendship with Kelvin especially during the period wild rumors about us began circulating round the campus. My mother had warned me not to join the trip to the beach but I didn't listen.. so I... don't want anything to happen between us tonight so that I won't get expelled from home which would hinder my career plans for the future and I want to wait until he retires from work for the government", She explained finding the courage to persuade him to relent from his desires and then wiped off some her tears from her damp face leaving Stanley to be stunned and confused.

"But I thought I told you to inform them about it a very long time ago back at the college but you didn't. And all this while, you have been hiding this fact away from me", he replied looking aghast at her and stepped forward.

"Yes,... you did but I couldn't find the courage to tell them about it including you ... So I decided to keep quiet about it", She said sobbing slowly.

"I don't care about any damn word you say right now. You actually left Kelvin because of your father whereas you told me that you didn't care about him at all. Leaving him because of your father implies that you might have feelings for him, don't you?", He said angrily and grasp her hand tightly.

"No! That isn't true....let go of my hand.. you are hurting me!", She replied groaning in pain as he intensify his strong grip on her left arm.

"I won't be a made a laughing stock in front of my colleagues who are very much aware of our secret relationship", He responded and tried to force himself on her tearing part of her pink dress which exposes her black bra. She tried to wriggle herself away from his body but couldn't since her weak arm wasn't able to push him away and managed to prevent him from tossing her to the ground.

" Please stop this instant! Let go of me! You are hurting me!", She shrieked in terror as he tried to take advantage of her by force but no one came to her rescue, only the heavy darkness shrouded away from the others. She almost gave up fighting back when an unusual strange figure emerged from the darkness and pulled Stanley away from her who fell to the ground sobbing heavily. The figure held Stanley by the throat pushing him towards a tree behind him and squeezing his green T-shirt hard after punching him with its fist on his face leaving him with a bloody nose.

"How dare you! I knew you had something up your damn sleeves!", the figure exploded in anger at Stanley who recognize him to be Kelvin and sneered at him with his bloody nose slowly rolling down into his mouth.

"So it's you again? Aren't you a hero? You better let go of me right now or I will....', Stanley rejoined trying to wriggle himself away from Kelvin's tight grip which surprisingly trapped him against the tree. "How dare you interfere in our privacy, huh? Can't you see that a boyfriend is having fun with his girlfriend?", He added chuckling hard with little blood gushing out from his pale nose towards his teeth painted with blood which infuriated Kelvin while Stacy had gotten up from the ground with part of her dress torn apart exposing part of her black bra.

"Yeah, you were having fun trying force yourself on her! but boyfriends should respect their partners decision before taking any drastic step", Kelvin rejoined punching him hard on his lower rib which made him fall to the rough ground groaning in pain. She trudged forward behind Kelvin and stood beside him peering at her boyfriend reeling in pain. Kelvin was about to deliver a second blow but she stopped him from hitting Stanley with a kick on his back.

"Please that's enough for now. Let him go. I've had enough of this annoying bastard. I need to get my Jacket from the party", She said and walked away from him with Kelvin fully equipped with some body gadgets for security reasons with a red knapsack on his back.