Summer and Forever

I was bombarded with squeals and assaulted by girls literally grabbing my clothes to ask me their question.

“Is he a good kisser?”

“When did you two get together?”

“How long have you been together?”

“Is that why he saved you from the lake?”

“How does it feel to kiss my boyfriend?” Ingrid asked through gritted teeth.

“He’s not your boyfriend.” I countered.

“Just imagine this. Two years ago he and I were kissing passionately. My lips were where yours have no doubt been minutes before. You’ve stolen him from me.”

“Ew. That imagery wasn’t exactly a turn on.” I muttered. Melina who had scuttled to be by my side under the attack giggled at my remark. So did a few other girls. “He was free when we got together.”

“Kevin is mine.”

“He’s not a piece of property.” I snapped.

“You’re a guy stealing bitch.”

“He hasn’t dated you for two years. I’d say you two were pretty much over.” I rolled my eyes and I didn’t see Ingrid’s palm strike out until it connected with my face. Her ring cut me just under my left eye.

My poor, poor head. Not only had I obtained a massive bruise on the forehead from Ingrid, I’d also received a cut underneath my eye.

There was silence in the room. “I’m telling Hilary!” Melina shouted.

“You won’t say shit.” Ingrid snarled. I just stood there in a slight state of shock.

I wanted to strike back. My earlier days where I’d pretty much lived on the street demanded that Ingrid be put through some serious pain. I curled my hands into fists, knowing that if I struck her I could be sent back home because of her daddy’s influence. To hell with it. I raised my fist but at that moment Becky, one of the counselors burst into the room.

“GIRLS! Dinner in fifteen.” The girls filed out and I lowered my fist. Melina fussed over me.

“Kevin’s going to totally freak out.”

“No! I don’t want him to feel bad about this. Don’t tell him.”

“But-”

“No buts Mel. I don’t want him to feel bad or anything. Just leave it.”

After stopping the bleeding, I inspected my face. The bruise had gone down a lot but not completely. It didn’t look so bad. The cut looked nasty. It was obviously made by a ring and it looked fresh and raw.

“Are you coming to dinner?” Melina asked tentatively.

“I’m coming.” I took a deep breath and put a band-aid over the cut. When I came out Melina shook her head.

“Kevin’s pretty smart. He’s going to figure out what happened.”

“I’ll have to think of a way to distract him then.” I tried to smile.

********

I got my plate of food from the cook. “What happened to your face?” “I fell.” I lied easily. The cook gave me an extra portion of roast lamb to eat. I thanked her and looked around for Kevin.

He was waving at me from the other end of the hall. I worked myself into a light happy mood while walking over to him. I warily watched his face as it turned from a casual smile to a frown and then a look of shock. Melina grasped my arm.

“I told you he’d figure it out.”

“Shut up.” I muttered. I sat down next to him. “Hey.” I said with a smile.

“That band-aid wasn’t there when I last saw you.” He said quietly.

“I fell.” I let my hair shield my face from him as I ate. We were silent. I noticed Joe Jonas looking at me suspiciously.

“What?”

“Nothing.” He replied. I concentrated on my food and tried to ignore the frozen form next to me that was Kevin. “Come with me.” He said suddenly.

He gripped my upper arm tightly but not unpleasantly so and dragged me from the hall out into the cool night.