Can You Save Me Now?

I felt contradicting, not wanting to take her to this party. Of course, I didn't say it aloud, but I certainly said it over and over again in my head, as if that would make up for it. But Molly really wanted to go, so there was nothing else I could do.

Not like I was the one who was taking her on a date or anything.

I don't know what she spotted first, my knuckles white from clutching the steering wheel, or the way my jaw was set, because she called me out. "Hey, what's wrong?"

I quickly forced myself to relax, or at least look like I relaxed. I lowered my shoulders, loosened my grip on the wheel, slackened my jaw, and took a deep breath. "Nothing." I smiled, yet the smile felt like knives trying to pull my lips apart.

But she didn't take that, although I didn't expect her to in the first place. There was hardly any fooling this girl. She turned in her seat, tucking one leg under the other as she faced me. "Tell me."

"Who's throwing the party?"

"Oh, my friend Addy."

I ran my tongue over my teeth thoughtfully, nodding. I hate being like this, really. I've gone to a bunch of parties, and I still do, every once in a while. But I had this awful gut feeling that Molly Marie was going to get hurt -- or maybe that was just me being obsessive. "Are you staying the night?"

She shrugged. "Maybe."

"Okay. I'll see if I can stay at Carson's house. Just, uh, call me if you need anything, alright? Anything."

"Yeah, yeah, I'll be fine." But... the way she said that, there was uncertainty coating her words, although it was obvious that she tried not to sound like it.

We arrived at her friend's house, and all seemed quiet for the moment, so I allowed myself to breathe. Molly Marie kissed my cheek, smiled, and hopped out of the car. She shut the door and waved before walking towards the house. I watched until she was safely inside to finally drive off.

So then I went to my friend's house, trying my best to occupy my mind. We were only a few houses down from Addy's, but far enough away so that she couldn't say that I was spying. Carson and I played Call of Duty and ate fluffernutter sandwiches, staying up until tears burned my eyes. I crashed on the couch downstairs, just about to fall asleep when I heard a noise. Not just any noise.

It was loud, whoops calling out one after another like dogs trying to communication from London to New York. A crash of glass, maybe a bottle. Then a scream.

I bolted out from under the blanket, clumsily, my cast getting caught more than once. I slept in my clothes, and my shoes were easy enough to get on so that I could run outside to see what on earth was going on. I ran out into the street, headed towards the house where the party was being thrown, and almost immediately, anger flooded my entire being.

A.J. had Molly Marie pressed up against the side of the house, despite her drunken protests. She ducked under his arm and ran, and it was only then that I realized that she was completely naked. She almost ran right past me, if I didn't catch her, tearing my jacket off and wrapping it around her, holding her even though she struggled against me. Did she even recognize me?

"Heyyy, Carter,"

Yeah, she did. Wonderful.

I pulled her behind me as A.J. sauntered over, swaying side to side, obviously not sober. He called for her in the way that no one should, not to my Molly Marie, and I only got more upset. As if I could feel even more heated than before.

Letting go of Molly, I met A.J. halfway and punched him in the jaw.