Chapter 4

“Stop it, you’re going to kill him!” I screamed as I tried to push Noel off the bloodied body.



“That would be a riveting idea,” spit Noel through clenched teeth. He swiftly produced a broken shard of glass and pressed the jagged edge against the boy’s neck.

“Please, I th-thought she wanted to,” sputtered the rapist as he coughed up blood. His clown make-up was smudged from Noel’s numerous blows and I could just make out his face.

“No. She clearly didn’t want to have sex with you,” barked Noel as he pressed the shard deeper into his neck.

“What the hell are you doing?” demanded a petite blonde adored with glitter. She quickly slid the glass door closed behind her and positioned herself in front of Noel as she examined the body.

“Seriously, Noel. Do you want to go to jail? I can’t believe you! I was having so much fun but of course when you’re around nothing goes right…” rambled the blonde.



“Shut up, Serena,” muttered Noel under his breath.

“Pardon me? Want to say that a bit louder?”

“Shut up!” barked Noel.

“Classic Noel,” she scoffed. “And who might you be?” Asked Serena as she finally seemed to notice my presence.

Noel cut in before I could even utter a reply, “Her name’s Elena and this jackass right here almost took advantage of her. Thus, the blood.”

Serena’s mood changed drastically, “Are you okay? Please tell me Noel came in time!”



“I-I’m fine, just a bit shaken,” I whispered as I hugged myself.

“We need to get you cleaned up before you go home! You’re coming with me,” she replied triumphantly. Noel began to protest but Serena had already grabbed my hand and was leading me towards the screen door.

“Wait, what are you going to do about the body?” I asked, hesitantly.

“Noel will take care of it!” she replied, shooting me an effortlessly beautiful smile.



I turned back to see Noel bend down and check the boy’s pulse. As I was led out the door, Noel slowly sat down on the wooden deck and waited for the boy to regain consciousness. He picked up a piece of glass and twirled it between his fingers as he stared blankly into the moonlit sky.


Noel and Serena's House 1:30 a.m

“I haven’t even said thank you yet,” I pondered, trying to stay still as Serena removed stray shards from my hair.

“He already knows you’re thankful,” she replied carefully, “Okay, I’m all done! Now go take a shower so I can try and salvage your dress. The bathroom is down the hall and to your left.”

I gave her an appreciative nod and wandered down the hall. After managing to find the bathroom, I slipped off my bloodied dress and left it outside of the door. I scrubbed at my blood-stained skin using a warm vanilla-scented body wash and watched as the watery red mixture circled down the drain. I shuddered as I remembered his meaty hands on my body.

Great, now I’m scarred for life.

I stood under the jets and immersed myself in the continuous stream of water for 5 more minutes. I wrapped myself in a soft, cotton towel and began to dry myself. I stepped out of the bathroom to find Noel walking down the hall.

“Hey, um Noel, where’s your sister?” I called out to him.

“Probably in her room,” he replied without even turning his head. I heard a crunch as he took a bite out of his apple. “You should probably dry your hair, the floor is getting wet.”

What a gentleman.

I quickly looked at my feet and realized that my hair had been dripping water onto the floor this whole time. I grabbed another towel from the bathroom and struggled as I tried to dry my long, light-brown hair. I emerged from the bathroom to find myself alone in the hall. I continued down the hallway and was about to enter Serena’s room when I heard hushed whispering.



“Why do you even care?” asked Serena.

“I just want to know if she’s okay,” replied Noel, annoyed.

“She seemed out of it but I think she’s going to be fine,” answered Serena, “You better not become attached to her.”

“You’re taking this out of context. She was in trouble and I helped her, that’s it.”

“Good, we all know what happens when you get attached…” she replied, instantly regretting her retort.



Her sentence hung awkwardly in the air around them. Noel flinched like he’d been hit. He quickly regained his stature and stormed towards his sister with clenched fists. To my dismay a slight gasp escaped from my mouth. Noel’s head whipped towards the doorway.

What should I do? Run? No, too late.



“Oh, Elena,” remarked Noel as the anguish in his eyes seemed to subside.

“Noel…”

“You've been listening the whole time,” stated Noel with an unsurprised look, “of course.” He sighed and shook his head as maneuvered around me.

“Get dressed, I’m taking you home,” he muttered without meeting my eyes.


Noel's Driveway 3.00 a.m

I slid into the black, leather passenger seat of Noel’s Lamborghini as I waited for him to start the car. As he slid the key into ignition, the vehicle purred to life. He reversed out of his freshly paved driveway and swiftly switched gears as he accelerated down his street.



“Do you mind telling me how to get to your house?” questioned Noel.

“Oh, um, I live at the end of Long Point Drive, if you know where that is.” I added quickly.

“I’m fairly new here if that hasn't been made clear…”

“Sorry, make a left right up there.” I whispered as I bit my lip.

Silence.

“Alright, now what?” Sighed Noel impatiently.

“Um, what?” I replied, dazed.

“What next, or do you want me to keep driving?”

I frantically gazed out of the tinted window, trying to determine where we were. It didn’t help that my eyes were welling with hot tears.

“So are you just going to-” He stopped mid-sentence as he took his eyes off the road to gaze in my general direction.

“I-im sorry,” I stammered through tears, “I just c-can’t think straight right now.”

Noel pulled over and watched as I casually tried to wipe away the tears.

“Elena…”He started as he fought the urge to reach over.

“What, Noel? Are you going to make me look like an even bigger idiot?” Noel’s blue eyes widened in surprise.

“I would never,” he replied quietly.

“You've had it out for me the moment you arrived at Easton!” I shot back as I unbuckled my seat belt.

He sighed again and unbuckled his seat belt as well, “You don’t understand.”

“Clearly I don’t so why don’t you explain it to me?” I snapped and stepped out of his car.

“Girls like you,” he paused as he chose his words carefully, “are pure. Everything I touch turns to ruin. It’s better if you have nothing to do with me.”

“How can you say that about yourself?” I questioned as I looked at Noel’s illuminated face over the hood of the car.

“I know myself, Elena. I would be lying to you if I said otherwise.” He finished as he carefully walked over to where I stood.



“You are the reason I’m okay. You saved me tonight, Noel.” I replied in a hushed tone.

“That just goes to show you don’t know me at all,” he sighed bleakly.

I stared at him. Stared into his deep, blue eyes with flecks of gold.

What is he hiding? Why doesn't he want to let me in?

Noel broke the gaze as his eyes fluttered across the contours of my cheeks, then my nose, and finally landing on the slight curve of my lips.

“You can trust m-” Even before I could finish my sentence I felt Noel’s hand brush against my cheek. He slowly pulled me in, tilted his head, and placed a gentle kiss on my lips.