Chapter 25: Chapter Twenty-Four

We all filed into the Tahoe and drove away from the farm. The party was being held at what seemed to be a picnic area looping by the James River which gave it a small island feel. There was a bonfire, and the cars were parked haphazardly on the grass.

Music was blaring, there were shouts and laughter as people milled around the area. There were roughly a hundred teens gathered there and I saw Madison laughing as Josh threw her over his shoulder and disappeared around a building.

“The keg’s over there and coolers are set up everywhere,” one guy said as we walked towards the big bonfire.

“Don’t get wasted and stay out of trouble,” I said to them.

We all knew other people from different classes, and I had the hockey team that were now my friends as well and we all went our separate ways. I found the hockey guys bunched together in one corner with a group of girls.

“Hey, Kage,” James said as he opened one cooler.

“Hey,” I said to the guys who seemed to be semi-wasted already.

“Grab a beer,” Ricky Hamilton said.

“Designated driver tonight,” I said as he grinned at me.

“Shit, James, he’s one of those ‘I don’t drink during hockey season’ guys,” Tyler said.

“There’s water and Coke as well,” James said, ignoring Tyler.

“Thanks,” I said and grabbed a bottle of water.

We talked hockey for a while and then I excused myself to go check on my brothers. I still didn’t really trust the peace. They could all land a punch and take one too and I wasn’t afraid that they’d be hurt, but nobody stood a chance if it were you against a group.

I caught her staring at me, and I tried to remember her name. She was in some of my classes but for the life of me I couldn’t remember her name. Madison was wasted and glued to Josh’s side, and I wasn’t sure why I was jealous.

“Hey,” she said as she walked towards me.

“Hi,” I said as we stood apart from the crowd and I leaned against a tree every now and then glancing over at my brothers.

“You don’t remember my name, do you?” She asked.

“Sorry, no,” I said and smiled as she laughed.

“It’s Vicky,” she said.

“Yeah, Vicky Thompson,” I said and she nodded.

“Congratulations on making the hockey team,” she said and walked away. I stayed and talked with some of the reserve team guys for about another half an hour before going to find my brothers.

“Where’s Endri?” I asked Sloan when I found them all sitting by the bonfire.

“Said he was going to the bathroom half an hour ago,” Sloan said.

“Shit,” I said, already thinking the worst.

“Wait, I’ll come with you,” Sloan said.

Sloan and I headed further away from the bonfire where the bathrooms were located, and we passed by the parked cars. I stopped walking and grabbed Sloan’s arm as I turned my head towards the sound I had just heard.

“What?” Sloan asked me but I ignored him.

I turned towards the tree line that sheltered the river on the other side. Sloan’s face registered the muffled whimpering we had both heard and instinctively we hurried our steps towards it. I could hear faint laughter as we cleared the trees and I saw Josh holding Endri in a tight grip.

I didn’t think, I just reacted. I stormed Josh and tackled them both to the ground. His grip on Endri loosened as I stood up and pulled Endri to his feet. His face had red marks where Josh had gripped him tightly.

“What the hell is going on here?” I asked Josh as he stood up.

“We’re just having some fun,” Josh said.

“They’re drugging girls,” Endri whispered to me.

My fist hit Josh in the face, and I didn’t stop. I kept hitting him and soon all three of us were fighting. Someone’s fist connected with my shoulder as I sat astride Josh, he seemed to be close to unconsciousness and I turned around to fight the other guy.

I was seeing red; I was so angry that I forgot everything around me. We were all bleeding, injured in some way and I only stopped when Sloan pulled me off the second guy. I was breathing hard, and I wiped the blood away from my nose and spat the blood from my mouth.

“They were taking pictures,” Endri said.

“Who?” I asked him.

“I don’t know her name, some girl, they ripped her shirt. She must have gotten away when you two showed up,” Endri said.

“I knew he was an asshole,” Sloan said, seething with anger.

“Look for the camera, Sloan. Endri, go get the others and meet us back at the car,” I said.

I walked back towards the cars where I had heard the whimpering the first time. I found her sitting against a tree, her head on her knees, and her arms enveloping herself. She was crying, shivering, and she flinched when I knelt down next to her.

“Hailey?” I said as her name popped into my head. “Are you okay?”

“Kage?” she asked as she looked up.

“It’s okay, they won’t hurt you again,” I said, my eyes roaming over her, looking for injuries.

Her arms had blue finger marks on them, and her shirt was ripped open. I took my jacket off and I handed it to her. She stared at it for a while and then she took it and put it on.

“Thank you,” she said softly.

“You don’t have to thank me for anything, stuff like this shouldn’t happen,” I said. It was like I was back there again, in each foster home where I’d gotten hurt, and I couldn’t stand this girl in front of me looking like she did. It nearly broke me, but I knew I had to get her out of there.

“I’m okay, he didn’t get far before you interrupted,” she said.

“Still, if you’re okay with it we’ll take you home,” I said.

“Got the camera,” Sloan said and froze in his steps when he saw me with Hailey.

“Hailey?” I said softly as her attention snapped back to me.

“I can’t go home like this,” she said in a whisper.

“What do you want to do?” Sloan asked me.

“I’m going to get Hailey the hell out of here,” I said.

Sloan extended his hand and Hailey gripped it tightly as he helped her to her feet and then she was in his arms, crying as he hugged her tightly. His eyes were closed as he stroked her hair and I looked at them oddly. There was something there that none of us knew about. Sloan liked this girl, and she was hurting.

“Let’s go,” I said as I took the camera from Sloan’s hand.

“I’ll explain later,” Sloan said.