Chapter 20

THE STUDENTS AT Richmond Park Academy really knew their forest, is all I can say.

I tread a treacherous path with sharp twigs and unimaginable critters as Elias and his blonde companions navigated the thick overgrowth. The night wasn't a silent one, it provided us with an orchestra of owl hoots, cricket chirps and rustles of various leaves and branches as night breeze whistled through tangible nooks and crannies.

Conversation was idle. Soon, I began hearing a different sound. The rhythmic bass of something not naturally occurring in American forests. Upon further advancement on the dangerous path of dead twigs, possible quick sand and mysterious creepy crawlies, we chanced upon another group of teenagers who had camera flashes of their cellphones pointed at the ground. Quite similar to the positions we took.

"Yo, DICKHEADS," Elias hooted in their direction.

"Yo," One of them called back. "Guys, look, it's STD with two legs!"

"I do not have an STD you morons," Elias yelled back as he began to speed up his pace.

This of course alarmed me. I was already falling behind. Although I wore sneakers, these females had steel toes clad in sandals. I reconciled my protracted pace with my lack of experience in jungle trekking performed in complete darkness.

As soon as Elias was out of earshot, one of the blondes spoke up.

"Does he really have an STD?" Concern laced her voice, that much one would be able to tell even in a state of complete darkness as one undertook dangerous tasks such as hiking through razor sharp twigs, unseen predators from the wild and a landmine or two who the fuck knew.

"Did you guys bang?" Another one of the females asked back. Her question took an accusatory edge.

I was starting to understand that Elias was some kind of a prized object in Richmond Park Academy.

"Why are you so shocked?" The blonde scoffed back. "We hang out all the time. Do you think we play board games?"

"I think she meant to ask if you two were dumb enough to have unprotected sex," Elias's third female companion chimed in.

"Hmm," the blonde took a few seconds to think. "Well, no but... I, you know, his dick."

"I don't know what you did to his dick. Please enlighten us," one of them returned.

"I," the blonde began to make obscene hand gestures near her oral orifice.

One of her friends burst out laughing. "You can't get an STD from sucking dicks."

"Are you sure?" The blonde asked back. "Like are you really, really sure?"

"Who cares," the third voice laughed. "I would be, like, honored to catch an STD from Elias. I want to carry his child. Imagine how hot my child would be if it had half of Elias's genes. And his wealth too," she sighed happily.

We were drawing close to the venue of the party now. I could now hear the familiar dynamics of pop culture music blasting through high quality speakers. We soon approached an opening. One that seemed to overlook an abyss. The party was at some sort of a cliff - pity the vista it boosted was shrouded in darkness.

The party appeared to be in full swing with teenagers gyrating to some Lil Rapper in various stages of undress, bushes in proximity echoing with moans of pleasure, the faint but present smell of Marijuana, large bonfires surrounded by arsonists who appeared to be burning anything in vicinity (pretty sure I just saw someone push their friend into the fire), and of course the kegs. Oh alcohol was everywhere. The place was littered with glass bottles and aluminium beer cans.

And I was alone. I was a separate entity from these party animals - not sure if 'animal' was an understatement. I knew no people in the place. Back at Central High, I did have an affinity for partying. It was how I gained the reputation of a 'bad girl' whatever the fuck that meant. I think it was euphemism for 'female-with-loose-morals-so-go-ahead-and-fuck-her'.

Other than the esteemed RPA party that Elias promised to stay by my side throughout, it really was a beautiful night. We don't get to see many stars where I came from. Neither did we get to experience cold nights in dark forests.

I approached the closest icebox and began digging for a non-alcoholic beverage. Unluckily for me, all I managed to find was beer. Reminded me of the days spent with my friends back home - have you ever seen people chug beer like water?

I emerged empty handed from the icebox. I began to attempt to find Elias in the crowd of wild teenagers. It was no easy feat, we had maybe a hundred present, and the place was dark save for areas surrounding the three bonfires.

"Fancy seeing you here," someone's voice interrupted my search.

My gaze landed on Darren (the rapist). My jaws tightened. He was nestling an alcoholic beverage, beer, nothing quite enough to intoxicate a male his size unless he had been heavily drinking prior.

"I thought you didn't like parties," Darren continued.

"Don't you have someone to rape?" The words accidentally tumbled out. I was stunned for a few seconds. I mean I wasn't the nicest person around but I wasn't one to be verbally outright. It would just create unnecessary enemies, not something I need in this place where everyone had powerful parents.

However, my expression of shock was of no match to Darren's expression of... well, a more intense level of shock.

"I beg your pardon?" He went. "Someone to rape?"

I sighed. "You don't have to justify yourself. I may not condone it but I do understand that we all have our shortcomings. Just don't try anything with me, I'm poor, I can't afford a lawyer."

"What are you talking about?" He asked incredulously. "I really don't - "

It really wasn't the best scene for such a confrontation. The music just changed to something by Post Malone, loud cheers erupted from a nearby group of teenagers who decided to get up to dance. I crossed my arms, unfazed by Darren's speechlessness.

"Can we move somewhere quieter? That's quite a heavy accusation, Andrea."

"So you can rape me too?"

His expression became deadpanned.

"I really don't see a point in discussing this. Look, I'm not a crazy 'feminist', I know shit like this happens and I know you rich kids think you're entitled to do this. I'm literally willing to let this go." I sighed as I squatted down to retrieve an alcoholic beverage from the icebox.

Darren mirrored my action. We came face to face at ground level. There was an intimacy to it. He wasn't ugly, but he was a rapist and that alone repelled me. I had enough trauma from people like him to stupidly voluntarily involve myself a second time.

"Dude, look, I don't know how the hell you came to that conclusion but I'm not like that," Darren frowned. "If you're accusing me of being a rapist that is. I don't even agree with your stance on it, raping is NOT okay. I wouldn't let something like that slide if I were you. For me it's straight to the police."

I gave him a measured look.

"How did you even - " then his jaws clenched. "Elias."

All of a sudden, Post Malone became roaring white noise as I struggled to stand up on wobbly knees.

"Elias what?" My mouth was dry.

Darren crushed the aluminium can in his hands. Beer from within spilled out and flowed down his hands. He chucked it to the ground with a force that must parallel his emotions. He  further crushed the can with his foot. He was either an amazing actor or... not guilty of my accusation.

"Darren," I said. My voice sounded a lot gentler this time.

"I should have known it was that cunt," Darren blinked. He was done crushing his beer can, now he wore a faraway look on his face.

It took me a while to spot Elias, who was speedily approaching. Darren wouldn't see him though, because Elias was approaching from behind him. I held my breath. Wish I brought popcorn, if only I knew there would be live drama.

"Hey guys," Elias announced cautiously when he was in proximity.

Darren didn't even hesitate. It was his fist straight to Elias's 1.618 features. There was a crack. One that ricocheted through the open space and one that unleashed a beast within Elias and gathered a crowd.

"What the fuck was that for," Elias grounded out as he brought a hand to his nose.

"You know what the fuck," Darren spat back. "Is it broken? Well time to get it fixed then. What's another surgery to you? Your whole face is fake anyway."

"Wait, what?" Someone from the crowd gasped.

Darren's laugh was bitter. "Oh, I'm sorry. Did all of you think he was natural? It's plastic surgery man. Why do you think his social media only shows pictures from three years ago?"

"Darren," Elias gritted out.

"It's because he's really an ugly cunt. His whole family in fact. All implants, grafting and silicone," Darren could have stopped here. He had everyone's attention now. What he was doing was real damage. Both to Elias and to his family. But he wasn't done.

"Imagine being DUMB enough to accuse me of being a rapist when you're hiding such a big fucking secret from the world. I'm sorry ladies, did you think you were banging 'God's Gift to Men' or something? Tiffany, you shouldn't have aborted your child with him. You would have been able to see what kind of troll you'd give birth to."

"Is his dick fake too? 'Cause it's a good dick," someone said from the crowd.

"Why don't you tell them, Elias?"

My gaze landed on Elias. He was still holding his nose. Still devilishly handsome under the illumination of a nearby crackling bonfire. But it was different now. I couldn't reconcile this face of plastic with the person I thought I was in love with.

"That's what I thought," Darren said after Elias failed to deign his audience with a response. "One question, to the ladies and the gentlemen present. Have I ever raped any of you? Or your friends or whatever?"

There was a hushed silence - even the music was off. It seemed, the sky, the juniper shrubs, the trees and the creatures of the wild were leaning in for a response. But silence met our ears, I could hear my own heartbeat. Pin drop silence.

Eventually, someone maneuvered to the front.

There were whispers, but Darren's face relaxed into a polite smile. "Hey Felicia."

"We dated for two years," she started. "And Darren here was super respectful. He never rushed me into anything. When we finally did it - "

"Bye Felicia. TMI. We get your point." Someone shouted from the crowd.

"I just want to say that I don't regret a single second spent with Darren. Elias on the other hand - "

Her speech was interrupted by Elias who chose this moment to take off. His sprint wasn't an easy one; there were tin cans and glass bottles that one could oversee in a panicked attempt to flee. We watched the boy trip twice before finally disappearing into the trees.