salvation [ l.f & m.h ]

Sixteen.

Zac guided me, or more like tugged me, to the side of the house. The music started to fade and so did the light that had illuminated the backyard. It was really hard to walk back here, whether that was because of the amount of alcohol in my system or just because I couldn't see... I wasn't able to tell. He spun around and faced me, flashing a sly smile.

"What's so interesting about the side of the house?" I asked, trying to pull my arm from his tight grip.

"Isn't it nice that you can't really hear the loud music or the people talking?" He asked, staring down at me.

"Um I don't really feel comfortable here" I whispered. "Can we go back?"

"But Maya you just look so good tonight. I can't let you slip away that fast" 

He stepped closer, sliding his hand onto my waist.

"Zac I don't wan-" 

He pressed his body into mine, my back up to the wall of the house. 

"Shhh." He put his finger to my lips. "I know you want me."

Before I could do anything his mouth was against mine, his hands trailing up my body.

"No!" I say, pushing him away from me.

"Shut up" He growls, forcing himself onto me again.

I gasp as I feel his hand slide up my thigh.

"Get the hell away!" I scream.

I do the one thing I learned growing up in a neighborhood with all boys. My knee rams into him and he yelps in pain, falling to the ground.

"ASSHOLE!" I yell, running back towards the house.

Getting back to the house is harder than I thought it would be. It's dark and I cannot see very well. Plus, the ground is spinning and I can't tell if I'm walking straight. Damn Missy and her shots. I feel hot tears forming and I beg myself not to cry.

I'm almost to the house when I hear a familiar voice and see a figure walking towards me.

"Maya?"

It's Lucas. 

"Are you okay?" 

He stares at my face for a second.

"Are you crying?" He asks, reaching a hand to my face.

"I'm fine" I say, wiping a tear from my face.

"What the hell happened? I saw you with Zac. He's a creep"

"Nothing." I say, trying to keep myself from bursting into tears.

"Maya....."

"He just... He tried to-" I start but my voice breaks and I can't speak.

Tears roll down my cheek.

"I'm going to fucking kill him! He's fucking dead!" Lucas yells, about to run towards Zac.

"Lucas don't" I grab his arm. "I just want to go home"

"Maya no. I swear to God I am going to murder him" He leaves me standing alone in the lawn.

It takes me a few minutes to find Riley inside. She gasps and runs towards me when she sees my face.

"Maya what happened?" She asks, wrapping me in a hug.

"This kid Zac. He touched me. I just-"

"Maya oh my god" She whispers.

She stares at me, then holds me in her arms again. I feel her body start to shake as she cries.

"Riley don't cry" I pull away.

"I should have been there. You're my best friend. I should have been with you" She says, her eyes filled with tears. She pauses. "Where the hell is this kid?! I'm going to give him a piece of my mind... and my fist!" She exclaims, looking around the room.

"It's okay... Lucas took care of it I think"

"Lucas?" She questions.

"Lucas."

"EVERYONE YOU GOTTA SEE THIS! LUCAS JUST LEVELED THAT KID ZAC!" Someone yells from outside the front door.

"Fuck" I breathe.

Riley pulls me outside and we find a huge crowd that has gathered. We push our way into it and my face falls when I find Lucas on top of Zac, pounding him. His fist slams into Zac's cheek again and again.

"Luke! You're going to kill him!" A guy exclaims, making his way into the circle.

"Lucas stop!" A skinnier boy warned.

I recognized them as the kids Missy and I had played pong with.

Zac moaned on the ground, holding his face in his hands. Lucas threw another punch.

"LUKE FUCKING STOP" The dark boy pleaded, trying to peel Lucas off of Zac's body.

Lucas looked up at them. His eyes were dark, his face wild. 

The two boys dragged Lucas away from Zac's motionless body and brought him inside.

"Holy shit" I blurted, looking over at Riley who was as shocked as I was.

"He did that... He did that for you" She whispered.

"I think I'm gonna be sick"

Riley hurried me inside to the bathroom. I sat there for awhile, with Riley by my side, but nothing happened. My stomach was in knots and my head felt like someone had hit it with a hammer. When Riley was finally able to help me up and brought into the kitchen almost everyone was gone. There were a few stragglers here and there but I guessed that most of the people had left after the whole scene with Lucas.

"Maya can you just try to walk straight or at least stand up all the way" Riley whined, trying to hold me up without toppling over herself.

My vision was still blurry and it felt like the earth was shaking. I shook my head.

"Here" She sighed, sitting me on the couch. "Give me one second"

She walked away, leaving me alone in the living room. She was gone for several minutes and I started getting drowsy. My eyes began to flutter shut and I was almost asleep when I felt someone scoop me up off of the couch and carry me out the door.