‘Get off,’ I cried, trying to push his weight away from me. He narrowed his eyes and swore at me, running his hand down my body and unzipping his jeans. Panic flooded through my veins, I had to get out. More tears started to fall when I heard the zip pull down. My hands rushed to hit his chest but he just laughed, pushing the bottom of my dress up. My feeble attempts at pushing it back down soon failed when he slammed his pelvis against mine, keeping me against the wall.
‘Please, don’t,’ I whispered, not being able to speak through my panicked gasps of breath. My eyes darted around behind him, trying to find some way of getting out and my legs felt like they were about to cave.
‘This isn’t going to hurt, baby, just enjoy the ride,’ he slurred. The alcohol from his breath surrounded me as I tried to bat him away. When he started to push the top of his jeans down, I thrashed, desperate to get out of his grip.
Suddenly, the heaviness of his body was gone and a sense of relief washed over me,
‘Touch her again and you won’t live to see tomorrow.’
Kyle hadn’t left my side since the incident, neither had Kenzi. Hunter, on the other hand, had beaten the guy to a pulp and I hadn’t seen him since. I put the frozen pack of peas that were wrapped in a tea towel to my side, wincing as I did so.
‘You know, I think that I’d have preferred it if he roofied me,’ I said under my breath and Kyle smiled, leaning against the kitchen counter.
‘He’d have actually gotten away with it then,’ he pointed out. I decided against commenting and leaned back against the wall. The panic had subsided a while after the attack but my hands were still shaky.
Kyle had cleared out the kitchen and allowed me to sort myself out in there. Everyone had gathered to help me out, even Zoe, although I was sure that she was just there to see Hunter.
‘This uni experience isn’t exactly going as planned,’ I murmured and Kenzi offered me a small smile.
‘You said your lecture was good and we’ve got a dance troop again?’ she offered and I sighed.
‘True, but I live with a psycho and I’ve been attacked on my first day,’ I replied.
A scuffling sound came from the door, followed by Hunter’s wry chuckle.
‘I’m hurt, I really am,’ he drawled and put his hand to his chest in mock hurt. ‘But you’re welcome,’ he said. I nodded in thanks and he gave me a small, one-sided smile in response.
‘You could’ve sorted it without getting blood all over my patio,’ Kyle intervened, giving my roommate an uneven look.
Hunter shrugged. ‘Sorted him out, didn’t it?’ he asked, his voice just as neutral.
Before Kyle could say anything else, Zoe stepped forward and grabbed his arm. ‘Let’s go, babe,’ she said, loud enough for us all to hear. Hunter didn’t look down at her; he kept his eyes on me, staying put.
‘I’ll see you out there in a few minutes,’ he replied, leaning down and gently kissing her cheek. His eyes didn’t move from mine so I grunted and breathed out deeply. Zoe let out a satisfied sound before leaving the room, not sparing any of us a glance.
‘She can be a bit... full on,’ Kyle said with a sigh and I rolled my eyes.
‘You’re telling me,’ I mumbled and Kenzi smirked, leaning on the counter next to me.
‘Who was the guy?’ Hunter asked, speaking to us all for the first time since the incident.
‘I don’t know, you tell me. You knocked all his teeth out,’ Kyle responded hotly. I frowned, gently placing my hand on his forearm to calm him down.
‘You’re welcome for saving your little girlfriend’s ass,’ Hunter growled and I cleared my throat, jumping down from the counter. My legs were still jelly-like but I held myself up and managed to keep my feet from slipping in my heels.
‘Thank you, all of you. And I’m not his girlfriend,’ I replied, looking straight at Hunter. As much as I hated the guy, he did me a huge favour. Scoffing at my thoughts, I shoved them to the back of my head in time to see Hunter offer me a smile. A real smile. Before disappearing back through the door for his nightly entertainment.
‘Are you coming?’ Kyle asked Kenzi, gesturing towards the door. I frowned and Kenzi chewed on her lip, shaking her head.
‘Coming where?’ I asked Kyle, was leaning on the doorframe, watching Kenzi hold my elbow, keeping me balanced on the slippery tiles. He glanced out of the door.
‘Well, the troop and a couple others are going to be playing a game of spin the bottle upstairs,’ he explained, heading towards the door. I frowned and looked at Kenzi who shook her head at Kyle again.
‘After what’s happened, I don’t think that’s the best idea,’ she replied and Kyle looked at me, his eyes widening.
‘Shit, sorry,’ he paused, scratching his head with a pained expression. ‘I didn’t think,” he added. I offered him a small smile.
‘Don’t worry about it, I just really don’t think I’m up for playing. You guys can go, though,’ I said, moving my arm from Kenzi’s sweaty palm to rest against the kitchen counter.
‘I’ll stay here, we need to get hold of the police and we should probably get you home,’ Kenzi said. Someone cleared their throat to our right and Hunter raised an eyebrow.
‘Kyle, you going?’ he asked, watching Kenzi and I the whole time. Kyle glanced at us one more time before nodding and patting Hunter’s back on his way through into the crowd.
***
‘
Kenzi was sitting outside with me, her jacket draped over my shoulders as she got in touch with the police. I was shaking against the cold and sipping at a glass of water.
‘You okay now?’ Hunter asked. I looked at him and frowned. I was unsure as to why he’d stuck around with Kenzi and I rather than going upstairs and playing with the rest of the troop.
‘Yeah and I don’t think I thanked you for what you did,’ I said, gingerly looking up through my eyelashes at him. He smiled.
‘No problem, more than happy to help a damsel in distress,’ he said, a sarcastic edge to his voice. I rolled my eyes and listened in to the conversation Kenzi was having.
‘Yes, we have a witness,” she was saying, offering me a supportive look. ‘Of course, yes,’ she continued. Her phone call lasted another five or so minutes before she excused herself to go and tell Kyle that the police were going to need to question him about the party.
Hunter moved to take Kenzi’s place on the bench and he stretched his arms out.
‘I guess I’m your witness,” he replied and raised his eyebrow. I winced as I turned to look at him.
‘As long as you’re OK to. Apart from me, you’re the only one apart from me that saw him.” He nodded at my words.
‘Can you write my statement down? I don’t like the police,” he remarked. My eyebrows knotted together.
‘Why?’ I asked and he smiled, tapping his nose.
‘That’s my business,’ he said, looking up as Kenzi pushed the patio door open and perched on the arm of the bench. ‘I’ll catch you later,” he replied, getting up and disappearing back into the kitchen.
Kenzi sat down next to me and assured me that the police would be there within an hour to talk to me, Kyle and Hunter about the incident. She filled me in on what they’d want to know and what else they’d said. After both of us going over my statement a couple times to calm me down, I decided to go