Chapter 26

Chapter Twenty-Three
Bad Luck Eventually Catches Up
Friday night was more eventful than any of us would like to admit.
Guess what?
I was dragged to another party. It was bizarre to me when I thought about the fact that I was at a party considering that was the last place I would wish to be. I could be spending my time doing anything else but when we went out to get food and catch a movie, the plan changed when Leo got a text from someone about a party and the whole group decided they wanted to go. I couldn't bail because we were in the car and I didn't want to be the odd one who made them drop me home before going to the party so I kept my mouth shut.
My plan was to get to the party, wait until everyone scattered off to do their own things and then I would call an Uber to get home. Pretty easy, right?
We got to the party and I went off to the side, getting lost in the crowd so nobody would cling to my side. I had a feeling Luke or Noah would decide to hang out with me because they both knew by now that I wasn't much for parties. If that happened, I wouldn't be able to leave and go home because they would insist on me staying while they keep me company.
Luckily I was right because I could see them both looking around for me until they headed off to the kitchen to get drinks and check if I had gone there since they couldn't see me anywhere else. The rest of the group ended up getting lost with the crowd.
I made my way through the living room so I could get outside - away from the sweaty dancing bodies and crowded area so I could pull out my phone and get myself an Uber.
I was pushed by someone who was drunk and dancing which caused me to loose my balance and stumble backwards.
I didn't have much of a chance to react when I felt someone from behind me grab me, saving me from falling on my ass.
I turned around to see a tall and average guy who wasn't buff but was skinny and had very slightly built biceps. He was cute overall - brown eyes, brown hair, pearly white teeth smile, slight resemblance to one of those old viner guys who all kind of looked like basic white boys but were attractive anyways.
He smiled at me, his eyes and white teeth sparkling, "Almost fell there, lucky I was here to catch you."
I forced a quick smile, "Sorry, rough crowd but thanks." I pulled my arms out of his grasp and turned to walk out when he gently grabbed my wrist.
I turned to look at him, my eyebrows pulled together in confusion as to wonder what he wanted. "I haven't seen you at one of these before. Are you new?" He was shouting a little, just so I could hear him over the music.
I nodded, looking around to see if any of my friends were around, "Uh... yeah. I am new but I was just heading out." I had no interest in holding this conversation. The guy seemed nice and chill but I didn't know him and had no interest in getting to know him either, at least not at the moment. All I wanted to do was leave this party.
"I didn't even catch your name," He said before I could attempt to leave again. He was looking at me with a friendly smile and eyes giving me a charming look that might make any other girl melt but I wasn't interested because I wanted to leave the party - any other day I might just continue conversation because he was cute and was nice, not trying to rub against me and dance like all the other drunk guys here.
I smiled lightly, hoping I could answer him and leave sooner rather than later, "Tiffany."
"It's nice to meet you. I'm Taylor."
I nodded, glancing around, "You too."
"You okay?" He gave me a concerned look. "I just mean, you look like somethings on your mind. Looking for someone?"
I looked at him and sighed, "Sorry, no. I was just heading out, like I said."
"Aw, how come?" He frowned, disappointed which was weird because he didn't know me so he shouldn't care if I'm leaving. "The party just started. Do you want to go somewhere quieter to talk? I'd love to get to know you, you seem cool."
I flashed him a sweet smile that wasn't fully heartfelt, "Uh... you know, you seem really cool but my dad called and said he needed me home so maybe we can talk at school, or something?" I lied and also had no intention of talking to him at school because I wasn't looking to widen my friend group. I figured if I slip a harmless lie it would be easier for me to leave because simply saying 'I don't want to party' would give him more reason to continue talking to keep me here.
"You go to Grove High, I'm assuming?" He said. I mentally groaned because he wasn't letting me end the friendly banter and leave. "I don't actually go there. I go to Herbrooke, not sure if you've heard of it."
I thought for a brief second, the name sounding familiar. Then I nodded, remembering the guys talking about the soccer team there. "I know some guys on the soccer team so yeah I've heard the name, that's all." I smiled and was about to leave again when he started talking again.
Taylor's eyes glinted with a weird look, "You know some of the guys? Huh, so they've been talking about us?"
I chuckled awkwardly, "No, I just heard you guys have a game coming up. I was going to check out the game because I'm into soccer, so that's where I heard." Again, I lied because I was starting to feel impatient and didn't want him questioning me about guys on the team or anything. "Hey, it was really nice meeting you but like I said, my dad wants me home."
I turned to leave when he grabbed my wrist and pulled me back which caused me to fall right into his chest, "Not even going to give me your number? Least I can get since you're in too much of a rush to offer me a dance." He was so close to me that I had to look up to see him since he was a lot taller than me.
The atmosphere seemed to change and suddenly I felt very, very uncomfortable. My mind started ringing with the word 'abort'.
I pushed myself off him but he didn't let go of my wrist, "Look... how about I just see you at the game? A little bit of waiting just makes things all the more juicy, right?" I forced another sweet smile, hoping the bullshit I was stirring would be enough to get him to leave me alone.
It clicked that he was just like another douchebag so I needed to get away from him ASAP which wouldn't work if I didn't muster out some bullshit that would please him enough to let me go.
Taylor smirked, "Come on now, can't lead a guy on like that and just bolt."
I narrowed my eyes, finally loosing my patience and dropping the friendly act, "Excuse me? Leading you on? I talk to you for two minutes and that somehow looks like leading you on?" I scoffed, "Are you really that desperate because I'm pretty sure I tried to walk away from you at least four times."
I shook my head and pulled my wrist out of his hold to leave. However, my wrist didn't escape. He held my hand tighter, not letting me budge.
"Come on, sweetheart," his tone changed. He went from friendly and kind to very bleak and suggestive. He took a step closer to me and I couldn't get further from him because he was holding my wrist. "You must've come to this party for fun, right? Let me show you some fun."
Before I could snap at him or slap him, I didn't have a chance to react because I was spun around and pushed up against a wall that was behind Taylor.
"Fucking bloody Mary," I muttered under my breath. "Listen, you dimbledick," I tried to get some space between us but he was now holding onto either wrist of mine with each hand. "Get the fuck off me and go suppress your horny needs elsewhere."
The blood inside me boiled.
I knew how this ended.
Either I got taken advantage of or someone would rescue me if I got lucky but I was too proud to let either happen so I would be the strong bitch I am and get myself out of this situation.
When Taylor laughed at my remark and moved his head so his lips could start sucking on my neck, I lifted my knee to knee him where it would hurt.
That effort went worthless when Taylor abruptly moved his lower half of his body back and looked at me with a dark look in his eyes. He shook his head, "Tsk, tsk, tsk, Tiffany. Haven't you heard that you shouldn't mess with the wrong people because they're smarter than you."
What the fuck?
I narrowed my eyes in a glare as Taylor resumed leaving sloppy kisses on my neck and then moved the yoke of my shirt off my shoulder so he could start kissing there too.
I clenched my jaw and tilted my head to the right, opposite of where his head was which gave him more access to my neck. Then, in a sharp and swift movement, I brought my head all the way to the left so my head knocked hard against him.
I ignored the throbbing that went through my skull as Taylor groaned in pain and took a step back, holding his head.
That was my open slot into getting away from the gross bastard. I tried to slip past him and get away but because I was against the wall by a corner, there was only one way to go and Taylor stepped right in front of me, blocking my path to exit.
I pushed him back and yelled a curse out as I tried to get away but he grabbed my arm harshly and pulled me back, pushing me so hard I ended up knocking right back into the wall, hitting my head on the wall.
I winced in pain but didn't get a chance to properly react when Taylor grabbed both my arms and pressed his body against mine, holding me against the wall with his whole body.
"You fucking-" I shrieked a yell as I squirmed and wiggled and tried to do anything to loosen his hold on me. In return, Taylor raised a hand and slapped me across the face.
"You fucking bitch," He spat in my face. "You've only made me want to watch you scream even more." Sick psycho to say the least.
My breathing was jagged and uneven, tears brimming in my eyes but I didn't have a minute to start a sob-fest because I was not going down without a fight.
Before his lips could go down on my neck again, I swiftly lowered my face so I could get his lips with mine like I was bobbing for an apple.
"That's more like it," he mumbled in a low voice as he roughly started making out with me. I held back the urge to vomit as I kissed him back for a few second before I literally bit down as hard as I could on his lips.
It was disgusting and utterly fucked up but I had to do something to bring him pain which would get him to make a reflex that would hopefully get his grip on me loose enough for me to make a bolt for it an escape.
I felt blood in my mouth but it wasn't mine. Taylor yelled in pain, wincing as he pulled his face back.
Only one of his hands had loosened enough for me to yank my arm back and quickly raise a fist and punch him in the face as hard as I could muster up.
This caused him to stumble back a step or two, his other hand letting go of mine on impact. I got my chance to get the hell away from him and I did.
I made it about two steps into the crowd when arms going around my torso pulled me back and once again, my whole body was slammed against the wall.
I was starting to see black dots in my vision when my head once again hit the wall. I was started to panic and loose track of what was happening because everything was happening so fast and my whole body ached in pain while at the same time, Taylor was so fast and made such swift and strong movements that nothing I seemed to do gave me enough time to get far away from him.
What was even more insane was the fact that all the people dancing around us were too drunk and distracted to see all the assault that was happening here. It sort of made sense because thanks to my BAD LUCK, I was in a corner away from most of the party.
"Oh, I cannot wait to make you pay, you ungrateful slut." His eyes were cold, voice low, whole body practically radiating his anger.
Again, his hand raised and slapped me across the face causing me to finally yelp out a scream as the pain had caught up to me.
I struggled against his hold, once again squirming and flailing around my legs and arms to get away from him. It was no use because I could physically feel my body starting to tire out.
Now, Taylor didn't bother with the small stuff. His fist connected with my stomach as he had punched me causing me to topple over and groan in pain, my vision becoming darker, tears pooling in my eyes, and body finally tiring out to the point where I could no longer fight or struggle.
I couldn't even process what was happening because the next thing I knew was that Taylor was harshly pulling down my pants.
"Ple-please... stop." My voice was broken and soft, barley even heard as the words croaked out of my throat. I coughed and coughed, doubling over in pain. From my blurry and darkening vision I could still see the blood that came out in my cough.
"Now she wants to be sweet," Taylor laughed a cruel, evil laugh. He shook his head with a smirk on his face as he roughly grabbed my chin so I could look at his straight, "Don't worry, baby. I'll take good care of you."
He resumed unbuttoning my pants and sliding them partially down my legs.
My head was spinning, black dots taking over my vision. I wasn't naive. I knew I was about to black out and after that...
Well, after that I wouldn't be able to stop him from what he was going to do. I couldn't stop him now while I was still conscious.
And then, between the things that were starting to blur and not make any sense as consciousness started to fade away, my body fell to the ground when Taylor had let go of me.
My eyes, barley open as I saw Taylor being pulled to the ground as two bodies had pulled his away.
The crowd was now forming a circle around the scene that was taking place. Everyone watched the two guys punch Taylor in the face to no extent, Taylor already knocked out but the punches not stopping.
Then I saw that the two guys punching were Ezra and Noah.
Noah looked at me between a punch when his eyes locked with mine. That's when he hurriedly came over to me, leaving Ezra to continue throwing blows at Taylor's face.
Noah slid down onto the ground and held me in his arms. I didn't know if I was seeing properly because I was slipping out of consciousness but I think there were tears in Noah's eyes as he held me in his arms.
"Tiffany, stay awake. Please don't close your eyes." His voice cracked, as he cupped my face with one of his hands and gently stroked my throbbing red cheek that Taylor had slapped twice, with his thumb. "I'm so sorry I didn't find you sooner. Stay with me, Tiff, don't close your eyes."
"I told you." I managed to croak out, my voice quiet and hoarse.
Noah's eyebrows pulled together in confusion, not thinking he heard me right. "Y-you told me what?"
There was the smallest bittersweet smile on my face as I whispered, "I told you bad luck eventually catches up to me."
The last thing I saw was a tear slip out of Noah's eyes before my eyes rolled to the back of my head and I was out cold.