32: Careful Intentions

Chase

“WELCOME BACK, YOU LOVE BIRDS!” Jordan calls out cheerfully, her drunk voice cutting through the evening air as she roasts marshmallows over the glowing fire pit. Corey and Katie sit close together, their hands sticky from the gooey s’mores they’re savoring, the remnants of melted chocolate smeared on their lips. They both look up as we approach, their laughter and tipsy smiles making the night feel cozy and inviting. “How was your walk?” Katie asks sweetly, her blue eyes sparkling like the distant stars in the night sky as she looks at Lena with sincere curiosity. “It was... peaceful,” Lena replies, settling into a lounge chair across from them with a sigh of contentment. She reaches for a cold drink, taking a sip before leaning back and stretching her legs out, her small feet resting on my lap. She hands me a cold beer, and we clink glasses before I take a sip, the carbonation fizzing on the way down my throat. I glance over at Corey, and the familiar, concerned look on his face doesn’t go unnoticed. His eyes hold that same silent worry they did back at the casino, the one that signals something’s weighing heavily on him. It’s the same look he gives me when he needs to tell me something, urgently. I can tell he’s holding back to keep up appearances, but I'll find a way to reconvene with him at some point tonight.

The atmosphere brightens as the group sinks into lighthearted conversation, laughter filling the space with each drink and joke that’s passed around... But amidst the chatter, my mind drifts away. I can’t get the images of those two fuckwads out of my head. The way they looked, smirking like they owned the damn casino. I can still hear their voices as they sat around that blackjack table, smugly talking about cheating like it was a damn game in plain sight. Even worse was the way they spoke about her, Lena. Like she’s property. Like they are buying and owning her the way you’d haggle over a piece of real estate. Should I tell her what I heard? No, I want to burn the memory out of my mind, but it’s stuck there, playing over and over everytime I sneak a peak at Lena's content face. I also can’t shake the feeling that there is more to the situation, like she intentionally left out key information from the story. She went completely silent all day, and the interaction between her and this kid Jasper was short lived when looking at the whole picture. What really happened between them that would make her change her flight so suddenly? Why is she now in such a rush to pack up the moment she gets back? Something doesn't add up. I can’t help but wonder if there’s more going on here that she’s not sharing, especially given Corey's facial expression. I know it's not my place, but I care about Lena; about her safety and well being. It’s hard to just sit back and not want to understand what’s going on.

"Chase, are you feeling okay?" Lena cuts through the haze of my thoughts, her eyes genuine as she watches me closely. I must not be doing a good job of masking what’s on my mind. "All good here, Lena," I reply with a forced smile, quickly shifting the focus as I caress her ankle. I slide her legs off my lap and nudge her gently onto the lounger before rising. “Hey Corey, I’m going to grab a couple things from the villa. You mind helping me out?” I ask, my eyes catching his as I motion behind us. “Villa?” Lena questions, a puzzled look crossing her face as she sits up slightly. “Oh, we’re not staying at the resort tonight, figured it would be too late...” I trail off casually. “What?!” Katie, Jordan, and Lena exclaim, surprise and confusion mingled in their tones. “We’re staying at the villa. Right over there,” I confirm while gesturing toward the building hiding behind foliage in the distance. “That’s right, we rented it for the night,” Corey chimes in, flashing a grin as he stands to follow me. Lena raises an eyebrow as I shrug in her direction. “You three don’t have to stay, but you’re welcome to. There are more than enough rooms to go around.” I add with a smirk before taking a few steps in that direction. “We’ll be back ladies!” Corey sings with a dramatic bow, before running to catch up to me.

***

"Spill it!" I say to Corey as soon as we're far enough away from the girls. "What did Lena tell you?" he asks, hesitating. Katie must have filled him in while we were gone. “Fuck, well…" I start, the tension from earlier returning as I try to smooth the furrow in my brows. "She told me about her and her ex fiance’s conversation and her plan when she gets back home.” I reply, shifting to my temples as I recall what she said during our walk. “Anything else?” Corey asks, again, his voice hesitant. “Bro, what do you know? Just fucking tell me.” I snap, frustrated with the coy way he is dancing around the truth. “Shit.” He whispers while looking back towards the gathering, seemingly to ensure it’s just the two of us and we haven’t been followed. “Did she say anything about that guy James?” He asks and I freeze, that greasy piece of shit! He’s the one who was talking about women, eyeing the cocktail waitress, suggesting the blonde one "bury his balls deep". My stomach starts to churn. “No, why? Did something happen?” I ask, but Corey avoids my gaze, picking up his pace towards the villa. I follow him, smoothing my hair as I quicken my steps to catch him. “Please tell me nothing happened!” I hiss while grabbing his arm, the words tumbling out in a rush. Panic floods my chest, the sudden surge making my breath catch. My eyes dart to his face, searching for any sign of what he's about to say, dreading the worst but unable to stop the wild thoughts racing through my mind.

“Fuck man,” he sighs before continuing, “don’t tell her I told you, wait for her to…” He trails off. We reach the front door of the rental, but pause just outside the door. “That guy James… He was waiting for her to get back, her fiance wasn’t there. He… he tried to rape her. Held her down, bruised her wrists and…” I stop him mid sentence, putting my hand up in front of his face to halt the conversation. “What are you saying?” I ask under my breath, my hand curling into a fist, nails biting into my palm as if it will somehow control the storm inside me. I can feel the pressure building, my thoughts growing sharper and more frenzied as my imagination runs wild. “He didn’t, if that’s what you’re asking. She fought him off long enough for the girl’s to get there. He threatened her too, about keeping it a secret from Jasper.” The words spill from my lips before I can even stop myself, strangled with disbelief as I try to wrap my head around the situation. “Fuck! “What was she thinking, coming out tonight? After everything that happened?” I sigh as Corey takes a slow breath, seemingly weighing his next words carefully before putting his hands on my shoulders. “They weren’t planning to come out tonight, you know... but Katie told me that Lena really wanted to see you.”

A foreign ache settles in my chest at the mention of Lena's name again, and it’s clear now that there’s more to tonight than just a casual gathering. I look at Corey, his eyes sympathetic as he searches his pockets for the villa key. "I’ve never seen you like this over a woman, Chase," he says as he unlocks the front door. We step inside the villa, the AC completly eliminating the humidity from outside. He flips the switch, and the overhead lights hum to life, casting a soft glow across the room. He pauses for a moment, surveying the space, but his gaze quickly returns to me. “As your friend, you need to think carefully about your intentions here,” he continues more intense now, eyes narrowing as he steps closer. “ I know you’ve got your own way of handling things, but with her… she’s been through a lot." He shifts his weight, glancing down for a second before looking back up at me. “I don’t know whether this is just a fling or if you really see something long term, but whatever it is, you need to be gentle and honest with her.” He takes a deep breath, “even Katie and Jordan... They’re not the same after today. You’ve got to realize that whatever happens next, it’s not just about you and Lena. It’s about all of us now. And if you, or rather we, don’t handle this right, it’s going to hurt more than just you and her.”