The Broken Girl (Lonely Girl Book 2) (10 page)

“Keegan.”

Keegan

Standing in the hall
, I see Jake and Becca talking. I know I shouldn’t be listening to this because, man, it’s fucking with my heart right now. “The one thing that surpasses telling you I wasn’t in love with you… it was telling you to stay in the dorms and not come home with me. But it was the right thing to do.” I can’t believe that dumbass just said that to Bec. Watching her reaction, she takes off, not letting him do any more damage to her. Once she’s gone, I want to go after her, but I just stand there. Jake turns and sees me. “What, Key? Got something to say?”
I move up to him and get right into his face. “Yeah, I do, man. I don’t know who you fucking are right now. You never would talk to a girl like that before. That was overly harsh and you know it.” He takes a step back from me. “You don’t know what the hell you’re talking about, Key, so go find a lock to pick at and leave me the hell alone. Don’t you think you’ve done enough?” I feel bad because I don’t remember all what I’ve done but I know I’m to blame for some of this too.

“Shit
, Jake, from what I’m told it is my job to be the fuck up. Let’s not try put me out of a job, would you?” With that, I turn and go in search of Becca. I don’t know how I know this but she needs me right now.

I search all over the house for her but I can’t seem to find her. Maybe she left. Well
, walking back to get a drink, I saw this painting in the office. It looks so much like this spot I found when I first came here. I just stare at it. I duck in so I don’t have to go back to Sarah and I just wanted to get away from her. Man, she just had to keep her hands on me. It just didn’t feel the way it used to. I find myself wondering that more and more. A few nights ago, we had actually had done some heavy fooling around for the first time since my accident. I’d had a bunch to drink with the team, and ran into her on my way home. I don’t remember much but it didn’t feel right. There’s a noise behind me but I don’t turn since it’s probably Sarah. Maybe if I ignore her she will just keep going and not bother me.
“Keegan.” The hairs on the back of my neck stand up. Turning around, I already know something is wrong.

“Bec!” Before I can make it to her
, she collapsed on the floor. “Bec, wake up.” I’m grabbing her cheeks, trying to get her to look at me. I pick her up and bring her to the couch in the office. She slacks in my arms. Looking around frantically, I don’t know what to do. Should I call 911? I check her pulse. She appears to have fainted but that doesn’t make sense. Maybe she had too much to drink?

Grabbing my cell
, I pull out my phone and call Jake. I don’t want to call 911 if she’s just drunk and get her into trouble. I will take care of her if that’s all this is. “Jake, it’s Becca.” He is silent for a minute. It feels like forever.

“I told you
, Key, I’m not talking about it. Bye.”

“Wait.” I yell into the phone.

“What the hell, Key?” he yells back at me.

“Do you know how much she had to drink? I think she’s wasted.” I ask quietly.

“She didn’t have anything when she was around me or when I saw her. She usually only has one or two. Nice try, Key, I’m not falling for it, bye.” He hung up on me. That fucking jackass!

I quickly dial him back. “WHAT!” He roars into the phone. “Get your head out of your ass and come to the office in the back of the house and come alone. Something’s wrong with Becca
. She passed out.” I hang up on him, serves him right, he can panic now. Looking down at her, she just appears to be sleeping. “No, it can’t be?” I say to myself. There’s no way, it can’t be. I hear the door bust open and I turn around to see Jake standing in the doorway.

Close the door.” He does as I ask and then runs over to Becca but I stand in his path. “So now you care about her. Now that she is in actual trouble. No
, maybe you should just go. She doesn’t need you; I’ll take care of her. Remember, you are walking away. So just do it.” I knew I had gone too far but I never expected Jake to punch me.

“We don’t have time for this
, Key. Call 911.”

I get up to see him checking her. “She’s going to be fine.”

He gets up and pushes me out of the way and goes to grab his phone that has fallen on the floor. I panic because I know if she ends up in the hospital and her parents find out, then that’s it for Bec being here.

“No, stop. Don’t call
. She’s fine. She got some of the party favors in her drink.” I’m hoping by saying it this way that he won’t kill me when he finds out I knew that this was going on at the party.

“You’re telling me you know she’s been drugged but haven’t called 911. Are you that fucking thick headed or are you just trying to save your own ass from the cops
?” Something in me snaps and I knock him right in the jaw.

“No, I’m saying if we take her in and they will just keep her for observation and her brother or her parents find out they will take her back home. You know how much she doesn’t want that
, I’m sure. Not to mention that the giant screw up that you have become won’t get a chance to wake the fuck up and realize he’s being a shithead.”

“You knew about the drugs and didn’t say anything. What the hell is wrong with you? Who the hell are you
, Key?” The way Jake is looking at me right now is full of disapproval. Unfortunately, he’s right. Who am I? Looking over, I see this girl I can’t quite remember but my heart seems to cling to.

“Who had the drugs
, Key?” I can’t seem to look away from her; I just want to hold her. “Key!”

“Sarah and some of the guys from school.” Fuck
! My heart is pounding in my chest.

Just then
, Charlotte walks through the door. “Guys, have you seen Becca?” As soon as Charlotte sees her, I know what’s coming. “What is wrong with her. Did she drink too much?” I can’t look at her, so I don’t. “Key, are you going to tell her or are you going to make me do it?”

I haven’t moved or said a word
. My eyes can’t seem to move from Bec. “Fine, someone brought drugs to the party and Becca had some. Guess she’s branching out.”

“What did you just say
, Jake?” I have to be imagining that he would think this. “You think she took them?”

Jake turns and looks at me
, causing him to maybe get an idea of what I’m trying to say. I stand up and walk away from Bec and get close to him. “You think that’s who she is? I can’t remember her and I’m not even that fucking stupid enough to think that. Someone had put it in her drink. I only saw her with one drink and she downed it.” Jake becomes pale and backs away from me.

“Jake
, you think she would take drugs willingly? Aren’t you supposed to be Becca’s best friend?” Charlotte is looking at Jake like he’s a dog who just shit on her carpet.

“So Charlotte doesn’t know what an ass you’ve been to her or how you told her you were done with her.” Charlotte looks horrified. I know this isn’t the time but I can’t stop my anger
since he doesn’t seem to know her at all. I would give anything to remember every detail about her and he just gave up on her. If she is who I believe she is, I wouldn’t give a damn who was in my way. “It wasn’t enough for Jacob to move out and stop being the person she runs to. Then tonight, after we all begged her to come, you do that to her. What is wrong with you?”

“Keegan
, is she going to be okay?” Charlotte is watching me. I walk over to Bec and move a few strands of her long hair out of her face. “Get Sarah. We need to know what was in that drink.” Charlotte goes to leave but I stop her.

“No, she won’t come with you
, Charlotte. Jake, you go get her.” Jake doesn’t move. “I don’t think that’s a good idea.”

“I wasn’t asking
, Jake.” He reluctantly leaves in search of Sarah. “Keegan, tell me she’s going to be okay.” I look to her and give her the only answer I can, the only one I can believe. “Yes, Charlotte, she’s going to be fine.” I hope.

Jake is bringing Sarah in and
, as soon as she sees Bec, she tries to turn around and leave. “No, you don’t bitch. What the hell did my cousin get?” Charlotte is pissed I can’t blame her. I want to yell at her too. For some reason, I don’t think this was just a mistake.

“Key, there you are. Come on baby
, let’s go.” Sarah looks to me, hoping I will save her, but that’s not going to fucking happen.

“Sarah, don’t be cute. What the hell was
in the party favors tonight?” She just looks at me pouting. “Sarah!”

“Fine
, okay, calm down. It’s not my fault she took some.” Sarah just stands there as if she actually believes it. “What was it tonight, Sarah?” I ask her, trying to sound sweet and unaffected.

“God
, fine, it was GHB.” I want to scream at her, scare the living shit out of her but I have to remain calm if I want to get all I can out of her.

“Sarah
, I get it. You just wanted her to have a right time, babe. She’s been down and you wanted her to have fun at the party.” I’m asking her something I already suspect. Jake and Charlotte are looking at me like I’ve lost my mind.

“Babe
, you know me. I just wanted her to loosen up. She needed to have a little fun.” I don’t get the chance to do or say anything before I see Charlotte’s fist connect to Sarah’s face.

“You stupid bitch.” Sarah has a bloody lip and
is walking towards Charlotte with a look that says this isn’t the end. “Sarah, enough.”

“Key, baby, she hit me.”

I am seething now. “Why, Sarah? Just tell me why you put it in her drink.” She takes a step back from Charlotte; I almost want her to go for Charlotte because I bet she would lay her ass out right here in this office.

“Why
? Because she’s sniffing around what’s mine. I just wanted her to be out of the way for tonight so we could be together. You’re always looking at her and staring at her. I just wanted you to myself. She doesn’t get that you are mine. She didn’t get it then and she doesn’t get it now.”

I take a step
, closing the difference between us. “So you drugged her to get her out of the way. What the fuck is wrong with you? Sarah, that’s low, even for you. I can’t look at you. I don’t want to see you! You get out of here before I change my mind and call the police and report you. I’m done with your crazy shit.”

“It’s all your fault
that I had to do this. If you could just stop watching her and wanting her. What is it with that bitch that makes you all run to her? If you’d just let her go, I’d never have done this. So don’t be all high and mighty. She’s laying there because of you.” With that, Sarah storms out, leaving me with Jake and Charlotte.

“Keegan, we can’t tell Alec. He will tell her parents
and she won’t survive being brought back home right now. I’m all she has right now and I’ve started some night classes.” Jake and I both wince at the dig Charlotte has just given both of us. “Can you guys get along and take care of her like she has tried to do for both of you. I will go and make sure Alec and Drake do not come looking for her tonight. Text me updates on her.” We both nod. It’s not as if we can disagree with her. Charlotte leaves us and I don’t even look at Jake. I walk up to the couch and lift her head softly and sit down, laying her head on my lap.

“This is all my fault. If I had been able to find her or stayed with her
, this wouldn’t have happened. What if she hadn’t been able to find me?” Jake isn’t saying anything to me, not that I expected an answer. “Bec, please be okay.” If she isn’t… I can’t even think about that.

“Key, stop it. She found you at least you helped her. No matter how fucked up your head is
, you didn’t turn you back on her.”

Something in his voice made me question what he was saying. I slip out from under her
, resting her head back on the couch and come up behind Jake. “What’s that suppose to mean? Jake, what aren’t you saying?”

“She came down the stairs and she called out to me. I walked away.”

I don’t even think when he turns and looks at me.

I swing
, going down with him.
My fist connects. Twice.

“Don’t stop
, I deserve it.” I get off him.

“You
are right, you do, but I figure my fists will hurt less than the guilt that you walked away when she needed you.”

“God
, she will never forgive me for this. I just didn’t want to fight any more. It was killing me to be away from her and she just wouldn’t get it. I just walked away. I didn’t know she was in trouble. Fuck if I did. I’d never have walked away from her, no matter how hard it is to be close to her.”

I want to hit him again but I understand some of what he is saying.

“Jake, just go. I will take care of her. Just go, okay? I will take care of her. If you stay, I might beat the shit out of you. I won’t tell Alec or anyone else but you will have to tell Bec.” Jake looks hesitant about it but he knows he doesn’t have room to argue. I’m letting him off, but Alec won’t. He gets up and goes to her. I want to stop him but I just watch.