"Thank you Carter for tonight, it was fun." I muttered while looking at my lap as we sat in his car. After our not so pleasant encounter with Billie and her friends we went on a few more rides and discussed a lot about our pasts, it surprisingly wasn't awkward at all. I was getting too attached to him and that was the only disturbing thing to me. Feelings were weapons.

He gently touched my hair and kissed my neck, making me shiver. I closed my eyes and traveled my fingers in his thick dark hair, stealing a moan from his lips.

He finally leaned into me and glanced at my house. "Tomorrow... there's a party in the woods, we have it every year. You're coming with me."

Party in the woods? At the night?

"I don't think it's..."I stated but his phone beeped, making me stop.

"I don't care. You're coming and it's not up for discussion." He declared as he tapped on his phone before kissing my lips again.

"I'll pick you up at 8pm."

"Ok...since you asked so nicely." I joked and nodded at the same time.

I touched the door handle to exit but stopped on my tracks: "Oh I forgot it's yours..." I whispered as I tried to take his hoodie off.

"Keep it, it's yours now."He smiled at me. He seemed to be appreciating the sight of me wearing his clothes so I didn't protest . This hoodie was definitely my new favorite piece of clothing to wear .

___

The following day my grandma had to leave for a book signing, she was only out of town for the weekend. It was already midday so I headed to the Smiths. I wasn't in the mood to cook, and I could really do with one of their double bacon cheese burgers right now.

As I entered the Smiths I walked to the counter to order. As I was about to order, a familiar laugh pulled me out of my thoughts and my heart skipped a beat.

I looked up and saw Lila with... Sawyer, Nathan and Vaughn. Carter was missing. What was she doing with them? She warned me about them in the first school day and now she was eating and laughing with them? I was also surprised I hadn't noticed them sooner as I entered.

I frowned and she finally looked at me, her smile fading away a few seconds before coming back.

"ELLE!!!"She yelled and waved a hand in my direction. The guys looked at me too and smirked as she ran toward me.

"How are you Elle?" She said before hugging me like I hadn't caught her off guard.

"I'm... what are you doing with them?"I looked at her and narrowed my eyes. She knew I didn't like them. A friend of yours who befriends your enemies wasn't a friend at all. Especially when that same friend was telling you to stay away from them?

She stopped smiling, probably noticing how serious and mad I was.

" I was eating when they showed up and sat next to me... I was surprised and they weren't rude to me so I didn't tell them to leave... I'm sorry I..." She whispered with teary eyes. I shocked my head and headed to the exit. Lila begged me to listen to her but I didn't stop, my food was now forgotten.

"How do you feel? Your friend was ready to suck our dicks for free and I bet you would do the same." I heard a male's voice and I looked at my right and wasn't surprised to see Vaughn leaning against his car while smoking a cancer stick. I tried to ignore him and opened my car but he closed the door, making me jump.

"You think you're special to Carter? Huh? Let me tell you a secret. He doesn't give a fuck about you. The only thing he wants is to fuck your untouched pussy. Then he will throw you out like the rest of them, this is how he was with Billie at first, now look at how he treats her." He whispered and exhaled his smoke straight in my face, making me cough.

Was he telling the truth?

Tears welled up my eyes and I tried to push him but he didn't move an inch. Did Carter act like this with every girl so he could get into their pants? He finally released me and walked to his black matte Ferrari. My heart was beating faster and faster and I couldn't breathe properly. I was feeling suffocated.

What do you want from me, Carter?

___

It was already 19:30 so I was standing in front on my mirror looking at my appearance.

Denim shorts with a black hoodie, we were going to the woods not a wedding after all.

To be honest, as soon as I had left The Smiths I was about to tell Carter that I had changed my mind and didn't want to go anymore but it was what Vaughn wanted. I was going to smile and have fun and that was the best revenge I could give to him. I was putting my Vans on when I heard the floor creaking and stopped breathing. I was alone in my house and Cali was sleeping in my bed. I stood up and examined the corridor and wasn't surprised to see it empty.

I shocked my head but heard again something coming from the kitchen.

"Grandma?" I called out thinking that maybe she was back sooner than planned.

I was heading to the kitchen but stopped dead in my tracks when I noticed that the front door was wide open.

What the hell?

I was about to close it but someone put his hand on my mouth. I tried to fight but stopped as the person turned me around to face him.

Carter.

"Damn Carter! You scared the hell out of me!" I shouted while putting a hand in my chest to try to calm my racing heart. He laughed under his breath and kissed me.

"I'm sorry but the door was open. You're too easy. Where's your grandma?"He asked and stared at my house.

The door was open? Weird. I was sure I had closed it as soon as I arrived.

"Los Angeles for a book signing. I'm gonna grab my phone then we can go."

___

Music erupted from the woods as I stepped a foot out of Carter's car. People were dancing, laughing and drinking and I recognized a few faces from school. They stared at us with their jaws almost touching the ground.

Carter came to my level and put an arm on my shoulders, leading us to the party. Some people greeted him as we passed by and I tried my best not to bow my head when they stared intensely at us.

" Hey man. Oh hello, Elle!" Sawyer eyed me in a friendly way as he made an handshake with Carter. He was the only one who didn't scare me or made me feel uncomfortable but I still had to be careful.

" Hi " I muttered shyly while looking at him.

" I'm sorry to bother you but we need to talk to you." He said to Carter and looked at his right. I followed his eye sight and my eyes met Vaughn and Nathan. Nathan had a girl dancing on his lap and Vaughn was sniffing white powder.

" Can't we talk about this another time?" Carter stated angrily.

" it's... important." Sawyer replied in a worried tone.

Carter finally met my gaze and exhaled hard.

"I will be back in a second, stay here ..." He explained through gritted teeth before following Sawyer.

I took my phone out of my pocket and noticed a notification. New message.

I couldn't breathe. It was him in my house tonight ? It was the killed for sure. Tears pooled down my face and I walked a few steps far from the party, needing some time alone. Maybe I should tell everything to Carter ? He was the one who could help me.

"Oh are you lost, poor thing?" a drunk blond haired guy questioned with a bottle of whiskey in his hand. I took a few steps back momentarily.

" No! Back off! Don't touch me." I shouted as he grabbed my arms after tossing his empty bottle in the ground.

" We're going to have fun and you will love it. I heard about what you like to do." The blond haired guy whispered and licked my cheek. I screamed as his hands become adventurous and one of them touched my private parts.

" Don't touch me ! Stop! Hel.." I yelled and he put his hand over my mouth, I bit down but he didn't flinch, probably too drunk to feel it. The guy continued assaulting my body as I pleaded until he was thrown back by surprise. I could finally breathe as Carter straddled the guy, throwing punch after punch into his face.

" Carter! Stop!! He's bleeding." I shouted. The guy's face was covered by blood. He was going to kill him. Even though he was scum I couldn't watch him die.

" Stop!" I yelled for the second time but he didn't listen to me so I circled his waist with my arms.

" Stop. Stop. Stop. Please. Don't do that! You're going to kill him." I begged as tears fell down my face non-stop.

"That's what he deserves! This piece of trash was touching you against your fucking will! He would have fucking raped you if I wasn't here. I'm gonna fucking kill him." He replied harshly and kicked him on his stomach, making him wince in pain. He slammed the guys head on the floor a few times and the guy stopped moving. Carter looked at me and tried to touch my cheek with his bloody knuckles but I moved away while shaking in fear.

" Elle... I'm not going to hurt you." He muttered but I ran away. I had to go home so

I grabbed my phone to call a Uber but my eyes caught sight of Madden near the bonfire.

I ran toward him and hugged him without hesitation.

" Heyyyyy Elle what's up ? Why are you crying?" He questioned after taking a look at my face.

" Please I want to go home." I begged and he nodded.

___