Page 19 of Beautiful Small Things

Of course, it is. “Where is Callan?”

“Probably with your sister. He left his phone in my car after practice,” he says.

“Shit!” I exclaim in frustration. This is going to be a whole thing.

“What’s going on? It’s late.” His voice is etched with concern.

“It’s nothing,” I reply curtly.

“It isn’t nothing. What did you need?” he asks, his voice laced with concern.

Sighing, I figure I may as well tell him, or he won’t let it go.

“I was going to ask for a ride home,” I admit.

“Cool. I got you. Where are you?”

“Abalone’s Cove.”

“Are you at a beach party, Little Parker?” he teases.

“Yes, Marcus, and my ride is nowhere to be found. I want to go home.”

His tone is suddenly serious. “Stay near people. Do not go anywhere on your own. I’ll be there in less than twenty minutes.”

I hang up and look around. Marcus said to stay with people, but I should tell Natalie I’m leaving. I don’t want her to worry. I can hike up the dune and get back in a few minutes.

I feel more unsure of my decision the further I get from the fire. The sound of the party is drowned out by the waves craving below the bluff and my heartbeat echoing in my ears. I’m breathing heavily by the time I reach the top.

“Natalie?” I call, but there’s no answer. It’s dark up here, and the fog reaches out with wicked fingers to touch my face and cloud my vision. The damp air travels through my clothing, chilling me to the bone. “Natalie!” I yell one more time to no answer.

This bitch can figure it out. I’m leaving. I walk back down the dune and get halfway down before I trip over a large piece of driftwood and fall ass-over-end onto my face with a loud “umph.” My already injured knee is screaming in pain as I blow the sand out of my mouth and wipe it out of my eyes.

Turning over, I see I’m at the bottom of the dune but still too far away from the fire to yell for help. I reach into my pocket for my cell phone but can’t find it. It must have fallen out when I became a human landslide.

“Hey, are you alright?” says a voice from my left.

I look up to see Carter, a guy from school, approaching. I don’t know him well, but he seems decent. Bigger guy, kind of quiet. I think he’s a wrestler.

“Hey, Carter. I’m fine. I tripped and hurt my knee a bit. Can you help me to the fire?”

“Maybe you should just wait a minute?” he suggests.

“I have a ride coming. I need to get back.” I tell him, struggling to get up using only one leg. I’ve just gotten up and steady when Carter grabs me and flips me over onto my back so fast I don’t even know it’s happened until I feel his weight on top of me.

“You should just wait a minute,” he says again, in a menacing tone.

“Carter! Get off of me!” I scream as I buck underneath him to move his heavy body.

“I’m surprised you know my name. You always ignore me at school,” he says as he buries his head in my neck and inhales deeply.

“What are you talking about, you psycho? GET OFF ME!”

“I don’t think so, Princess-” He is yanked back off me with a force I can’t explain. Before I can sit up and register what is happening, I hear bone cracking against bone, grunting, and yelling.

“You think you’re a man, you piece of shit?” Marcus yells as he straddles Carter, hitting his face over and over. “Don’t you ever put your hands on her again. I will fucking end you.”

All I can think of is that Marcus is an adult and he could go to jail for this. “Marcus, stop!” I scream. “It’s OK. I’m OK.”