The Perfect Touchdown

**WARNING. This chapter includes scenes of attempted sexual assault and may be triggering to some readers. Readers are advised.***

The first half of the party was amazing, I almost forgot that I was at a completely different house, and I wasn’t back at my brother’s. Jake was nice enough to ask what I drank and got me a case of twisted tea in advance, which allowed me to quickly let loose and forget all the drama between Aiden and me.

We hit the dancefloor, and it was a breeze from there to get caught up in the music and intimate dancing with Jake. He didn’t comment on how awkward my dancing was and went with whatever tempo I went with. We laughed and had a great time, but another hour into the party and things were getting a little intense.

Twice I had to politely swat Jake’s hand away as he tried to slip it up my shirt and once more when he grabbed my ass a little too hard. I could feel the shift in his attitude toward me as it had become more rough and demanding.

“Are you okay?” he asked me.

I just nodded and smiled tightly at him, hoping he didn’t notice how uncomfortable I was.

“I’m just going to go to the bathroom really quick,” I said.

“Sure, it’s just up the stairs and the first door on the right.”

I walked away from him until I was out of view, then I ran to the bathroom and locked myself inside. I looked at myself in the mirror and that was all it took for the alcohol to fully hit me, and the room started to spin. I had to sit down on the toilet for a few minutes before I could stand properly and took out my phone to send Avery a text that I was ready to come home.

As fun as this was, it was getting to the point where I felt too anxious. I didn’t like the sudden change in Jake’s mood, and I wasn’t good at turning people down politely. I wanted to have all the experiences of dating, and that meant losing my virginity, but I wasn’t about to just throw that away at a University frat party to a guy I barely knew.

I always wanted my first time to be with Aiden, but I had given up on that ever happening. I waited to get a text back from my brother but there was nothing and I couldn’t sit in the bathroom all night, or Jake would know something was up.

I sent him another quick text and exited the bathroom. Jake was standing there waiting for me and had an open can of twisted tea in his hand.

“There you are, feeling alright?” he asked.

“Yeah, I’m feeling a little dizzy though, I just needed to sit down for a few minutes.”

“Well, here, they always say the best way to avoid the spins is to distract yourself.” He tried to hand over the drink to me, but something didn’t settle right in my stomach.

’Why did he open it for me?’ It could just be a nice gesture, but the fact that he was also waiting for me outside the bathroom with it was setting off some red flags. I had enough lectures from my mother about taking open drinks, even from people you thought you could trust.

“I think I’m done drinking for the night,” I said and pushed the drink back, but his hand wouldn’t budge.

“What’s gotten into you, I thought we were having a good time?” His lip twitched a little.

“I am, it’s been a great night. I just don’t feel too good and don’t want to drink anymore. I think I might actually head back for the night; I texted my brother to come and get me.”

Something flashed in his eyes, and I knew that was a mistake. I should’ve just left.

“You’re leaving already? You just got here.”

“I’ve been here for a few hours, and it’s after midnight. I told my brother I wouldn’t stay out too long.”

He scoffed. “Is it really that, or are you just worried about Aiden Reed? Typical that you would lie to me.”

“What are you talking about? I never lied to you about anything.”

He suddenly grabbed my wrist roughly. “Oh, please. Every time I’ve tried to approach you he has gotten in the way, and you’ve done nothing about it. Do you know how patient I’ve been all this time? If I knew it was going to be this much of a chase, I wouldn’t have bothered.”

My mouth dropped open. I couldn’t believe the words I was hearing and how he could change up so quickly.

“You’re an ass, and I’m done with this. Let go of me,” I said.

“So, you are just going to walk away after all the effort I’ve put in?” He gritted his teeth.

It was my turn to scoff. “All the effort? We’ve barely known each other a few weeks, and you’re acting like you’ve been chasing me for months. If you’re expecting me to roll over and let you fuck me that easily, you’re barking up the wrong tree. Now, let go of me.”

I ripped my wrist out of his hand, but he pushed me up against the wall and slammed his lips against mine. I struggled to push him away, but he was a lot stronger than me, and it was impossible to. I managed to move my head to the side and scream out.

“Help! Someone hel –”

Jake covered my mouth again and bit my lip hard. “Don’t bother screaming, no one here cares.” He shoved his hand up my shirt and fondled my chest. I screamed into his mouth and continued to kick and shove against him to no avail.

In a split second, he was there, then he wasn’t. I felt the air swirl around me and opened my eyes in time to see the back of Aiden as he kicked Jake down the stairs. I screamed as I watched him tumble down and fall with a loud crack at the bottom.

A group of people rushed over to make sure he was okay, but he stood up with ease and glared up at Aiden, Aiden was already reacting and rushed down the stairs to land a solid punch to the middle of Jake’s face and knocked him back again.

“You dare put your fucking hands on her?! You pathetic piece of shit!” Aiden screamed and sent another kick into Jake’s stomach.

“Stop, Aiden!” I pulled him away before anyone decided to come to Jake’s rescue, but even to my shock, everyone just stood there and watched. “Please, let’s just leave.”

“I’m calling the fucking cops!”

“No! Please, Aiden, I just want to go home,” I pleaded with him. The last thing I wanted was for my parent’s to hear about this and to spend the night in the station explaining and reliving how this piece of trash tried to rape me.

I just wanted to get the hell out of there and pretend the night never happened.

Aiden looked at me and instantly calmed down but insisted on picking me up and walked out of there without a look back. I buried myself into his chest to hide my face as we passed the onlookers and wished everyone away.

He put me in the truck and tore out of there as our lives depended on it, which Jake’s surely did. Once we were finally out of view from the frat house, I felt the emotions well up inside of me as the realization also hit me about what had just happened.

Aiden sensed my breakdown and pulled over on the side of the road, then reached over to unbuckle my seatbelt and pulled me over to sit in his lap. He cradled me against his chest as the tears and sobs started, and he allowed me to sit there for as long as needed and pour my guts out.

My sobs quieted after I’m not even sure how long, but he still held me in his arms and ran a soothing hand through my hair.

“I’m sorry, Ry. I didn’t get there soon enough,” he whispered. “I’m so sorry,” he continued to whisper over to me.

I wanted to tell him that it wasn’t his fault, that he warned me about this, but I ignored him and even hurt him because of it. But the words wouldn’t leave my lips, the shock was still settling in. All I could think to do was wrap my arms around his neck and embrace his warmth.

We stayed there for a little longer before Aiden put the truck in drive and slowly started to drive back to the school with me still cradled on his lap. I had only dreamt of moments like this with him, but I never imagined it would be after such an incident as tonight. I wanted to remember this moment, but not in the way I would.

When we got back, I looked out the window but didn’t see the dorms anywhere.

“Where are we?” I asked, surprised at how small and meek my voice sounded.

“The frat house, you’re staying here tonight.”