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Chapter Thirty Five

"Josh? Nice name," I said with a smile. He laughed.

"Thanks. Hey, do you want a drink?"

I thought back to what Kay had said. Something about not taking drinks from anyone. But he seemed harmless.

I nodded. "Sure."

I followed him over to the bar. Josh leaned against it and ordered two Cokes. He started to laugh.

"What?" I said.

"Look at that dude dancing by himself," he said. He pointed. I studied the crowd. Sure enough there was a guy doing the robot. I watched him for a couple seconds.

"At least he's having fun," I said. I turned back to Josh. He wiggled my drink towards me.

"Cheers," he said. He tapped my cup with his.

"Cheers!" I said.

I brought the cup up to my lips and took a sip.

"Get the fuck away from her."

I turned in surprise. Kay was standing there looking murderous. I glanced back at Josh. He looked confused.

"Excuse me?"

Kay's hand knocked the drink out of my hand. My eyes widened. She grabbed my arm.

"Just leave her the hell alone," she said. She stepped in front of me.

"What's going on?" I asked.

"Do I know you?" Josh asked.

Kay's whole body was shaking. Her hand slid into her pocket but she seemed to think twice. She turned around.

"Let's go."

She practially pulled me through the crowd. I was stumbling along after her.

"Kay what's wrong?"

We stepped outside. Even with all the bodies packed in the club, it was much cooler than the humid evening we stepped out into. Kay glanced back and forth down the street.

"A bus should be coming soon." she said. I ran to keep up with her.

"What's going on?"

We stopped by the bus sign. A little alley was tucked away nearby.

"HEY!"

We both turned. Josh came running up.

"What's your problem?" he said angrily.

Before Kay could respond, he grabbed both of our arms and dragged us back a little. We ended up right at the entrance to the alley. His broad shoulders took up a lot of the narrow space.

"You interrupted me and Ronnie," he said a little more calmly. Kay glared at him.

"I know your game," she said simply. He gave her a grin.

"What game?"

"You don't remember me do you?"

He squinted. "Should I?"

Kay's chest heaved. "You raped me right here in this alley."

The night suddenly wasn't hot. It was ice cold. It was Antarctica. A scream lodged in my throat.

Josh laughed. "Baby, I don't know what the hell you're talking about."

My toes felt tingly. I didn't know if it was from fear or--

"Just get the hell away from us," Kay repeated. Josh leaned from side to side.

"And what are you going to do if I don't?" He licked his lips. All of a sudden his gaze didn't make me feel so good. It made me feel dirty.

"How about all of us have some fun together?" he asked. He took a step forward.

That was the only step he took. It all happened so fast. One minute I was sure that we were doomed and the next second he was crumpled to the ground holding his stomach. Blood seeped between his fingers.

Kay shook a small knife. Drops of blood flew off in all directions. She closed it. It was in the shape of a tube of lipstick.

"Let's go," she said. We took off at a run. We ran about six blocks to another bus stop. The bus was idling at the curb. She took the tube of lipstick, wiped it clean, and tossed it in the trash. We ran up the bus steps and took seats in the front.

Kay gripped the metal bar in front of her. Her knuckles were white.

"Kay," I whispered. My mouth felt like cotton.

"Did you drink anything?" she asked.

"I just took a sip," I said.

"He drugs girl's drinks," she said in barely a whisper.

I studied her profile. She was pale and sweating.

"That was--"

"Yes."

"Kay--"

"I don't want to talk about it." She closed her eyes. "I shouldn't have brought you there. I'm sorry."

"It's not your fault," I said. In reality, it was partially her fault. But then again, it was mine too. I could have insisted that we stay in her bedroom and paint each other's nails.

"Kay, you really need to tell your mom and dad," I said. Kay shook her head.

"They don't need to know. What can they do? They can't take it back."

We were quiet for the rest of the trip back. Once we got to the stop we walked the couple blocks back to the fancy gated community where she lived. Five minutes later we were standing in her bedroom. I swayed slightly.

"Are you going to throw up?" Kay asked.

The combination of alcohol and...whatever was in that one little sip I took was making my stomach feel like a rollercoaster. I started to shake my head no, but that was the wrong choice. I barely made it into Kay's bathroom. I tossed up the lid and heaved. Kay knelt beside me and kept my fake hair away from my face.

When I had completely emptied my stomach, Kay handed me a washcloth. I wiped my mouth.

"You stabbed him," I said. I was slowly processing the events. I had finally gotten past the shock of just how close I had gotten to a rapist. That made the second one in just a few months. I was the worst judge of character.

"He deserved it," she said simply.

"But, if he goes to the police--"

"He'll identify a woman with short dark hair who's friends with a girl named Ronnie who has long black hair," Kay said calmly.

I hugged my knees. "You shouldn't go there anymore," I said.

Kay looked at me.

"I won't," she promised. We both got out of our hair, makeup, and clothes. I changed into my pajamas and we crawled onto her bed. Kay wrapped her arms around me.

"I'm sorry Brookey," she said. I could smell the rum on her breath. She had hit it much harder than I had.

"I just don't want you hurt," I whispered. She didn't answer. I closed my eyes. I didn't know how I'd be able to sleep. I seemed to attract all the men that wanted to hurt me.

Then there was Trevor. He had saved me. I was sure if he had been in Atlanta that he would have tried to save me again.

But what was going to happen when he didn't have to save me? Would he try to hurt me to?

I didn't want to think that way, but I couldn't help it. There was only so many bad things that could happen in one's life without a little cynicism creeping in.

And this so-called 'American Honey' was learning that the hard way.