Chapter 6

      

           Keira tried to free her arm from Xander's grasps, but it was mostly impossible as his grip on her was strong. However, the grip whatever he'd taken had on him, was way stronger.

"Xander, you can't do this to me. You're my friend, remember?" She tried talking sense into him, wriggling her arm and sobbing, but he was clouded by a thick fog of lust and alcohol, her pleas couldn't penetrate into.

"Xander..."

"Shut the fuck up and strip!" He roared authoritatively, pushing her against the rock. 

Keira winced in pain as her back came in contact with the hard rock.

The environment was calm, dark and almost lonely, except for the sleeping ducks in the lake. They'd walked several yards away from the party spot, so if she cried, the possibility of anyone hearing her and coming to her rescue, was a five out of a hundred.

"Xander, please don't do this to me." She begged him relentlessly, her eyes clouded with tears as she fought him off.

She couldn't allow him to do this to her. She couldn't allow him to take her virginity and her dignity in such a cruel manner.

"I'm your friend remember, it's me Keira. Keira, your friend." She cried out loud, hoping to get through to his consciousness, despite the fact she was shaking up with fear.

"Xander...please...." She let out a heartbroken cry and his hands, which were fighting to get her unclad, froze midair.

It was as if her cry broke through the thick fog of alcohol and lust had permeated over him and he regained consciousness of his impending action.

"Fuck!" He cussed agitatedly, pushing himself away from the sobbing Keira in front of him, a remorseful and sober plastered on his face.

"I'm sorry, Keira..." He reached his arms to console her, but she flinched and pulled herself away from his reach.

Her arms were crossed over her chest protectively, even as she was sobbing.

Something inside him fell apart the moment she pulled away from his reach. What had he done?

Fuck Xander! This wasn't why you called her out here, what came over you?

Yes, you're in love with her, but this wasn't the right time nor the right way to confess your feelings to her.

With what you've done, she's never going to see you the same way again. You've broken the trust she has for you, Xander.

You've lost the only real person in your life.

Shame on you.

"I'm so sorry Keira." He apologized to her still,

"I didn't....fuck!" He groaned in dire frustration, turning away from her,

"Go home, Keira." He said to her unexpectedly, still backing her.

He couldn't even bring himself to look her way again.

"Xander..."

"Drew will drop you at the hostel on his way home." He added, cutting her off directly,

"I need some time alone."

Keira opened her mouth to say something, but no words could come out, just more tears.

Yes, she was disappointed and scared he would ever try to take advantage of her, but she still didn't want to leave him alone there.

Maybe, she could never trust him to be alone with him again, but he was still her friend and the fact he was remorseful about what he did, means he's sorry at least.

"Go now, Keira!" He repeated in a monosyllabic tone and Keira shuddered,

"Xander...." She tried compelling him to listen to her, but he halted her statement, raising his right hand up,

"Go now, Keira!"

Keira exhaled loudly, to stop herself from bursting into tears right there. She turned and stormed off, leaving him like he'd asked her to.

Keira couldn't hold back her tears as she sauntered away farther and farther away from the lake.

With everything that'd happened, she was heartbroken and she didn't want anyone to see her that way, especially not Xander's friends. 

Instead of going to Drew like he'd told her, she trekked to the highway near the lake and waited for a car that could give her a lift to the main town where she could get a shuttle or can to school.

After waiting for a few minutes, she was lucky to notice a car driving towards her. She flagged it down, waving her arms while standing in the middle of the road.

The car halted in front of her and she sauntered towards the window. Luckily, it was an older lady driving the car and seeing her, her face contorted into a worried one,

"Young lady, what are you doing out here alone, get inside the car." The kind lady offered her.

"Thanks a lot." Keira mouthed to the kind woman, opening the door and entering the car.

"Where are you going to?" The woman inquired kindly,

"Camden University." 

"Uh...well, I'm driving to Charlestown to see my son whose wife just had a baby." She relayed to Keira, her voice graced with excitement,

"She gave birth to a baby boy. My fifth grandchild so far." She added in the same tone she'd announced the first.

"Wow, congrats." Keira mouthed absentmindedly, looking out through the window as the car drove farther, under the bleak and starless night sky.

   Keira didn't talk to anyone about what happened between her and Xander. She couldn't even bring herself to tell Elvira, who wouldn't stop asking her why she came home with puffy eyes and no Xander dropping her off. She only told her she's had a long night and didn't want to talk about it. Elvira relented momentarily, giving her time to go freshen up and rest for the night.

After running herself a cold shower, to recollect her frayed nerves, Keira returned to their room and doused herself on the bed, ignoring Elvira's questioning gaze. Later into the night, when sleep refused to claim her, she was tempted to call Xander to know if he'd gotten home safely, but on a second thought, decided not to.

She felt his conscience might still be beating him for what he'd done and she didn't want to add to his guilt, so she returned her cellphone to where she was charging it and closed her eyes, praying for sleep to come wash her into unconsciousness.

The next morning, Keira woke up very late and all thanks to the little amount of sleep she got the night before.

Luckily, she didn't have any morning class that day, so she stayed back in bed and called in sick from work. 

She didn't bother calling Xander that morning, neither did she see Shakira and Kimberly. When she inquired their whereabouts from Elvira, the girl told her Shakira had left very early that morning and Kimberly didn't return home last night.

Deep within herself, she prayed Xander doesn't tell his friends about what'd happened between them last night. The last thing she needed from anyone was their pity and sympathy towards her. Like, she could live through anything, except those two.

Bored witless of staying at home, she decided to go to work later that day. It was late noon and Elvira was back from classes already.

She freshened up and changed into her work outfit and was about to leave, when Elvira stopped her.

"I thought you called in sick earlier today, where are you going to now?" She asked her, concern lacing her voice,

"I can't keep lounging in bed all day. I'm bored." She inveighed in a deflated and reluctant tone.

"And to your best of knowledge, work is the best place to go when you're bored at home?" Elvira asked, looking at her like she was some errant child and Keira sighed, looking away from her.

"Well, I'm sorry to scatter your drab plans, but you've to go back in there and change into something else...."

"Why?" She was quick to ask, 

"Because I'm taking you out for lunch...dinner, whatever you want to call it and we're going to talk about what happened between you and Xander, during your last night's outing."

The mention of Xander's name and last night, made her face contorted into a frown.

"And before you say no, I've already made reservations for us, so don't be a spoilsport."

Keira opened her mouth to say something, but was interrupted by the urgent knocking on their door.

"Are you expecting anyone?" Elvira asked her quietly and she shook her head,

"Let me see who's there." She brazened herself up and sauntered towards the door.

From the peephole, she was a little surprised to see Andre standing outside.

"It's Andre." She whispered to Elvira, before unlocking the door and pulling it open.

Surprisingly, it wasn't just Andre outside their room. Cole and his brother, Aiden, Kimberly, Shakira and two plaid shirted men.

She immediately captured the gloomy expression on everyone's face except Andre's and the unfamiliar men.

Where's Xander? It felt a little odd he wasn't with them.

Keira opened her mouth to say something and so did the plaid shirted men with black hair, but Andre beat them to it, casting her the most hateful glare.

"What did you do to Xander last night?" He queried her almost immediately.

Keira who hadn't expected such question from him, was speechless for the first few seconds that followed.

"What do you mean what I did to Xander? I did nothing to him." She replied curtly when she finally found her tongue.

How dare they ask her such accusatory question?

"Liar!" Andre roared in rage and surged towards her with bloodshot eyes, the twins had to hold him back from hitting her.

Keira was startled and perplexed, her ardent gaze not leaving Andre's raging form.

"Andre, you've to calm down and let the cops do their job..."

Keira immediately darted her gaze to the plaid shirted men and her heart dropped a thousand feet into her stomach.

"Guys," Elvira called their attention from where she was standing, fear lacing her voice strongly,

"Can you all calm down and explain to us what's happening?" She questioned them.

"You can't just barge into someone's house and question them about your friend...." She paused, averting her bewildered gaze to Cole, who was still holding back Andre.

"What happened to Xander and why are the cops here?" She asked him.

He exhale defeatedly and began,

"Xander didn't return home last night after he went out with Keira. We called Drew earlier today and he told us Xander was a little drunk at the party, but he wasn't notified when he left with Keira." He paused and exhaled again, like he was battling an internal war within himself.

"It wasn't until someone called earlier today to tell us Xander's body was found near a rock at the lake. He was shot multiple times."

Keira's entire world went static upon Aiden's announcement.

"...and he died.."