Page 86 of Raise 'Em Up

Donny and Teo are loading up on snacks in the kitchen as I enter. “What are you guys up to?”

“Movie night. We're going to take full advantage of the forbidden theater room,” Donny says with a laugh.

“Join us?” Teo asks, taking my arm and pulling me into a kiss. I sigh against his lips and shake my head.

“Can’t. I need to call my mom and check in. Tell her that the house is still standing and no cops were called.” I laugh and he scoffs.

“I’ll find you guys later,” I say, then leave them to it. Walking down the hall, I feel bad, but the truth is, I have a lot of bad memories in that room, and I don’t want the trauma of my childhood to bring down our good moods after winning Regionals.

Heading toward the bathroom, someone bumps into me, spilling their drink down my back and clawing my arm.

“Oh, sorry,” they mutter, then continue down the hall. I look back and all I see is red hair. My vision is becoming blurry and I feel sick.

What the hell?

Pushing the bathroom door open, I use the wall for support and move towards the sink, taking my shirt off. The smell of vodka and punch is overpowering.

“Hey, baby, are you okay?” someone asks from the door and I nod. It sounds like Rylee, but my head is spinning. She reaches for a towel and helps me clean up, then takes my hand and pulls me back down the hall.

“I think I’m drunk, and I don't know how. With my mom being sober, you know I made the decision to quit drinking,” I tell Rylee as we stumble into a room that's not mine.

She guides me over to the bed and starts removing the rest of my clothes. My vision is still blurry, but I can smell her scent of dark cherries, and her red hair is flowing in front of her face.

“You're so beautiful,” I tell her and she sighs, leaning down to kiss my lips. I groan, lifting my hand and tangling my fingers in her hair, pulling her closer to me.

She doesn't hesitate to straddle me and grind against my naked cock. I'm disappointed to say that he's not very hard right now.

Rylee backs away from me and pouts. I shrug and she grumbles under her breath. “Maybe I gave you too much. Shit,” she says, and I frown.

“What?” I mumble, but my eyelids are getting too heavy. I think I’ll just close them for a second…

“Fuck, my head is killing me,” I groan, opening my eyes to the bright ass light shining through the window. My mouth is dry as hell and I smack my lips, wishing for some water. Glancing around, I frown.

Why am I not in my room? Throwing the sheet off, I roll over to cuddle Rylee closer to me and freeze.

“What the fuck?!”

Missi opens her eyes and gives me a big smile.

“Good morning, Lenny,” she coos, trying to come in for a kiss. Jolting back, I fall off the bed and realize I’m naked.

My eyes snap up to Missi. She leans over the side of the bed, with a smirk so sinister it makes my stomach roll. Why the hell is she in my bed, naked? And why the fuck does she have red hair?

“Don’t go acting all guilty now, Lennox,” she sneers. “You didn’t seem to mind when you were balls deep in me all night long.”

“No, no. God, no!” I mumble, shaking my head.

No. That can’t be true. There’s no fucking way I’d have sex with that crazy bitch. No way I’d betray the ones I love.

Bile rises in my throat and I race off to the bathroom to throw up everything in my stomach.

How the fuck did this happen? I was enjoying the party with Ry and the guys. We were about to go swimming and I went to the bathroom…

Missi stands in the doorway, sighing. “Baby, I don’t know why you continue to play this game of cat and mouse.” Tapping her foot, I glance back at her and her naked flesh makes me sick all over again.

My head is pounding and I can’t stop the tears from falling.

“What did you do to me?” I whimper. My head is pounding, my stomach is a mess. I don’t feel good. I don’t understand what's going on right now. And when she moves forward, trying to rub my back, I lunge to the side and pull my knees to my chest. The idea of her touching me makes my skin crawl..

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