Handcuffs. Freaking handcuffs.

“What are you doing with those?”

“Handcuffing you.”

“No, I mean why do you have them in the first place?”

“I’m saving them for a rainy day. These are new actually. It’s like a “thinking of you” gift because I was thinking of you when I bought them.”

He quickly cuffed both hands to the long thin handle on the nightstand drawer so that my body was now bent in an awkward position unless I faced the nightstand completely with my back to the door.

“I’m not an animal,” I argued but when I heard the click of the door, I realized he was already gone.

* * *

Minutes later there was a soft knock on the door and then it opened. Light footsteps rushed in my direction and then I heard Sheldon’s soft voice ask, “Are you okay?"

"Yes, I'm fine." I said sarcastically. I dropped my gaze down to the dark wood but felt her gentle fingers pick up my chin, forcing me to look at her as she sat on the floor next to me.

“Did he hurt you?” Her voice and eyes were full of concern, which surprised me.

“Yes,” I answered truthfully, “but not in the way you think.”

Keiran always had the power to hurt me without lifting a finger and on the days he was feeling particularly sadistic he would take from me relentlessly until I had nothing left to give. Over the years I learned the signs and while I knew there was no escaping him I was able to bounce back quicker.

“Lake, what are you doing here with him?”

Letting him punish me. “Why?” I asked instead.

“Because you two don’t have the best history. I mean, why does he hate you?”

I let out a dry laugh. “I wish I knew.”

“Keenan won’t tell me much. He only said it began a long time ago but I already figured that. I was there sometimes when he teased you. It was awful.”

I shrugged. “I survived it.”

“Sometimes surviving isn’t enough.” She was wrong. It was enough. It had to be.

I stared at her flawless face and bright eyes and knew she never experienced a day of hardship in her life. She had both of her parents, a boyfriend, and an endless supply of friends not to mention, money and status. While I didn’t begrudge her happiness, we didn’t have anything to talk about.

“I really appreciate you checking on me but I don’t think I should talk to you.” She tensed and I realized my mistake. Sheldon was sharper than I thought.

“Did he threaten you?” Yes.

“No.” She looked at me skeptically.

“Are you lying to me? Yes.

“No.”

“Are you here on your own free will?” No.

“No.” Shit.

“I see.” When she stood up in a hurry, I panicked. “Wait! I meant ‘yes, I agreed to come here.’”

“Why are you covering for him? You’re obviously in trouble,” she hissed as she gestured to the handcuffs.

“Please, Sheldon. You don’t understand. Leave it be.”

“Make me understand,” she demanded.

“I don’t know how! Why do you care anyway? You’re his friend and Keenan’s girlfriend.

“I can handle Keenan,” she argued.

“But can you handle Keiran?”

“Keenan won’t let him do anything to me.”

I wasn’t so sure about that. Keiran said he’s watched me but I’ve watched him too. His presence affected everyone around him. They either wanted him or admired him but they all feared him.

He was unstable as a kid and violent at times, often fighting or attacking, unprovoked. After his fights with other boys he would immediately seek me out and rip me apart with vicious, verbal attacks or hurtful pranks. That lasted until we were thirteen when his fighting ceased altogether. By then everyone either avoided him or went out of their way to be friends with him.

He was controlled now and less volatile. Always cool, always silent. He rarely ever spoke except when I was in the vicinity but when he did everyone listened, including me.

The only person who didn’t seem to be afraid of Keiran was Dash. Maybe that was why they were best friends. I didn’t doubt Keenan could hold his own but I also think he is blinded by his love for Keiran. The only time Keiran acted like a normal teen was when Keenan and Dash surrounded him. They complimented each other. Dash was the charmer, Keenan was the rebel, and Keiran...he was just bad.

What kind of person did it take to actually form a bond with someone like Keiran? I thought about it before deciding I didn't want to know. Some things were better left unknown. “Keenan won’t stop Keiran and you know it. He hates me just as much as Keiran because he thinks I framed him.

“Did you?”

I met and held her gaze before answering, ”No.”

“Good,” she nodded and got up to leave.

I stared at her in disbelief. “You believe me?”

“If you say you didn’t do it then I believe you unless you give me a reason not to. It never added up, anyway. The boys were angry and beyond reason.” She opened the door but immediately turned back to me. “You didn't frame Keiran, but I have a feeling you know who did…”

I sucked in a breath before nodding. “Yes.”

“So if you didn't frame Keiran…who did?"

I hesitated and wondered if she would honestly believe me if I told her. “I can’t tell you.”

“Why not?”

“I don’t trust you,” I answered truthfully. “You can’t help me anyway. No one can.”

She didn’t appear upset by my answer. Instead she looked thoughtful. “Lake, remember in the sixth grade when Keiran broke Benny Wheeler’s nose?”

I laughed, humorlessly. “How could I forget?  That was the same day Benny tripped me and stole my music player because I told Mrs. Jensen that he cheated off my test.”

“Exactly.” She winked and flounced away in her normal peppy fashion. I heard voices in the hallway and figured Keenan came looking for her.

I thought back to the day Keiran punched Benny but all I could remember was going home upset about my music player and had found it lying on my steps. I never did found out who put it there.

* * *

“Blake said he has our supply ready for pickup.”

“Good. You put the word out?”

“Yeah, me and Dash are on it. He can’t make this run with us, though. His dad has him tied up with something.  So what are you going to do with her?” I tried not to panic at the possible meaning of his question as I eavesdropped. Sheldon must not have closed the door all the way when she left because I could hear everything they were saying.

“She comes with us. I can’t risk letting her out of my sight, at least not right now.”

“What are you doing with her anyway?”

“I’m getting my year back.”

“She told me something today.”

“Oh?”

“Yeah, when I was playing guard,” he stated with sarcasm flooding his tone. “She told me she lost her cellphone the day the call was made. She asked me to believe her.”

“Do you?” Keiran sounded disinterested but I could also hear the bitterness in his tone.

“No—it’s just…she sounded pretty convincing and looked scared as hell. Did you do something to her?  Say anything? You the other morning alone but showed up to school late with her.”

“How do you know I showed up late?” he asked, ignoring his questions.

“Come on man.  When you show up to school with the one person everyone knows you hate, people talk. Not to mention she’s the hottest piece of ass at Bainbridge.”

“Watch it,” he growled.

“See what I mean? That! What is that? You claiming her now?” Keenan’s frustration increased the volume of his voice until he was yelling. I was curious to know myself why Keiran reacted so strongly.

“You don’t want Sheldon to hear you say some shit like that. You are already on a tight leash as is.”

“Yeah, well you let me worry about Sheldon. She’s beautiful; no doubt about it but Lake could give her a run for her money, that’s all.”

“Doesn’t matter. I’m keeping an eye on her vindictive ass, nothing more.”