Page 35 of Reversal of Fate

19 – Home Alone

Julie lay on her bed and stared into nothing. She’d cried when she’d gotten back to the privacy of her own room. Luckily, none of the other girls had seen her come back. They all seemed otherwise occupied. She heard the sound of several showers, of hairdryers being operated, and of high heels clicking on the old wooden floors.

At a knock on her door, Julie shot up. “What?”

The door opened, and Belle, a beautiful redhead making her name proud, popped her head in. “Hey, Julie, can I borrow your hairdryer? Mine just died on me.”

“Sure.” She pointed toward her bathroom. “It’s in my bathroom, bottom shelf.”

Belle hurried inside and was back a couple of seconds earlier, hairdryer in hand. “Thanks! You’re a lifesaver!” She was already at the door, when she stopped and looked at Julie. “Are you wearing that to the restaurant? It’s pretty fancy from what Michaela told me. Her dad is springing for it. You only turn twenty-one once, right?”

Julie hadn’t forgotten that it was Michaela’s birthday, and that a limo hired by her father would pick them all up to take them to an expensive restaurant in Malibu. But she wasn’t in the mood to join them. She wasn’t in the mood to laugh and smile and celebrate, when inside she felt crushed, disappointed, and hurt.

“I’m not going,” Julie said. “I’m probably coming down with something.”

“Oh no!” Belle sounded truly disappointed. “I hope it’s not that virus that they reported about on TV. There were already a few outbreaks on a cruise ship that docked in Long Beach.”

Julie hadn’t heard of any virus, but then, she hadn’t watched TV in a few days. Besides, she knew she wasn’t coming down with anything other than a broken heart. “I’m sure it’ll be fine if I just get a good night’s sleep.” She forced a smile. “You guys have fun though!”

“Okay then. Hope you feel better soon,” Belle said and left the room.

Twenty minutes later, Julie heard the limousine pull up in the driveway, and fifteen minutes after that, even the stragglers had left the house. She was alone. Alone with her thoughts and her broken heart. How could she have been so wrong about Carter? He’d played the considerate lover, and she’d fallen for it, hook, line, and sinker. Like a naïve country bumpkin. She hated him for that, for pretending he was a good guy, when in reality he wasn’t any better than Todd.

The doorbell suddenly penetrated her thoughts. She contemplated not answering, but when it rang a second time, she wondered if one of her roommates was expecting a delivery somebody needed to sign for.

She stood up and walked to the door, glancing in the mirror quickly. At least her eyes didn’t look that puffy anymore. She left her room, and walked downstairs. When she opened the door, she realized that it had already gotten dark. The porch light had a new bulb in it and illuminated a young man, but he didn’t bring any packages. Julie knew she’d seen him somewhere before, maybe on campus.

“Yes?” she asked.

“You don’t know me, but I was at the fraternity party last night, and I saw what happened,” he started.

“Yeah, uh…” She pulled the door closer to her, ready to close it.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to intrude.” He smiled. “It’s just, what happened to you, happened to my sister, too, and I think if you came forward, maybe we could nail him.” He motioned to the hallway behind her. “Can we talk?”

She hesitated. She didn’t know this guy, and she was alone in the house. “It’s not a good time right now,” she said.

“Of course, of course,” he said quickly. “You probably have plans. I should go. Maybe I can call you to talk about this?”

She nodded. “I think that would be better.”

He pulled his cell phone from his back pocket. “So, what’s your number?”

She relaxed and started to recite it.

“Okay, got it,” he said and turned the phone so she could see what he’d typed.

“Oh, you got the last two numbers mixed up,” she said and reached for his phone. “Let me correct it.”

Holding the phone with one hand, and typing the correct number with the other, she looked down at the screen, when the guy pushed the door fully open, and a second man who seemed to come out of nowhere, lunged at her, lifting her off her feet. She recognized him immediately: it was Todd.

She screamed, but Todd’s friend had already shut the front door and was helping Todd drag her up the stairs.

“You little bitch! Now you’re gonna pay for embarrassing me at my own party,” Todd growled.

Julie kicked and screamed. “Let go of me! Help! Somebody help me!”

“Steve, shut her up!” Todd ordered, and his friend complied and slammed his big hand over Julie’s mouth, muffling her protests.