There was no mistaking the anger in Bella’s eyes as she watched her boyfriend, Colin, down a shot of tequila, his third in a row. She grabbed his arm, swaying slightly he signaled his friend to pour him another shot. Bella whispered in his ear that she needed to talk and led him around the crowd of people dancing to a quiet corner of Colin’s buddy’s basement.

“What in the hell are you thinking? You know you’re suppose to drive us back to your place after this.” Bella half said half yelled to be heard over the throbbing beat of the music, barely containing her aggravation as Colin gave her a goofy grin.

“What’s your problem, huh? Why are you being such a bitch?” Colin slurred out, not seeing what the big deal was.

“Don’t you dare call me that!” Bella hissed as she narrowed her eyes at Colin, her hand opening and closing at her side.

Colin grinned, leaning in to whisper “Why not? You didn’t seem to mind before, you even begged me to call you that.” Colin laughed as Bella blanched remembering how she’d once asked Colin to call her dirty names when they had had sex. In an instant Bella’s palm connected with Colin’s cheek, several people turning to look, hoping to see an impending fight.

Bella turned and bolted up the stairs, locking herself in a bathroom as her eyes began to sting and fill with hot tears. She took several deep breaths, as her mind whirled. She had never been ashamed of requesting him to call her those names before, but all of a sudden she did. She had always liked to be called dirty names, for the guy to take charge of the situation, and tell her what to do. It was something she had never quite understood, but it seemed right to her. After she managed to pull herself together, she checked the mirror and slipped out of the bathroom.

As she made her way downstairs she noticed that most everyone had left. She looked around, and found Colin slumped over the bar. Bella and Colin’s mutual friend Erica was standing close by trying to talk to Colin but he was pretty wasted at this point. Bella knew Erica didn’t drink and was glad of it since Colin was wasted she had no way of getting them back to his house. Erica agreed to take them back to his house, where he lived with his father.

Erica and Bella managed to get Colin into the back of Erica’s car; Bella sat in back making sure he was okay. Colin’s head lolled back against the back seat, he opened his eyes briefly looking over at Bella, He looked at her and said “Baby…” She smiled at him, reaching out to touch his hair. His eyes widened as he said “I think I’m gonna puke.” Erica quickly pulled over, Bella just managed to get his door open and push his head out of the door before he got sick.

Erica looked over her shoulder as Colin wretched for a second time on the grass along the street, “You so owe me. Sheesh, did he eat an entire buffet before he came to the party or what?”

Erica wrinkled her nose and faced forward as Colin wiped his mouth with his t-shirt and sat back in the car. Bella reached across him and shut the door as his head lolled against the seat.

Erica pulled away and headed toward Colin’s house. Bella watched Colin’s face, her eyes beginning to sting and well up with tears for the second time tonight. Where was the guy she had fallen for? The one she had spent all her spare time with. The one she would do anything for. A tear rolled down Bella’s face as she looked at Colin, seeing someone she didn’t know, someone she didn’t even want to know.

Bella faced forward, crossing her arms over her chest, grumbling to herself “I shouldn’t have to deal with this bullshit!” She sighed softly; swiping at another tear that began to roll down her cheek. She resolved not to look at Colin, she just couldn’t. She was afraid to, afraid of what she would see and what it would make her do in the end.

As Erica pulled up to the curb in front of Colin’s house, Bella shook his shoulder trying to wake him up, he just groaned and swiped at her hand. Bella gave Erica a pleading look as she turned around to look back at them. The two girls managed to help Colin to the door, who was surprisingly heavy for a guy who wasn’t really big. Bella bit her lip not sure what to do, knowing that even with Erica’s help they couldn’t get him upstairs to his room. Bella noticed a light on in the kitchen and decided to ring the doorbell, after a few minutes Colin’s father came to the door wearing a pair of loose shorts and a t-shirt.

Bella had only ever seen Colin’s father in shirt and tie heading out the door to work when she had come to meet Colin to go to school. His casual shorts and t-shirt looked so out of place and yet so natural at the same time. Bella had to fight the urge to smile, knowing this so wasn’t the time or place considering his underaged eighteen year old son was obviously wasted and being held up by his equally underage eighteen year old friends.

“Umm Hi Mr. Connell..” Bella blushed unsure of what to say, so she just plunged ahead. “I know this looks really bad.. and it is.. well not too bad, but umm could you help get him in?” Bella bit her lip again before quickly adding “Please?”

Colin’s dad grabbed his son’s arm and helped him into the house, sitting him on the couch.

Bella turned to Erica, “You can go ahead and leave, I’ll be okay.”

Erica nodded looking grateful not to be dragged into this mess more than she already had been, quickly darting back to her car. Bella slipped into the house, quietly shutting the door behind her. Bella bit her lip as she saw Colin’s father standing over him, just shaking his head.

Mr. Connell bent down, and lifted his son up and putting him over his shoulder with seemingly no trouble and headed for the stairs. Bella followed staying a couple steps behind, nervously wringing her hands wondering what would happen next. Would Colin’s dad be mad? Would he be mad at her, call her parents? What kind of trouble she could be in because Colin acted like an idiot.

Mr. Connell unceremoniously dumped Colin on to his bed and started pulling Colin’s shirt off, Bella went to the foot of the bed and began to remove his shoes and socks. Bella snuck glances at Mr. Connell, his jaw was tight, his normally soft lips pressed into a straight line. Mr. Connell covered his son up with a blanket, shaking his head as he did. He straightened up, turning to Bella his face softened slightly seeing how nervous and anxious she was. He turned towards the door and motioned for her to follow him to the kitchen.

Bella sat down at the kitchen table, biting her lip nervously as Mr. Connell went to the refrigerator and got out two cans sodas. He sat down across from Bella giving her a reassuring smile as he handed her a soda. He opened his, the hiss making her jump slightly. He gave her another soft reassuring smile as she opened her soda, the color quickly rose to her cheeks.

After a long moment Mr. Connell spoke his warm baritone voice filling the air, “So, I think I can guess what happened, but why don’t you tell me anyways Bella.”

Bella bit her lower lip anxiously for a moment, taking a deep breath before she spoke. “Well Mr. Connell we wen-”

He held up his hand with a slight smile “Jared”

Bella blushed slightly, nodded and continued on “We went to the party, then we were going to..” Bella trailed off biting her lip, a nervous habit. The plan had been to come back to Colin’s house and she was going to spend the night with Colin and sneak out before his dad woke up, but how could she tell him that?

Jared seeing her hesitate knew something must have been going on, his eyes were soft but his voice firm and commanding, “Bella, whatever it is, you can tell me. I won’t get angry or tell your parents, but I want you to be honest. If I catch you in a lie, I will call your folks, have them come pick you up, and make you tell them exactly what happened.