Never Forget (Memories)

either, are you?" she continues. "No, your balls are still at primary school age where she's concerned. You gotta sort your shit out before that girl has enough of it and gives up or, goes back to London. She ain't gonna be here forever. Pull. Yourself. Together!"
    I park up outside her house. "Sleep well, Jen."
    She looks at me aghast and storms out of the car, slamming the door. Carl rolls his eyes.
    "Sleep well? I'll give him fuckin ' sleep well, Jen ' when I sneak into his room with a spork to scoop out the inside of his balls so he better sleep well with one of his pretty little goddamn eyes open." She fumes and I can't help but laugh.
    "Did she even pause for breath then?" I look at Carl.
    "No." He shakes his head. "No, she didn't."
    "Have fun, mate." I nod to him and he raises his eyebrows.
    "I'll try to." He gets out and follows Jen into her house.
    I can't think of anything other than that prick trying to pull his moves on Lexy on the way to my house. It's all I can do not to slam every door on my way upstairs when I get in.
    I don't get angry easily. In fact, it takes a hell of a lot. I think that's why everyone was so surprised when I flew off the handle at Jen. I couldn't help it. The thought she'd done it to make me jealous...
    I slam my pillow against my wall and grit my teeth. This completely irrational need to protect her is making me wanna get back in the car, drive over to Vi's and wrap her in my arms. Without letting go.
    Now I'm angry at myself. If I'd kissed her by now would it have happened? No, no it fucking wouldn't have because there isn't a chance in hell I'd let her out of my sight. Turning away for five minutes caused tonight.
    Jen's right. I need to pull my head from my ass and make my girl mine before it's too late.

CHAPTER EIGHT

    ALEXIS

    ''What in the hell happened to your face?'' Dad all but shouts at Bing the next morning.
    ''Samuel!'' Mum exclaims. ''Can't you stay out of fights for at least one week?!''
    I flinch at the anger in their voices.
    ''Some prick thought he could try it on with Lexy, so I showed him he couldn't,'' Bing says without glancing their way.
    ''Sam, as much as the fact you protect your sister warms my heart, you can't go fighting everyone that so much as looks her way,'' Mum sighs.
    ''If he did, he'd be fighting Alec every day.'' Dad laughs and Mum swats the back of his head playfully.
    ''He wasn't just looking my way,'' I mumble.
    ''If I didn't go in there and stop him there's a good chance your precious daughter wouldn't have been a virgin this morning, and not by her own choice!'' Bing snaps and storms from the room.
    Silence.
    ''Lexy, baby, is that true?'' Mum says quietly.
    ''He didn't touch me, but probably.''
    ''I'm gonna go speak to Sam.'' Dad kisses the top of my head and leaves the room.
    ''He really did do it to protect me, Mum. If it wasn't him it would have been Alec. Please don't be angry at him.'' I look at her.
    ''Oh, baby, I'm not angry at him. At all.'' She hugs me. ''This is what I wanted you to be careful of.''
    ''I remember you said that. Why did you say it?''
    ''So you would pay attention..''
    ''No, Mum, don't fob me off like I'm eleven years old,'' I sigh. ''I want the truth.''
    She nods silently and I see her swallow. I've never seen her look so weak – she's not a weak person. She's strong, independent, unbreakable.
    She goes into the back garden and I follow her out. The air is sweet scented, all the aromas from Grammy's flowers mixing together. The sea breeze is light here, swirling past with a barely-there touch.
    ''I was fourteen. It was so long ago, but it's burned into my memory.'' She gazes out at the sea, her eyes are glazed over with the memory. ''I was down at the Bay, with my friends at the time, and there was a group of guys there. One of them approached me – they were older, about seventeen, so I was flattered – and started chatting me up. He said he wanted to get to know me, so we broke off from the group and sat on the other side of the rocks. I was too young to know it was a bad choice.''
    I reach over and hug her arm, resting my head on her shoulder. She takes a deep breath and continues.
    ''We talked for a few minutes, then he tried to kiss me. I kissed him back, at first, then he started going further and I tried to stop him, but he wouldn't. He said I'd asked for it, that I wanted it.
    ''He pushed it until I finally thought to scream. Your father and his friends must have just arrived at the beach, because