Free Finding Evan by Lisa Swallow

blurred figure. Tall. Scruffy looking. Sweaty or a victim of the water pistols, I can’t tell.
    “You not feeling too great, Ness?”
    How does he know my name? The print on his T-shirt jogs my memory. He came onto me at the bar before. I focused most of my energy on staying upright, summoning up the ability to walk away and find Ollie or Sunita. The swimming in my head arrests me so I stare at the picture on his T-shirt for a very long time instead. That’s how I know it’s him, because his hazy face swims in and out of my vision.
    “I feel sick,” I mumble.
    “Aww.” He leans across and pushes damp hair from my face. I jerk away and he holds his hands up in apology. “Sorry!”
    The room keeps tipping and I have to hold onto the sofa arm to right myself, even though I’m sitting. This is bad. Very bad. I scan the groups around me for Sunita and her friends, but I can’t focus. I hung around with Sunita for a while after the guys disappeared. I think that’s the point I knocked back too many cocktails, keeping pace with her friends.
    Pulling myself from the sofa, I steady myself, and then focus hard on the direction I intend to walk in. Shoes. Fucking stupid shoes. As I bend down to take them off, someone touches my backside.
    Spinning around, I slap the guy’s hand away and he sniggers at me, especially when the action causes me to stumble.
    And this is why I don’t drink.
    The box of memories creaks open, and the leaden sickness in my stomach threatens to push out the contents.
    “Get the fuck off me!” I yell. Or slur? I can’t hear above the music and ringing in my ears.
    The guy grins drunkenly and steps towards me. “You look like you need help.”
    “I’m fine.”
    “Sure you are.” He wipes an arm across his mouth and looks at my breasts.
    No. No. No . “I’m not interested. I’m going to find my friends.”
    He leans towards me, breath stinking of cigarettes. “Fuck, you’re hot.”
    Adrenaline pushes through the alcohol in my system.
    “My boyfriend thinks so. He’s around somewhere.”
    “No he’s not; you’ve been with girls all night.”
    I’m in the wrong position, because when the guy steps towards me, I’m backed against a wall. He seizes his chance and moves in. I have no way out.
    “Get away,” I warn.
    “Aw, c’mon. You’re up for this. You came onto me at the bar.”
    God no, not again. “I did not!”
    The guy places a hand on my hip and leans towards my ear. “Don’t tease me. We could have some fun.”
    The words freeze time and the box in my mind flies open. I could be there again, the stupid flirting leading me into trouble as a fifteen-year-old girl. I battle to push away that girl, the scared girl who can’t work out how she got herself into the situation. But she’s here and can’t move, as he runs his hand along my thigh.
    The stench of tobacco on his breath turns my stomach further as he attempts to kiss me. The sleazy guy presses himself into me, pinning me to the wall and I remain stiffened, unable to process what’s happening. Hands move up my sides towards my breasts, and his disgusting mouth closes in on mine.
    “Get off me!” I yell, returning to the Ness I am now. I push at him, twisting my face from his.
    He’s drunk, hands roaming my body, and when his mouth closes on mine, I sink my teeth into his lip. The guy pulls his head back in alarm, holding his mouth. The alcohol in his system must numb the fact his lip is bleeding, because he’s not deterred.
    “You like rough, then?” he whispers into my ear, pulling the top of my dress to one side.
    I can’t believe this is happening. In public. And nobody notices – or cares. Can’t they see? Summoning up the remaining strength I have, I shove him as hard as I can in the chest. He stumbles backwards, ripping my dress where he has hold of the strap.
    “I said get the fuck off me!”
    “Ness? What the hell?” asks a voice behind me.
    The guy twists his body around, and leans against the