Blood, Sex, and Booze, chapter 1

Still half asleep, I opened my eyes. Squinted up in the darkness.

My eyes stopped at my clock radio. Nearly one in the morning.

I sat up in my bed. "Billie... What are you doing here?" I whispered. My throat was clogged from sleep.

Billie Joe is my boyfriend. He leaned close. His hands still gripped my shoulders. I could smell beer on his breath.

I glanced around to see if he had awakened my three roommates. No.

"Billie..." I whispered. "Get back in your room. You know boys aren't allowed on the girls' floor after ten."

He didn't move. His hands tightened on my shoulders. Even in the dim, gray, light from the window, I could see the fear on his face.

"What are you doing here?" I repeated.

"Grace, I'm in big trouble," he said.

I sat up and squirmed out from under his hands. I swallowed hard. "Trouble?" My mouth felt so dry. My breath was sour from sleep.

He nodded and took a step back. A hoarse cry escaped his throat.

"You've got to help me," he said, his voice cracking.

I raised a finger to my lips. "Shhhh. You'll wake up Angel, Eden, and Jasmine."

He stared blankly at me. As if he didn't understand my words. "I don't care who I wake up," he said finally. "I mean... I'm in trouble, Grace. I... I did something terrible."

I felt a chill roll down my back. The skin on my arms prickled.

I stood up and pulled down the long, white cotton nightshirt I was wearing.

I pushed back my hair. The room was cold. But I felt drops of sweat on my forehead. "What did you do?" I demanded in a hoarse whisper.

His bright green eyes flashed in the dim light. His mouth opened and closed. No sound came out.

He shook his head. His longish hair fell over is face. He swept it back back behind the shoulders of his leather bomber jacket. "I followed you," he confessed. :I followed you tonight. I saw you out with that guy Brendan."

I gasped. "But that wasn't me!" I protested. "I didn't go out with Brendan. Angel did."

Billie grabbed me. His fingers tightened around my arms. "Don't lie to me! He shrieked. "I saw you!"

"Let go," I whispered. "Please, Billie..."

He has a terrible temper. Sometimes he really scares me.

One second he'll be perfectly in control. The next second he'll be in a screaming rage. A total lunitic.

He can also be very understanding. Very kind.

I met Billie back in high school. He rescued me. From a guy named Mark.
But that's a very long story.

I was so glad Billie started to go to Ivy State. It's been awsome to have him here with me.

If only he wern't so jealous. So possessive. He never wants any other guy to look at me!

At first, I was flattered. I mean, no boy ever cared about me that much before. But when I saw how jealous Billie became... When I saw his temper rage out of control... I knew I had to be careful. I knew that Billie could be someone to fear.

"Billie... Let go," I pleaded. "That wasn't me you saw with Brendan. It wasAngel. I swear."

He let out a sigh. His hands loosened their grip on my arms. "I.. I did something terrible," he stammered.

"What?" I demanded. "What did you do?"

His eyes locked on mine. "I carved him, Grace," Billie whispered. "I killed him."