I thought I heard someone on the stairs, heard voices.
"Hurry, Trevor," I cried.
"I am. I am," he said, putting on his shoes. "You know, we might have hit upon something here. If your cousin continues to keep you locked up like this, I'll just come by nights. We'll make up a signal or some-thing. You know, like a candle in the window. Instead of crying, 'The British are coming. The British are coming,' you'll cry, 'Trevor is coming. Trevor is coming.'"
Despite my nervousness, I had to smile.
"You really are incorrigible," I said.
"Wow. Incorrigible. I haven't been called that since kindergarten."
He stood up.
"Okay," he said. "It's good night, good night, parting is such sweet sorrow. . ."
"Just go, Trevor," I said, pushing him toward the window.
"One more kiss," he insisted, turning on me. "I need to seal it with a kiss and take it home to my dream factory."
"Kiss me and go," I said.
He smiled and ever so slowly brought his lips to mine. As he did so, he slid his hands up the sides of my body and across and over my breasts. I stepped back.
"You're making it impossible," I told him.
"It will be better the second time," he said. "I promise."
"If you don't get out of here, there'll never be a second time," I warned.
"Never say never," he joked, touched the tip of my nose, and started to climb out the window.
He had just put his right foot on the narrow roof above the bay windows when my bedroom door was thrust open. I turned to see Ami standing there with Mrs. Cukor at her side. Ami's shrill scream spun Trevor around awkwardly, and his left foot caught on the sill. He fell forward, trying to break the fall with his hands out, but he missed the edge of the roof and went tumbling over.
I screamed after him.
"Trevor!"
"Go get Wade and tell him to go out there," Ami told Mrs. Cukor, who glared at me and then hurried away.
Ami came rushing in to look out the window. She pulled me away and stuck her head out. I leaned to look over her shoulder. I couldn't see Trevor. I had hoped to see him running off, but he was nowhere in sight.
"He fell off!" I moaned.
"What have you done?" Ami asked, her eyes wide. "How long was he here?"
I bit down on my lower lip, not knowing what to say. She looked about the room frantically and settled her eyes on my bed. Then she walked to it slowly and pulled the blanket back. There on the sheet was a sizable blood stain.
"Oh, my God," she said, turning to me slowly. "You've been raped!"
"What?" I looked up, shaking my head. "No."
"It's nothing more than that. Be entered this house without permission. He climbed into your room like a burglar, only what he burgled was your innocence, your virginity. He's nothing more than a common thief."
We heard a commotion below, and both looked out the window. I saw Wade, Mrs. Cukor, and Mrs. McAlister now, but I still didn't see any sign of Trevor.
"What is it?" Ami called down to them.
Wade stepped out so he could look up.