Afterwards I always thought that it was the heat that made me do it. It was a hot muggy day and I'd had too little sleep the night before. Also my parents had yelled at me about the police coming around while they were out. That wasn't really my fault but I still got blamed.
The previous evening I'd been playing my music, reasonably loudly as I was the only one home. Who would it bother? No-one, that's who.
You can imagine my surprise when the police came around and knocked on my door. I never knew someone could knock that loudly. I'd turned down the music and gone to see what they wanted.
"Evening, miss," said the man at the door. "We've had a noise complaint about this address. You'll have to turn your music down. If you've been playing it as loudly as it was when we arrived I'd say you need to turn it down considerably. We won't cite you for a noise violation this time but if we have to return, we will."
"Well, really," I said huffily. "If someone wanted me to turn it down all they had to do was call and ask."
"We're told that they did but you didn't answer the phone or hear them knocking," the cop said, sounding rather sarcastic. "You do know that there are prescribed limits to the amount of noise permitted after ten, don't you?"
"Not really," I admitted. "Anyway it's only just after ten. Someone was in a bit of a hurry to complain."
"Five to twelve is a bit more than just after," the officer pointed out.
I looked at my phone, surprised.
"Oh. I hadn't noticed that it was so late. Um, I'll turn it down."
"The current level would be acceptable," said the second officer, putting in his bit for the first time. "If it gets any louder we will be back."
Feeling rather disgruntled I said it wouldn't get any louder and the police went on their way. I glared at the house next door. Paul lived there and he was an arrogant turd. He and I did not hit it off. I just knew it was him who'd made the complaint. It was just the sort of nasty thing he would do.
Going back inside I'd turned the music right off and went to bed. I hadn't realised that it was so late. Then I had a restless night, partly because of the heat and partly because I was fulminating over that oaf next door.
This morning I'd walked down to the local shop to grab some extra milk only to find that they were out for some reason or other. That meant I'd have to get my bike and ride to the mall and I did not want to do that. It was already warming up and I didn't fancy riding in this heat. I decided to wait until my mother returned from wherever she'd gone and bum a ride off her. You never knew, she might even have some milk when she returned.
So I was grumbling to myself as I neared home and there was Paul's car parked outside. Quite a nice car. If I had a set of keys I'd pinch it and drive to the mall for some milk. Not really. Even though I was eighteen I didn't yet have my driver's license. I was booked in for the test but until then it was either walk or pedal power.
I looked at the car and looked at Paul's house and considered the police talking to me the previous evening. I had my house keys on me and the car was right there. If the car got scratched it would serve him right and he'd never know who did it. He might suspect it was me but he wouldn't know.
I whipped out my keys and started to scratch the car. Started, was the word, as that's as far as I got.
"You little bitch," snapped Paul and his hand close on my arm while I gave a startled scream. "I've always known that you were a bit of a bitch but I hadn't realised that you were also a stupid one. What the hell possessed you to try to key my car while I'm standing right here?"
"Wha? Where'd you come from?" I gasped, shocked.
"I was standing right there checking my mailbox when I saw you take out your keys. How the hell could you have failed to see me?"
I was wondering the same thing. Just how much trouble was I in? Not knowing what to say I said nothing.
"I assume that you were blaming me for the police turning up last night." I gave him a filthy look and he laughed. "Not guilty. I wasn't even home last night. Just got home this morning. That's why I was checking my mail. Still, your reason doesn't matter. Come along."
He started heading towards his front door, towing me along as he went.
"You can't make me go with you," I protested, trying to pull free.
"True," he agreed. "I suppose I really should just call the police and report the attempted vandalism."
I went with him, ignoring the smirk he wore. We went into the house and he pushed me into the first room we came to. It was a bedroom, his no doubt. The fact that the bed was properly made seemed to back up his story that he hadn't been home last night. I didn't think he'd be the sort to make his bed immediately on getting up.
The next thing I knew he picked me up and threw me. I sailed through the air and landed in the middle of the bed, a king-size bed. I could feel myself going pale as various scenarios started running through my mind. Before I could panic and scramble off the bed he spoke up.
"Forget any sexual escapades you might be thinking of," he said. "I've brought you here for punishment, not pleasure."
"You're not going to rape me?" I asked, wanting to make sure.
"In your dreams," he scoffed. "Spank, yes, fuck, no."