Jaided

by Rose, Ashley

  "Hey Parker," Jaide said brightly.

  "Hey guys, nice game."

  Chance nodded and made room for him on a couch. "You too, your team has definitely improved."

  "Yeah, but evidently not enough," Parker said as he sat down.

  "Oh well, you don't have the size school that we do. That’s why they created leagues."

  "Yeah, I know, doesn't mean I have to like getting my ass kicked," he said with a smile.

  "Give yourself some credit. Your defense was good. They kept us from getting too many shots off but your goalie, well, he's not the same guy as the first time we played you, is he? ‘Cause he's pretty weak," Grr said.

  Parker ran a hand through his hair. "Yeah, I know, that's not our starting goalie. Thornton got taken out last weekend. Some dumbass striker didn't stop when Thornton dove on the ball, cracked three of his ribs."

  Everyone listening in the lobby winced at the thought of it.

  "Damn, when's he gonna be back?" Chance asked.

  "He should be back in two more weeks."

  "Cool."

  "Yeah, anyways. I heard you guys were staying at this hotel, thought I'd stop by."

  Blaize laughed. "This is the only hotel in town."

  Parker grinned. "True."

  Jaide reached for her cell phone to check for a text from Tremaine. She knew he usually texted her after her games. She couldn't find the phone and she didn't have a wallet either. She remembered setting it on the dresser in her room but not picking it back up.

  "Crap, I'll be right back guys. I left my cell phone in the room."

  "Got a key?" Blaize asked.

  "Yep." She pulled it out of her pocket.

  "What me to come?"

  "Nah, I'll be back in a minute. If I'm not back in half an hour, send a search party okay?" she joked.

  Jaide headed for the hallway and jogged upstairs. She reached the room and slid the key card in, unlocking the door. She entered but didn't bother shutting the door when she saw her wallet sitting on the dresser. Her cell phone wasn't on the dresser though, so she went to her bed and started looking through her duffel bag.

  The door snapped shut and she looked up, jumping when she saw a body standing in her room.

  "Shit!" She shook her head and smiled. "Parker, you scared the crap outta me."

  He smiled. "Sorry, didn't mean to startle you."

  She continued looking through her bag. "What are you doing here? Game boring?"

  "Bathroom," he said, and suddenly he was closer, standing next to her.

  "Uh ... isn't there a bathroom downstairs?" she asked, a little put off by his brashness.

  "Probably. Whatcha lookin' for?"

  "My cell phone."

  "The one right there on the table?" He pointed to the bedside table, beside the alarm clock.

  "Oh yeah, thanks."

  She bent over to pick it up and when she straightened Parker had moved right up against her body and breathed on her heavily, alarmingly.

  "Uh, Parker? You're kinda close, don’t ya think, boy?”

  He touched her waist. "I thought I might take you up on that talk we had after the last time you beat us."

  She stepped around him so she wasn't pinned between the two beds. "Uh, what talk?"

  "You know, we were talking about casual sex and our favorite locations and stuff."

  "Oh, that shit. It was just casual after game bull. Anyway, I'm kinda in this thing with Blaize right now and you know ...”

  She spontaneously broke for the door, all but diving.

  Parker grabbed her arm. "Aw, come on babe."

  "Let go, damn it!"

  She tried to pull her arm away but he tightened his grip.

  "You know you want it, Jaide."

  He yanked her back from the door, twisting her arm.

  "No, I'm pretty damn sure I don't, now let go." She tugged on her arm. Fright had set in. She felt it trembling inside her being.

  He wrapped his other arm around her, pulling up against her.

  "Let's just try, okay?"

  "No! Not okay!"

  She pushed against his chest but his bulk didn’t budge.

  He laughed and bent down to kiss her hard on the lips.

  The kiss surprised her, rough and hard, like an attack, painful. Jaide felt her lips bruising and she shoved against him. Her strength apparently surprised. For a second she felt free, and dashed toward the door.

  He caught her wrist, yanked her back.

  "I don't think so."

  "Parker, this isn't funny. Leave me alone." She felt his grip bruising her wrist.

  "Just relax baby. This will only take a minute."

  It was then that Jaide realized his full intent and she panicked. He pushed her down on the bed. Her cell phone dropped to the floor. He covered her mouth with one hand as he sat on her waist.

  Jaide tried to scream but his hand muffled her voice. She fought, kicking her legs, trying to pull his hand away from her mouth and attempting throw him off, but he was way too heavy.

  "Hold still, damn it!”

  She squirmed under him and threw a good punch, landing it on his mouth.

  "Bitch!"

  He let go of her mouth and backhanded her across the face hard. She felt and heard a resounding “smack.” Stunned, Jaide went still for a moment, her ears ringing and eyes going dark for a few seconds.

  Parker pulled her shirt off.

  Jaide shook her head, tried to scream, but she hardly got a sound out before his hand came down again, cutting her off.

  "Just be quiet, God damn it."

  She tried to buck him off and threw her free hand at him again in a punch. He pulled his face back this time, dodging her flailing arm.

  Parker flipped her over onto her stomach and pushed her face against the sheets. She couldn’t breathe.

  While one rigid hand pinned her to the bed, the other fumbled under her, finding the button to her jeans.

  She couldn't move and couldn’t breathe.

  The old terror flooded her mind. She squirmed on the floor, on the couch, against the dining table, in her bedroom, everywhere. Each time, the pain, helplessness, terror, nausea. It was all the same, every time. Fighting back never did any good.

  Between the lack of oxygen and overwhelming memories, her brain wasn't working. In terror, she didn't usually fight her dad and she couldn't now if she tried. It never did any good anyways.

  Parker sensed that she’d stopped fighting. "That's it, just relax, you'll enjoy it." He let go of her neck and got off her so he could pull her jeans all the way off.

  She could breathe now. She should have started fighting again but she couldn't think. Images of her father and what he used to do to her flashing over and over in her mind, and it was like she was back there again. The images were manhandling her brain into full shutdown mode, cutting off its connection to her body.

  Parker flipped her over onto her back again. Her vacant stare went beyond him, into nothingness.

  "No more fight?"

  He sat on top of her and reached for the button of his jeans. "You want this, don't you? I knew it." He laughed. "What a slut."

  Chapter 20

  Blaize checked the time on his cell phone. Jaide had been gone for several minutes. He wondered what she was up to. Maybe she couldn't find her key or something, or maybe she got lost. He sighed and stood up. It would probably be faster to just go help her than wait around worrying about her.

  "Where you going, Blaize?" asked Chance, not taking his eyes off the game on the TV.

  "I'm just gonna go check on Jaide, make sure she's in the room and not lost somewhere."

  "Sounds like her," Alex laughed. "Do you have a key?"

  "Nah, can I borrow yours?"

  Alex handed him his keycard.

  "Thanks. I'll be right back.” Blaize glanced around the lobby. “Say, where’s Parker? Where'd Parker go?"

  "Bathroom,” Grr said.

  "Oh, right." Blaize nodded, then exchange
d looks with Alex. Chance looked up too, then Matt. Soon, all the guys all had a weird look on their faces, and Blaize got a really weird feeling, a nasty sensation. He headed for the stairs at a fast walk and by the time he reached the stairs, he was running.

  The guys all looked at each other. Chance just shook his head. "I'm sure it's nothing. Worst case scenario, Parker followed her and started hitting on her. Blaize can handle it."

  At his room, Blaize inserted the key card and the door swung open. The first thing he saw was Parker's back. He was sitting on Jaide, her T-shirt and jeans on the floor. He felt his stomach churn. Blaize almost turned around and walked out immediately. He wasn't interested in their make out session. But then he saw Jaide's vacant expression and in that instant, he knew this was no make out session at all. He heard Parker’s voice.

  "You want this, don't you? I knew it. What a slut."

  A quiet sob escaped Jaide.

  "What the fuck!" Blaize grabbed Parker around the neck and yanked him off the bed, throwing him into the wall with a rib-shattering crash.

  Blaize leaned over Jaide. Out of the corner of his eye, he glimpsed a shadow of Parker taking off. Jaide wasn't moving, just staring up at the ceiling.

  Blaize shook her shoulders. "Jaide?"

  She seemed to snap out of her trance. She immediately screamed and shoved him away.

  "Jaide, it's me," he cried, reaching for her again.

  She scrambled off the bed.

  "Get away from me!" Her voice was high-pitched and panicked.

  "Jaide ..."

  She bolted for the door but Blaize caught her around the waist, lifting her off the floor. "Jaide, you can't ..."

  She screamed again and started thrashing, clawing at his arms. She landed a couple good kicks on his shins.

  "Let me go!" Her voice cracked and her eyes started to tear.

  "I can't let you run around the hotel half naked!"

  She kept fighting him until he set her back down but blocked her path to the door. She rushed across the room, putting as much distance between them as possible.

  Images still ran through her head, images of her dad, of Parker, of Blaize. They all blended into one. She knew it was Blaize but she couldn't trust him. She couldn't trust her own father. She couldn't trust someone she thought was a friend. She couldn't trust Blaize.

  Suddenly Blaize was in front of her again, touching her arms. She jerked back. "Get away from me!"

  "Jaide!" He grabbed her arms, intent on shaking some sense back into her.

  "Get away from me! Get out!" She tried to get away, backing against the wall. She tried desperately to pry his hands off her of arms. He was too close, too loud, and she still couldn't breathe.

  More images, more memories. Her dad, Parker, Blaize, all the same. It all ended up the same. Her mind was too crowded with memories, and things she couldn't distinguish between reality and fiction. Blaize was crowding her too. He was too close, too demanding, too scary. She wasn't letting it happen again.

  "Jaide, just listen."

  She blindly struck out her hand, catching him on the face with her fist.

  Blaize felt the blow, but it didn't hurt very much. He stepped back anyway. He realized he wasn't helping her like this. He was making it worse.

  He took another step back and then another. He spoke quietly this time, slowly. "Jaide, just tell me something, anything. What do you need? What happened? What can I do?"

  Jaide dropped down into the chair in the corner of the room. She seemed to relax a tiny bit so Blaize took a step forward.

  "Stop." She held up her hand. "Just –please, I can't." She pulled her knees up to her chest and tried to control her shaking. Tears started to flow again. She still couldn't get the images out of her head. They were suffocating.

  "Jaide ...?"

  "Can you please leave?" She wiped her eyes roughly but the tears kept coming. "I can't be around you right now."

  "I don't understand."

  She trembled. She wanted to scream. She wanted to be away from him. She wanted Mason. "Get out! Get away from me!"

  "Jaide, you can trust me. You know me."

  "No! I can't trust you. Just get out, I can't ..." she hugged her knees tightly, "Please." She pleaded for him to understand. She didn't even understand herself but she couldn't think. She needed space. She needed Mason. Her emotions were contradicting themselves.

  Blaize couldn't stand the emotions that he saw on her face. "I can't just leave you here."

  "Mason."

  "What?"

  "Mason. I need ... Mason." The longer Blaize stayed in the room, the more uncomfortable she appeared. Blaize suddenly sensed she really did need some space free of him, free of intrusiveness.

  "Mason's not here," Blaize said in a calming voice.

  "But he's the only ... I ... can I just have space, please? I can't ... I feel sick."

  "Just let me help you get some clothes on." He took half a step forward and saw her flinch. He realized she was scared of him right now, terrified. He didn't know what was going in her head and it didn't matter because she would still be terrified. He couldn't handle her like this. He didn't know what to do.

  "Just tell me what you need."

  "I need to be alone. I need you to get out."

  "What about ... one of the other guys would make you feel comfortable? Maybe Chance?"

  She shook her head. More tears fell down her cheeks. "No, please."

  He nodded. "Okay, okay, I'll being in the hallway. Just ... call me if you need something."

  She didn't reply, just glanced up at him. He saw the terrified look again and knew it was best for him to clear out.

  Glancing back at her one more time before closing the door, Blaize slipped out.

  "Shit." He leaned against the door and closed his eyes.

  "Blaize."

  He opened his eyes and saw all the team coming down the hallway. All of a sudden, reality came crashing down. Parker had just tried to rape Jaide.

  "Blaize?" Alex asked.

  "What?"

  "Where's Jaide? What’s wrong? We saw Parker bookin' it out of here. He didn't say anything."

  Blaize just shook his head. He didn't know what to do.

  "I ..."

  "What happened? Is Jaide okay?" Leith asked.

  "She's fine. I mean, she's definitely not fine, but she's not hurt. I don't think ..."

  "How?"

  "Mason." Blaize said suddenly.

  "What?"

  He didn't answer, just took his phone out and dialed Mason's number as he stepped away from his teammates.

  "Don't go in there," he cautioned.

  Blaize moved down the hall until he was out of earshot, but could still keep an eye on Jaide’s door and the guys.

  “Hello?”

  "Mason?"

  “Yes?”

  "It's Blaize."

  “Hey, what's up?”

  "Um, I don't know how to say this ..."

  “Where are you?”

  "We're still in Arlington, at the hotel."

  “Okay, is something wrong?

  "It's Jaide."

  “Is she okay?”

  "I'm not sure, um, okay. No, she is not okay at all. Someone just tried to rape her."

  “What?”

  "Someone tried to ...”

  “What the fuck! How could you let that happen, you stupid dumb shit? Jesus Christ! Where is she? Is she hurt? Damn it!”

  "I don't know, she won't let me near her. She’s freaking. She's in the hotel room. She just wanted me out and said your name. She didn't want anyone else. I don't know what to do!"

  Look, I'm in Arlington, not far from you, like fifteen minutes. I'll try to shave it down to ten. Get that guy ... um Leith, the one that she slept with.”

  "What about him?"

  “Send him in there until I get there, you dumb ass.”

  "She trusts him?"

  “No shit. Fill him in on the situation and he'll be able to calm her down un
til I get there. Just send him in there and stay the hell away from her. I can't believe you haven't slept with her yet, idiot. Don't bother calling the police. I know a couple of Arlington officers, I'll do it. Just get Leith in there before she has a mental breakdown.”

  Mason hung up and Blaize pulled the phone away from his ear. He hated what Mason wanted him to do but Mason knew her better than he, or Tremaine or anyone.

  He went back to Jaide’s room where the other guys were still gathered around the door, looking confused.

  "Guys, we need some space here. Can you all go back down to the lobby or something?"

  "But ..."

  "Please? Leith, not you. I need to talk to you."

  "Okay," Leith said.

  "Well we'll be down in the lobby then, I guess?" said Matt.

  "Thanks guys."

  Blaize and Leith waited until the team had disappeared.

  "What is it?" Leith asked.

  "It's Jaide."

  "And?"

  "I don't ..."

  "Just get to the point."

  "Parker tried to rape Jaide and she's freaking out."

  "Oh my fucking Christ!"

  Blaize blanched at the wrecked look on Leith’s face. "I know, I know, but she's freaking out and won't let me near her, and you really need to go in there and make sure she's okay. And tell her Mason's on his way."

  "Okay, okay, yeah."

  After Blaize unlocked the door, Leith immediately went in, shutting the door behind him.

  Leith stepped in quickly but slowed down when he saw her curled up in the chair in the corner. She was just in her underwear and bra, clutching her knees to her chest.

  "Jaide?"

  Her head snapped up. Tears streaked her face and her eyes showed a mixture or fear, sadness and utter confusion. They were redder than ever.

  "Hey ...” he spoke softly and approached her slowly.

  She didn't seem to mind as he got closer.

  "Mason's on his way."

  She seemed a little relieved, but he couldn't really tell.

  "Let's get you dressed, okay?"

  She just stared at him, unresponsive.

  "You don't have to put those other clothes back on. How about some sweats or something?"

  He grabbed the closest duffel bag and grabbed for a pair of sweats and a T-shirt that looked clean. From the size, he guessed they were Alex's.