by D. V. EEDEN
Taking a seat at the bar on a stool, my eyes go wide in surprise. The purple haired girl is working behind the bar. Jesus, I am going to have to drink a lot tonight.
She’s wearing a black t-shirt, showcasing her colorful tattooed arms, and this time I notice a piercing above her lip and her nose. She looks pretty cool, I must admit.
“Shot of Tequila please, and also a whiskey straight with ice,” I tell her, and she retreats to the side, getting out the glasses and pouring my drinks.
“‘Ere we go,” she says with a weird accent I can’t quite place. I down the tequila and signal for her to bring me another, which she obeys.
“You’re that girl that works at Club Envy aren’t ya?” she says, leaning her hip against the bar, crossing her arms around her chest, showing off her amazing cleavage.
No wonder the boys have gone for her.
Nodding my head in response, I down the brown liquid, welcoming the burning sensation as it trails down my throat and into my belly. Pure bliss. She smiles at me softly, already getting the bottle of whiskey to top me up. Okay, maybe I misjudged her.
I drink and down a few shots for the next few hours, not moving from my spot but the pub is starting to get really busy. Bodies constantly coming in and out, I think a band even starts playing at some point. I’m too drunk to care, and I don’t pay attention to the guy who is standing next to me. “Hey sexy, what’s a pretty girl like you doing on your own?” he says, creeping into my little bubble by the bar.
My elbow resting on the bar, my head resting in my hand I turn to face him, and he’s not a bad looking guy. Probably too old for my liking but it’s nice to be called sexy, especially in a pub when wearing a hoodie and yoga pants. I smile sweetly at him, seeing two of him, or maybe there’s a twin I don’t know? I laugh to myself, and the guy laughs along with me.
“Do you want another drink?” he asks, and I nod a yes in response, I definitely need another drink. My feelings aren’t numb yet and I need them numb. Downing a few more tequila shots and relishing in how it feels, I get even more wasted. I pluck up the courage to dance with this guy, who I have no clue what his name is, but I’m having so much fun.
The guy orders me another drink, whilst I run to the ladies’ room, and I tell you, weeing with a wetsuit on is… fucking painful. I didn’t think about this…
Arriving back to my seat, a whisky waits for me with the handsome man - I’m seeing three of him now, and I know for sure I am fucking drunk. Thank fuck for that. After a while, my vision starts blurring, the room spins, and I start feeling really dizzy. The guy’s arm snakes around my waist, pulling me towards the exit, and I faintly hear him speak to me as we leave. “Come on, baby. Let’s get you out of here, so I can fuck that pretty little mouth of yours.”
I’m unable to respond to the guy, my voice coming out slurred. He doesn’t listen to me anyway. My body isn’t able to struggle against his hold, and it dawns on me that this guy fucking spiked my drink. I should have been careful what I wished for because I’m finally numb. Against my will.
I keep falling in and out of consciousness. One minute, I can make out that I’m being pulled into a car… but the next time I open my eyes, the guy is being punched in the face while another body holds me close to them. Incapable of making out the faces, I suddenly feel safe, somehow knowing I’m being saved from being raped by a fucking dick.
I stop fighting the drug and let unconsciousness take over.
The following day, I wake up all alone in my dorm room, my clothes and wet suit taken off, replaced with my pajamas. Blaire isn’t in the room either as she wasn’t here this weekend, so who could have saved me last night?
Chapter Twenty-Four
For a few weeks, after the picture was released of me eating a fucking banana split, students have been calling me fat, a pig and every other fat shaming name you can come up with. I’ve been trying to ignore them, but with already having an eating disorder, I haven’t eaten properly, refusing to eat in the dining hall. Blaire has to bring me food to eat in our dorm room. Even still, I only eat salads and I’ve completely cut out carbs. My muscle is melting away, my skin is losing the elasticity, and I’m turning pale. I look like a walking corpse again; the sockets of my eyes are turning black from the lack of iron.
I look like pure fucking shit.
Still unsure of who sent out that picture and started all this bullshit, I still believe it’s Charles, although my mind is still trying to figure out who saved me from the pub, and the fact that they brought me back to my room and changed my clothes.
I’m losing sleep over it all.
Nightmares take over my dreams at night, the image of the guy who’s name I don’t know still haunts me, and I see myself tied to his bed as he rapes me. I’m too scared to close my eyes in case he comes back, but I’m unable to escape the horror.
I really want to know who my knight in shining armor was, so that I could say thanks, but no one has come forward, and to be honest I haven’t really asked anyone as I’m too afraid to know the answer. It could have been another prank for all I know.
Shifting in my seat in Business Economics, my head is in a daze as I sit next to Blake. He’s bouncing his leg up and down, shaking the table, clearly agitated about something. Today we’re supposed to hand in half of our project, which we actually worked on together, with no snarky comments or threats. Hugo hasn’t really spoken to me either since he threatened me in the library, and I am patiently waiting for my ‘punishment’, whatever it is. I couldn’t give a flying fuck what they throw at me now. They can kick me down and make me bleed, and I wouldn’t even care.
I already feel as though the life has been beaten out of me.
Mr. Aldridge saunters over to our desk with a file in his hand and says, “Well done you two, keep up the hard work and this will be the best project in the class.”
Wasn’t today supposed to be the day we handed it in?
I scrunch up my face in confusion as Mr. Aldridge hands the file to Blake. “I handed it in yesterday, wanting to get it over and done with,” he says.
I nod in response, unable to say anything. Well, too frightened to say something, incase it’s wrong.
When the bell rings to signal class is over, I couldn’t be happier. I quickly pick up my satchel and leave the room. I’m trying to scurry away through the halls, but the students won’t let me pass. I sidestep from the left to right, but it’s no use. A circle forms around me, the faces of the students grinning from ear to ear as they stare me down. My body starts shaking, my anxiety spiking up and the alarm bells start ringing in my head. What the fuck is happening right now?
“What’s it like being a murderer? Did you come here to escape prison or something?” Ruby says from behind me, and I spin on my heel so that I can face her, and the other two bitches, Constance, and Priscilla.
Great.
Unable to say anything, my body too weak to even run, my feet are glued to the brick pathway of the haunting castle. I swallow the lump in my throat, my eyes narrowed as I face off with Ruby, the sinister grin taking over her beautiful face. But her ugliness shows through her personality. The Victoria’s Secret model look alike clicks her fingers to signal something and that’s when I feel the first punch to the back of my head.
White stars start forming in my vision, and I try to shake off the feeling but it’s too late. Punches and kicks surround my body. I crouch down to the floor, protecting my face and belly, but they manage to get there too. I feel the blood pouring from my nose, ears and mouth. My ribs crack under someone’s foot, a scream escaping past my lips and the tears start to roll down my cheeks.
What feels like hours of being beaten is actually a few seconds before it’s done. My battered and bruised body lays on the ground as the blood pours. I wrap my arms around my stomach, stifling a cough, but as soon as it comes out, my ribs burn.
Ade, you need to stand.
Trying to listen to the little voice in my head, I sit up slowly, the
pain taking over my body. I wince, my body trembling and unable to cope with the agony. I look down to find my uniform is torn, covered in blood and dirt from where some students kicked me.
Fucking pricks.
I balance my weight on my right hand, my arm shaking and ready to give out, but I need to try and stand. I curl my knees ready to stand but my body trembles, and I fall back to the ground. I am just too weak.
“Ade!” someone shouts from the other end of the corridor, the sound muffled as my ears are drenched in blood. I can’t recognize who it belongs to.
“Ade, what the fuck happened?”
Royce leans over me, inspecting my body, concern on his face. He goes to lift me gently from under my knees and behind my neck. Lifting me with ease, Royce carries me to his car. “I’m taking you to the hospital, you are seriously injured,” he murmurs.
My head is leaning against his hard chest, I can feel the beating of his heart and it’s racing. My eyes close of their own accord, I think I may have a concussion as my head was punched and kicked a few times. Royce inserts me into the passenger seat, putting on my safety belt before he climbs in and races off to the hospital. The drive there is filled with music and I listen to it, trying to stop myself from falling asleep while Royce keeps asking me if I’m okay. At one point he grabs my hand and squeezes it for reassurance.
I still fucking hate him, but if he’s here offering help, I won’t refuse.
The nurse checks me over, the X-ray showing my broken ribs just inches from penetrating my lungs. I could have fucking died. My wounds are cleaned and bound, the blood having finally stopped pouring from my ears and nose. The nurse gives me some really strong pain killers and fluid as I’m apparently malnourished. She’s keeping me here for a few days to recuperate.
Opening my eyes, I look around, noticing I’m in a private hospital bedroom. The walls are painted a baby blue with paintings of the ocean and mountains. I look to the right of me where the window is situated and notice the beautiful view of vast farmland, hills with cattle in the background. My stomach flip flops as I find the plush beige armchair is occupied by Royce. His uniform is covered in blood and he’s slouched back, his head leaning on the palm of his hand as he stares down at his phone.
I wince as I try to move my body to sit up. Royce hears me and automatically stands, putting his phone in his pocket. “How are you feeling?” he whispers, those beautiful sea green eyes staring down at me with concern, but also unease. He knows my feelings towards him, and it makes him uneasy.
“I’ll be fine. I’m in fucking pain though,” my voice coming out raspy, making me cough. The rumble unbearable, pain sears through my veins. Even with the strong pain killers, I can still feel the throbbing. Damn, they got me good.
“What happened?” Royce questions, taking my hand in his, rubbing his thumb along the top. “Ruby and her cronies got some students to beat me down,” I shrug wincing at the tiny movement. Sitting up, I grab my glass of water from the nightstand. My mouth feels like ash. I take a sip of the cold water, the liquid bringing my mouth back to life. I don’t realize how thirsty I am until I’ve downed the whole glass. I shake the glass in Royce’s direction for a top up.
“I’m so sorry you had to do all this. You probably have something better to do,” I tell him, watching him fill my glass up.
“It’s no bother Ade, you needed help desperately, and I wasn’t going to leave you on the floor now, was I?” he comforted.
“Do you need me to get anything else?” he asks, quirking his eyebrow.
“Ade! Oh my god, you’re okay!” Blaire comes running into the room, her hand covers her mouth in shock at all my wounds and then she scans the blood on Royce’s uniform. “Who the fuck did this to you?” she demands, the anger evident in her chocolate brown eyes.
“Ruby and her skanky friends. I found her laying on the ground outside her Business class,” Royce says before I get the chance to respond.
Blaire’s face flushes, losing the colour. A tear escapes her eye and she wipes it away quickly. “I’m so sorry I wasn’t there. Where the fuck was Blake when this happened?” she says, but I don’t understand why she’s apologizing or even wondering why the fuck Blake wasn’t there.
This was probably his master plan, or Hugo’s.
“He didn’t know about it. He’d already left when this took place,” Royce says, the green eyes not leaving me once when he speaks to Blaire. It’s as if he’s too scared to look away in case something else happens. Why is he being so fucking nice?
The nurse comes into the room, stating visitors have to leave. After Royce and Blaire say their goodbyes I fall into a deep sleep, letting the pain killers run through my veins, numbing the pain. I haven’t slept so well in such a long time. No nightmares haunt my dreams.
When I’m finally released from hospital, I’m put on pills to help with my anxiety and depression. I was recommended a therapist who will see me weekly, but I’m a bit apprehensive. Maisie and Blaire pick me up from the hospital, taking me back to the academy.
“We are staying at the academy this weekend. We are not leaving your side!” Blaire declares, her tone of voice rather stern.
“Yeah, we will make sure you are properly looked after,” Maisie smiles, offering her hand to help me get out of the car. I grab it and slowly climb out, using her for balance.
Once we get to the dorm room, Maisie guides me to my bed and I perch myself down slowly on the edge, taking my time to breathe. Every inhale and exhale sends a pang of pain through my chest.
“We are so sorry, Ade. I cannot explain to you how much we regret not being there with you when this happened,” Blaire’s voice breaks as her gaze falls to the floor. She shakes her head and I watch as she wipes a tear away from her eye, my chest tightening.
“It is not either of your faults. We aren’t always together, and Ruby is just a dick. Honestly, I am fine, or I will be because I have you two,” my voice cracks as my eyes moisten with tears, and I can’t help but feel guilty that I cause so much trouble in their lives. I wipe away the tears that escape down my cheeks and clear my throat. “I honestly am so grateful for the both of you. I hope you know that,” I smile, bringing my eyes up to meet theirs and they nod back in acknowledgment.
They take care of me the whole weekend, constantly at my beck and call and bringing me food. I don’t leave my bed at all and it’s pure bliss.
Headmaster Valentine said he couldn’t get CCTV to find the culprits and as there were no witnesses, he can’t suspend Ruby and the two sheep. I wasn’t going to bother reporting them, but Blaire and Maisie insisted. The strange thing is that Miles hasn’t been around. He didn’t visit me in hospital and only text me a few times to check how I’m feeling, but other than that he hasn’t been around.
I’m starting to question our relationship.
Is he avoiding me? Have I done something wrong, or even worse, do I embarrass him?
Am I being paranoid?
A knock sounds from the door, startling all three of us, as we’re not expecting anyone to be around. Blaire opens the door to Royce… who is holding a bouquet of flowers?
My favorite flowers.
Sitting up from my bed, I lean my head against my headboard as Royce strides into the room wearing black slacks, a crisp white shirt with a few buttons undone and a black suit jacket. He’s dressed exactly in the same suit when I found them at Club Envy. He rubs the back of his neck, clearly nervous to be here right now.
“I thought I’d come see how you are, and I brought you these,” he says, gesturing to the flowers in his hand.
He’s made more of an effort than Miles has.
Blaire takes the beautiful bouquet of calla lilies, roses and peonies from Royce and places it on my chest of drawers. The pretty pink and whites matches the décor of the room… Did he know what our room looked like? Is he the one who saved me from the pub?
Questions I need answers to, but I don’t push.
I smile softly. “Thank
s, you didn’t have to, you know,” I tell him, looking at how immaculate he looks in his suit.
His mouth goes into a flat line as he scans our room, shifting from one foot to the other. “I know, but I wanted to. Again, I’m so sorry Ade.” He lets out a deep breath, shaking his head. He looks disappointed in himself. Unsure of what to say, I sit up further, my slipping duvet exposing my upper half. I’m wearing a white vest top without a bra. My nipples can be seen through the thin white fabric, which Royce notices and smirks. The glint reappears in his extravagant eyes.
I pull the duvet back up, hiding my perky breasts from his gaze, feeling too exposed right now.
“I better go, I have an event I need to attend to, but I’ll check in on you again soon,” he smiles, giving me a two-finger wave before he leaves.
Exhaling sharply and finally relaxing when he leaves, my heart races from the encounter. I look over to the flowers, still surprised he brought them for me. It’s kind of sweet.
“What was that about?” Maisie looks confused, her eyebrows furrowed as she stares at me.
“I have no idea, I think there is a hidden agenda,” I shrug, working on standing up. I’m still wobbly, but I manage to make my way to the bathroom on my own, for a shower.
The girls don’t think I should be back in class tomorrow, insisting I still need rest and I need to heal further, but I need to get back and catch up considering I’ve missed a whole week. Hugo emailed me stating he was not happy about me not turning up and said that I was being a wimp and I needed to grow some balls, apparently. He sent all my tutoring work through email, which I managed to send back to him completed.
Fuck him and his inconsiderate ways. The cunt.
Chapter Twenty-Five
Going against the girls, I return back to classes the following day. The whispers follow me throughout the day, students calling me every disgusting name you can think of. Commenting how I self-harmed myself, which explains all the scars. Some even whisper saying I should have died and not come back.