Never Let You Go (Catching Feelings Sequel)

Polly Wants A Cracker

Imani's POV:

He climaxed into me one last time before releasing me. I collapsed onto the floor feeling numb. "Damn, you were tight," Jahlil huffed, stepping out of the shower, retrieving his clothes, "That's definitely going to change." What did he mean by change? I tried opening my mouth to speak, but the pain around my jaw and mouth was unbearable. I looked up at him. "You got a little something on your face," he said, probably referring to the several bruises he caused. He was so cruel. "Pleasure doing business," he said, smirking. He started heading out, but stopped in his tracks and turned toward me. "And if you dare tell Jaden, I swear to God, I will slit the sides of your mouth and cut out your tongue." And with that he left. The shower was still going, but this time the water was cold. It repetitively hit my face, but I didn't care. I wanted to lay there forever. I couldn't believe what I had just experienced. And the worst thing about it is, I never thought it would happen to me. He raped me. And I was alone. I was helpless. I was weak. And he knew that. And he decided to take advantage of it. Why? Finally, after several minutes, I got out of the bathtub. It took some time to get up without stumbling; I was bruised severely. I looked into the mirror and slightly jumped. I didn't see the beautiful girl before I stepped into the bathtub. I saw a damaged creature. Her face was dampened completely from all of the crying she was put through. She had a swollen eye, slowly blackening; a cut on her lip; scratches up and down her legs, arms, stomach, and face; and blue and black marks forming on her cheeks, jaw, and thighs. A hint of blood trickled down her nose and to the brim of her upper lip. I looked away from the mirror. This is all my fault. I shouldn't have fought with Jahlil. I should have taken it like a man. What am I saying? I shouldn't have come out here. I shouldn't have led him on. Maybe all of this would go away. I need to figure out a plan to stay away from him. Maybe I should leave early? I'm supposed to be leaving on the 9th. But then I would miss Jaden's birthday. Wait. I have to tell Jaden. But... Jahlil already warned me what would happen. And even if he didn't threaten me, Jahlil is his cousin. Girls come and go. But family is forever. I have to leave. I just have to. I looked in the medicine cabinet for any medical alcohol or supplies I could use to clean my face and body. When I found anything that would help me, I began applying it. The pain was far from over. He beat me pretty badly, for the sting from the medicine was so painful. When I thought I had did a decent enough job, I tried to figure out the plan. I need tickets. I couldn't use plane tickets. It would be too much of an inconvenience, and I needed adult permission. I stumbled into my room, the pain between my legs growing, and searched for my laptop. When I found it, I went online to the Greyhound website and was about place a purchase. I checked the time: 6:45. I was planning to leave by the next morning. I didn't have a credit card, so I wobbled to Will and Jada's room and snooped around. What I was doing was wrong, but I needed to get out of here. Far away from that monster. I looked through drawers and on dressers, until I saw his work desk. I searched there until I found one of his cards lying around. When I got back to the room, I placed my purchase. The whole time, my mind was frazzled. What had happened to me played over, and over again in my mind. It felt... surreal. Like it wasn't even me getting raped. Tears started sprinkling into my eyes again. I shook my head fast, trying to take what happened to me off of my mind. Where would I go? Texas? I had family down there, but it would be too much to go to Texas, then leaving the next day to go to back to Cheltenham. Plus, I know my relatives down there would probably tell my mother what happened to me. I should just go home. But what would I tell my mother? "Oh yeah, Mom. I was taking a shower, and guess what? Jaden's creepy cousin came in and raped me." She would kill Jahlil for hurting me, and Jaden for not watching over me like he promised he would. Maybe I would tell her I got a stomach virus or something. Yeah, that's great. When I looked up the details of the ticket, I was thrilled. The bus departs at 2:30 AM and arrives in Philadelphia by 9:00 PM on the 9th. I'm supposed to be landing in Philadelphia at around 3:00, but I could just tell my mother my flight was delayed. Flights were always delayed. When I was in the process of purchasing my ticket, it asked if the credit card holder was boarding. If Will wasn't boarding, it would cost an extra 18 dollars and I'd have to put the name of the person who was boarding, which was me. I couldn't even say Will was going on the trip, because they needed photo ID from the passenger. I sighed. Will would find out any way. I typed in my name and finished my purchase. The total had come to $238.00. Yikes. But anything to keep that rapist away from me. Greyhound sent my ticket to my e-mail. I logged on and started printing out my ticket. Will had a printer in his room, so I got it and I felt so relieved. The happiness ended as soon as I heard laughter and footsteps coming up the steps. I dashed in my room and flew under the covers. I almost cried out from the excruciation I felt flow through my body. I heard footsteps come into my room. I closed my eyes tight. He's back. Jahlil's back. No. Tears were forming in my eyes. "Aw, is she sleeping?" I heard a  feminine voice ask. "I think so," a masculine voice replied. They both sounded familiar. I knew right off the bat that the male voice belonged to Jaden. I started to calm. Thank gosh it wasn't Jahlil. But who did the other voice belong to? I felt a touch on my shoulder and I shied away, my face halfway in my pillow. "Babe?" Jaden asked. I opened my eyes and felt a little sting in them. It hurt to open and close them because of my black eye. I looked out of my periferal. There he stood, with shopping bags in his hands. "Hi," I croaked out, the first words I had spoken since the... altercation. My throat burned. It hurt to speak, unfortunately. "I'm back," he said, "With... Kylie." When he said that, I could tell he was trying not to make me angry. "Okay," I said, trying to get him out of the room as fast as possible. "Okay?" he repeated. I nodded my head. "Yes, okay. Bye!" I said, a little rudely. I heard Jaden somber over to me. "Imani is everything alright?" he asked, trying to pull the covers off of me. "JADEN STOP!" I screamed, my jaw hurting like hell, "DON'T YOU SEE I'M NAKED HERE?!"  I felt him let go. "I'm sorry," I heard him say softly. Afterwards, I heard whisperes, then footsteps. They got softer until I heard my bedroom door open and close. The footsteps finally faded away. Guilt started setting in. I didn't mean to bark at him like that, but I'm... scared. I'm scared it will happen again. I know he's my boyfriend, but anybody can assault someone. Because before today, I thought Jahlil was a sweet, innocent young man. I realized way too late that he was a malicious beast. This is all my fault. I started crying lightly, my eyes stinging from the hurt Jahlil gave me. Why me? Why did I have to get raped? Why couldn't it have been somebody else? What did I do to make this happen to me? Before I knew it, I cried myself to sleep.