Falling

49

TRIGGER WARNING: mention of sexual assault/rape, brief mention of extreme sexual violence

Vinny Taylor

The world slowed around me as my back hit the floor. The impact from Seth knocking the wind out of me rattled my bones. His hands found their way to my neck and squeezed, shaking me and hitting my head back against the floor. I was too shocked to fight back, but I clawed at his hands, trying anything to get them off me.

Seth looked inhuman as he stared down at me with rage. His eyes were wide and black and his teeth were clenched together in a snarl.

"Now why would you go and do that Vinny?" Seth growled as I continued pulling at his hands. "I told you what would happen if you started crying rape, didn't I? I know you don't actually believe Darren raped you."

I couldn't breathe and I struggled beneath him. Logan and Carson were pulling at Seth's back, trying to throw him off me, but his grip was too tight. Wherever they pulled him, I went with him.

I could hear yelling, but I couldn't make out any of the words.

"Because why would he?" Seth continued. "You were willing to give him whatever he wanted. You liked it."

My vision was starting to blur and I was sure I was going to pass out until, suddenly, Seth's hands left my neck and I gasped for air.

Seth backed away, holding his head. Standing next to him was one of his football teammates holding a plastic baseball bat that he had just whacked against Seth's head.

"What the fuck!" Seth exclaimed angrily, glaring up at his teammate. "Are you trying to give me a fucking concussion a week before the championship?"

"I was trying not to watch you murder Vinny Taylor on the locker room floor," the teammate shot back, holding the bat up like he was ready to hit him again.

Carson and Logan were both at my side in an instant as I laid back on the floor, trying to catch my breath. I gasped for air, my throat hurting with every breath and my eyes fluttering as I stared at the lights on the ceiling. It still felt like something was closing my throat.

"Can you stand?" Carson asked in a soft tone, his eyes glossy and wide with concern. "So we can take you to the nurse."

Before I could respond, Coach Bronson was storming into the locker room, one of the scrawny kids from our class following closely behind him. He looked down at me with a red face, then over at Logan then Seth.

"Everybody out!" he screamed. "Except for Seth and Logan. Carson, take Vinny to the nurse."

I leaned up against my elbows and watched as everyone filed out of the locker room. Seth was still hunched over on the floor, holding one hand up to his head as he glared at his teammate who threw the plastic bat down on the ground and walked out.

"Come on, Vinny," Carson urged, helping me to my feet.

I let out a cough and tried to even my breathing as Carson lightly pulled me up. He guided me out of the room and I looked back at Coach Bronson standing between Seth and Logan with an infuriated expression. His face was so red he looked like he was going to explode.

"Are you okay?" Carson asked me, still holding onto my arm as we walked through the hall, as if he was afraid I would fall over without his support.

"Not really," I croaked out, surprising even myself at the sound of my own voice. It sounded like I had spent the last five hours screaming and lost my voice.