Something blossoming

Chapter 5: Painful touch

I open the back doors and I'm immediately hit with the cold late summer air. The moon illuminates the pathway leading towards the flower garden. From here you can see the fairy lights that are scattered throughout the garden. Entertwined in the bushes and large willow tree in the center, they almost look like little fireflies from here. The sight almost makes me smile. There's no noise out here apart from the little creek that runs behind the garden and the scuffing of our shoes on the stone path.
It's peaceful, or it would have been if I couldn't feel two pairs of eyes drilling holes in the back of my skull. When we enter the garden, I slow my walk, taking in the flowers in the moonlight with a soft warm hue from the fairy lights. It really was gorgeous out here.

"It is pretty" Tristan chimed in behind me, startling me slightly. I almost forgot he was here. I hummed.
"Yeah I love it here. Even when the flowers die in the winter and everything is coated in a layer of snow, it's so peaceful."  I shared. I was too busy imagining the scene to hear if Tristan responded or not. We reached the bench under the willow tree and I slumped down into it. Even though it was uncomfortable, I was drained of all energy from faking myself all night. Tristan accompanied me on the small bench. Josh wasn't too far away, always staring at me, making me squirm in my seat. He wasn't a very good body guard, always looking at me and never our surroundings, someone could creep up behind him and knock him on his ass, he'd never see it coming.

I averted my gaze from the dim-witted man, to the other man I had the misfortune of sitting next to me. He turned to me, looking me in the eyes. We stared at each other for an uncomfortable moment. I went to say something to break the awkward silence,  lips slightly parted when A crushing force caught them. It took me a second to realize that he was kissing me. I move my hands to his chest and push him to get off of me. But to my abhor he didn't move. Shit. He was still assaulting my mouth with his in a near crippling force. I was squirming harshly trying to get out of his grasp. His hands started creepy over my body, bile rising in my throat. His hand grazed my breast, and with that I smacked him hard in this cheek. He pulled away in shock. I took that moment to stand up and put distance between us.

"What the fuck?" he said, hand to his cheek still.
"Yeah, what the fuck is right. What were you doing?! You have no right to kiss me like that!" I nearly screamed back at him.
"What are you talking about?! Your eyes were basically begging me to fuck you, I mean isn't that why you took me out here?"
"Urg! You are fucking desne, just because I took you outside and sat next to you doesn't mean I want anything. I don't even like you."
"You fucking tease" He growled back, standing up and stepping towards me, in response I stepped back. "You were begging for it, I mean that short dress and the way you flirted with me all night, you couldn't be more easy."

"Fuck you pig" I yelled back and turned around to walk back to the house. Before I could get far I felt a hand around my wrist. Pain registering in my head. I whipped around coming face to face with a red faced Tristan.
"How dare you speak to me like that you whore." He spat.

I raised my hand to slap him again but this time caught it. Now both my hands were in his grasp, his grip increasing by the second. It was starting to really hurt. It's going to bruise I thought. Tears welled up in my eyes. I looked up trying to find Josh, he wasn't far, watching the whole thing go down. Wasn't he supposed to help me? Protect me? The grip on my wrists turned impossibly thighter.

"Don't look at him. God you're trying to fuck everyone. How easy of you. God you are nothing but a whore. You're lucky I even give you the time of day. And since my dad wants an in with your family you are lucky. I'll forgive you. Just this once though. You better start respecting me. I won't be so nice in the future." I nodded my head to his words, anything to get out of this situation.

He released my wrists and took one of my hands in his, leading me back to the house. He looked down at me.
"You know I really don't want to hurt your love. But you make me do these things when you act disrespectful to me."

I nodded at his sick twisted words. He's messed up. He's not right in the head. I start to feel dizzy. What if he's like lo- no. No one is that bad. I have to believe that's the worst people can get. We enter the house, I keep my head down worried someone will catch the scared look in my eyes. Tristan releases my hand and struts ahead of me. I rub my wrists before putting them behind my back. I can't ruin mom's dinner party.

We enter the dining room again, the food has been cleared and everyone is sipping on wine chatting. As we approach, all attention goes to us.
"Ah there you two are! We were scared you got lost out there" Judge Hue jokes. Making a few people chuckle with him. I keep my eyes everywhere but the people in this room. "Well that's our cue to leave. It's getting pretty late and Judy here" he puts his hand on his wife's shoulder "needs all the beauty sleep she can get." he stated. I cringed. I hate this family.
My mother once again led us all back to the front foyer. Everyone bidding farewells. Before the Hue's were about to leave Tristan turned to me.
"I had a lot of fun. How about I take you out next week?" he asked me in front of everyone.
"I don't think so , I don't like going out. I'm more of a homebody." I reply too quickly.
"Well how about a movie? I have a home theater at our place. So you won't have to go out." He says with a smile. I go to open my mouth a decline once again when my mother interjects,
"Oh she'd love that! She's always in her room watching movies." She shot me a glare to try her on the subject. I closed my mouth. The family all nodded and agreed to our date. There's no way I'm going after what happened tonight.
The Hue's bid their farewell and left. Not a minute after the doors closed I spun around to face my family and the body guards.

"I'm not going. He hurt me in the garden. He basically forced himself on me!" I exclaimed.
"Oh honey, don't be ridiculous. This is low, even for you." my mom responded.
"Look!" I said, holding up my wrists, a clear purple bruise starting to form.
"I barely see anything. For all we know you did this to yourself"
I huffed looking around. No one believed me.
"Josh was there! He saw the whole thing!" I pointed towards my bodyguard.
"I didn't see anything ma'am" He responded.
My heart sank. No one believed me. Of course. I felt dejected. A frown forming on my face.
"You're grounded, this behavior is unacceptable. I better never hear a thing about this again. I swear I'll kick you out and cut you off." She threatened. She turned on her heels and left. My dad followed after her.

I turned to my sister. She has to believe me, she's my sister for god sakes. She just shrugged her shoulders and left.
Alone. I was utterly alone on this. How could they. The evidence is here, I'm their daughter, their family. I felt sick again. I hate this. So I retreated to my room.
Shutting the door on Josh's. I sunk to the floor. On the other side of the door I heard Josh's voice, low and quite
"He was right, ya know, you were asking for it. All night"

With that I dropped my head into my knees and cried. It appears I've been doing that a lot recently. After it happened all those years ago, my many therapists back then said "time heals all wounds", but i haven't gotten any better. Maybe worse. My wounds are still wide open, dropping pain and emptiness everywhere I go.