Where the Skies are Blue

Chapter Sixty-Seven:

In my room that following morning, I wake up with a major headache, a sore throat, and some bruising on my wrists but with a smile on my face.

I feel free. I feel like I can finally move on.

Grabbing my phone off the charger I send Hunter a text.

Do you think people will believe this?

I send it then attach the video from last night. He'll see what he's done. How he treats me. What horrible things he did to me last night. It's all there. Proof.

My heart races in my chest as I anticipate his response.

Very quickly, he's calling me.

My breathing shakes. I answer the call.

"With the bruising all over, and that video, the police will surely believe me." I say with false confidence.

"You fucking recorded me?" He hisses into the phone.

"Yeah, I did. You can never hurt me again, Hunter. Your attempts to intimidate me failed. I have proof of the monster you really are, and I hope you know I'll be showing this to everyone and the police."

"No, no, Auden, wait." His voice is frantic. "Please, just hold on."

"Wow, you sound like me last night as you tried to rape me."

"Okay now, I was never going to fucking rape you, Auden. Jesus. I would never do that. You know me."

"Yeah, I do know you, and I know you would do something like that if it meant having power over me. That's what it is, isn't it? Wanting to control me and feel some sort of power. You have no power when your dad hurts you, so hurting me allows you to gain some of that power back. To feel like you're in control. I'm right, aren't I?"

"Auden, stop fucking trying to analyze me." He breathes in heavily. "Just, don't do this, okay? What do you want? I'll do anything. You'll ruin my fucking life. My reputation, everything. I'm leaving for college soon. You can't do this."

"It's kind of nice hearing you gravel."

He's quiet for a moment. It's chilling. "Who's to say I don't just break your phone and delete the video?"

"Yeah, well, good thing I made copies, and you'll never find those. I'm going to keep these copies for the rest of my life so you can't ever intimidate me ever again."

"Fuck," Hunter hisses. "Auden, don't go to the police."

"Maybe, on a few conditions."

"What conditions?" His voice is clipped.

I lean my back against the headboard of my bed, loving every minute of this. "You will never say a word to Ender again; do you understand me? No speaking to him, no talking badly about him. In fact, I want you to tell everyone how amazing he actually is and that you've been wrong this whole time."

Hunter snorts. "Are you fucking serious?"

"As the plague. And, that's not all—"

"Of course not."

"Same goes for me. I never want to hear from you again. Don't speak to me, don't look at me, don't even come near me. Stay far away from me. My name will never leave your mouth again. You've hurt me long enough, and you're never going to hurt me again. I want it to be like you don't even exist."

"Auden—"

"I'm not finished." I say sternly. "If I ever, and I mean ever, hear about you laying your hands on another girl again, I will send this video to everyone. I will post it all over social media and blast it on every platform out there. I will show the world who you really are. You are a pathetic excuse for a man, Hunter. You will always be a pathetic excuse for a man, and you will have to live with your mistakes for the rest of your life. No form of apology will ever make up for what you've done to me and for the pain you've left behind." I breathe in deeply, feeling like a weight has been lifted off my shoulders. "Hunter, I feel for you. I really do. You need some serious help, and I suggest you seek it."