Facade - Jacob Elordi

seventeen

"She's bound to come to any moment now."

"What are we going to tell her?"

"The truth."

"No, she's already overwhelmed as it is."

"She needs to go home. This shouldn't have happened."

"There's no way she's leaving now. We can't let her."
—
The first thing that brought me back to consciousness was the soft sheets my body had been laid upon. Warm cotton pajamas covered my tired legs and arms, one pant leg higher than the other. I must have slept really hard. I was dreaming of back home, Brandon and Lana treating me to dinner after a long day. We laughed at our customers and their ridiculous requests over a few drinks. The time was simple, but fulfilling. My stomach growled at the thought of a warm plate of food in front of me.

My eyes fluttered open to reveal Jacob and Barry at the end of my bed in the penthouse. Their backs were to me and they were mumbling about something I couldn't quite make out. A ping of pain shot through my foot as I tried to sit up, my memories from last night flooding back to drown me.

"Get the fuck out!" I screamed, causing their head to whip around in shock that I had awoken.

Jacob's bruised hand extended to reach for my calf to calm me, and despite my pain, I retracted my legs back to me. My bandaged feet on fire from the sudden movement.

"Charlotte, it's okay," He tried to reassure me as Barry stood and watched my breathing become more intense. "I'm not going to hurt you."

"You're very well capable from the sounds of it last night," I spat back. I can't even run out of this building to free myself.

"I promise we would never lay a hand on you," Barry spoke up from the side of my bed.

"I need to leave," I said with tears welling in my eyes. "I can't trust any of you."

"I know you can't and that's okay. We failed you last night," Jacob looked absolutely horrified at the fact that he couldn't get to me last night. Little does he know, he played a key part in my fear. I didn't want his help.

I sat in silence. His statement not needing a response from me.

"What happened in that room, Charlotte?" Barry asked me sternly to relive the most horrifying moment I've had in a long time— maybe ever.

I touched around my mouth, the skin feeling delicate and tender. The man's grip around my jaw was just a small testament to what they can actually do. A tear slipped down my cheek as I gathered my thoughts to state it all clearly.

"Frank was trying to show me around the mansion... then we heard you guys down the business hall. I wanted nothing to do with it, but he told me to wait in his office while he went to stop you—" I stopped to let out an uncontrollable sob.

"So that's why Frank was there," Barry interjected, too lost in thought to care that I was a mess on the bed. Jacob kept his eyes on me, burning into my soul.

"Keep going. It's alright," The calm CEO encouraged.

"I went into the office and locked it. He said he was the only one with the key and I didn't really have another option. Someone was in there—" I paused to hug my body for comfort. I didn't want either of them touching me. "They covered my mouth once I screamed. You started punching the window on the door and yelling. I was so overwhelmed. The fear inside of me was immeasurable. My fight or flight kicked in and I hit him with my heel and ran out, stepping in the glass I dropped. You weren't a safe option either, so I just ran once I saw you all out in the hall."