A Necessary Struggle: Fall Semester

Part 20

Alyssa didn't want to go to Pulse tonight. It, being, a college club meant anyone at Texas University could be there i.e. he could be there, her rapist. She also didn't want to stay at home. Watching a Katherine Hiegl marathon in the living room around a bowl of popcorn was all good any other night but tonight it wouldn't just be a girl's night in. 

No, they wouldn't be hanging out. They would've been hiding out, shutting out the world from poor fragile Alyssa. Well, she didn't want to be poor or fragile. Yes, she was distraught, broken, and hurting but she didn't want anyone else to know that. Alyssa didn't want to seem weak. She wanted to be perceived strong, be the bad bitch everyone thought she was and what would a bad bitch do. Not sit at home watching movies while letting some scum of the earth ruined her life. 

Yes, he was scum of the earth because only scum of the earth would have the wherewithal to rape someone. A bad bitch would be at Stallion, hence why she was there.

"Anybody else thinks this is wrong," Harmony asked sitting in the booth watching Samuel and Alyssa dance on the hay littered dance floor.

Safiya nodded her head swallowing the iced sweet tea in her mouth, "Let her have fun!" She yelled over Tanner Adell's Buckle Bunny.

Harmony scooted up in the seat, "This isn't normal behavior."

"How do you know what normal behavior is?" Lela asked leaning over the lacquered oak table. "You've never been...." She lowered her voice. "Raped before and contrary to every Lifetime movie you saw not every victim locks their self away."

"Look at her." Safiya nodded to Alyssa as she and Samuel made their way back to the table. "She's smiling.... and I'll take that over her breakdown in the hospital."

"Um," was all Harmony said folding her arms leaning back against the plush chocolate chair.

Alyssa leaned against the end of the booth, "Are ya'll just going to sit here talking? Who wants the ride the bull with me?" She nudged Lela's shoulder.

Lela shook her head, "I've been on that bull before. I'm not doing that again."

"I don't think my doctor would be okay with me riding a mechanical bull in my position." Safiya tossed a jalapeno popper in her mouth.

"Your position?" Samuel asked sitting on the piece of seat Harmony allowed him. "What's your position?" He reached for the spare rib in Harmony's plate.

Harmony slapped his hand, "She's pregnant."

"Is that why Garner had to get his hand stitched up?" Samuel shook the burn Harmony's slap struck him with.

"Lela!" A tall drink of chocolate milk called as he stalked over to their booth. "I thought you hated the Stallion."

"Hate is a strong word, Beau. I never said hate." Lela brightly smiled flipping her braids over her shoulder. " I said I'd rather be at a place that didn't look like a barn."

"Well, since you're at this barn-looking place why don't you give me that dance you owe me." Beau held out his hand and gleamed his award-winning smile from six feet off the ground.

Lela's smile grew wider, "Beau, I can't."

"Why can't you? You don't have a boyfriend." Alyssa asked leaning further over the booth.

Lela pushed Alyssa's head away from her shoulder then stared intently at Harmony who was too busy looking at her phone.

"She can dance with you, Beau." Alyssa winked at him. "Take his hand, Lela." Alyssa nudged Lela's shoulder.

Lela groaned flexing her shoulder. "Just one dance." She apprehensively placed her hand in his and he enveloped it with his warmth. She felt nothing not like when she dated him months back. Back then her stomach did backflips whenever she was in his presence. Beau's smooth touch on her delicate skin used to ignite a burning flame in her core. "I can't square dance."

"I'll show you." Beau wrapped his arm around Lela's waist and pulled her into his side.

"Uh!" Alyssa plopped down in the booth. "Somebody's getting their groove back."

"Lela and Beau?" Safiya licked mozzarella off her finger as she watched them sway to Thomas Rhett's T-Shirt. "Nah, that's not going anywhere. Just like last time."

Harmony read over the text one more time biting her bottom lip. It read, Meet me at our spot. Let's talk. —Wes.

Samuel leaned over and skimmed his eyes over the screen. "Give him a chance, Har."

"He left me." Harmony held down the home button and the text disappeared.

"He thought you stood him up. It was a misunderstanding." Samuel stood up. "Go." He nodded to the door.

"I'll meet your girls at home." Harmony scooted out both. "Wes and I need to talk." She tightly smiled at Samuel and then waved at Cairo and Trevor as they emerged out of the crowd by the mechanical bull.

"Where's Harmony going?" Cairo asked patting Alyssa on the back.

Alyssa shivered at his touch, "To meet Wes." She sucked on the straw but sweet tea wasn't doing the trick. She needed something stronger, something with a little more kick.

Cairo's shoulder's slumped, "Didn't he leave her when she needed him."

Safiya's phone chirped and she stopped sipping on her virgin margarita to read the text.

Carter

I'm sorry. I'm in the parking lot. I'll wait until you come out.

Safiya groaned. "I'll be back." She scooted from the middle of the booth and nudged Samuel out the way.

Trevor slapped Cairo in the chest, "Ro, Tell me my eyes deceive me!" In the massive clump of gyrating dancers, Trevor locked his cobalt eyes on Lela. He blew out of his nose like a bull at the Houston Rodeo as Beau's hand clung to Lela's voluptuous hips. "Beau Mitchell is not grinding on my—" Samuel, Alyssa, and Cairo looked at him. Trevor caught himself, "On Lela"

"Chill, man," Cairo instructed watching Trevor's hand tightened around the misty beer bottle. "She's just dancing."

"Yeah, Trey. She's just dancing." Alyssa smirked at him before bouncing up. "And hopefully, it'll lead to a date." She tugged her t-shirt down. Her midriff was showing and she felt uncomfortable. "And maybe she'll get a boyfriend because we all know she deserves it the most." Alyssa grabbed Samuel's hand. "Come, Sammy, I need a drink."

Trevor stared at Lela until she felt his gaze burn into her mocha skin. Lela glanced over in his direction. She recoiled away from Beau and peeled his massive hands off her waist.

"Trey!" Lela shouted cutting through the crowd.

Everyone grab a girl and hit the floor, a robust voice ordered over the loudspeaker as a new song came on. They did as they were told. Couples upon couples made their way to the dance floor blocking Lela in every direction she turned. She was stuck in the horde like a lamb lost in a stampede of bulls. She slithered and slid her way around bodies admitting a thousand Excuse me's until she made it out with coiled nerves but he....was gone.

"Where is he?" Lela asked Cairo.

"He left," Cairo answered.

"Shit!" She dropped her head in her hand.

Is Trevor justified for being upset or overreacting?