in the night | the weeknd

seven

Jasmine

I wish I could tell Abel everything, but I can't.

It's not his problem - it's mine and I can fix it on my own. I've been by myself for the past seven years. I can survive.

Dre's grip on my arm tightens, as he drags me out of the club. This is what I was afraid of. Why did I talk to Lamar and Abel, knowing that Dre was around? "Get in!" he demands now.

I do as I'm told and get in the car, silent. My heart starts thudding against my chest and I feel my body start to shake. I dig my nails into the palms of my hand, trying to stop myself from shaking.

The drive home is silent. I can feel the anger radiating off Dre. He ignores the red lights, speeding home. "You ain't working at that club again, Laura, understand?" he snaps, keeping his eyes focused on the road.

"W-what?" I stutter. "Where are we meant to get money from?" Everything I've earned - and it's a lot - Dre has used to pay off whatever debts he's in. I know I should say something, but I can't. He did take me in after all. He gave me a place to live - I could've been lying dead on the road if he hadn't. I owe him.

"I have a plan," Dre mutters now, not looking at me.

"What . . . what's the plan?" I ask, scared to even ask the question. Dre's plans aren't exactly the brightest.

"None of your business, bitch!" Dre screams, causing me to jump. "Who were those guys you were talking to, huh?"

"They were just guys I met at the club," I lie.

"Liar!" Dre snarls. "Which one was Abel? The one you fucked?"

"I didn't fuck him!" I shout.

"Don't you dare raise your fucking voice at me, Laura!" Dre yells. He pulls up in front of our house and gets out. I'm too scared to even get out right now, but somehow my feet manage to move. I push open the door and am dragged by the hair inside the house by Dre. I yelp out in pain when he shoves me, causing me to hit my head on the stairs. "Go upstairs and fix yourself up," Dre instructs. "I'll be up in a minute." He walks away.

I get up and go upstairs slowly, clinging on to the hand railing, so that I don't fall down the stairs. When I get into the bedroom, I inspect my head to find that there's a bruise forming. I smooth down my hair and run my fingers through it to get rid of an knots.

The door opens and in comes Dre, smoking a blunt. He hands me one and I take it with shaking hands. I start smoking it and feel my body relaxing a little. "Dre," I say slowly.

He looks at me with red eyes. "What?" he asks.

"Where are we meant to get money from?" I want to know. "If I'm not going to be working at the club?"

Dre sighs. He stays silent for a long time before answering me. "You're going to earn it for me," he says darkly. A smirk spreads across his lips, causing me to feel sick.

"What do you mean?"

"You're going to sleep with people for money," Dre says simply. The way he says it, it's like it's nothing, but it's a big deal. What he's asking me to do, it's disgusting.

"You want me to be a prostitute?" I say quietly, heart thumping. A sick feeling rushes over me as I function what he wants me to do. "I don't want to do that, Dre. Just let me continue working at the club. Please."

Dre shakes his head. "I've made up my mind!" he snaps. "You owe me this, Laura! You'd be dead if it wasn't for me. You're going to fucking do this for me! Do you fucking understand?"

I shake my head and the tears start streaming down my face. "I'm not going to do it," I say.

Dre's eyes flash with anger. "The fuck did you just say?" he yells in my face.

"I said I'm not going to do it," I say shakily. I feel myself being thrown onto the bed and Dre climbs on top of me. "Get off me!" I try to push him away from me, but he's too strong to fight off. I start panicking when I feel my dress being pulled up and my underwear being ripped away.

"Let's go for a trial run," Dre says into my ear, laughing bitterly to himself.

I try to get away, but there's no use. I can't fight him away, just like the last time. I close my legs, but Dre grips my thighs, digging his nails in and opens them. He starts unbuckling his belt and pulls down his jeans. 

A cold shiver runs down my body and I start crying, a distant memory coming to mind. This can't happen. I have to fight him off somehow, but he's too strong for me. How do I do it?

"Wait," I whisper, looking into Dre's eyes. He stops and looks at me with piercing eyes, waiting for me to say something. Instead of saying anything, I run my hand down his body, staring at him, until I reach his length. I take it in my hand and start stroking it and Dre starts smirking.

"I knew you'd give in," he says and I want to spit on his face. He grunts when my strokes get faster, and then he flips us over, so that I'm on top. I move down and swirl my tongue around, looking up to find that he's watching me. Close your eyes, I think to myself. Knowing that I'm going to have to carry on, I take him in mouth and start sucking. I look up again and find that his eyes are closed and then I run as fast as I can.

"Laura!" he screams. "Get the fuck back here!" 

When I get downstairs, I open the front door, but find that it doesn't open. Fuck! The bastard locked it. 

I hear him laughing from behind me. It's a cold, bitter sound. "Where are you going to run to now, Laura?" he asks from the staircase.

Feeling the panic take over, I run into the kitchen, hoping that the back door isn't locked too. It is. Dre walks slowly into the kitchen, smirking. 

I grab the knife and hold it up. "Don't come any closer," I say.

"I'd think twice before doing anything, Laura," Dre snarls, coming closer.

Before I know it, I'm plunging the knife into his stomach.