Shards of Glass

Prologue

Summary: Tanya was raped when she was ten, by someone who she had thought to be her friend. Now, eight years later, she is entering college and is ready to move on. She meets and befriends her roommate, Nisha, and the handsome Nikhil, who is determined to earn her trust and break down her walls. But what happens when her past tries to catch up to her in the worst of ways? Will it ruin her life all over again?

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Prologue

I had just had the best birthday party ever. All of my friends had come. And why wouldn’t they? It was an important day for me – the day my age turned from a single to a double digit. That’s right – I was ten years old! Just thinking about it brought a huge smile to my face.

I was in my room now, though. The party had exhausted me. Honestly, playing musical chairs with twenty of my friends was no joke. So much of excited screaming, dancing and running! I was completely drained out.

I had just laid down on my soft mattress to rest for a bit when I heard a knock on my door.

“Come in,” I said, sitting up and staring at the closed door. Who ever bothered to knock on my door anymore?

The door opened and I saw the one person who always brought a smile to my face every time he came over.

“Ryan!” I exclaimed happily at my seventeen-year-old neighbour who would baby-sit me every now and then. Yes, I still had a ‘baby-sitter’. I would have made a fuss otherwise, but this was my closest friend on earth, so I had no complaints.

“Hey there, little kid,” Ryan said, grinning at me.

I pouted. “I’m not little anymore.”

“Oh, that’s right, you’re ten today,” Ryan laughed. “That’s why I knocked, though, ‘cause I know you’re a big girl now and you need your privacy.”

 I grinned back at him happily. He was so thoughtful.

He then walked in and shut the door behind him, locking it in the process. I felt a little confused by this. He never locked the door, so why would he lock it now? Maybe that’s what adults did. I felt elated thinking that Ryan was probably treating me as an adult now. And as soon as I saw the biggest bar of Hershey’s chocolate in his hand, all my remaining confusion flew out the window.

“Chocolate!” I squealed happily, jumping up and down on my bed and holding out my hand for it.

“Happy birthday, Tanya,” he said quietly, giving me the chocolate.

I gave him a toothy grin in thanks. He was the best friend ever! He knew that the Hershey’s bar was my favourite chocolate in the whole wide world and that’s why he had bought it for me. Was there a sweeter guy than him?

I went to open the bar immediately, but Ryan put a hand over mine to stop me. I looked up at him questioningly as he took the chocolate and kept it on my nightstand. I felt myself pouting again. I wanted my chocolate.

“Don’t be sad, Tani. I’ve got a bigger gift for you.”

That caught my attention immediately, wiping the pout off my face.

“Where is it?” I asked eagerly, looking everywhere around him for a bigger gift. When I didn’t see any, I looked back at him, puzzled.

“It’s not an object,” Ryan said, running a hand through his unruly black hair. “It’s... Have you ever been kissed, Tani?”

Now that question confused me thoroughly. I let the confusion show on my face as I shook my head and said, “No. Why?”

“Do you want to be kissed?” he asked, as he moved indiscernibly closer. “I could show you.”

“Won’t Mummy see?” I asked. Ryan wanted to kiss me? I felt a smile tug on my lips, but I hid it, not wanting him to know how eager I was for a kiss. Mummy would kill me if she knew about this!

“You’re mummy and papa are out, Tan,” he whispered, moving closer still. “So, do you want me to give you your first real kiss?”

I finally let my smile show as I nodded slowly. My first kiss! This had to be the best birthday ever. I’d be the first of my friends to have been kissed!

Ryan smiled slightly and I saw a different look take over his eyes, but I couldn’t quite understand what it meant. He leaned in and I closed my eyes, the smile still on my face.

The kiss was so soft and sweet, and it felt amazing. It was just a gentle kiss that lasted only a few seconds, but it was enough to make me feel giddy with happiness. Ryan pulled away and I felt myself blushing furiously as I opened my eyes.

“You’re so beautiful, Tanya,” he whispered. “I could give you so much more.”

“What do you mean?” I asked, the confusion taking over me again.

“Lie down, Tani, and I’ll show you.”

I hesitated. What did he want to show me that needed me to be lying down? For some reason I felt a little afraid and I just stared back at him, neither obliging to nor denying his request.

“Lie down, Tanya,” his voice took on a harsher edge when he saw my hesitation.

Not wanting to make him angry, I lay down obediently. He then placed himself over me, his hands on the bed on either side of my body to hold himself up.

“Do you promise not to tell your mummy?” he asked, as he unbuckled his belt with one hand.

“Tell Mummy what?” A true fear enveloped my heart when I saw the cold and unfriendly look that took over his face. This was not the Ryan that I knew and loved. This was not my Ryan.

“What I’m about to do,” he said.

And with that, he forced my legs apart.

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Author's Note: This is a story that's set in the Indian setting. But don't worry, it's not difficult to follow this story if you're not an Indian. As for the cast, just look up the celebrity names if you're not familiar with them (for Imran Khan, look up "Imran Khan actor" and not just his name because there is more than one Imran that will pop up in your search results).

I was extremely hesitant to put up this story because I'm hoping this can work out to something I can publish in the future. However, I'm facing a huge case of writer's block and I need YOUR motivation to help me continue writing. So please let me know how you like this story?

© SpicyPepper91