Charlie's Hero

Chapter 6

"In high school, before I left to come train, I was dating this guy." I started my story slowly.

I couldn't make eye contact with Dean. It was too much, but I could tell he was listening very slowly and carefully.

"In the past, I've been used, hurt, abused, all by people I thought I had trusted. My best friends became the people who hurt me most. Along with guys. I've been in a few abusive relationships before, but this one was different. I was dating this guy, Brian. He was a big, popular football player and I guess I got caught up in the fact that he wanted a lame nerd like me." I breathed slowly. "We dated for about a month and he used to be really clingy, but it was a good thing. He would show me that he really liked me. He would always say sweet things and would always wanna hang out. It was the best relationship I'd been in for a while. I was the happiest I'd ever been." I said. Tears were starting to fill my eyes and I made sure Dean didn't notice.

I turned away from him. I cried to myself. Then I felt his touch. His hand went to my back as he rubbed small circles on my back and encouraged me to go on. It felt weird cause I was just in my wrestling attire which revealed my bare back, but it was also comforting.

Here comes the bad part. "He invited me to this party at his house one day. He brought me up to his room. I thought we were just gonna look around and get a little privacy to like.....make out or something, but he went too far. I kept telling him to stop, but he never would. He'd never been a jerk to me before. I didn't know what to think. He just kept coming onto me. I tried to push away and then he took a hit. That was the first time he'd ever hit me." I said. Now the tears were pouring out my eyes and rolling down my cheeks. "I got a black eye and just told everyone that I'd been my normal, clumsy self and had run into a pole or something. I avoided him for weeks. Then one day at school, he came up to me. He apologized for forcing me to do things and wanted to take me on a make up date. He picked me up and I thought we were just going to a movie or something. It was night time. He drove and parked on the side of an unbusy road by a corn field. He forced me into the back seat and climbed on top of me." I shook as I told the worst part. "H-he tried to rape me." I said. I bursted into tears. Dean wrapped a protective arm around me.

"It's okay. You don't have to say the rest. I understand." He said.

"No Dean. That wasn't the end. When I tried to fight away, he hit my arm. He kept punching and hitting me and I thought it was useless and that he was gonna get his way. Then I felt a tire air pressure thing on the ground and got him right in the gut. I quickly ran out the car and to the nearest gas station and got my sister to come pick me up." I said. "That was the end of it. I just feel so stupid and I feel like an idiot for letting a guy walk all over me like that. When I left to come train, I promised myself I wouldn't get involved with guys when I came here. I promised myself that I'd have no distractions. Damn, I should've known. Before that he was acting differently. He started cutting me down in front of his friends and family. He made a fool out of me and I let him. He made me feel worthless. He made his own version of me and I had to change myself for him. Gosh, I'm such an idiot." I said.

"You're not. That guy's a jerk. If I had a girl like you, I'd never mess it up." He said.

"What would a guy like you want with a 19 year old.....damaged girl?" I asked.

"You're not damaged." He said. "You're hurt."

"Brian wasn't the only one. My friends, even some of my family. I've been betrayed, used, and hurt my whole life. That's why I don't like to get close to people. I get too attached just to get hurt. I give my trust to people. Now it's hard for me to trust." I said.

"I just wish you'd give me a chance to show you that I'm not like that jerk. I'd treat you right." He said.

"Why waste your time on me? I can't satisfy you. I'm only 19. Wouldn't you rather an older, hotter woman?" I asked.