Beyond the Iris

New Friend, Old Angers

Let’s just say week one was hell. Getting back into routine took effort, as did remembering where the old classes were. A new friend, Amanda, that I met the first day turned out to be my roommate. I liked Amanda. She was joyful and chaotic.

I barely saw Trevor or Jordan that week, which I was fine with. Trevor was fun to be around, but his knowledge of who I was (and what my eyes looked like) annoyed me. Jordan just gave me a wrong vibe. Then, Amanda started talking about a party that Saturday night.

She was sprawled on her bed, idly reading a magazine. I sat on mine, adjacent to hers, typing a report that was due in two weeks. She looked up, and noticed me typing. “Karlee. We have no homework this week. Why are you typing?” I roll my eyes at her, which were still hidden behind my sunglasses. “I’m working on an English report due in two weeks. I already got done with next week’s work and sent it to her, so she gave me this to work on.”

Amanda sighed. “You are way too smart for college. With the rate you’re going, you’ll be done with all the schoolwork a month before finals.” I roll my eyes again, losing my place. I turn the laptop to face the other girl. “’And twas the night before Christmas, on all Hallows Eve’.” I smack her shoulder. Another sigh, then,”’The greatness of the self was realized-.”

“Thank you,” I said, turning the laptop back to face me, and continued typing. Amanda got up from her bed, and walked over to my side of the room. She grabbed my shoulders, shaking me until I paid attention to her. “You are going to the party Saturday, right?” I nod, turning back to the report before I lost my place again.

She grabbed my laptop, though, and set it on the desk. “Listen to me, Karlee. You have to go to the party. It’ll boost your people skills.” I shake my head. “Pretty sure you mean develop my people skills. Which are perfectly fine, thank you very much.” She shakes me again, harder this time. But before she could say anything, a knock on the door stopped her.

Amanda walked to the door, and opened it. There stood Jordan, dressed in blue jeans and a blue baseball shirt. He looked past Amanda’s shoulder, towards me. “Can I talk to Karlee, please?” Amanda snorted. “No. Karlee never told me about you being her cute boyfriend, so no. Karlee! You have some explaining to do!” I yell back,”Not boyfriend! And no I don’t!”

Jordan chuckled. “Is it only me she’s nervous around?” Amanda shrugged, then let Jordan into our dorm room. He looked around, probably noticing Amanda’s messy half and my pristine half. Kinda backwards, if you ask me.

He sat beside me on my bed as Amanda decided to take a shower. Jordan laughed when she was gone. Then, he touched my leg, and my muscles felt like they were shocked with lightning. I tried to pull away, but his hand clasped my knee, keeping me still.

Jordan leaned closer, and I could smell his cologne: hawthorne. He whispered,”I know you like me, Karlee. Just say it. Because you’re very beautiful.” He ran his hand through my hair, and I flinched, pulling away from him. His hand was locked on my knee, seeming to have been molded there. I tried to shift, to get away, but he stopped me when his hand suddenly traveled up my leg, almost touching...

“Yes, dear Karlee. I can take you now, and no one would ever know. Not even your friend, or loyal Trevor. No one would know that you tried to fight me. Unless, of course, you blabbed. But you would quickly be silenced.” Jordan’s fingers stroked my hair, and my mind screamed.

Suddenly, I had an idea. On the plane, when I thought that I’d heard Trevor’s thoughts; maybe I could try something...

Trevor! I screamed in my mind. Help me! It’s Jordan! I felt, nor heard, any answering call in my mind or out loud. Fear coursed through me, paralyzing me. Jordan leaned even closer to me, and I leaned away, still holding out hope. Suddenly, I felt an answering call in my mind, and sensed Trevor climbing the stairs towards me.

I forced a laugh. “No one will believe me, Jordan? Or know? I highly doubt that. I have friends as well, who can silence you even more efficiently.” Darkness clouded Jordan’s features, and he growled,”Let’s see, shall we?” He pushed me to the bed, then started kissing me to muffle my screams.

Hands tore at my clothes, and I thrashed, willing Trevor to go faster, to help me get the large boy off of me. I felt my shirt come off, then his rough hands sliding down my thin body. I screamed inside, and tried to curl into a ball, to loosen Jordan’s hold. It didn’t work: Jordan was ready for me, as he grabbed my throat, cutting off all thought to just breathing.

Then, Trevor burst into the room, not even breaking a sweat, though he had had ran from across campus. He quickly assessed the situation, and grabbed Jordan’s shoulders. With one huge heave, he pulled the larger boy off of me, right before he had pulled off my underwear. I was shivering, wincing as I almost felt every punch that hit Trevor. Jordan was angry, and was hitting the boy mercilessly, bloodying his face.

With a scream, I leapt up, and tackled Jordan. Around me, I sensed something flash, and felt old angers roil up inside me. I growled, but it sounded more wolf than human. I scratched at Jordan, and heard him scream in pain and shock. I growled and lashed out again. Another scream, then I heard Jordan scramble off, and smelled the blood dripping from his body.

I turned towards Trevor, but the anger was gone. Instead, exhaustion replaced it, and I collapsed. I felt Trevor catch me before I hit the floor, but I knew no more after that.