Sinister

Chapter Ten

Sinister

Chapter Ten

For a moment Leighton was looking at herself. Only, she wasn't herself. This version of Leighton was slightly younger, face a little rounder, more freckles. Her blonde hair hung longer too, grazing the bottom of her ribcage.

Everything else was the same about herself. She was the same height and weight, if not a little heavier. Leighton still owned the t-shirt the younger version of herself was wearing, she had just discarded it to the back of her closet.

What she saw changed then. Leighton was no longer looking at herself, she was looking at a boy. He was sixteen, seventeen a most with a devilish smile and a mop of brown curls on his head. He was cute, boyish.

But he was crying and Leighton realised that she was to. "Leigh," he said, "I'm sorry―I didn't mean to push you into anything. You know I love you right?" Leighton didn't hear herself answer but she felt violated, afraid, lonely.

The boy, Braden, grabbed her shoulders and shook her hard enough for her teeth to slam together. "Well, don't you love me? Don't you?"

Leighton's voice belonged to a mouse. "Yes."

"Then you forgive me?" Braden pressed, eyes dark and intense. Leighton felt herself fall into a mess of emotions. She did love Braden, but had had hurt her and now the foundation of trust that she had built her love for him on was cracked.

"Braden―" Leighton hiccupped, chest swelling with pain. He shook her again, gritting his teeth together as he did. Leighton felt the pressure to forgive, the pressure to forget what he did and glide past it. But she couldn't. "You assaulted me," Leighton accused, eyes lowered in submission.

Braden recoiled, releasing her completely as he took a step back, beginning to pace in front of her. "Assault? Is that what you think I did? Assault you?"

"I told you I wanted to stop," Leighton fought, her anger dissolving into shame.

Braden rounded on her. "I love you. Does that mean nothing? Don't people who love each other forgive and move past things, together?" Leighton didn't answer, didn't raise her face. "Leighton," Braden urged, fingers digging painfully into her skin. His hands moved from her shoulders to her face. He shook her roughly, as if it would make her choice easier. It did.

"No, Braden," Leighton gasped, pushing him away. Leighton could feel how long it had been since she'd defended herself. "No, I won't."

His anger swelled, climbing to a new high. Leighton shrank back, her entire body tensing as Braden lifted his hand. Despite her anticipation for it, Leighton still cried out when he caught her across the face.

Immediately he was remorseful. Braden fell to his knees in front of Leighton, grabbing at her hands. Leighton pulled away, gasping for air as the tears interrupted her normal pattern of breathing.

"I'm sorry, Leigh," Braden blubbered, "you shouldn't have said that. You shouldn't have pushed me that way, I wouldn't have hit you if you hadn't of said that." Leighton nodded, clutching the side of her face that he had hit.

"I'm sorry," she whispered, disgusting herself.

Braden smiled, coldly, like a shark. "Good girl."

Leighton pulled out of the memory, recoiling like she had been burned. When she opened her eyes she wasn't looking at Tate, she was staring at the ceiling. Shaking, Leighton sat up, pulling on the top of the couch for support.

Tate was hovering over her in an instant. "Leighton?" his voice rose hysterically. "Leighton can you hear me? Are you alright? What did you see? I'm sorry I―"