Fighting Love

♣Chapter Six

Hard shells often grow on vulnerable creatures

TRISA'S POV

"Cliff what? Anna, are you trying to kill me?" I gaped at her. "I'm sad, not suicidal, Anna. Are you smoking dirt or did you hit your head somewhere?"

I watched Anna's face light up with laughter. "I'm not crazy, and yes you're jumping or I'll make you." She poked the tip of my nose and continued cracking up.

"That's never going to happen. You sound like my mum when she's trying to be serious." Mum was someone who found laughter in every situation. She would always be the one giggling when everyone else was being serious. If she was dying, she'd probably make a joke about meeting Jesus on judgment day. She'd ask him if he truly walked on water.

"We'll see about that," Anna smirked. "Besides, falling is more fun than you think. You'll like it."

We walked westward to the end of the building. Anna fixed herself on making me jump, even with all my protesting. All I wanted was someone to listen while I ranted. I wanted Jess, but she was also busy with a new college. I didn't want to bother her with my problems from here. When I fell silent again, with eyes still watery, Anna stopped us in the beaten path, "Jumping alone can't make you this worked up. Did something happen?"

"Did she not hear anything I said this whole time?"

"I don't want to talk about it anymore." I turned my face from her and blinked to stop the tears from falling. The thought of being almost raped ravaged my mind, and I couldn't help but feel abused. His hands were all over my body. I could still feel his touch lingering on my skin and his tongue on my neck.

"Is it that bad to make you want to cry? Trisa, share your pain with me, I'm your friend." Anna cupped my face and forced me to look at her. She stared into my eyes, still unaware of how broken I was.

"Hey, girls, what's up?" Maya jogged towards us with her pink pleated skirt dancing in the wind. She looked at Anna, then back at me with a questioning face. "Everything good, girls?"

"Yeah. N-no," I stuttered. "But I can't talk here." I looked around, finally coming to terms with the number of people around us. "When we get back to the dorms." It was what seemed to be my very first college party. I wasn't even interested in interacting with all those people. " Why didn't you tell me it was a party?" I rolled my eyes and stormed off without waiting for her silly excuse.

"Sorry, I forgot that part," She tilted her head to the side and grinned.

"I can't believe you, You just didn't want to come here alone," I said. There was a table set up against a massive willow tree. It had drinks and snacks set out on it. I grabbed a soda and crashed into a hard chest when I turned around.

"Ouch, bitch, look where you're going." A muscular guy barked after clearly walking into me.

"What the hell? You bumped into me?"

"Pretty with a smart mouth," The guy smirked, "Intriguing." Closing the little distance between us, he brushed his choppy palm against my cheek.

I found his towering figure intimidating. The feel of his hot breath against my ear disgusted me to the core. "Don't fucki..." A firm hand pulling me away stopped me from cursing.

"If you come near her again, I will fucking end you. Got it?" A familiar voice blurted. It was Troy. He held the guy in an icy stare.

Marlon snaked one hand around my waist and used the other to fix my hair. I heard him whispering things into my ears, but I couldn't make out any of the words. I felt safe, for the first time in masculine arms that didn't belong to pops. Marlon made me feel like I had a big brother, a friend who wanted me to be okay.