𝐂𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐲 𝐋𝐢𝐩𝐬 ✓

60

It turns out that Sky drove here, so after our quick lunch, she took me back home and we exchanged numbers. I really need to get out more often if there's the possibility of meeting more people like her. Dropping my bag on the ground as I step into the apartment, I immediately strip my clothes off and step into the shower. After I'm clean, I wrap a towel around myself and pick up the clothes I threw around the room, and go to pick up my bag.

I decide to clean the apartment while listening to upbeat Christmas music after putting on one of Chase's many t-shirts that I now have in my possession. He even has a few drawers of his own and part of the closet now, considering he stays here with me every single night. It honestly feels like we've moved in together already, and it feels like too big of a step to take so early, but I'm not quite sure I can handle him going back to his house just yet.

Faye has been extremely understanding and considerate, not that I had any doubts, and she absolutely adores Chase and the other boys. She and Reece have become extremely close. You can tell that Reece has unrequited feelings for her, but she doesn't know, and it's not my place to tell her.

After I'm satisfied with the clean apartment, I order a pizza to eat while watching a movie. The pizza guy tries to flirt with me and I roll my eyes at the, my guess is, sixteen year old and pay him before closing the door.

My eyes snap open to see the main screen on the movie and realize that I must have fallen asleep halfway through. I put away the rest of the pizza to eat tomorrow and get ready for bed. After drawing out the short process for as long as I possibly can, I sigh and climb under the covers. The scent of Chase lingers on our pillows and I snuggle into them, closing my eyes and letting sleep take me.

TRIGGER WARNING

The rest of this chapter depicts scenes of sexual assault.

Please skip if this makes you upset or uncomfortable.

Michael is hovering over me, pressing his body to mine as he kisses down my neck. I'm frozen. I try to kick my legs and flail my arms but nothing is working. It feels like some ominous force is keeping me glued to the ground. I scream but no sound comes out.

"Don't worry, you'll love this." I hear him say and I cry, hoping that he'll stop out of mercy. I hear the buckle of his pants being undone and his hands move to my dress, ripping it open. I'm relieved when I see the door fly open and Chase standing there. But he doesn't move either. He has an angry look on his face that doesn't waver as he looks at me.

I try to call out to him but it's no use, I'm stuck.

Chase just shakes his head and walks away, leaving me. Michael tries to take what he wants and I can't do a thing but silently scream.

I sit up straight in bed, stopping myself from screaming so that I don't wake up my neighbors. My chest is heaving and I feel like it's full of rocks. I'm hyperventilating and my vision starts to get spotty. I have tears running down my face and all I want to do is call Chase, but no doubt he'll be sleeping for his big game tomorrow.

I pat the nightstand to feel for my phone in a rush, not able to see anything through the blur of my tears. Wiping them away, still hyperventilating and holding my knees to my chest, I back up to sit in the corner and I hug the pillow that Chase uses when he sleeps. I squint to read names on my contact list and the first one that I am able to see is Elijah's. I don't hesitate before pressing the button to call him, not knowing what else to do.

"Hello?" He picks up, sounding groggy. He must hear my breathing and sobbing through the phone because he speaks again. "A, what is it? Are you okay?" He sounds panicked.

I breathe, trying to speak so that I can answer Elijah. "E, I need you." Is all I'm able to say before the dark spots cloud my vision and I pass out.

I wake up to hear pounding on the door and a familiar voice behind it and am immediately taken back to my dream. The door creaks open before Elijah runs to my room and picks me up in his arms. I'm once again panicking as he brushes his hand over my back and soothes me. I wrap my arms and legs around him, desperately needing someone to hold on to.

"A, I'm here" I hear his voice comforting me, and I calm myself down enough to turn to see him looking at me as if he's seen a ghost.

"Are you hurt?" He asks concernedly, looking all over my body for signs of harm but he doesn't find any, because the trauma is mental. I shake my head. We climb into my bed like we used to do when I would have a bad dream. Our parents were never suitable options. Neither of us says anything besides Elijah telling me: "I'm here" and "you're not alone" just like Chase does.

When I'm able to breathe normally and stop shaking, I let go of my death grip on my brother and face the ceiling. As much as I'm still mad at Tatiana, I really wish she was also here right now. I take a deep breath. "I was at a party. And a guy named Michael, the bartender, drugged my drink. He took me upstairs to the bathroom and almost...raped me. But Chase found me. I was in the hospital, Faye was there too but she was okay. I have these dreams about it when I'm alone, usually just memories but tonight, it was different. Worse." I close my eyes, not sure that I want to see his expression.

Elijah is quiet, and when I turn to him, he just looks beyond angry. "Where is Faye? And Chase?" He asks, closing his eyes and hugging me tighter.

"Tournament, five hours away," I mumble.

"I'm going to stay here as long as you want okay?" He promises and I nod thankfully.

"Thank you for being here. I'm so dependent on Chase and I didn't realize it until he was gone. I want to be able to sleep alone but I just... can't yet." I say sadly, wishing that none of this ever happened.

"And you won't have to until you know you're ready. Do you think maybe talking to someone about it will help?" Elijah asks.

I nod. "It's worth a try, I can't keep doing this to everyone I care about."

"Stop. You're not doing anything to me, let me be here for you because I love you. I know that you'd do the same." Elijah says, playing with my hair like he always did when we were kids.

"Cold pizza?" I ask with a half-hearted laugh. He shakes his head and laughs at my attempt to lighten the mood. We snuggle in close together and end up falling asleep soundly.