A work in progress

Chapter 6

"Not a good person, what do you mean?" Max's mind reeled. She didn't understand how someone, as composed as Rachel Amber, could break down so suddenly. Even in the classroom, Max only noticed her biting comments because they held just a bit too much emotion, barely enough to be noticeable but Max noticed because she knew how Rachel was.

She had seemed so relaxed but now Max was beating herself up because how couldn't she have noticed how uncomfortable Rachel truly was? 

"He-" Rachel choked back a sob. "Six months ago," The model looked away. "Me and Chloe we.. we got in a big fight. I did something stupid, I do a lot of stupid things, and Chloe found out. We got into a huge argument and she completely closed me off. It was only recently that she stopped doing that." She looked up, seemingly to check if Max was following. Max nodded and gestured for her to go on so with a shaky breath Rachel continued. "In those few months I... I started confiding in Mark, he was kind and so unlike all the pigheaded guys around here. I didn't fall in love with him, I have my standards, but he became like... a father." She sighed and hunched her shoulders, pulling her knees to her chest as if trying to protect herself. 

Max stared at this vulnerable Rachel in front of her. Rachel didn't ever show her true emotions, she wore masks, only being truly free with Chloe and Max herself. But now she questioned that, the way her voice trembled when she talked about Chloe, it made her think that Rachel was being genuine because Max was there to mediate or balance the two out. 

Max reached out and gently rested her hand on Rachel's knee. "Go on." She said softly, giving her a reassuring squeeze. Rachel flashed her smile to show she appreciated it and drew in a heavy breath.

"We... kept it professional, only meeting during school hours but... but one day he offered me something I couldn't have hoped to refuse." Rachel bit her lip. "He offered a simple photoshoot, he said he knew some people up in LA that he could get in touch with. He knew about my dreams to move out there after school and he was offering me an easy way into the industry. I thought he was so thoughtful that I couldn't say no." More tears poured from her eyes and Max was quick to wipe them away with her thumb. Rachel leaned into the touch and continued. "We met at his house and the photoshoot was done. It was professional and quick and when it was over, I thanked him and went walk away but..." Her voice hitched and Max grabbed her hands, interlocking their fingers and wiped away Rachel's tears. "But he grabbed me and..." She trembled. "He asked where I was going, saying that I couldn't leave so soon." 

Max felt something writhe in her stomach, she knew where this was going. She desperately hoped that she was wrong but the way Rachel was talking, the way her body language was, the way her eyes were so open and vulnerable. There wasn't an alternative. 

"He raped me." Rachel said bitterly, "He said if I didn't sleep with him then he would make sure that I would never get into the industry. He said that he would destroy me, everything I was would be gone. The whole would shun my name and I would cease to exist. He said it would be as if I died." Her voice shook. "I was trapped Max, I could stop it. I tried, I fought and fought but..." Her voice faltered and she looked away. "He dropped me off at the dorms and I showered. I showered for hours but I didn't feel clean, I felt so gross Max." She broke down, her voice cracking, and Max held her, tears pouring from the hipsters eyes now too. "I felt so fucking disgusting that I.. I went out and got shitfaced. Chloe found me almost dead on the side of the road. I wanted to so desperately forget what happened that I gave myself hella alcohol poisoning and it almost killed me." She leaned her head against Max's shoulder, drinking in her scent. "I.. I told her what happened and she blamed herself. She said she never should have left me and we cried together in that hospital room." Rachel sighed, "We never talked about all our other emotional baggage but we were back to normal again and that's all I cared about."