The Threat Of Fear

Prologue

             "I'm done, I... I'm through," I sighed. "I'm sorry, I just, I can't do this anymore."

"What do you mean?" he asked in a whining tone. "You can't be done, not with all that we've put into this. All we've been through. It's your dream!"

My dream? Really? Since when?

"No, it's your dream for me," I murmured. "You've been pushing this on me since the day I met you. I'm sorry, but I can't go do something I don't have a passion for."

"No, you're not!" he shouted. "You're not sorry! If you were sorry you wouldn't be doing this to me. To us!"

Us? He never really cared about us though, I know that now. All he cared about was his stupid project and reputation.

"Please, please respect my decision." I pleaded. "I've been thinking about this for a while, trying to find the best solution that benefits both of us. I have no drive for this profession that you've been trying to force me into, so I wouldn't be able to be the best that I can be. I don't want to be stuck in a job that I don't enjoy."

"You clearly didn't think about it long enough!" he cried. "You never thought about how this would affect me, did you? How it will affect my, our, reputation."

Does reputation really matter that much to him?

"I did," I sighed, looking at the ground. "I swear I did."

I'm so tired of dealing with this overgrown, spoiled brat.

"You never actually cared about me." he huffed loudly, looking away from me. "You're just doing this so you can hurt me."

I could say the same for you. You're constantly arguing with me about what I want, never listening to me when I tell you no.

This is something that I should have done a long time ago.

"That's not true," I said. "I do care about you, I really do. I just, I need to be true to myself."

I sighed.

"Don't talk to me again until you've come back to your senses!" he screamed, getting extremely close to my face.

"Well," I whispered, wiping his spit off of my face with part of my sleeve. "Then I guess we're done, too."

I'm done with you disrespecting me and my choices.

"What?" he uttered, taking a step back. "What is that supposed to mean?!"

I'm done with you controlling me like I'm some lifeless puppet.

"I have come to my senses," I answered. "This is me coming to my senses. So I guess that we're done too since you're unable to respect me or my decision. Goodbye."

I turned around and started walking away. He started yelling at me to come back, but I refused to listen to him. Never again.

It's time to start doing things for myself and not him.

                "He took it that badly?" my best friend, Nick, murmured. "Wow, you poor thing. I'm so sorry."

"Yeah, it was to be expected though," I sighed. "And now, it's time for me to stop wallowing in my self-pity. I need to be strong for myself."

I didn't even want this relationship with him in the first place, but I don't think they need to know that just yet; or at all.

"I'll be strong for you too!" he cheered, raising his arms above his head energetically. "You don't need to carry all of the weight by yourself."

"Thank you, Nick," I giggled. "I mean it. No matter what happens, you're always there to help me."

"Of course," he winked. "Who would I be if I didn't do so? I wouldn't deserve the title of best friend if I didn't do that."

"I guess you're right," I smiled. "We should probably start heading home now, though. I don't think that the rain is going to lessen up anytime soon."

"You're right," Nick agreed. "Let's go. You can wait outside while I go get the car, Rach. So you don't get too wet."

"Got it," I nodded. "Deal."

We walked outside and I stopped under the tarp while Nick continued walking. I stood there for a few minutes by myself, before someone came up and grabbed my arm.

"p-" I started to say but didn't get to finish because I was being pulled into a dark space nearby. "Hey!"

He started pawing at my body as if he were a starved man searching for food.

"Let go of me!" I shouted again, trying to shove him off. "No! Stop it!"

One of his hands wrapped around my throat, the other shoving inside my pants.

"Not another word," he whispered, biting my earlobe harshly.

I think it's bleeding.

His hand slipped under my shirt and grasped at my chest before traveling lower to below my hips again.

"No!" I screamed, thrashing around. "Stop it!"

"What did I say about speaking?" he growled, tightening his grip on my throat and making me gag.

He unbuttoned my pants and slid them down my legs with my underwear. He unbuttoned his pants as well.

            I heard Nick call out my name.

I squeezed my eyes shut and let out a quick scream to let him know I was nearby.

Please find me quickly, Nick.

He jumped away and run off once he heard Nick call out my name.

"Rachel?" Nick called out as he got closer to where I was huddled up against the dirty wall. "Rachel? Are you alright?"

Am I alright?

I'm not sure I even know what just happened.

"Rachel, Sweets, what happened?" he asked quietly, as he kneeled and tried to comfort me.

                "Are you sure you want to do this?" Nick asked, looking at me with worried eyes.

He and the others have been worried about me since, since that night. Constantly checking up on me, making sure that I'm not left alone for that long.

They still haven't been able to catch him, either. It's been over three months since it happened. I know they'll catch him eventually, it's just nerve-wracking knowing he's out there.

I wonder how long it normally takes for them to catch rapists.

I nodded. "Yes. I don't think that I've ever been so sure of something before in my life."

"Alright," he sighed. "I'll support you, and your decision."

"Thank you," I smiled. "It means a lot."

What would I do without them?

"Of course," Nick replied softly. "What kind of person would I be if I didn't respect what you wanted?"

We both stayed silent for a few minutes.

"So," he drew out. "Do you want me to drive you somewhere to apply, or something?"

"I've, uh, I've already taken that. I passed," I murmured, rubbing the back of my head. "I'd just like to get some books from the library for some extra studying for a few things."

"Okay, let's go do that, then," Nick nodded.

"Alright," I smiled slightly. "Thank you."

"Of course," Nick grinned, picking up the keys to his car. "You're welcome."

"Alright," I responded. "Let's go."