Settling The Score

Part 25

Hi guys, sorry for not posting sooner. I'm writing a test on Monday, so updates will probably be slow this weekend. I'll try and post two chapters tomorrow, but for now, here's a little something for the shippers. ;) 

o0o

I stormed out of Mason's room, trying to keep myself together, just long enough to get back to my car and drive home. This whole night has been nothing but a shitshow.

I passed Lucy's room and stopped. I hadn't seen her once since I arrived. Maybe I should just make sure she was okay.

The door was slightly open and I peeked my head inside, only to witness Lucy sitting on top of Carlos' lap and kissing him passionately. 

My mouth fell open.

Her hands were tangled up in his hair, while he sat upright, his hands on the small of her back, pressing her very tightly against him.

Carlos moaned her name and that's when I promptly decided to get the hell out of there.

Why did I keep walking in on her making out with guys?

But despite everything that had happened tonight, I couldn't help to feel nothing but happiness for them.
It didn't do much to ease the unbearable pressure in my chest, though.

Without giving the people around me another look, I ran to my car and closed the door.

And I allowed myself to fall apart completely.

I started the engine and with my eyes still red, my sniffs hitching out, I put the loudest, most energetic rock song on that I could find.

All the way home, I sang along at the top of my lungs, screeching and thrashing, letting my anger and frustration consume me.

Why did I have to go to that party? I would've been perfectly content with remaining in my fortress of solitude, eating cookies and watching Netflix on my laptop.

But instead, I now had a hole carved inside of me again, one that I so desperately tried to fill up these past few years. That now felt even vaster, almost bottomless.

I could still feel his slimy touch all over me. And the terror, the absolute mind-consuming terror of knowing that there was absolutely nothing I could do as his filthy hands roamed my body eagerly.

My body.

I was sick of it. Sick of them treating girls like possessions. Like we were theirs for the taking. The thought of them doing it non-consensually, that was more than I could bear.

How many girls had gone through something similar? It sent a cold rage hurling through me.

I went op to my room, ripping off my clothes and throwing them in the trash, along with Mason's stupid jacket that I was still wearing.

I took a long, scorching shower, scrubbing my skin until it was red, trying to scrub the memories away.

Afterwards, I pulled on my most concealing pajamas and felt a little bit like myself again, like I was able to breathe, at least.
I climbed back into bed and sat against the headrest, staring at nothing in particular.

There was a small knock on my door, and I turned my head in its direction.

It was Lucy. 

She came over to my bed without a word and climbed in next to me. She hugged me tightly as I started to cry again, the shock not completely faded.

When I felt a bit better, I looked up at her with the silent question on my face. 

"Mason told me what happened. He sent me over to check if you were okay. He didn't stop nagging me until I left everything and came here."