Trapped (egobang trans)

Chapter 73 - A Promise to Protect

< Arin's POV >

Jon grabbed both of Arin's wrists, forcing them back to either side of her head on the wall so she couldn't push him away. He wasted no time in pressing himself up against her, pinning her firmly up on the wall. Inches from her face Arin stared into Jon's lidded eyes, scanning her and deciding where to start. His sick mind chose Arin's lips, preventing any verbal protests as well. She whimpered into his mouth, tears building quickly in the corners of her eyes. Through the salty blurs she couldn't tell if she was in Jon's room or back in the school halls with him all those months ago.

Arin gasped as her eyes sprung open. They darted around in a panic, taking in where she was while her heart pounded from the nightmare. She was alone in her bed. Danny must have left... Tears came to Arin's eyes and she curled into a ball beneath her covers.

"Arin? You awake?" came a soft voice from outside her bedroom.

She only curled up more, covering her face with her hands as she tried not to let out a sob. She heard the door open but she didn't move. Someone perched themselves on the edge of the bed, and then a gentle hand rested on her back. The touch sent a shock of horrible memories through Arin, and with another choked gasp she shot up, shying away from whoever it was. Her wild, scared eyes stared back at Danny, who looked just as shocked by the reaction.

"S-Sorry..."

"No, it's fine. I didn't mean to startle you," Danny assured her with a smile. "You ready to get up? There's breakfast downstairs."

Arin gripped the duvet tighter, looking down at her bandaged arms and feeling more tears sting her eyes.

Why did I do it again? I promised I wouldn't, why didn't I remember how much I regretted it last time?!

"I'm not ready," she muttered pitifully.

"For what?"

"To... face it. I just want to pretend it didn't happen."

"Ar, you can't avoid it. The evidence is on your arms." Danny eyed the bandages sadly.

Arin bit her lip.

"No, not that. I dealt with that last time, I can do it again."

"Oh. Then, what can't you face?"

"...Jon."

Danny seemed to physically stiffen. Arin knew that he was angry - who wouldn't be, after what Jon had done to her in the first place? But he didn't need to be. This was her fault, she trusted him again.

"Arin- and I know you don't want to tell me -what did he do to you?" Danny demanded lowly, his dark eyes serious.

Like a knife had just been thrust into it, Arin felt her heart stop.

No, I can't relive that. Not again. I just want to forget, no no no no no-

"Arin."

Danny's eyes bore into hers, willing her to focus. She forced herself to take a deep breath; she had to tell him. She didn't know if she could bear to tell her parents, but Danny... Danny was the one person she could tell anything. In a sea of silent suffering, Danny was the truth serum she needed. His gentle but determined eyes, they brought the truth to the tip of her tongue and easily slipping out. She needed to tell him.

"I met him on the street yesterday, and he invited me round his house. I said yes because, well, he felt different. He was gentler, calmer, kinder. At least, I thought he was. I gave him a chance."

She paused, surprised by the lack of quiver in her voice, but willed herself to keep going. "There was no one home. He took us up to his room, it was pretty nice, and th-then..."

Not now, stutter.

"Then?" Danny urged.

"...he locked the door."

She heard Danny hold his breath. "He locked us in, and he forced me against the wall and started kissing me. All over. My face, my neck, he even started going lower before I started crying. Then he pinned me to his bed. He was on top of me, and he pulled up my shirt. Then he pulled down my skirt, and-"

"What the fuck?! Arin, please tell me he didn't do what I think he did," Danny interrupted, furious.

Arin reached out and grabbed his hands in hers, forcing him to look at her again.

"He didn't. I-I thought he would, but he didn't, thank god he didn't... His parents came home, and I took the chance to run. I, uh, I punched him in the face." She smirked a little.

Danny looked at her in shock, his fury filled eyes glistening with tears as he processed the story. Actually, it wasn't a story. It had really happened. And when that fact finally caught up with Danny, he broke.

"Oh my god, Arin, I-I can't b-believe he did that to you! I'm so sorry!" he sobbed, looking over Arin in a new light.

Arin pulled him into a tight hug, wincing from the pain still lingering in her arms, but that didn't matter. In a way, hearing Danny react like this took the edge off her own trauma. Like she'd passed on some of the load. It was cruel to burden Danny with the information, but he was strong and Arin knew he'd recover, even if she didn't.

She drew away from the hug a little, though she still held him close to her. Looking up she saw the tear tracks and wiped them away with her thumb. She smiled sadly as she felt the peach fuzz on his chin, and captured him in a kiss, tasting the salty tears on his soft lips.

"Thanks for being here, Danny. I couldn't do this without you," she whispered when they broke apart again.

Danny gave a slightly wavering smile as he returned the favour and wiped away some of her tears that had started to run.

"I won't let anything like that happen to you again."

"R-Really?" Arin flinched under the sincerity in his voice.

"I promise. And I know I said it was okay to break promises sometimes, but this is one that I won't break."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Arin didn't go to school for a few days after that, understandably. She needed some time to recuperate - she couldn't just dive back into it like nothing had happened, as much as she wanted to. It had happened, and she had to accept that.

It got to a point, however, where Arin knew that staying at home would do no more good, so she forced herself outside again. The first time since seeing Jon. It was hard, but luckily Danny was there to walk with her. Her safety-boyfriend, as she liked to think of him. And she had a note for her teachers, explaining briefly why she'd been absent and excusing her from PE, which would obviously involve taking off her long sleeved sweaters and showing off her shameful cuts to her classmates. Not to mention the ones on her ankles, which could be damaged by physical activity if not careful.

When she arrived on that first day back, Meouch clearly expressed his jealousy of her note and asked if she could give him one to skip PE too. If nothing else that was a nice ice breaker and allowed Arin to easily slip back into their usual friendship, free of awkward questions and silences.

A/N: a bit on the shorter side again, sorry!