-Cuffed-

Chapter Two

-Chapter Two-

"Where've you been?" Melody's mother demanded when her middle daughter came into the house.

"I lost track of time after leaving the library." Melody lied, her subconscious focusing on the violet orbs of her protector.

"Who's car was that? The one that dropped you off?" Her father let his wire glasses slip down his nose and folded his news paper in his lap.

"A friend of mine was driving by and offered to take me home."

"She's lying!" Her older brother, Brody called as he walked into the large living room. "Everybody knows Melody doesn't have friends." He snickered and Melody stuck her tongue out at him.

"Be nice to your sister, Brody." Their mother chided. "Now off to bed, both of you! Before you wake Molly." The two siblings were used to being ordered around like children by their parents so they trudged up the stairs like such.

"What really happened with you, Mel?" Brody whispered as they reached the top of the stairs and headed off for their adjacent bedrooms down the hall.

"I'll tell you in the cupboard." She whispered, referring to the secret hallway between their rooms.He nodded and entered his room as she entered her own.

Melody stripped down and put her pajamas on, grabbing her flashlight and opening the small door covered by a silver curtain and entered to find her older brother sitting on the floor. He was sitting there shirtless in plaid pants, munching on a twizzler.

"Spill." He ordered, intrigued by what his sister might say.

"Well I was walking home and these men came out and tried to abuse me." Brody's face went rigid with anger but he let her continue. "Then one of them stepped up and beat up his friend, then he put me in his car and he drove me home."

"Was he cute?" Brody asked, giving his sister a slight shove.

"Kinda." She giggled.

"Details woman!" He practically shouted.

"Shh!" Melody giggled. "Well he had brown, curly hair... and the most gorgeous pair of violet eyes I've ever seen!"

"Violet? He's definitely a keeper!" Brody took a swig of soda then held it out to his sister. "What's his name? Did you get his number?"

"His name is Drake and no, I told him if we were meant to be then we'd see each other again someday."

"Bitch!"

"What? Was that not right?" Melody asked with a grimace.

"No! You may never see that boy again! You have to learn that being cool isn't all that! Think girl!" He knocked her over the head playfully. "So when are you going to tell ma and pa that you've decided to go on a hike instead of going to college next year?"

"First of all, not a hike. It's scaling Mount Everest. Second of all, when are YOU going to tell them YOUR little secret?" Melody retorted hastily.

"First of all, MY secret is different than yours. Second of all, bitch please! It's a damn hike and you know it!" Melody rolled her eyes at her baby of an elder brother.

"Whatever floats your goat, admiral dumb-ass... I'm going to bed." They both laughed as quietly as possible as they returned to their rooms.

"I love you, Brody." Melody whispered before she left.

"Love you too, Melly-Belly." He replied with a smile.

Melody crawled in bed and pulled the silvery covers over her body, willing sleep to overcome her.

As she closed her eyes she tried to picture Drake's face but all she saw was darkness. Then came a light, flickering like a candle. She recognized it as a street lamp, like the ones that line the alley where she... No. Jacob's face was pressed closely to hers, she could practically smell the tainted whiskey on his breath. She squirmed under his hold as he stripped her clean to have his way with her. She tried to open her eyes, to escape the nightmare. But it was too late. She was already asleep, and she couldn't wake up.