Silence - Based on a True Story

Scream

Scream

Infinity War played on the silver screen of a nearly empty theater. We sat in the very back, your arm holding me close to you. We were both excited to see the movie and talked about it since the trailers first came out. We didn't get to go out together often, because we were just high school students with no cars or jobs, but I saved up my lunch money from my mom just to be there with you. I wore my favorite red dress, black tights, and a hoodie you gave me and for the first time, you told me I looked pretty. Except once the lights began to dim, I didn't realize our fun date was going to turn into the worst evening of my life. It began with you kissing me while I tried to pull away and told you I didn't want to miss the movie and ended with you on top of me on those dirty red seats, pinning me down and covering my mouth.
I should have screamed.
I should have screamed to get the attention of the elderly people sitting in the front.
I should have screamed for someone in the projector room.
I should have screamed for someone who was outside sweeping the floors.
But I was frozen in fear. I thought this only happened in the movies. Then I started gaining weight and stopped taking care of myself and my mother asked, "Does this have something to do with him?" I should have screamed. My biggest regret is not screaming.
For the next four months of our relationship, those red flags screamed at me to leave. Every time you'd lie, a voice would scream at me. Everytime you talked about how big another girl's breasts were, a voice would scream at me. When you told me to quit drama club and get a job to save up for an apartment together, a voice would scream at me. When you yelled at me for not wanting to have sex, a voice would scream at me. When you FaceTimed me drunk and told me to show you something, a voice would scream at me. When you were supposed to dogsit for my family and brought girls to my house instead, a voice would scream at me. But I ignored it because I wanted to help you change and be better. My biggest regret is not listening to the screams.