Loose Change~ Montgomery De La Cruz / Zach Dempsey/Scott Reed

Part 2 Chapter 11

TW: mentions of sexual assault, stressful situations

"Now, what the fuck do you think you're doing in here, Ophelia?"

Bryce stood tall, blocking the now locked door. He was sweaty from the baseball game. A bead of sweat dropped down his forehead onto his angry, judgmental face.

Ophelia's breath hitched in her throat. Her eyes moving constantly between Bryce, then the door, then the lock on the door.

"I-"

She couldn't form a sentence. The danger Ophelia felt earlier in the Clubhouse reappeared, and it intensified.

She thought of what Sheri said. Bad things happened here. Girls got raped here.

And here she stood, where woman got raped, alone with a rapist.

He wouldn't do anything, Ophelia kept telling herself. Not with so many people here. Not with everyone just minutes away at the field.

He wouldn't risk anything before his testimony. He wasn't that stupid, right?

Ophelia could think of so many reasons why he wouldn't hurt her. Yet, the fear wouldn't leave her body. It had planted itself in her mind, and it wouldn't be going anywhere anytime soon.

She heard the voice in the back telling her to lie. So that's what she did.

"I-I'm waiting for Zach," she told him. "H-He's on his way."

Bryce let out a chuckle. A laugh so intimidating. He took a step closer to her. "You're a terrible at lying, Ophelia. Fucking horrible at it."

She could scream. Would they hear it at the field? She could barely hear the excited cheers from the baseball field, so would her scream break through the noise? Would anyone recognize a scream or terror apart from one of school spirit?

"I'm not lying," she said, struggling to keep her voice from wavering. "He'll be here any second."

Bryce's smile was wiped from his face. He took another step forward. Ophelia walked backwards, not stopping until she hit the wall of the Clubhouse.

"He won't be coming here," Bryce snapped at her. "Because he fucking left. Because of you."

"M-Me?" She gulped as he continued forward. She didn't even know what they were arguing about on the field, how could it be her fault?

"You have some fucking nerve, Ophelia," Bryce seethed. Ophelia looked to the ground. He was only two feet away from her. One more step and he might as well have her enclosed. "This shit you do? This little 'aw, people should feel sorry for me because my boyfriend hit me' bullshit? It's getting fucking old. And it's ruining my friendships and my team."

His team? As in the baseball team? That was so important to him? How did his friends getting mad at him compare to what she went through? And what did her experiences have to do with the baseball team at all?

"I haven't done anything to you," Ophelia said. She glared at him. "Not even the shit you deserved."

He scoffed. She watched his feet still. Still two feet away.