I TAKE HER seat at the front of the class and place my elbow on the desk, my chin resting in my hand. She pushes her bleach-blond hair behind her ear, and I don’t miss the fact that she took the time to cover up every bruise I gave her last night on my father’s boat. But I guarantee the ones under her clothes are still visible if I were to strip her naked in front of everyone.
“I first met him at a bar,” she starts. “He approached me and offered me a drink. One turned into more than I could remember.”
I watch David shift in his seat.
“He told me I was pretty. That I was what all men wanted. I believed him. But then like the man before him, he put his hands on me.”
I sit up straighter, my eyes going to David once again. He fixes his tie, his eyes on his desk.
“Told me that I was a worthless whore.”
David clears his throat. “Elli, this isn’t the assignment.”
“Why? Why is it that the woman is always the whore?” she goes on, ignoring him. “Shouldn’t he be accountable for making me wet? For turning me on.”
“Elli?” he snaps, jumping to his feet.
“He had no problem fucking me, but when he found out I’d fucked another man, I was worthless. Used-up trash.”
“For fuck’s sake, Elli.” He steps out from behind his desk and heads toward her, but I stand from her chair, causing him to stop.
“I was no longer his whore, but someone else’s.” Her eyes are on her paper, not caring that he’s trying to stop her from spilling their secrets. “I think it’s funny that because I have a pussy and he has a dick, I’m the one who should be ashamed. I’m not. He drugged me the first time he got between my legs.”
He what? I take a step toward him, and he takes two back, almost tripping over his chair. “Ellington!”
“He had recorded it,” she continues, still ignoring him. “Showed it to me when I woke up. How much my body enjoyed it. Got off on it. He promised me it’d be our little secret. But I shouldn’t have to keep my mouth shut about him being a piece of shit.”
“ELLINGTON!” His face turns red with anger. Silence follows and he lets out a long breath realizing she’s done.
Looking over at her, I watch her close the notebook and walk out of class.
ELLINGTON
I EXIT THE class and feel a hand on my arm, stopping me. I’m spun around and look up into a set of hard blue eyes. “He raped you?” he demands to know.
My lips thin and I look away from him.
Letting out a growl at my refusal to answer, he asks another question, “He’s hit you?”
Not sure why he cares all of a sudden.
“The night you called the masked me to come coddle you. I asked who hit you, and you said it didn’t matter.”
Again, I say nothing. I didn’t go into David’s class for Sin’s sympathy or jealousy. It was to cleanse my soul of anything left remaining of David. I wasn’t going to let him be the one who ended it. I was. My choice, my way.
And that’s exactly what I just did.
“Elli?” Sin snaps my name, causing kids in the hall to stare.
“How fucking dare you.” I shove his chest with my free hand.
He’s silent for a second before he lowers his voice to a deadly growl. “Be very careful how you speak to me, Elli…”
“Fuck you, Easton,” I snap his first name. “You got me kicked out of Mr. Hamilton’s class?” I point at the now closed door. “He was fucking pissed at me. And I didn’t do shit.”
He yanks my body flush with his, and I can feel how tense he is. “He has drugged you and hit you, and you’re mad at me?”
“It doesn’t matter.” I run a hand through my hair. “Congratulations. You won.” Then I rip my arm free and storm down the hall. “I’m officially no longer his whore.”
He lets me go and I make it out to my car, toss the notebook into my passenger seat and speed home.
I enter my bedroom back at the house and slam the door shut, letting the first tear fall, tossing the notebook on my nightstand. I’m not upset that I’m no longer spreading my legs for David. I’m mad at myself. How do I keep doing this? Put myself in situations that I know are wrong. First James, then David, and now Sin.
“Fuck,” I curse myself, needing a second to catch my breath.
My cell rings, and I look to see it’s Sin. Fuck that. I press ignore and then turn it off altogether. I’m not in the mood for him right now. Or anyone, for that matter. My mom is out of town once again. Said she’d be back Monday. At least, that’s what the text she sent me earlier this morning said.
I’m going to spend my evening at home. Alone. I’ll take a hot shower, grab a bottle of wine, and lie in bed eating my weight in candy.
_______________
I LOOK TO see the clock on my nightstand shows it’s almost midnight. My eyes are so heavy, and I can’t keep them open anymore. My phone is still off. I’ve ignored the world. It’s for the best.
Turning off the TV, I lie down under the covers and close my eyes, but they open the moment I hear something. It sounded like a door opening and closing. Sitting up, I throw off the covers and place my feet on the floor just as my bedroom door is shoved open.
Sin enters my room, and my breathing hitches when I see his blue eyes narrowed on mine. He’s in front of me the very next second before I can even blink. “East—”
“Shh,” he whispers, lifting his knuckles to run down my reddened cheek, making me shiver. “It’s okay if you don’t want to talk. In fact …” He grabs my arm, spinning me around so my back is to his front. He wraps an arm around me from behind while the other comes up and slaps over my mouth, his fingers pinching off my nose. “I’ll help you out with it.”
I struggle in his iron grip. My legs kick out in front of me as my fingers dig into his forearm. I thrash around, but he holds me tightly, cutting off my air while my lungs burn and my chest heaves.
My body goes slack in his hold, and my arms fall to my sides. I expect him to let go, but he doesn’t. My eyes fall closed, and the blackness pulls me under without any escape.
