17
1460 Words
Celeste
I checked the time on my phone.
8:07 PM.
I was running late.
Eric had basically forced me into coming to his girlfriend’s birthday party. He left me no other choice but to go after guilt trapping me.
I looked at myself in the mirror.
I was dressed in my best pair of jeans the ones that fit well, and a simple black shirt that hugged my body a little tighter than I usually wore.
It wasn’t fancy, but it was nice.
I took a deep breath.
Ever since Lisa had moved out a week ago to stay with her boyfriend, the mansion felt even bigger and emptier without her.
More depressing.
My plan was simple: sneak downstairs, get out the front door, and call a rideshare .
I was old enough to go out on my own, I don’t know why I was even hiding.
Jared
Ugh!
I hate my concience
I crept down the grand staircase my footsteps silent on the carpet
Almost there the front door was in sight.
Then I heard it.
Genevieve’s laugh coming from the main living room.
And then Jared’s low voice a rumble in response.
My heart sank.
They were both in there of course they were, it’s their house after all.
I tried to speed up to tip-toe past the doorway.
“Celeste? Is that you?”
Genevieve’s voice called out sweet and sharp urging me to freeze mid-step, right in front of the them
I slowly turned my head and they were both on the large sofa with Genevieve curled up at one end and Jared was in a armchair nearby a glass of something dark in his hand.
He looked up the second Genevieve said my name his eyes scanned me, from my face down to my jeans and tight shirt and his expression instantly darkened.
“Where are you off to, all dressed up?” Genevieve asked a fake curious smile on her face. “Got a hot date?”
“It’s a friend’s party,” I said keeping my voice neutral. “I’m just heading out.”
I took another step toward the door.
“It’s late,” Jared’s voice cut through the room not loud but it was firm. “You’re not going anywhere.” He commanded.
I stopped and turned to face him fully. “It’s 8 o’clock Jared…. I’m an adult. I’m going to a party.”
“Jared darling don’t be such a fun-spoiler,” Genevieve chimed in sipping from her wine glass sounding amused. “Look at her. She’s clearly made an effort. Let the poor girl go out and get laid god knows she needs to unwind.”
Her words were like a slap.
Vulgar and mean delivered with a pretty smile.
My face flamed and Jared’s knuckles turned white where he gripped his glass.
I saw his jaw work. He was furious but I didn’t know if it was at me or at her for saying it.
I couldn’t stay here for another second of this humiliation.
“I’m leaving,” I said my voice trembling with annoyance as I turned on my sneakers, yanked the heavy front door open and walked out into the night slamming it shut behind me.
The cool air felt good on my hot face.
Get laid? Who did she think she was?
And Jared acting like my father.
I called a car and fumed the whole way to the address Eric had texted me.
The party was in a nice apartment packed with people.
The music was loud.
Eric found me immediately and shoved a red plastic cup into my hand. “You made it! I was starting to think you wouldn’t come.”
I rolled my eyes “Well here I am”
He laughed, “Welll come one… drink! Loses up! And have some fun” handing me a cup
I was already wound so tight from the encounter at home.
I took a big gulp.
It was some sweet strong punch.
I lost track of Eric.
I just stood by a wall drinking the punch watching people dance.
This punch was defiantly spiked… The room started to feel fuzzy at the edges
“Hey. We have to stop meeting like this.” A familiar voice says as he bumped into me.
“Do I know you?” I asked my words a little slurred.
“The Velvet Room? A few weeks ago? You were with that intense older guy who dragged you out?” he said, laughing. “I’m Marcus. You left quite an impression.”
Oh.
Right.
The guy from the club.
“Right. Hi,” I said taking another drink from my cup.
It was empty.
“Let me get you another,” he said smoothly taking the cup from my hand. He was back in a minute with a fresh one. “So you escaped your keeper tonight?”
“Something like that,” I mumbled drinking again.
We talked or should I say he talked.
I nodded.
He was funny…He kept refilling my cup as we chit chatted
At some point his hand was on my lower back, guiding me through the crowd.
“It’s so loud in here,” he said his mouth close to my ear. His breath was warm. “I know where it’s quieter…Come on let’s go somewhere private”
The room was spinning as I nodded in agreement, I could barely keep balance and he help taking my hand and led me away from the main party down a hallway.
He opened a door and we slipped into a bedroom.
“Just sit for a minute,” he said his voice soft. “Get your bearings.”
I sat down on the edge of the bed as the room tilted.
He sat down next to me very close.
“You’re so beautiful you know that?” he whispered as his hand came up and brushed my hair off my face then his fingers traced my jaw.
It felt wrong.
Suddenly the warmth from the alcohol turned cold as I tried to stand up. “I… I should go find my friend.”
“Shhh,” he said his grip on my arm tightening gently pushing me back gently but firmly, onto the bed. “Just relax. We’re just talking… let’s have some fun what do you say?”
He was leaning over me now.
His body was heavy.
His mouth was near my neck as I tried to push him away but my arms felt like wet noodles. “Stop… please…”
“Come on don’t be like that,” he murmured his hands starting to wander. “Let’s have fun, I promise to make you feel good”
Panic shot through the fog in my brain but I still felt too dizzy to fight, “No! Please get off of me” I managed to say, struggling weakly.
He leans in claiming my lips as his hands gripped my left breast squeezing my breast.
“Ugh” I groaned in pain
The door to the bedroom burst open with a crash that made the whole room shake and a huge, dark figure stood in the doorway.
My stare move to the familiar figure.
Jared.
His face was pure terrifying fury.
His eyes found me on the bed with Marcus on top of me.
Before I could register what was happening Jared crossed the room in two strides grabbing Marcus by the back of his shirt and hauled him off of me like he was picking up a rag doll.
Marcus yelled, “Hey! What the—”
Jared’s fist connected with his face.
There was a sickening crunch.
Marcus stumbled back blood spurting from his nose, Jared hit him again and again.
My eyes where beginning to give out as Jared turned to me his chest was heaving.
He didn’t say a word and just leaned down, slid one arm under my knees and the other behind my back, and lifted me off the bed like I weighed nothing.
“I… jare—“ my eyes felt too heavy.
Fuck!
How much did I drink?
I buried my face in his shoulder.
He carried me out of the bedroom past the crumpled form of Marcus on the floor, down the hallway.
Partygoers stared their mouths open parting to let him through not acknowledging anyone as he carried me right out of the apartment.
His car was idling at the curb a driver holding the door open. Jared slid into the back seat still holding me in his arms and pulled the door shut.
“Home,” he growled.
And it was the last thing I heard before everything went dark.
- Writer
