36
ASPEN
Fear immobilizes you. It consumes you even when you don’t want it to. Every day I stay here, I become more afraid of what will happen next. Quinton is on a warpath, and he won’t stop until he’s destroyed me. I stay hidden in my room, too afraid that if I leave, I may run into him in the corridor. His parting words linger in my mind, and every time I close my eyes, I see him standing there, hovering over my bed, staring at the bracelet.
I wish I could explain how I got it. I know he thought I stole it, but I didn’t, and blind with rage, he couldn’t see past that.
Lying in bed, I stare at the door, waiting for something bad to happen. It’s only a matter of time. I can’t eat, sleep, or even shower. I’m looking over my shoulder even when I know there is no one else inside the room with me.
I’m freaking myself out, and I don’t know how to make it stop. More than that, my heart is aching because stupidly, I thought we were becoming something else. Not lovers, or even boyfriend and girlfriend, but maybe equals.
I know I should eat something, but I ignore my rumbling stomach. I’ve eaten very little, and hunger is finally catching up with me. Pressing my head into the pillow, I let my eyes fall closed and try not to think about Quinton rushing into the room to choke me.
The reminder of what he did sticks with me. I can still feel his fingers around my throat, still feel his boiling rage threatening to consume me.
He almost killed me. He could’ve, but for some reason, he didn’t. Probably so he could elongate my pain and fear.
The sound of a key card entering the door has my eyes opening and my body on high alert. My heart thunders in my chest, and I look for the nearest item that I can use as a weapon, but there is nothing. The door squeaks as it opens, and my heart sinks into my stomach when Matteo appears on the other side.
“Get out!” I order, my voice unrecognizable.
“Really? That’s the greeting you offer me after ditching me after the founders’ ball? I’d expect better from you.”
“How did you get in here?” I try to hide my fear and straighten my shoulders to make myself appear taller and stronger.
He smirks. “A key.”
“How did you get the key to my room?” I press, unable to hide the trembling of my lips. I know the answer. I don’t even have to ask, but I want him to speak the truth out loud. I need him to say it, so I can force myself to believe it.
“Quinton gave it to me. In fact…” He slides a hand into his pocket and pulls out his phone. My stomach knots, my eyes darting toward the door, which surprisingly has been left cracked open.
If I scream, would anyone come for me? Doubtful. I have to get out of this room and save myself. I have to find a way to leave this place for good.
Whatever monsters are out there cannot be worse than what is hidden behind the walls of Corium. Matteo types something into his phone and then turns the device toward me.
“Remember when he fucked your face?” When he hits play, vomit claws up my throat, and I look away, unable to watch the video. That day still haunts me, and to know that it’s been recorded… “Unfortunately, I have more bad news. Quinton sent me a message saying he wants me to share it with the entire school. Told me he doesn’t care who sees it.”
My heart splinters, and while I expected something to happen, I never could’ve anticipated it would be this. I was stupid to have ever thought I could trust Quinton.
All it took was for one misunderstanding to occur, and he and I were on opposing sides again. There was no equal ground between us, and I was too blind not to realize it.
“Poor, Aspen, got her tiny little heart broken,” Matteo taunts. He rushes toward me, and I dart away, but he’s bigger and faster and manages to grip me by the wrist, tugging me back toward him. My lungs heave in my chest, and my only thought is to escape. I have to get away.
“You can’t leave, not yet. I haven’t gotten what I came here for.” The hand at my wrist tightens, and his other hand comes up to my head, his fingers sink into my hair, and he yanks hard. Fire burns across my scalp, and I let out a yelp as he tosses me toward the bed.
“You owe me a blow job, bitch,” he sneers.
“I owe you shit. Let me go.” I try to shove him away, but he just tightens his grip.
Why did Quinton not show me a move out of this?
“Or what? What are you going to do?” He laughs, the sound only reminding me of that night. I squeeze my eyes shut, wishing that this wasn’t real. Why do I keep ending up in these situations? Why can’t people just leave me the hell alone?
“Let her go, Matteo.” A voice cuts through my haze of fear, and my eyes fly open, just in time to see waves of anger flash over Matteo’s face. I glance past him to the door, and to my utter amazement, I find Ren standing in the doorway of my room.
“What is wrong with you and your cousin? Since when do you care about scum like this, especially this one? You should be cheering me on, holding her down while we take turns fucking her. Did you and your family go soft—”
Ren moves as fast as lightning and grabs Matteo by the neck, pulling him off me with one hand. In the same movement, he slams his fist into Matteo’s face so hard, his head snaps to the side, and his eyes roll back, the single punch knocking him out cold. He falls to the floor like a bag of sand with a loud thud. I would feel sorry for him if he was anyone else, but since he is who he is, I feel like a tiny bit of justice has been served.