He never said he wasn’t Damon Torrance. I had sex with him, knowing I didn’t know who he was. Not his name, his family, his school…
No one was going to believe me.
There were probably other girls he’d hurt, and they may want to back me up, but his family was too wealthy and he was popular. They might hate him, but they were also afraid not to love him in public.
And the guys. They idolized him. He’d scored with a sixteen-year-old girl, and hey, it was just a technicality. I was legal in thirty-three states. Just not ours, right?
Oh, Christ. How was I so stupid?
“Did he make you do anything you didn’t want to do?” my mother asked, clarifying her question.
But I just dropped my head, shaking it, because I didn’t know how to answer. No, he didn’t make me do something I didn’t want to do, but he made me do something I would never have done with Damon Torrance.
She wrapped her arms around my neck, bringing my head into her chest. “It’s okay. Shhh. I’m going to fix it,” she told me. “We’re going to fix it.”
She rubbed my back and held me for a long time, calming me down and letting me hide a little. I was kind of glad my dad took my phone, though. Listening to that shit was screwing its way into my head, and I wanted everyone to understand, but I knew it would be pointless. The world loved to hate, and for now, my bubble was the safest place.
She laid me down and pulled my blanket over me, my clothes still on, but I was too drained to change.
“I left a glass of water on the bed stand,” she said, “and there’s a Xanax next to it if you feel like you need it.”
I nodded, knowing I wouldn’t. My eyes were heavy, and I’d be asleep soon enough, waking up tomorrow to face the nightmare all over again.
“Mom?” I called, hearing the music drift up from downstairs as I sat up in bed.
It was so clear.
My door was open. I thought she closed it.
Reaching over, I hit the button on the clock, hearing it read, “Twelve-fourteen a.m.”
I patted around for my phone, remembering my father took it, but felt the water my mom left and gulped down a hefty drink.
The night was still so clear, like I hadn’t been asleep at all, but I was still too tired to muster more tears just yet.
“Mom, are you there?” I shouted.
Nausea rolled through my stomach, and I needed something. I didn’t know what. I hadn’t eaten all day. That was probably it.
Yawning, I swung my legs over the side of the bed and rubbed my eyes, just wanting some soup and crackers or something and then maybe I’d take that Xanax and sleep forever.
Patting my way out of my room, I trailed down the bannister, hearing the faint, haunting tune of “Sleep Walk” by Santo and Johnny playing from somewhere downstairs. Any other time, I might smile at the gesture. My mom knew I liked oldies when I wanted to feel better.
But it was no use playing it while I was asleep.
I made my way into the foyer, still wearing a pair of jeans and a tank top from earlier, but before I swung around to head for the kitchen, I heard the beep of the answering machine near the door. Yawning again, I walked toward it.
It could’ve been a prank call. I was sure lots of those came in today.
But I didn’t have my cell, so just in case Dad called…
Finding the button, I pressed it, my head spinning and my heart hammering as soon as I heard my mom’s voice.
“Hey, sweetie,” she chirped. “Didn’t want to wake you. Your sister snuck out, so I left to go find her. Doors are locked. Don’t leave. I’ll be back as soon as I can.”
The music drifted from the ballroom, and I breathed so hard, I was gasping.
Who was in the ballroom?