Chapter 12: Pain

I move closer and closer to the lone figure that looks to be crying.

Coming down to her level I gasp when I see it's none other than Amy.

She is crying, and by the looks of her mascara running down her eyes, and puffy red eyes, she's been doing it for a while.

She hasn't noticed me yet, hasn't even heard me come down the hall but I don't know if I feel comfortable walking away from her. She looks wrecked. Her crying begins to have some heaves and shakes in them, and in this corridor, there is no one to see her.

I clear my throat loudly, before I can chicken out. She instantly turns and frowns at my face. She blinks several times before attempting to wipe away some of the mess that makes up her face.

"Hey, um, you okay?" I almost place my hand down on her shoulder but think twice about it. I don't want to touch her. She is obviously going through something but that doesn't mean I don't remember everything she has ever put me through.

"Fine. Don't know why you would care anyway." I stand back up since her attitude hasn't changed much but before I go I offer her one more thing.

"Do you want me to call someone over for you or something? Call your date?" I see her shake her head, but I can't tell if it's directed at me or not. I head towards the exit but before I open the door, I hear her mumble something. "What?"

"I said-. are you going to take a picture?" She rolls her eyes at me and goes back to facing the window that shows the inside hall where everyone is still dancing.

"Why would I take a picture?" I face her once more, this time placing my hands on my hips. Is she seriously giving me attitude right now?

"Because I look like shit. I'm crying, I'm alone on prom night because my date ditched me. They are about to announce prom queen and King and we all know I'm going to get it, and yet, here I am. Pathetic and alone." I simply stare at her and let her continue venting.

"I've always been the girl to always have it all. The girl everyone envied. All except you. You were always so sure of yourself, so confident. You never had family problems or questioned if you're the reason for all the fighting, all the tears and the pain. I couldn't stand you." She sniffles at the last part and I stay where I am.

"My goal in life, is not to compete with you Amy. That's not why I'm confident or self-assured. I was raised to respect others and treat everyone the way I would want to be treated."

"Oh yeah? Is that what you told yourself when you talked shit about my mom yesterday?" I look down in shame as I take a seat next to her. Her vibrant red dress contrasts with my pale pink one as we sit next to each other. I can't remember the last time we were this close to one another without some kind of prank on me or cursing involved.

"I'm sorry about that Amy. It wasn't fair to talk about your mother that way. I've never done something like that before, but to be fair, you did start that fight. You started every fight with me, and I never knew why. After so many years of being tortured by you, I just didn't care what your reasoning was any longer. You were a bully and a lousy friend." I look forward, same as her, as we stare at everyone leaving. I should be getting out there, Brian is bound to be looking for me.

"Mom still does it you know?" I look at her in shock.

Rebecca Cartway was always a woman I though was beautiful. Her long blonde hair and beautiful blue eyes were something you only found in a magazine. Amy loved her mother, at least when we were younger, but one day, going to her house after school, we walked into the office to see Rebecca cutting herself with a razor. Her father explained that sometimes mom's just get sad and do things like that, but we never understood completely. What six-year-old would. When I got older, I realized she was dealing with depression. I'm sure it didn't help that Boris Cartway was about as loyal and caring as a husband as a snake is.

No matter the reasoning, it wasn't something I should have thrown in her face. I don't feel bad that I stuck up for myself, but I don't like what I said. Mona had a bad cutting problem last year and I know from first hand that it affects people around you as much as it does yourself. Amy is an example of that.

"You know it has nothing to do with you, right Amy?" She shrugs her shoulders and I nod my head knowing she sees herself as the one to blame. My mother once told me that Rebecca was diagnosed sometime after Amy was born. Her older brother Steven is only two years older, so she still had some post-partum.

"Why would you apologize for what you said to me? I've said worse and done worse over the years." She begins picking at her dress.

"It was the right thing to do."

It's silent for a moment, both of us reflecting on our own thoughts. I turn when I hear the door open and shut. I assume it's Brian looking for me but am shocked when I see none other than her big brother Steven walking in. His smile is eerie, and he looks high out of his mind. We didn't hang out with him much growing up but that doesn't mean I didn't hear all the stories affiliated with him. Drug user, charges of sexual abuse. Things like that.

"Steven?"

"You ready?"

"Yeah, just make it quick okay? She did apologize after all." I look back and forth between the two. They seem to be having a full-on conversation without using sentences. What is going on?

"She did, did she?" He walks closer to me and pulls one of my strands of hair form behind me ear. I pull my hair out of his grasp, but he takes that advancement and firmly grabs my arms.

"Steven, your hurting me. Stop." I am pulling away with all my might, looking back at Amy, but her demeanor has changed. She no longer looks saddened, but excited. A prank. It's another prank. One I fell for hard. "Are you fucking kidding me. You're doing a prank on me right now?"

"Not quite. Enjoy big brother. I know she's what you have always wanted." Amy smiles and winks at me still trying to get out of Steven's gasp.

"Wait, Amy. Stop." She laughs as the door closes and I look back over to Steven.

This isn't a prank. Oh my God.

"I've thought about this for so damn long." Just like that, Steven's face distorts into something else. Someone more sinister, something evil like a demon. His hands immediately go everywhere at once.

I try to pry them off me, but they seem to multiply as he start ripping at my dress. He finds the slit that leaves a portion of my leg and thigh showing. I use both my hands to push his body back but it's to not avail. His large build and strong muscles stop me from being able to, which only causes him to chuckle at my attempts. My heart begins pounding loudly at the fact that Amy and him just might take this too far.

"Steven, please."

"Like you sayin' my name." He smiles then immediately frowns attempting once more to get under my dress. I can hear and feel the fabric rip and suddenly I am being thrown onto the ground.

My body hits the cement floor with a thud and pain rips through my side and leg. I cringe but try to sit up as I look past his advance at the door.

"Please, please stop this. Please." I lift up one of my hands, but another smile touches his lips as he bends down to whisper in my ear.

"Not until I get what I've always thought about sweets."

Just like that everything changes once again. His hands pull at the small straps of my dress until they rip. He pulls my dress down so that my strapless bra and panties are the only thing separating us. I scream, I scream and fight and claw at every attempt and after a few scratches here and there, Steven decides he's done with me fighting back.

His fist connects with my jaw twice. I fall down on top of my dress in agonizing pain. I stare down at the pale pink of my dress that now has blood splattered upon it. Images enter my mind of how the night was meant to go. Brian was supposes to take his time peeling this dress off me, but instead I watch it pool around in shreds around me. The intense pain I have in my face makes the tears I've been holding back fall down and my screams disappear as I hear the announcement of the prom King and Queen. It's faint but I can hear the light sound of cheering and celebrating as Brian's named is announced right after Amy's. Is he not looking for me?

"There's a good girl." I smell his horrid breath from behind me as he shoves my face into the window. I close my eyes at the silver and blue lights dangling from the ceiling as the shaky back and forth from the air conditioning unit and begin trembling when I feel my bra come off.

He's really going to do it.

My bra comes off and I feel him reaching down to my panties. That's when my brain registers to attack once more. I jump up with all my might and run as fast as I can to the door.

So close, I'm so close.

Suddenly my feet are being pulled up causing my body to fly into the ground. My nose instantly floods with blood and my eyes close at the pain igniting in my face.

Steven jumps on top of me and removes the last bit of clothing I have.

Please God, no.

He pulls my legs up as dark spots dance around the corner of my eyes. He spreads my legs and that's when I hear it. The unmistakable sound of him undoing his belt. It's happening. Steven is going to rape me. I use my last-ditch effort and try to get out of my position he has me in, but an elbow to my lower back stops me and has me crying out.

Pain like no other shoots through my body as he aligns his penis in my small tight hole and shreds it. It burns where our bodies align, boils in my lower stomach and makes my eyes burn from the constant tears. I make no noise, no one would hear me anyway. I have nothing left of me as I see the blood drip form the tip of nose down to the cement. My vison blurs and I know I am on the brink of blacking out. His thrusts become faster and faster and I have no idea how long I have been enduring the pain. It feels like centuries.

"Fuck yeah-." I hear and feel him pull out and release himself on the floor below me. That's when I lose it, my dinner of cheeses and small meats comes up and spills throughout my blood on the floor. Just as I think he is done with me, Steven pulls out and begins spreading my ass cheeks.

"No-.no, please." My words feel off as I slant sideways. I feel myself still on the brink of passing out and hope to God I can before he begins his second attack.

"Fuck yeah baby, we still got plenty of time." I cringe and turn away as he prepares my anus, but before he can go any further, someone blasts through the door and cool air hits between the two of us as the stranger attacks Steven.

I fall to the ground, not caring about my face anymore as relief washes over me. Someone came to my rescue. Brian?

"You son of a bitch." I hear grunts and moans but make no move to get up. I'm too scared, too worried it's my imagination and the reality is Steven is still going inside me.

"Fuck. Derek stop. Stop, you're going to fucking kill him man."

Derek?

A few more voices join the small compacted area and someone with gentle hands touches me on my face and slowly lifts it. Miranda is on the other side of said arms and my body flails against her touch.

"Please Jolie. Don't move too fast, we don't know all of what he did just yet."

"Don't touch me. It was you. You did this." Miranda doesn't even look appalled. She simply looks down with tears in her eyes and murmurs something I can't catch.

"Jolie? Jolie!" Brian's voice echoes through the small area and I finally let go of the cry I need to get out. "Oh god baby. Jolie, no. No! Someone call an ambulance!" I hear someone scream but can't make out anymore voices other than the one covering me and whispering things in my ear.

"It's going to be okay baby. It's going to be okay."

It won't. It never will be again.