A Dirty Game - Chapter Twelve (Part Two)
"That sick feeling is only butterfly's from seeing you naked" =] ;p
Aww! You guys! Thank you! I made it short to see if i still had some readers and you guys came through! Love your comments, I'm on a high for today now =] Enjoy xx
Nobody has ever measured, not even poets, how much the heart can hold.
Zelda Fitzgerald
~*~*~*~*~*~*
Braiden sighed and folded his long fingers over Ruby's. She sat down next to him.
"Last year ago, just before I turned 17, I was out with my friend. Her name was Kai. I was very foolish back then. I was blind. Anyway, we went to the cinema, had something to eat and then I started to drive her back home. I was only 16, but I had borrowed my mum's car anyway. She was at my nan's and I thought I knew how to avoid trouble. Turned out; I really didn't" his shoulders were hunched, as if he was trying to cave in on himself.
"I pulled up a few yards down the street away from her house. If her dad saw her in the car with me, he'd know I was driving illegally and kick my arse. I, I stopped the car. I turned to give her a hug. She grinned at me and tried to kiss me. I didn't like her in that way. I thought I had made it clear many many times. So I dodged her and pulled away. She thought I was playing a game and tried it again. This time I leaned so far away I nearly slammed out the car.
Kai was beautiful. She really was. So I guess she wasn't used to rejection. She had this, this absolute look of hate and rage. Her eyes were blazing, her mouth set in a straight line. I knew immediately that I was going to regret that move".
He groaned and sunk his head into his hands. Ruby stared at him, still waiting for the other shoe to drop.
"She jumped out the car. I can still see the glare she directed at me. It was enough to make my blood run cold. She slammed the car door. Then, much to my shock and horror, started tearing at her hair. I rushed to stop her from hurting herself, still unsure what she was up to, but she shoved me aside. I watched her rip chunks of her hair out, slash at her top with her nails, scratch at her face. She slapped herself, she ruined herself. She destroyed her clothes, her skin. It was horrible. All the while I was frozen on the bonnet of the car, horror and realization dawning on my face. I knew exactly what she was doing...and I was powerless to stop it, scared I might make it worse."
Ruby's eyes were wide and her jaw was hanging.
"Oh my..." she whispered.
"She ran away from me, and halfway up the street she chucked her bag in the bin. Then when she got to her house, she banged on the door. Over and over again. Shrieking and crying. Her screams bounced around my head as I scrambled to start the car. I glanced at her house as I drove past. She was wrapped in her mum's arms, and her mum's face was horrified, and scared and she was tearing up. Kai watched me drive past, a twinkle in her eyes and a grim smile on her face. I had near accidents So many times on the way home. And when I got there, mum wasn't even there. Dad was, but he was useless. He only cared about drink and the TV. So I stumbled up the stairs, and just sat on my bed, all night, until morning. The next day, the police came. My mum and dad couldn't believe it. They did when they saw Kai though.Everyone despised me. I got hate mail, and everywhere I went I was unwelcome. I was scared to leave the house. I was speechless in public, hesitant to speak up knowing that nothing I said would be believed. Never mind the fact that I didn't rape her! It was her word against mine. An eight stone, rake thin innocent enough girl, against me. Of course they believed her" his voice broke and Ruby pulled him into her chest. He lay there, arms around her waist for a long time, trembling, before he said anything further.
"She told the police that, I had driven her home, and parked down the street. When she asked about the non-license thing, I had gotten angry and ranted at her. She got scared and tried to get out the car, but I locked the doors. Then she pulled out her phone but I grabbed it and...chucked it in the back seat. I reached for her and she scrambled to get out the way. I dragged her back by her hair and when she screamed and tried to move out the way, I struck her. And then, and then I...I raped her" he whispered into Ruby's collarbone.
"Oh Braiden..."
"It was only a matter of time before they did a test. But by then, it was too late. Everyone was convinced that I'd done it. My mum and dad split up with the strain of the situation. She started to believe me and he was adamant that I was lying scum. The police found none of my....DNA , in her body and I was deemed 'innocent'. They didn't think she was lying, but with a scientific lack of evidence they couldn't charge me with it. Plus; I was a minor. The hate continued on though. I was still terrified of the people I had considered my friends and family. I had to learn at home it was so bad.Then Zee - Zelda entered my life. She was great. She helped me get through it. She was a rock. She understood. And against my better judgment, I went out with her. I thought that was what I wanted. Later though, I realized that we should have stayed friends. Going about my daily life; it was still unbearable, she only eased the pain a little. I was...crumbling. So we moved. My mum and I. And...here I am" he pulled back and looked into her eyes. Pleading silently for her to believe him. To be on his side.
Ruby was shocked. She didn't know what to say. She could see the pain in his face. Hear it in is eyes. Feel it in her heart. Of course she believed him.
"Braiden. I'm so sorry you had to go through that"she hugged him long and hard.
He shrugged but the sadness did not leave his wavering gaze.
"Hey, I'm over it" he forced a smile. Ruby wasn't so sure about that.
She wanted to think this through. She wanted to wrap her head around it. But she couldn't leave him alone at that moment.
Braiden stood up and stretched, discreetly wiping under his eyes. Then he turned and pulled her up too.
"Hey, don't you have a birthday to get back to?" he smiled. Numbly, Ruby followed him back into the house. People stared, still whispering about earlier, with Romeo and her. Ruby didn't care. For once, it wasn't about her.
~*~*~*~*~*~*
Ruby peeled her eyes open, literally. Her eyes seemed to have been stapled shut in the night, oh sorry, early morning, and they stung. She winced as she sat up and a sharp pain knifed through her head.
"Gahh!" she cried and clutched her hand to her mouth. She was gonna hurl. Rushing to the bathroom, she emptied her stomach then stared at herself in the mirror. A zombie stared back at her. She artificially gagged and started cleaning herself up. She had a shower, and when she opened the door, a boy she dimly recognized grinned at her towel clad body and pushed past her. She shook her head, which was slightly clearer and made her way to her room.
There was a girl in there, lying under her desk, drooling all over her carpet. Ruby kicked her awake and then shoved her out. Finally she had her room to herself. She surveyed it. She had been smart enough to lock it before the party started last night so it was in its natural state. She was pulling open a drawer when she heard a moan. She shot up, and turned around. Braiden's startled face stared back at her from behind her bed. She started and her grip on the towel slackened; it slipped right off her. She scrambled for it and tugged it back up, her face reddening only slightly as he stood up.
A slow smile was spreading across Braiden's face.
"Hi" he croaked.
"Hey" she smiled, turning away from him. He laughed a little, then clutched his stomach.
"Oh man...excuse me" he mumbled and shot out the room. Quickly, she grabbed some underwear, and locked herself in her massive wardrobe. When she exited, Braiden was lying on her bed, his face green. He still looked good, even when so obviously ill.
"Not feeling well?" she mocked as she brushed her hair out.
"I'm fine. That sick feeling is only butterfly's from seeing you naked" he replied.
She laughed and swatted at him, rolling her eyes while he chuckled lowly. He seemed to have put yesterday behind him.
After his confession, they had partied hard all night, and all morning. Ruby knew he was trying to rid himself of the memories. She was too. It was...something you could never forget though. They had ordered some pizza for everyone and then crashed out on her bed around three in the morning.
"Whatever. Urrgh...pass me the phone please" she gestured towards the phone on her bedside table. He chucked it to her and she tried to catch it; it slipped through her moisturized hands and landed on the carpet. He grinned at her, she ignored him. The cleaning service was on speed dial; they were used a lot. She talked to Wynona, her mum's friend, confirmed a time and then hung up.
"They're gonna send over a team in ten minutes. Thank god. I'm too scared to look at the rest of the house" she shuddered.
"Come here Party queen" Braiden laughed.
Ruby sidled over and collapsed on top of him. He pretended to suffocate. Ruby smacked his shoulder.
"I am not heavy!"
"Of course not" he retorted and wrapped his hands around her waist. Ruby had a body any woman would envy. She was nowhere near being skinny, she had a bit of meat on her bones, and he liked that. He knew she worked out regularly, and she was healthy as a horse. He tickled her and she squirmed in his grasp.
"Don't" she warned, disentangling herself from him. He pouted.
"What, no morning kiss?"
Ruby wrinkled her nose.
"Braiden - as cuuuute as you are, you smell sour, and I am not putting my mouth anywhere near your morning breath!" she giggled.
He gasped dramatically and clutched his heart.
"Oh no! The lady doth detest me! I shall die!" he cried and rolled off the bed. Ruby laughed uncontrollably and pulled a towel out of her wardrobe. She handed it to him.
"Here, you go have a shower. I'll get some of my dad's clothes for you and a spare toothbrush. I also need to round up any strays frequenting my house!" she smiled. He followed her to the room where Lacey had thrown all the things that Phillip had left behind. It hurt to see the lone outfits strewn across the room, but she shoved the pain aside. She needed to get used to not having a father around. Sighing slightly. she picked out some clothes that looked like they might fit then handed then to Braiden.
He saw her discomfort and closed his hand around hers. She smiled her thanks, and despite her earlier arguments, reached up and kissed him. She showed him the bathroom.
He winked at her before closing the door. Ruby rolled her eyes and went to go kick some people awake and out onto the doorstep. She still felt worried about what he told her yesterday. But she had no doubt he was telling the truth. She was overwhelmed.
Yesterday morning, she had been single. Now...Well now; she supposed she had a boyfriend. She grinned to herself.
Braiden was changing her. She didn't know if it was for better or for worse. But she liked it! And even though it was against all her rules to enjoy this...she was going to. She was going to enjoy it till the very end.
Nobody has ever measured, not even poets, how much the heart can hold.
Zelda Fitzgerald
~*~*~*~*~*~*
Braiden sighed and folded his long fingers over Ruby's. She sat down next to him.
"Last year ago, just before I turned 17, I was out with my friend. Her name was Kai. I was very foolish back then. I was blind. Anyway, we went to the cinema, had something to eat and then I started to drive her back home. I was only 16, but I had borrowed my mum's car anyway. She was at my nan's and I thought I knew how to avoid trouble. Turned out; I really didn't" his shoulders were hunched, as if he was trying to cave in on himself.
"I pulled up a few yards down the street away from her house. If her dad saw her in the car with me, he'd know I was driving illegally and kick my arse. I, I stopped the car. I turned to give her a hug. She grinned at me and tried to kiss me. I didn't like her in that way. I thought I had made it clear many many times. So I dodged her and pulled away. She thought I was playing a game and tried it again. This time I leaned so far away I nearly slammed out the car.
Kai was beautiful. She really was. So I guess she wasn't used to rejection. She had this, this absolute look of hate and rage. Her eyes were blazing, her mouth set in a straight line. I knew immediately that I was going to regret that move".
He groaned and sunk his head into his hands. Ruby stared at him, still waiting for the other shoe to drop.
"She jumped out the car. I can still see the glare she directed at me. It was enough to make my blood run cold. She slammed the car door. Then, much to my shock and horror, started tearing at her hair. I rushed to stop her from hurting herself, still unsure what she was up to, but she shoved me aside. I watched her rip chunks of her hair out, slash at her top with her nails, scratch at her face. She slapped herself, she ruined herself. She destroyed her clothes, her skin. It was horrible. All the while I was frozen on the bonnet of the car, horror and realization dawning on my face. I knew exactly what she was doing...and I was powerless to stop it, scared I might make it worse."
Ruby's eyes were wide and her jaw was hanging.
"Oh my..." she whispered.
"She ran away from me, and halfway up the street she chucked her bag in the bin. Then when she got to her house, she banged on the door. Over and over again. Shrieking and crying. Her screams bounced around my head as I scrambled to start the car. I glanced at her house as I drove past. She was wrapped in her mum's arms, and her mum's face was horrified, and scared and she was tearing up. Kai watched me drive past, a twinkle in her eyes and a grim smile on her face. I had near accidents So many times on the way home. And when I got there, mum wasn't even there. Dad was, but he was useless. He only cared about drink and the TV. So I stumbled up the stairs, and just sat on my bed, all night, until morning. The next day, the police came. My mum and dad couldn't believe it. They did when they saw Kai though.Everyone despised me. I got hate mail, and everywhere I went I was unwelcome. I was scared to leave the house. I was speechless in public, hesitant to speak up knowing that nothing I said would be believed. Never mind the fact that I didn't rape her! It was her word against mine. An eight stone, rake thin innocent enough girl, against me. Of course they believed her" his voice broke and Ruby pulled him into her chest. He lay there, arms around her waist for a long time, trembling, before he said anything further.
"She told the police that, I had driven her home, and parked down the street. When she asked about the non-license thing, I had gotten angry and ranted at her. She got scared and tried to get out the car, but I locked the doors. Then she pulled out her phone but I grabbed it and...chucked it in the back seat. I reached for her and she scrambled to get out the way. I dragged her back by her hair and when she screamed and tried to move out the way, I struck her. And then, and then I...I raped her" he whispered into Ruby's collarbone.
"Oh Braiden..."
"It was only a matter of time before they did a test. But by then, it was too late. Everyone was convinced that I'd done it. My mum and dad split up with the strain of the situation. She started to believe me and he was adamant that I was lying scum. The police found none of my....DNA , in her body and I was deemed 'innocent'. They didn't think she was lying, but with a scientific lack of evidence they couldn't charge me with it. Plus; I was a minor. The hate continued on though. I was still terrified of the people I had considered my friends and family. I had to learn at home it was so bad.Then Zee - Zelda entered my life. She was great. She helped me get through it. She was a rock. She understood. And against my better judgment, I went out with her. I thought that was what I wanted. Later though, I realized that we should have stayed friends. Going about my daily life; it was still unbearable, she only eased the pain a little. I was...crumbling. So we moved. My mum and I. And...here I am" he pulled back and looked into her eyes. Pleading silently for her to believe him. To be on his side.
Ruby was shocked. She didn't know what to say. She could see the pain in his face. Hear it in is eyes. Feel it in her heart. Of course she believed him.
"Braiden. I'm so sorry you had to go through that"she hugged him long and hard.
He shrugged but the sadness did not leave his wavering gaze.
"Hey, I'm over it" he forced a smile. Ruby wasn't so sure about that.
She wanted to think this through. She wanted to wrap her head around it. But she couldn't leave him alone at that moment.
Braiden stood up and stretched, discreetly wiping under his eyes. Then he turned and pulled her up too.
"Hey, don't you have a birthday to get back to?" he smiled. Numbly, Ruby followed him back into the house. People stared, still whispering about earlier, with Romeo and her. Ruby didn't care. For once, it wasn't about her.
~*~*~*~*~*~*
Ruby peeled her eyes open, literally. Her eyes seemed to have been stapled shut in the night, oh sorry, early morning, and they stung. She winced as she sat up and a sharp pain knifed through her head.
"Gahh!" she cried and clutched her hand to her mouth. She was gonna hurl. Rushing to the bathroom, she emptied her stomach then stared at herself in the mirror. A zombie stared back at her. She artificially gagged and started cleaning herself up. She had a shower, and when she opened the door, a boy she dimly recognized grinned at her towel clad body and pushed past her. She shook her head, which was slightly clearer and made her way to her room.
There was a girl in there, lying under her desk, drooling all over her carpet. Ruby kicked her awake and then shoved her out. Finally she had her room to herself. She surveyed it. She had been smart enough to lock it before the party started last night so it was in its natural state. She was pulling open a drawer when she heard a moan. She shot up, and turned around. Braiden's startled face stared back at her from behind her bed. She started and her grip on the towel slackened; it slipped right off her. She scrambled for it and tugged it back up, her face reddening only slightly as he stood up.
A slow smile was spreading across Braiden's face.
"Hi" he croaked.
"Hey" she smiled, turning away from him. He laughed a little, then clutched his stomach.
"Oh man...excuse me" he mumbled and shot out the room. Quickly, she grabbed some underwear, and locked herself in her massive wardrobe. When she exited, Braiden was lying on her bed, his face green. He still looked good, even when so obviously ill.
"Not feeling well?" she mocked as she brushed her hair out.
"I'm fine. That sick feeling is only butterfly's from seeing you naked" he replied.
She laughed and swatted at him, rolling her eyes while he chuckled lowly. He seemed to have put yesterday behind him.
After his confession, they had partied hard all night, and all morning. Ruby knew he was trying to rid himself of the memories. She was too. It was...something you could never forget though. They had ordered some pizza for everyone and then crashed out on her bed around three in the morning.
"Whatever. Urrgh...pass me the phone please" she gestured towards the phone on her bedside table. He chucked it to her and she tried to catch it; it slipped through her moisturized hands and landed on the carpet. He grinned at her, she ignored him. The cleaning service was on speed dial; they were used a lot. She talked to Wynona, her mum's friend, confirmed a time and then hung up.
"They're gonna send over a team in ten minutes. Thank god. I'm too scared to look at the rest of the house" she shuddered.
"Come here Party queen" Braiden laughed.
Ruby sidled over and collapsed on top of him. He pretended to suffocate. Ruby smacked his shoulder.
"I am not heavy!"
"Of course not" he retorted and wrapped his hands around her waist. Ruby had a body any woman would envy. She was nowhere near being skinny, she had a bit of meat on her bones, and he liked that. He knew she worked out regularly, and she was healthy as a horse. He tickled her and she squirmed in his grasp.
"Don't" she warned, disentangling herself from him. He pouted.
"What, no morning kiss?"
Ruby wrinkled her nose.
"Braiden - as cuuuute as you are, you smell sour, and I am not putting my mouth anywhere near your morning breath!" she giggled.
He gasped dramatically and clutched his heart.
"Oh no! The lady doth detest me! I shall die!" he cried and rolled off the bed. Ruby laughed uncontrollably and pulled a towel out of her wardrobe. She handed it to him.
"Here, you go have a shower. I'll get some of my dad's clothes for you and a spare toothbrush. I also need to round up any strays frequenting my house!" she smiled. He followed her to the room where Lacey had thrown all the things that Phillip had left behind. It hurt to see the lone outfits strewn across the room, but she shoved the pain aside. She needed to get used to not having a father around. Sighing slightly. she picked out some clothes that looked like they might fit then handed then to Braiden.
He saw her discomfort and closed his hand around hers. She smiled her thanks, and despite her earlier arguments, reached up and kissed him. She showed him the bathroom.
He winked at her before closing the door. Ruby rolled her eyes and went to go kick some people awake and out onto the doorstep. She still felt worried about what he told her yesterday. But she had no doubt he was telling the truth. She was overwhelmed.
Yesterday morning, she had been single. Now...Well now; she supposed she had a boyfriend. She grinned to herself.
Braiden was changing her. She didn't know if it was for better or for worse. But she liked it! And even though it was against all her rules to enjoy this...she was going to. She was going to enjoy it till the very end.
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