Stolen Virtue

“What the hell Juliet!” Dillon was looking at me like I killed his dog. I broke eye contact with him and looked at Sanity, who was looking at me like she’s never seen me before. I didn’t know how to make them understand, what just happened. I could see that keeping secrets from them was hurting them. However, I just couldn’t tell them what happened, I wasn’t ready to deal with their reaction.

Sanity’s eyes welled up as she spoke. “What’s going on Juliet? We were so worried about you, we hadn’t heard from you all day. If you were with Clyde, why didn’t you call us, why didn’t you call me?”

The last part was said in a hurt tone. I didn’t know what to say, I opened my mouth then closed it again when nothing came out. I tried again but it was still the same, there was nothing I could say to wipe the look of dismay off of her face. I moved to touch her, but she stepped back, letting me know that the trust between us has been broken.

I felt my heart broke into little tiny pieces, I pleaded with my eyes, for her to give me a chance. However, when she looked at me expectantly, I still couldn’t bring myself to tell her what happened.

Dillon swore. “So that’s it then, ladies’ man Davis shows you some attention and you just ditch your friends so that you could screw him.”

I gasped at Dillon. “That’s not fair Dillon.”

He snorted, “Are you going to stand there and tell me you didn’t spend the night in his bed.” Both Sanity and Dillon waited for me to answer, but I bite my trembling lips and looked away.

I heard Sanity intake of breath and Dillon crude comment about me becoming one of Clyde’s bedpost notches. I looked back at Dillon horrified he’d say something so hurtful.

“How can you say that?” I whispered, my heart sinking into my shoe.

Dillon looked at me with disgust, taking in my attire, from head to toe. I squirmed a little under his scrutiny. He gestured with his hand, face turned up in disdain.

“You already look like one of his sluts, I’ve seen more of you today than the entire time we’ve known each other. That dress you’re wearing is not you Juliet, it’s him.”

I pulled the jacket I was wearing closer to me, trying to hide my shame, because that was how I felt. Dillon didn’t seem to care that his words were hurting me because he continued.

“Why him Juliet, why not me? I’ve loved you all my life. I’ve been your shoulder to cry, your friend to make you laugh, anything you needed me to be. I’ve been waiting for you to realise that you love me too. Now he comes along and ruined everything. It was not supposed to be him it was supposed to be me.”

I felt lower than the Devil himself, I which I could love him back, but I’ve never felt that way about him. I love him like I loved my brother.

“Dillon I… I’m so sorry.” I said softly. He shook his head snorting

“Was it good, the sex I mean? Was it worth throwing away what we could have had?” I backed up, looking past Dillon to Sanity, begging her with my eyes to make him stop.

Sanity gave me a sympathetic look. She lightly touched Dillon on his arm. “Dill, come on I think you’ve said enough.”

Dillon shook his head, apparently, he didn’t think so. “San, she’s bed buddies with the guy who was in the bet with Billy Newton to take your virginity.” I take another step back horrified, Clyde wouldn’t do something like that, would he?

Sanity looked away and Dillon laughed humourlessly, “What? Does it surprise you that the guy you give your virginity to doesn’t treat it as something that should be treasured? He’s a creep Juliet, he’ll just use you for sex and dump you when he has his fill.”

Dillon’s words cut pretty deep, although I wouldn’t say Clyde and I were a couple, I knew my feelings for him were very strong. I didn’t know where we were heading, but if he left me and moved on like nothing happen, that would pretty much kill me. Was I even willing to sleep with Clyde? Judging from what happened earlier, I’d say there was a strong possibility. Was I willing to start a relationship with him, knowing that it will be purely sexual? I just didn’t know.

Dillon continued talking, saying one hurtful thing after the next. The way he was looking at me was not the way my sweet best friend would. He grabbed my arm, where the bruises were, I hissed in a breath from the pain of the contact. He raised my hand to my face, forcing me to look at it.

“Do you think this is healthy? Why did he have to mark you? Juliet, stop and think for a minute if he really cared about you, he wouldn’t have put marks on your body.”

I pulled my hand away from Dillon, taking another step back.

“He didn’t mean to do it, it’s not his fault.”

As I said the words, I heard how silly they sounded, but I knew the real reason. To them, it just looked like I’m protecting an abusive jerk.

Dillon snorted. “Listen to yourself, Juliet. You’re not making any sense. You don’t really believe that do you?”

I didn’t know how to answer him, so I kept quiet. He thought my silence was enough to answer his question because he laughed. “Yeah, I didn’t think so.”

Deciding that I’ve had enough, I got angry. He was supposed to be my best friend, he was supposed to be there for me. Not treat me like the enemy, and say things to hurt my feelings.

“I don’t wanna talk about this anymore, Dillon. Can’t you just be my best friend and understand that when I am ready I will tell you guys everything. Just not right now.” I pleaded with him. Sanity nodded her head, then came over to me and hugged me.

“Ok, Juliet, but don’t ever put me through that again, I was sick with worry. It was the worse day of my life.” I hugged her back, half crying half laughing.

“I promise I won’t.”

I felt so relieved, but it was short-lived. Dillon was still looking at me, then his eyes went wide with suspicion.

“Did he force himself on you, Juliet? It’s the only explanation I can come up with for the bruises.”

I gasped, terrified that he could see the truth in my eyes. I took another step back, coming up against Clyde’s car. If I had the keys, I would have jumped in and hide. However, I had nowhere to hide, and my two best friends were looking at me with pity and sorrow. I hated it.

I started to feel boxed in, I opened my mouth to deny it, but only air came out. I needed Clyde, I needed my safe place. I needed to get the hell out of there. I began to panic, I cast a look at the door, wishing Clyde would come out and save me from them. Dillon advance on me, he was saying something. However, I couldn’t hear him. His face looked red with anger. Sanity was trying to get him to calm down. They were both talking to me, but I couldn’t hear anything, it’s like the world went quiet.

My head started to feel light like I was floating. Dillon grabbed my hands then my thigh, angrily saying something. The moment his hand make contact with my thigh, it was like a trigger. My head began to flood with memories, I cried out from the pain. One memory after another was being shoved into my brain. The show, arriving at the party, bumping into Clyde, going down to the basement, drinking the water, feeling dizzy, the stranger, being stripped.

It all came back, very fast and very painful. Then it all slowed down and it was like I was standing there watching myself being raped.

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I woke up feeling funny, my body was heavy, and I could hardly open my eyes. I tried to move, but something was pinning me down. Something touched my thigh, and I tried to swipe it away. That’s when a hand grabbed my thigh, pushing it apart.

My eyes flew open, but I still couldn’t move. I tried to get away when I realised what was happening. But it was too late, the guy was already between my legs.

I used my weak hands to push him away, but he caught them and pinned then above my head with one of his own. I tried to scream, but my lips were heavy, nothing but a whimper came out.

Strong hands squeezed my breast painfully, making me whimper again. His mouth came down in a forceful kiss, I scream in my head for him to stop, pleaded with him, but he never did.

I felt a sharp pain between my thighs, causing me hissed in pain. I scream and begged and pleaded, but he never stopped, because he never heard me, it was all done in my head. I stop fighting because the more I fight, the more painful it got. I laid there crying silently outside and loud inside. My eyes closed and the world faded away, the pain was too much for me I passed out from it.

Someone was screaming, the sound was very close. Why were they screaming? Someone shook my shoulders and was asking me if I was ok, that’s when I realised the screaming was coming from me. My screams turned into soft sobs and I opened my eyes. Dillon and Sanity were looking at me with concern, however, it was Clyde who got my full attention.

He was sitting on the ground with me, stroking my hair away from my face. I grabbed his shirt front and practically jumped onto his lap. I buried my face in shirt and sob frantically. “Make it stop! Make it stop!” I wanted it to stop, I chanted over and over begging him to make it stop. Clyde tried to calm me, but I sobbed harder.

He finally asked, “Make what stop Jewels? Talk to me, please.”

I stop shaking and crying long enough to say. “The memories, make the memories stop.”

Clyde went still. His eyes widen with fear. “You remembered? Everything?”

I didn’t reply, I kept begging him to make it stop. I didn’t want to remember. I looked at him with tear-filled eyes and pleaded. “Please Clyde, make it stop.” He nodded then started talking.

“I remember the first time I saw you. You were sitting under a tree outside of the school, your head was resting on Dillon’s shoulder and you were reading a book. Rose Red, I think it was. Your mass of brown curls was what caught my eyes. I remember thinking, so much hair for such a tiny thing. You were engrossed in your book, it was like the outside world didn’t exist. You were lost in those pages, you planted yourself into the story and was living it instead of reading it. At that moment I thought, my God, she is the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen, but then something even more mesmerizing happened. You smiled, and I swear to God, the world stopped spinning and time froze for a few second. And I was proven wrong, there was nothing more beautiful than you smiling.”© 2024 Nôv/el/Dram/a.Org.

I looked up at him and smiled, “Really?”

He traced the smile on my face with his thumb. “As I said, nothing more beautiful.”

We stared at each other for a while, then Clyde broke eyes contact and asked. “Are you feeling better now?”

I nodded, then he asked. “Are you ready to go?” I nodded then moved off of him. He stood then offer me his hand. I took it and stand.

I was staring at him, still playing over what he said to me in my mind. He thinks I’m beautiful. He thinks I have a beautiful smile. My thoughts were interrupted by someone clearing their throat behind me. My brows creased into a frown, I turned and then realisation hit me.

Dillon and Sanity were still there. Sanity’s jaw was dropped and Dillon looked confused. A car door slammed and I turned in time to see that Clyde had just deposited a small black suitcase in the back. My small back suitcase to be precise.

Clyde came over to me and took my hand. Without saying a word, I turned away from my friends and followed him. He opened the passenger door for me, I was about to get in when Sanity called out to me.

“Juliet, what are you doing?”

I never even looked at her I just kept quiet. Clyde took pity on me and answered. “She’s staying with me until her Mom gets back.”

“What!”

Both Dillon and Sanity said at the same time? I peeked under my lashes, to see their faces. They both wore a look of disbelieve. Dillon made to approach the car. However, Clyde intercepts him.

“I think you should back off, she’s had enough of you for one day.”

Dillon approached Clyde, getting up in his face, “Who gave you the right to speak for her?”

Clyde squared his shoulders, standing just a few inches taller than Dillon. Then he said through clenched teeth, “I did, so if you don’t back the hell off, I will beat the crap out of you.”

Dillon looked like he was not about to back down. I jumped out of the car when it looked like they were going to fight,

“Stop it! Clyde lets go, ok.” I said, grabbing Clyde’s hand. I turned to Dillon and Sanity. “I’ll call you guys tomorrow ok, I just need time.”

Sanity nodded sadly, however understanding. Dillon came closer to me, he tried to hold my hands but I flinched away. A wave of hurt and sadness passed over his face and his shoulders slump in defeat.

“So that’s it then, you chose him over me.” I backed away from him. “I… I… I have to go.” I turned and ran into the car, slamming the door.

Clyde was still outside, I wanted him to get in the car so we could get the day over and done with. I felt exhausted, I was hungry and bone tried. I could feel my eyes getting heavy. Sleep was overtaking me. The last thing I heard before a blissful sleep claimed me was.

“Sanity, right? Don’t worry, I’ll take good care of your friend. I care about her a lot too.” I went to sleep praying that Dillon and Clyde didn’t start fighting while I was sleeping.