TrustFall | Under HEAVY Revision & Editing

Chapter 17. A Walk In The Past

Scarlett's POV

Trigger Warnings: Attempted Sexual Assault, Brief Homophobia, Brief Gore

"Are you okay?"

Audrey's voice interrupted my thoughts as I stared listlessly out the window. It took a while for my brain to register her voice as I turned around. Her disheveled hair was sticking out in every direction as her sleepy eyes looked at me with worry reflecting in them.

"I'm fine. Go back to sleep," I softly replied.

"Are you sure? I can make some coffee or —"

"No. Don't worry about me. You're the one who needs to be taken care of, not me." I walked up to her and kissed her forehead as she stared at me with concerned eyes, but thankfully she nodded weakly and closed them.

We were at my apartment, and she had just woken up from her afternoon nap on my bed. On the first day, Carmen was more than happy to give up her bedroom for Audrey and sleep on the couch that had a pullout bed, but Audrey didn't want to impose. When I offered to sleep on the couch instead, Audrey became upset and didn't want to hear of it.

"I can sleep on the floor," I had offered, pointing to my sleeping bag that was stashed in my closet for camping trips.

"No. Are you uncomfortable at the thought of sleeping in the same bed with me or what?" Audrey had asked, clearly hurt at my suggestion.

I decided not to argue, because of course I wasn't uncomfortable at the thought. In fact, I was looking forward to it and that's what frightened me. I had concerns that we were moving too fast and just after a week of dating, we were going to sleep together. Even if it wasn't sexual but out of survival. It had taken three months before Abriana and I had even cuddled in bed together.

Despite my history of multiple one-night stands, something which I haven't told Audrey about yet, I acted differently when the other woman was someone I actually cared about.

I sighed as I stood by the window that was only four feet away from the bed and watched Audrey sleep. It has been four days since the incident with her boyfriend -now ex-boyfriend- and the bruises on her face had turned an ugly purple-green color. Every time I looked at her, fury rose up inside of me like dough, and sometimes I had to be shaken out of the black hole that I would dig myself.

That fucking trash bag had hurt multiple women and hasn't changed after all these years.
The memory of what he did to me, of what he did to Audrey... If I had the possibility of getting away with murder, I would have killed him and fed his flesh, organs, and intestines to the coyotes and mountain lions as I watch them devour him until not a shard of bone was left.

Ten Years Ago: Senior High School

"Where are you taking me?" I asked, squealing a few seconds later as Andy grabbed me by the waist and swung me around.

"Somewhere special." He grinned. He set me down and kissed my forehead before intertwining his fingers with mine and leading me towards the beach.

Andy and I had been dating for about four months by this point. He was the high school quarterback, and I was the "hot redhead", so together we had the image of the perfect couple. Sure, I didn't love him. I shivered at the thought of having sex with him. However, none of that mattered to me. All I really cared about was popularity and friends. I wanted people to look up to me, to be their inspiration, to make them envious. Sounds pathetic, doesn't it?

Andy led me towards the ocean where the waves gently lapped against the sand, the beautiful golden-red sunset reflecting in the water. A few people were still around, but they eventually left as we sat down close enough so that the waves could kiss our bare feet.