Arianna's Tale: The Beginning Read Free Page B

plain t-shirt, thinking about what in the world I was
going to do, was there anyone who would help….
    “Bri,” it occurred to me in a flash and I
ran back in my room from my closet and grabbed my cell phone and
dialed one of my best friend’s numbers. “Hey Brianna,” I greeted,
apparently my voice was still off, I wondered how long that would
last, would I ever feel at all safe anymore.
    “What’s wrong, Anna?” Brianna questioned
instantly.
    “Bri, I need a favor, no questions asked…
please?” I whispered.
    “Anything, Arianna,” she swore, and I
noticed the background noise disappeared.
    “I need one of those… morning after pills…”
my voice was even quieter and I wasn’t even sure how she heard
me.
    “Anna, what…”
    “No questions,” I repeated and she
sighed.
    “I’ll be by in just a little while,” she
promised, “I’m not asking, Anna… but you can talk to me….”
    “I know,” I agreed and smiled faintly,
“Thanks, Bri.”
    We hung up and I started ripping the sheets
from my bed, trying not to look at them, when I’d gotten them piled
onto the floor, there was a knock at my door.
    “It’s Jason.” I opened the door and he came
in with a bundle of fresh sheets, and bless him, a large trash bag,
and locked the door behind him. He set the folded sheets on the
bare bed and opened the trash bag, shaking his head when I tried to
help. He was silent as he piled the old sheets into the trash bag
and tied it off before helping me make the bed with the new sheets.
Once it was a spotless, clean bed again, he grabbed me into yet
another hug.
    “Jason, I’m…” I was going to say okay, but I
wasn’t, I felt nauseous, “I’ll be okay….”
    “Your face… it’s pretty bruised… you’re not
going to be able to come up with a good excuse for that one,” he
murmured across my ear, “And I think you’d be happier if we got out
of the house for a while… I’d drive… but….”
    “You’re so not old enough to have your
license,” I faintly laughed and a tension in his shoulders eased,
“You’re not old enough to have to deal with this… I’m so sorry,
Jay….”
    “Don’t you even start that, this is not your
fault,” he insisted sternly, “Anna… I have to ask… was this… Did
Mark….”
    “Let me try some makeup… and we can get out
of here…” I evaded, slipping out of his arms and going to sit at my
vanity. I took as long as I could collecting my makeup and getting
it ready before I finally looked in the mirror. I felt nauseous
again, my cheek was already turning that gross yellow bruise color
with bits of the purple shade coming through.
    “Anna! Jay! We’re going out! We won’t be
home until late!” Mom called up the stairs, making me jolt in my
seat. Jason gave me a ‘come on’ look.
    “Okay!” I yelled back in what I hoped was a
normal voice. Normal enough for my mother, I guessed, because I
heard the door close and a car crank and drive off a moment
later.
    “You want me to make you something to eat?”
Jason offered and I shook my head, “Want to go watch a movie on the
sofa? Video games? Sleep? Hang out in my room?” I quickly applied
what foundation and concealer I could, and all-in-all, covered the
bruise before I got up and looked at him.
    “Anything that doesn’t involve being in my
room right now,” I conceded and he faintly laughed and nodded.
    I locked my door behind us, he carried the
trash bag down to the trash cans outside and we curled up on the
sofa for a movie.
    I knew somewhere in the back of my head that
all of this was wrong: acting like nothing had happened, ignoring
the twinges of pain that still surged from between my legs, not
reporting this straight to the police…. But… I thought if I could
just put it behind me, and get out of this house as soon as
possible… I’d never look back.
    I guess I fell asleep, the door closing in
the kitchen had me awake with a start and Jason shushed me
soothingly as I realized