Beat Of My Heart

Bridge (Four)

I quickly pulled on some tight black leather skinny jeans, my heeled booties and a black sheer tank top with a stylish grey cardigan pulled over it. 

Just because I felt like death didn't mean I had to look like it too.

I brushed my teeth (even though I didn't have to, turns out the nurses did that for me everyday while I was in a coma) and brushed my hair out quickly, the loose waves hanging down gently, still damp from the quick shower I had taken when I got home.

I studied my face in the mirror.

There was a gash above my left eyebrow, a butterfly bandage still applied to the area.  There was another cut on my right cheek right below my cheek bone, and this one was a little bigger, but I had to admit that it made me look badass.

There was a lot of bruising and purple coloration on the area above my left eyebrow and I winced when I touched it gingerly, wishing that I could go back in time and decide to walk with Josie to class instead.

I had called Josie in the hospital before I checked out with my parents.  She made me swear to have a sleep over soon and talk about everything that she was in the dark about.

I felt like such a bad friend for keeping so many things from her in such a short period of time.  I just didn't know if I could act normal around her with a giant aching hole in my chest where my happiness was supposed to be...

She also made me promise to go to a party with her.  It was supposed to be the biggest one of the year, everyone who knew anyone would be there, and although I agreed, it was very reluctantly.

I didn't want to run into Dylan again, and when we were at school, I could have a teacher escort me or even Josie and some of her other friends, that way we would have strength in numbers! 

But at a party?  Everyone would be drinking, emotions would be running high and I just didn't want to think about what would happen if Dylan got his hands on me again.

I knew if he cornered me and got me alone again, he wouldn't hesitate.  He would finish the job he tried to finish a week ago.   He would definitely kill me, I had no doubts about that whatsoever.

But I wouldn't hesitate, either.  When I felt myself going down those stairs, I remembered wrapping myself around him so tight that he would be the one going down with me.

I wasn't scared of hurting someone else, of killing him, and it didn't matter that it was in self defense, it still made me feel like a terrible person.  I didn't even feel guilty about it...

And that was the worst part.

A pinging sound from my phone letting me know of a current event that was trending online got my attention away from my somber expression in my mirror and I paled when I realized just exactly what it was.

'This just in:  Sebastian Jennings' new girlfriend embroiled in Sacramento Mayor and Chief of Police's son's scandal.  WARNING: Graphic images.  Viewer discretion advised'

I felt sick to my stomach as I clicked on the video attached to it.  It was a security camera footage of me walking through the hallways.  And then it cut to me being cornered in that very same hallway.

My throat closed up.

Dylan backed me up into the wall.

I choked on a sob.

His friends gripped my arms, holding me still as Dylan pulled my shirt up, allowing the camera to get a good angle of my bra.  It was black and white, but you could still see all of my cleavage, the entire world to see it.