Disturbed
Warning: The following work of fiction has a description of sexual assault.
She lay on her bed staring at the white ceiling. Outside, she could hear the usual bustling around of the neighbors. Andrea sat up fixing the back of her hair and walked towards the window, taking a peek outside. The day was nice and bright. “Too bright for pictures,” she thought.
His clothes were strewn all over the floor; the room has posters of NBA players and playboy models. “Andi, you up?” she heard his voice call from the bathroom.
She smiled and threw the blanket off herself. “Yeah, what are you up to?” Andrea said walking to the bathroom.
He chuckled as she stood at the entrance. Rey was tall and broad shouldered, with tan skin. His dark hair was messy, but the unkempt look suited him. Andrea watched as he finished shaving. “You still like what you’re seeing?” he asked as he washed the razor. Andrea took a look at him, lingering on his bottom half. She couldn’t deny that Rey was well built; he had strong thighs and it didn’t hurt that he had a nice member.
“Of course I do,” she answered wrapping her arms around his waist and buried her face in his back.
“I got to go prepare for the party tonight,” he said as he pulled her arms off him and turned around to face her. “You’re still going to come?”
She nodded and he gave her a quick kiss. With that, he left the bathroom in search of clothes. Andrea took a quick look in the mirror, the bags under her brown eyes were more pronounced than ever. She blinked in front of the mirror a few times before turning away. “Rey, do you want me to get anything for tonight?” she called walking back into the room in search of her own clothes.
“Just wear a dress for me,” he said picking up her panties and handing them to her. Andrea smiled and took her underwear from him.
They had only been dating for five months. Rey was a football player at their university in Lynnfield. Unlike Andrea, Rey was popular amongst their classmates. He was known to be funny, kind, and pleasant to be around in general. Rey lived in an apartment near campus.
After getting dressed she walked out with Rey, who held her hand as they walked down the stairs and then outside.
“How’s photography going?” he asked walking down the block holding her hand.
“I’m missing some pictures for my final.”
“Maybe you could do some nudes,” he began with a cheeky smile. “I’d be more than willing to pose.”
Andrea chuckled, “that’d be nice.”
They stopped at the corner. “This is it, I’ll see you later,” he said before kissing her lips and walking towards his car while she walked back to her dorm.
Andrea couldn’t help but think of what to wear; it had been a while since she had felt anything for another person. Sure, Rey was handsome, but he was also kind, smart, and able to make anyone laugh.
She spent all day in her dorm looking through her closet. She found a blue dress and threw it out on her bed. Andrea knew a bit of red lipstick with that dress and she’d be the attention of the party. It was then that her phone rang.
Andrea quickly picked it up and, before she answered, looked down at the caller ID. “Mami! Hi,” she said with fake enthusiasm. Her mother called two times a week.
“Have you taken your medicine Andrea?” she asked.
“Yes, mom, I am taking it,” Andrea answered impatiently as she gathered the rest of her clothes.
“When are you coming home for Christmas?”
“Mami, I’ll go home tomorrow,” she answered trying to keep calm. Her mother sighed, said something, and hung up, allowing Andrea to throw herself on her bed and continue her preparations for the upcoming night.
The sky turned dark and once the clock hit ten, Andrea was outside the fraternity’s house. Outside, there were people lounging around, drinking, and smoking. She walked past them and into the house clutching her purse.
“Whoa!” she heard someone shout as they wrapped their arm around her. “Andrea, look at you!” Andrea turned to face a young woman, her big blue eyes familiar somehow. The young woman smiled holding up a drink, “it’s Kate, remember? We went to high school together!”
Andrea gave her a nod and smiled feigning any familiarity. “Yeah, I remember.” Behind Kate appeared a young man around her height, his dark hair only a shadow on his head. He had thin lips and a short-but-straight nose.
“Rey’s looking for you,” he said before placing a kiss on Kate’s neck, she giggled. “He’s upstairs,” he said before Andrea could say anything.
She gave him a thumbs up before walking past the couple up the familiar stairs. She weaved past the people on the steps; all of them drinking and smoking. At the end of the hall stood Rey looking down at his cell phone.
“Andi!” he shouted signaling her to come towards him. “We’re in here,” he added opening the door to the bedroom behind him.
The room was dark. He took a seat on the wooden floor under his cellphone’s flashlight, rolling a joint. Next to him was another young man. In the darkness, it was hard to see his face, all Andrea saw were his large hands.
“Andi!” she heard Rey say as she sat next to him. Upon further inspection, the other young man seemed to be built the same way Rey was, except his hair was blond and he had thin lips. “Have a drink, you’re really going to like this. I got it just for you,” said Rey passing her a large plastic cup.
“Thanks” she said taking a large gulp. The liquid burned her throat and caused her to cough.
“Thought you said your girlfriend was tough!”
“Shut it, Colin,” said Rey as he finished his joint. “Now let’s light this up and have some real fun!” Andrea watched as he lit the joint and continued to drink out her cup; the drink was stronger than what she was used to.
“What the hell did you put in this?” she asked as Rey passed the joint on to her.
“Everything,” he said coughing. She heard Colin chuckle after she took the hit and passed it on to him. Time crawled by, Andrea began to lose the feeling in her fingertips.
It’s nothing, she thought, finishing her drink. She placed the plastic cup next to her when she felt Rey begin to kiss her neck, his hand on the side of her face. “That’s nice,” she whispered as she felt another hand on her thigh. Andrea let out a soft moan until she felt another hand on her breast. She opened her eyes, even in the darkness she knew that the man in front of her wasn’t Rey. “Rey? Rey?” she began barely above a whisper. Then came a crash onto her lips and a whisper in her ear.
“It’s OK, babe,” he whispered in her ear as he picked her up.
Her eyes were wide open, the scream stuck in her throat. She landed on a bed. “Rey? NO!” she tried to shout as she felt hungry hands tear apart her underwear while Rey undid her dress. It’s not happening, she thought, trying to lift her head. Andrea felt cold, the only warmth came from an unwanted touch.
“Rey?”
“He’s just going to get the camera,” she heard Colin say. Suddenly a small lamp was turned on, Rey stood next to it with a small camera. “Look at that! Damn, Rey, no wonder you’re still fucking her!”
Andrea felt her eyes itch as she watched Colin get undressed. “I told you I have good taste,” she could hear Rey saying.
She closed her eyes trying to keep herself distant from what her body was going through. His hands clawing at her as he spread her legs, plowing into her. Andrea bit her tongue as she heard them moan and grunt. Don’t cry, don’t cry, get out, run, she kept repeating to herself. Even after it was all over, as she walked down the street towards her dorm, eyes itchy, everything spinning. Andrea just kept moving, one foot in front of the other.
Through the door, up the stairs.
Up the stairs, past the people.
Past the dorms.
Up to the roof and on to the edge.
The bright city lights were relaxing, hypnotizing even. “Your fine,” she whispered running her fingers through her hair. Andrea then looked down, blood trickling down her legs and below the college campus. Her heart sank, Rey couldn’t. He wouldn’t.
Andrea began to sob, touching the warm liquid with her right hand. Underneath her, students began to gather; some shouting, others just pointing. She wanted to step back, but for what? “Mom’s going to kill me,” she said trying to fix her hair. She took a few shaky breaths as she stared down at the gathering of students. She wanted to scream, to run, hell, even jumping would be better than listening to the “being a slut” speech from her mother.
If she jumped, it’d all end. No more doctors, no more pills, no one ever knowing what happened.
Yet…she’d never take pictures again. No more late nights walking around with a camera. Andrea looked up, the city lights were beautiful at this time of night, peaceful even.
Before she took take a step back, she was pulled down. Her eyes never left the lights in the distance. Even when she could hear the blaring sound of the ambulance, she kept her eyes on the lights.
All I ever wanted was to be bright.
