It has been nearly a year since my relationship with Zack has taken off. He’s the sweetest, cutest, and coolest person I know. He’s amazing, and I seriously believe that I might just have fallen for him. Of course we have our ups and downs, but I know it’s all worth it.
One day I will be his wife. I just know it. I can’t wait until I can get out of this house and be with him 24/7. My family just doesn’t understand us. They think he’s a waste of time, and they don’t like him. But they’re wrong. Dead wrong.
~~~
I was watching a ridiculous cartoon that night. I heard the door open, causing me to look over to that direction.
“Hey!” I exclaimed as I stood up and rushed over to him. “What are you doing here?”
“Well I wanted to take you somewhere special for our anniversary,” he said.
“OMG. Zack, that is so sweet!” I hugged him. “So where are we going?” I asked.
“That‘s for me to know, and you to find out,” he said with a grin.
“So let‘s go!” I took his hand and led him outside.
“So, which way?” I asked.
“This way,” he pointed, “but stay in the shadows.”
“Why?”
“Hello!” he said, “It‘s like two a.m. and the police are out. Duh.”
~~~
We sat down at the fire pit, roasting a few marshmallows. It wasn’t exactly a fancy dinner, but it was good enough for me. After having a few of them, I turned my attention to Zack. “So you brought me out here to the lake, at 2 a.m., to have marshmallows?” I asked, laughing. He laughed.
“Not exactly.” He stood up and came over to me.
“Then what were you thinking?” I asked.
“I‘ll show you,” he grinned and gently pulled me up from my chair.
He pinned me against the wall, forcing his lips on mine once again. He seemed to grow hungrier, and hungrier, and his weight against mine was suffocating. But I said nothing, because I didn’t want to lose him. He was the best thing to ever happen to me.
But then he started fumbling with the latch of my bra. I pulled back from him, stunned. This is what he had planned? His jaw clenched in anger. “Zack, please, no. I‘m not ready for this,” I pleaded.
“Yeah? And when will you be ready? Two years from now? Hell no. I‘ve waited long enough. What? You thought all those nice things I did, you thought they were all for you? Our love?” He laughed.
“I-” I mumbled. Tears were streaming down my cheeks now. It was all a lie. All of it. He only wanted me for one thing, like most guys his age. Was I going to just let him have it? No, I couldn’t.
I built up my courage and pushed him back, attempting to get away from his grasp. I had to run.. Had to get away from him.
“Let me go!” I screamed, and kicked.
“F*ck you, b**ch. You wanted this. I know you did.”
It was too late.
He left me there. Battered, bruised, violated, exploited, humiliated . . .
I was unsure of how to go on. Was is supposed to go home and act as if nothing had happened? Just lie here until I died? Tell someone?
“Layla! What happened? Are you alright?” I could hear my sister screaming as she ran over to me as the sun rose.
“Layla,” she said, “you‘re my sister, and I love you to death. I hate seeing you like this. That monster will not get away with this.”
