No For An Answer

Ashley

Jesse Richmond.

The cocky little shit who thinks he’s everything and more. The rapist who hides in plain sight and who seems to have quickly forgotten that his girlfriend is dead. It’s like the loss of his ex-girlfriend has given him extra player points. The girls in Brown University are fucking feral for this guy and I don’t get it. Ok fine, so he has the eyes of an angel, but I know what he’s capable of.

Jesse Richmond is the devil hiding in a quarterback’s meat suit. He walks around this place as though he’s God’s gift to women and God damn if it doesn’t make my fucking ass itch. When the news broke during first period that Sarah and Elena had burned to death last night in their ‘totally expensive car’ the school went crazy.

Girls running about crying, some collapsing in the hall, while others stood there posting about it on social media. I’ve realised a lot since Maisy died, people will only ever come together for one of two things; a funeral, or a wedding. During either of those two things, people desire to be included. To be part of the day, so they can lie and brag about the fact that they were there.

Sickening really. Anyway, I’m in the cafeteria stabbing my fork into the dry ass meatloaf the cook seems to believe is high grade lunch. The racoon I passed on the side of the road last night, looked more appetising than this shit.

“Well, well, well.” I roll my eyes, breathing from my nose as I look up at through my eyebrows at none other than Fire Crotch and her best friend, Jesse. “Look who decided to grace the cafeteria with her unwanted presence.”

“Give it a rest Ginger, your mother didn’t give birth to you just so you could be a raging cunt.”

“What!?” She steps forward. “My mother’s dead you bitch!”

Leaning back in my seat, I laugh. “Lucky for her she doesn’t have to witness it then.” She raises her hand and I lean my elbow on the table, pointing my fork to her face. “Choose your actions carefully, Ginger,” I snarl. “I wouldn’t want to mess up that pretty little face by stabbing you to death for the world to see.” Ginger stills on the spot, fear ghosting her face. Jesse comes into view, pressing his hands to the table.

“Listen, you stupid, little bitch,” he leans in closer. “Why don’t you just kill yourself. Nobody wants you here.”

I feign sadness and turn to face him, settling back into the uncomfortable plastic chair. “Really? It’s a shame that I truly don’t give a fuck.” If this is the best he’s got for intimidation, then it’s a fail. Ten out of ten would not recommend.

“You could’ve been great here. Beautiful… popular,” Jesse breaths, looking me up and down like I’m his next meal. God, he’s fucking sickening. Remind me to vomit when I have the energy.

“Careful, Jesse,” I huff. “People might think you want to fuck me again.” My eyes flick to Ginger as she stands there, arms crossed, with a look of disgust on her face. “I mean, wasn’t it a few weeks ago that you had me bent over the bathroom counter in your frat house, balls deep in my tight little pussy?”

“The difference now though,” he leans in a little closer, “I wouldn’t put my cock anywhere near you, Ashley. You’re disgusting,” Ginger begins to laugh uncontrollably.

“Watch it, Jesse,” I hiss. Giving him fair warning. “Carry on and something will happen that you won’t like.” He leans even closer to me, the dry skin of his thin white boy lips grazing my ear.

“But just like I raped that girl last year, I’ll come for you soon enough.”

Bolting up from my seat, I raise my hand in the air, stabbing Jesse through his hand with the fork I had gripped there. His scream rings out through the cafeteria and everyone turns around frantically to see what’s happening. Dragging his hand back, the fork still embedded in his skin, he yanks it out.

“Sick motherfucker!” I scream, pulling my fist back and punching him square in the nose. He falls flat on his ass, and I jump on top of him like a rabid fucking dog. “I’ll fucking kill you!” I scream, just as I’m dragged off Jesse, and thrown over the table by none other than his stupid fucking brother Marcus.

“What the hell is going on here!?” Looking up from where I’m lying, Nathan and Coach Peterson stand between the three of us. Nathan crouches down to me, taking hold of my arm and helping me up. “You ok?” He whispers and I nod.

“Richmond, what gives you the right to throw her over the table?” Coach Peterson bellows and I try my hardest to hide my smirk. “Are you out of your damn mind kid?”

“Coach, the crazy bitch stabbed Jesse in the hand with her fucking dinner fork!” Nathan’s head snaps to me in shock and all I can do is shrug.

“The prick deserved it, telling me how he’s going to fucking rape me and shit.”

“What the fuck!? That’s not true!” Jesse shouts, stepping forward as though he’s going to punch me, I don’t flinch though, I don’t move at all.

“That’s a very serious accusation, Miss Porter!” Coach Peterson snaps. I can already see that he’s decided to take the side of his star quarterback. Of course, he would. They always fucking do. I snatch my bag and jacket from the chair.

“Come find me when you want to listen to the fucking truth!”

“Ashley, get back here!” Nathan bellows from behind me, following me out into the hallway. Wrapping his hand around my upper arm he drags me down the hall and into the music room. Pressing me against the wall, he cages me in. A hand either side of my head.

“What?” My blood is fucking boiling and I’m about to lose my shit.

“Did he touch you?” He screws his face up in disgust.

“He didn’t fucking have to.” Leaning down he presses his lips to my mouth, and I feel disgusting. Pushing him back from me, I smack my palm against his chest, pushing him back.

“Don’t fucking touch me, Nathan!” Whipping round, I yank open the door and storm out of the music room. “Dickhead,” I mumble.

I took the rest of the afternoon off and skipped all my classes. Including Nathan’s. My aim here was to seduce Nathan, so I was able to get an alibi from him at every turn. Seems as though the police here are fucking stupid though, because they haven’t connected me to a thing as of yet.

I knew from the moment I picked him out of the roster that he would be the perfect candidate to fuck with. Thirty-eight, handsome and at the top of his field for someone his age.

I’d been watching him for months before I followed him to that bar the night before I was enrolled at Brown. I played my part perfectly well. I also knew from watching him that he had a thing for young women. I guess, I just missed Fran and the fact that he was fucking Maisy too.

The dirty bastard loved going to that same bar to meet with younger girls, take them back to the grimy little hotel room and fuck them. I knew exactly what I was getting myself into the moment my friend gave me that fake ID. What I didn’t expect was for the sex to be so good, that it engulfed my mind daily. Sure, I fuck him any chance I can get but that means anything.

I’d trade everything in, if it meant I could have Maisy back. If I could smell that sweet honeysuckle perfume she used to wear. Sex means nothing to me, it never has. Most people think sex is something that can make or break a relationship. I, however, see it as a means to get what I want, when I want and exactly how I wanted it. And boy did I get everything I wanted. There’s no way I’m going to get to Jesse without his fucking brother being there and unfortunately, I don’t look like The Rock.

So, I need another way. So, I figured why not trust someone for once. Why not go to someone who could do something about it. Someone who might be able to help me in a way that’s a little more legal.

That’s why I’m on my way to Nathan’s office. The ugly bitch who works at the front desk has finished for the day by the time I make it into the admissions office. The minute I push through the door I freeze. My hand hanging between me and the handle as I listen to the voices inside.

“What did you think that would fucking achieve, Jesse!?” Nathan shouts. “Saying something like that to her. For what? To make you feel big that you got away with it!?”

What the fuck are they arguing for?

“Got away with it?” Jesse responds, laughter in his tone. “Let’s not forget you were fucking my girlfriend for the better part of a year… All while fucking that stupid Maisy chick behind her back.”

“Yeah, well, at least she wanted to fuck me, Jesse. She begged for me to fuck her day in and day out. You… you however raped her on her bedroom floor.”

He knew?

“Yeah, and you fucking helped me cover it up!” Something smashes against the door, and I scramble back. “Big fucking deal.” I can’t move as Jesse begins to laugh. The echo of his voice permeating my eardrums and deafening me. I’m frozen in time and all I can hear are the words they share between them. My eyes burning with unshed tears as the pain in the back of my throat constricts my airways. My nose burning as I try to stifle the pieces of my broken heart as they begin to crack further and further.

“I raped Maisy, you fucked Fran and sadly enough, I fucking caught you. So, remember… before you decide to do anything, that you helped me, Nathan. You!”

The air is sucked out of my lungs as I slap both hands over my mouth to stop myself from making a single sound. I slowly step back as tears roll down my cheeks and pool at the crease where my hands meet them.

“You helped me do it!” Jesse screams again. “You help me hide it!” The words ringing in my ears as they snap me out of my trance.

“Get the fuck out of my office!” Nathan bellows. His voice fills the room, causing me to back up further and further.

“I’ll leave. That’s fine. Just remember your fucking involvement in that shit!”

Then I run. I run as fast as my legs will take me. The soles of my trainers slapping against the linoleum flooring as I speed through the hallway. My chest heaving and my heart beating a thousand times per minute. I feel sick. There’s no way I could’ve missed that. How did I miss that? There was nothing in her diary that mentioned Nathan by name.

Not a single fucking page.

Not like the others.

Holding my arms out I run into the front doors to the school and immediately turn left. Hugging the brick wall as I drop to the floor. I’m hyperventilating. My chest is in agony. Smashing my head back against the brick wall, I scream the tears from my eyes. That’s when it hits me. My mouth fills with moisture. Crouching onto my hands and knees, I retch. Vomit spreading onto the grass below as I cry through it. My sobs the only thing I can hear. The only thing that’s choking me. Two black boots move into my eyeline, and I look up from the floor.

Please help me.

Crouching down to eye level he grasps my shoulders, pulling me to stand, wrapping me in a tight embrace. I can’t breathe. I can’t think… I can’t even speak the words. All I can do is feel.

“Tell me what you need, sweet girl.”