Chapter 31
CHAPTER 31
Presley
R eagan squealed and hugged me. My jeep was parked on the edge of the field near the road, a deliberate choice in case I wanted to make an early exit. Her excitement grated against my nerves, but I plastered on a weak smile.
“Come on! Let’s go!” she said, practically bouncing as I climbed out, my boots crunching against the dirt and gravel.
The field stretched wide before us, dotted with clusters of people, trucks with their tailgates down, and a roaring fire at its center. Shadows danced across the uneven ground as music blasted from speakers hidden somewhere in the chaos. The unmistakable thrum of Back in Black by AC/DC cut through the chatter and laughter.
Reagan shoved a beer into my hand.
“I’m good,” I said, wrinkling my nose.
“Don’t be boring,” she shot back, her smile faltering.
Sighing, I cracked the bottle open and tucked the cap into my pocket, lifting it to my lips without actually drinking. The bitter smell made my stomach churn, but I held onto it anyway.
Reagan grabbed my arm, dragging me toward the makeshift dance floor near the fire. I dug my heels in. “I’ll just hang here,” I said, leaning casually against the hood of a nearby car.
“You promised to have fun!” she said, hands on her hips.
“No, I promised to show up. There’s a difference.”
Her face twisted in irritation before she tossed her hair over her shoulder. “Fine, suit yourself. But you’re missing out.”
She stalked off toward Jennie and Angela, their red Solo cups already swaying in time with the music. I watched her go, letting the noise and chaos wash over me. The edges of the field blurred as my eyes wandered to the dark woods beyond. That’s where I wanted to be—away from the firelight, the people, the beer-soaked air.
With a glance over my shoulder, I slipped away. The warm night air wrapped around me as I stepped into the woods, the dead leaves crunching underfoot. The earthy scent of decomposing foliage filled my nose, grounding me as I moved deeper into the shadows. The music faded into a distant hum, replaced by the occasional crack of twigs and low murmurs—couples whispering or moaning in the darkness.
I quickened my pace, heading for Dinosaur Rock. Its jagged silhouette loomed ahead, a comforting landmark from my childhood. I’d spent countless nights here, staring up at the stars and pretending the world didn’t exist.
But peace eluded me tonight.
A sharp shove sent me stumbling forward, my palms scraping against rough bark. Pain flared as a branch scratched my cheek, the sting accompanied by the warm trickle of blood.
“What the hell?—”
I turned, but a hand grabbed the back of my shirt and slammed me against the tree. The impact knocked the air from my lungs.
“You fucking ruined everything,” a voice hissed.
Evan.
My stomach twisted as I stared into his furious eyes, the shadows making his face look monstrous.
“Evan,” I choked out, struggling against his iron grip.
“You think you can just walk away?” His voice was venomous, his breath reeking of beer and anger.
“Let go,” I growled, twisting my body, but he was too strong.
Instead, he yanked me forward, dragging me deeper into the forest. My heart pounded as panic took hold. I clawed at his hand, my nails scraping uselessly against his skin.
“Stop!” I shouted, planting my feet, but it only made him yank harder.
He spun me around and backhanded me, the force of the blow sending me to my knees. My cheek burned where his palm had connected, and the coppery taste of blood filled my mouth.
“I came for what you owe me,” he snarled, his words slurred but full of malice.
Fear shot through me like ice water.
“No,” I whispered, shaking my head as realization set in.
“Yes,” he sneered.
I gasped, the forest spinning around me.
Evan covered my body with his and sank his teeth into my shoulder in a vicious bite that had me yelping. When he let go, he spit. I knew he drew blood.
As realization leaked into me, I struggled. Evan Braddock wanted to rape me. I fought but he was too strong. His body on top of mine made me almost powerless. My legs were trapped, and he had my wrists in one hand. He bit me again, this time my ear, digging his teeth into the cartilage.
I screamed and when he pulled away, I felt another trickle of blood leak down my skin. He would ruin me both physically and emotionally. Angry tears squeezed from my eyes as he fumbled the button on my jeans. As another scream ripped from throat, he slammed his mouth on mine, swallowing it down.
“You taste so fucking good. You owe me.”
His hand was around my throat, choking me, making silver dots dance across my vision as I struggled to breathe. I couldn’t reply. I was losing consciousness, a veil of black closing over my eyes. And then his body was ripped off mine as I passed out.
My name is called but it sounds like it’s floating through water – all muffled and echoing. Every nerve fiber in my body aches and before I open my eyes, it all comes flooding back like a roaring river after a spring storm. Evan – the woods – his hands all over my body.
I can see the light through my closed lids and it’s obnoxious, intrusive when all I want to do is fade back to sleep. I forced my eyes open to see my mother sitting by my bedside wringing her hands. In the corner, Neil and my father are asleep, their heads back on the small green vinyl couch and mouths hanging open.
Through a seam in the louvres covering the windows, I can see a sliver of dark blue light. It’s almost dawn, a new day is coming. I stare at the ceiling for a moment before I call for my mother.
“Mom,” I croaked.
Her head shot up and her eyes met mine as tears rolled down her cheeks. She reached for my hand where clear tubes connected snake up to bags delivering drips. Her skin is cold and unwelcoming since I’m chilly but not unwanted. I curl my frozen fingers around hers. I notice my nails are caked with dirt.
I wanted to ease the tension. “The one time I go out….”
Her tears a now a flood and she’s covering her face with her other hand, trying to wipe away the wetness from her skin to no avail.
“Mom, please,” I begged.
I plucked a few tissues from a box sitting on a small table next to me, handing them to her.
“It’s not a joke, Presley,” she said sternly as she wipes her nose.
“It wasn’t meant to be,” I said seriously.
I remembered everything, every detail but what I don’t know is who saved me. Who stopped the assault?
“Where is he?” I asked.
“In fucking jail,” Neil said, sitting up and rubbing his eyes.
My mother usually chastised us for cursing but she let it go, nodding.
“The detectives want to talk to you, get your side of the story,” my father said, coming to my bedside.
I shifted and winced. “When?”
“Tomorrow.”
The nurse came into the room, a young woman wearing green scrubs. She politely asked my family to step out while she checked my vitals. I couldn’t keep my eyes open by the time she finished and the last thing I remember was someone pressing their lips to my forehead.
The following day was a merry go round of sleeping, questioning by the police and visits from friends and family. Notably absent was Reagan, which I found peculiar. She was the one who talked me into going out and you think she would be the first in line to see me.
I would spend one more day in the hospital since my vision was fuzzy and they wanted to be sure it was clearing. All my tests were normal except for a mild concussion and the bite marks Evan sliced into my skin. The one on my shoulder was so deep that I was sure I would have a permanent scar.
There was still the mystery of who saved me. No one was saying anything and I didn’t ask through all the visits, gifts and jokes but I was still curious. Evan never would’ve stopped his assault if someone hadn’t saved me. I could see the lust in his eyes. He wanted to succeed in his plan to rape me and maybe injure me beyond recognition. There was a sickness inside him.
At the end of visiting hours, I was dozing. A familiar but infrequent scent filled my nose as my hair was brushed from my face. Calloused fingers gently traced the bruise on my cheek and my eyes fluttered open to see Hudson standing by my bed. He smiled.
“H…hi,” I whispered.
I never expected to see him since we hadn’t been in contact for months. He pulled one of the gray plastic chairs to my bedside and sat down.
“I’m glad to see you’re okay,” he said.
“I might not have been if someone didn’t save me.”
Hudson raised his eyebrows. “No one told you?”
I frowned and it made my head ache. “Tell me what?”
“I…I save you. I beat the shit out of him.”
I sucked in a breath. “But how?”
He ran his fingers down my arm, careful to avoid the bruises. Goosebumps peppered my skin.
“I didn’t trust him. He couldn’t stop looking at you and when you walked off toward the woods, he followed.”
I swallowed hard as a pit settled in my stomach. “I didn’t notice him.”
Hudson’s face clouded. “I did. When he got to the edge of the woods, I followed. Reagan tried to stop me, hanging all over me. She’s not your friend and I think she had something to do with it.”
I shuddered. Reagan had always been jealous of me. She wanted what I had rather than forge her own path but I never thought she would go that far.
“She hasn’t visited me,” I said quietly.
“I wish I got there quicker. He already hurt you by the time I found him. I couldn’t stop myself, I didn’t want to.”
“He wanted to rape me,” I whispered, turning my head to look at the wall.
“Braddock had your pants open. I slammed into him to get him off you. He was choking you.”
I reached up to touch my neck. It still hurt and I avoided the mirror when I went to the bathroom. My heart swelled. Even after all this time, I was still in love with Hudson. But just because he saved me didn’t mean he felt the same way. He glanced at his watch.
“I should leave,” he said. “Visiting hours are over.”
He leaned down and pressed his lips to my temple, lingering for a few seconds before he pulled away. He left me in a cloud of his woodsy cologne and the subtle scent of cigarettes.
“Thank you,” I called to him.
Hudson smiled before he stepped out the door.
My name echoed, muffled and distant, as though carried through water. It barely reached me, dulled by the ache in every fiber of my body. Before I could open my eyes, memories surged back—violent, unrelenting, like a flood breaching a dam. Evan. The woods. His hands gripping me, clawing at my skin.
I winced, the light piercing through my closed lids sharp and unrelenting. It felt like an unwelcome intruder, dragging me away from the edge of unconsciousness where I longed to stay. Forcing my eyes open, I saw her—my mother, seated at my bedside, wringing her hands.
“Mom…” My voice cracked, barely more than a croak.
Her head snapped up, her tear-filled eyes locking onto mine. “Presley,” she whispered, reaching for my hand. Her skin was cold against my own chilled fingers, but I curled them around her’s anyway, clinging to the comfort. A glance down revealed dirt caked under my nails, a grim reminder of what had happened.
I tried to lighten the suffocating weight between us. “The one time I go out…”
Her tears came harder, spilling in an unstoppable flood as she pressed a trembling hand to her face.
“Mom, please,” I begged, fumbling for tissues from the box beside me and thrusting them toward her.
She dabbed at her cheeks, her voice stern despite the quiver in it. “It’s not a joke, Presley.”
“It wasn’t meant to be,” I replied softly, my tone carrying the heaviness of truth.
The memories were vivid now, etched into my mind. Yet one question burned brighter than the others. “Who stopped him?” I asked, my voice shaking.
My mother’s gaze faltered, but Neil stirred on the couch in the corner. “He’s in fucking jail,” he muttered, sitting up and rubbing his bloodshot eyes.
Dad, who had been dozing beside Neil, leaned forward with a solemn expression. “The detectives will want your statement. They need your side of the story.”
I shifted in the bed, wincing at the sharp ache in my ribs. “When?”
“Tomorrow,” my father said, his voice heavy with a mixture of relief and tension.
A nurse in green scrubs entered, her polite smile not quite masking the weariness in her eyes. “I’ll need to check her vitals,” she said, ushering my family out. As soon as she finished, my exhaustion overwhelmed me, dragging me back into the dark. The last thing I felt was the faint press of lips on my forehead.
The following day blurred into a carousel of activity—police questioning, visits from friends and family, and stretches of restless sleep. Yet one absence nagged at me: Reagan. She’d pushed me to go out that night. Shouldn’t she be here?
By evening, I was alone, the hospital quieting as visiting hours wound down. My eyelids grew heavy when a familiar scent washed over me—woodsy and warm, tinged with cigarettes. Gentle fingers brushed my hair from my face, tracing the bruise on my cheek. I stirred, blinking, and there he was.
“H...Hudson?” I whispered, my voice breaking on his name.
He smiled faintly, dragging a plastic chair to my bedside. “Hey, Presley.”
I stared at him, stunned. We hadn’t spoken in months. “Why are you here?” I asked, my voice barely audible.
He leaned forward, his elbows resting on his knees. “I had to see you. Make sure you were okay.”
A shiver rippled through me. “I might not have been—if someone hadn’t saved me.”
Hudson’s brows furrowed, a flicker of guilt crossing his face. “No one told you?”
I frowned. “Told me what?”
He exhaled, running a hand over his jaw. “I... I was the one who stopped him, Presley. I beat the shit out of him.”
The air left my lungs in a rush. “You?”
“I didn’t trust him,” he admitted, his gaze steady but filled with regret. “He couldn’t stop looking at you. When you headed toward the woods, he followed. I couldn’t just stand there.”
My stomach twisted. “I didn’t even notice…” My voice cracked as the weight of his words sank in.
Hudson’s expression darkened. “I did. Reagan tried to stop me—she wouldn’t let go of me. She’s not your friend, Presley. I think she was in on it.”
A cold chill crawled up my spine. Reagan’s jealousy had always been sharp, but I’d never thought it could cut this deep. “She hasn’t visited me,” I murmured, more to myself.
“She won’t. She’s a coward.” His voice hardened, but then softened as he continued, “I wish I’d gotten there sooner. He’d already hurt you.”
Tears stung my eyes. “He wanted to…” I couldn’t finish the sentence, but Hudson understood.
“I know,” he said quietly, his voice trembling with restrained anger. “He had your pants open. He was choking you when I got to him.”
My hand instinctively went to my neck, where the bruises still throbbed. The image Hudson painted made my stomach churn, but so did the realization that he’d risked everything to save me.
“I should go,” he said suddenly, glancing at his watch. “Visiting hours are over.”
He leaned down, his lips brushing my temple and lingering just long enough to leave my heart aching. His woodsy cologne followed him as he walked to the door.
“Thank you,” I called after him, my voice trembling.
Hudson turned, his smile small but genuine. “Anytime.”
And then he was gone, leaving behind questions I wasn’t sure I was ready to ask.
“Presley, are you sure you don’t want to go?” my mother asked.
I shook my head. “No, thanks. I’ve had enough being the center of attention.”
I declined walking during graduation. The school would send me my diploma. All the things one should enjoy during their senior year were stolen for me, but I had much to look forward to. College in Manhattan for the next four years and a hotel room in The Diamond Square Hotel in the city for a week as a graduation gift.
I planned to prowl the city, meet up with my cousin, Freda and maybe sneak into a club with my fake ID. I promised to check in several times a day and ever since Evan attacked me, I was aware my parents put a tracker on my phone. I didn’t mind. I was still a little shaky from what occurred two weeks ago.
Evan was awaiting his trial, and I knew I would need to testify when the time came. He was ordered to wear an electronic device on his ankle and stay away from me or he would be put in jail until his court date. I could honestly say that the Braddock family was morally and ethically bankrupt.
Mr. Braddock filed for divorce after his wife was incarcerated and I heard Evan was staying with relatives in town. He officially washed his hands of his family.
“You’re not the center of attention,” my mother said.
“I think I am, and I don’t want to be. Going to graduation would get people’s tongues wagging. I just want to relax by the pool.”
“With friends?” my mother asked hopefully.
After the attack, I walled myself off even more. Once I got home from the hospital, my mind was set on one last score to settle, one final nail in the coffin of our friendship.
“Reagan,” I called out, my voice steady.
She looked up, narrowing her eyes suspiciously. “I thought you were angry with her?”
I gave a small, calculated shrug. Oh, I am, but I have to deliver the final blow , I thought, masking my true intentions behind a practiced smile. “I’m over it. She had some stuff going on, and I forgave her. No big deal,” I lied, the words flowing easily.
My mother watched me closely, concern etched into her features. “I have a tennis lesson. Do you need anything?” she asked, her voice tinged with hesitation.
I waved her away, trying to appear nonchalant. “I’m fine. Where’s Neil?”
I didn’t want anyone to overhear my conversation when Reagan got here. There would be no rumors or hearsay, only the truth.
“He’s over at Brad’s house. I think they’re doing some game challenge or something,” she replied, trying to gauge my mood.
I rolled my eyes, picturing my brother spending his summer days holed up in his room with headphones on, lost in his virtual world. “I guess he’ll be enjoying his summer until football practice starts.”
My mother’s eyes softened with a mix of worry and guilt. “You just enjoy your summer.”
That sad look on her face—it mirrored the one on both my parents over the past two weeks. They felt guilty that they couldn’t protect me.
“Fine,” I replied firmly. “Go play tennis. I’ll see you later.”
She hesitated for a moment longer, then nodded and left, leaving me alone with my thoughts. The final act was about to begin.
After my mom left for her tennis lesson, I went upstairs to change. I slipped into a bikini, pulling a long t-shirt over it. The outfit was casual, perfect for the summer heat, but the real reason was the comfort it gave me. I wanted to feel strong, in control, ready for what was about to happen. I took a deep breath and grabbed my phone, scrolling through the screenshots Jennie had sent me. Each one was a dagger, a reminder of Reagan’s betrayal.
Minutes felt like hours, but finally, the doorbell rang. I steeled myself and walked to the door, opening it to see Reagan standing there, looking as innocent as ever.
“Hey, Presley,” she greeted me with a smile. “What’s up?”
“Come in,” I said, my voice steady. I led her to the living room, the tension thick in the air. “We need to talk.”
Reagan frowned, taking a seat on the couch. “What’s going on?”
I stood in front of her, my heart pounding but my resolve firm. “I know what you did,” I began, my eyes locking onto hers. “I know you set me up.”
Her eyes widened in feigned innocence. “What are you talking about?”
I took a deep breath and pulled out my phone, opening the gallery with the screenshots. “These,” I said, holding the phone up so she could see. “These texts between you and Evan. You told him I’d be at the field that night. You knew I’d eventually head off to the woods by myself.”
Reagan’s face paled, and she shook her head, trying to deny it. “Presley, I would never?—”
“Don’t lie to me!” I snapped, the anger boiling over. “Jennie sent me these. She saw everything. You betrayed me, Reagan. You let him know exactly where I’d be. You set me up to be attacked.”
Tears welled up in her eyes, but I felt no sympathy. “I didn’t mean for that to happen,” she stammered. “I just thought?—”
“A real friend wouldn’t do something like that,” I interrupted, my voice cold. “You let me walk into a trap, knowing what could happen. You broke my trust, and you put me in danger. We are done, Reagan. We will never be friends again.”
Reagan’s tears fell freely now, her face a mixture of guilt and sorrow. “Presley, please?—”
“Get out,” I said, pointing to the door. “I don’t want to see you again.”
She stood slowly, her shoulders slumped as she walked to the door. She turned to look at me one last time as she opened it. “I’m sorry,” she whispered, but I turned away, unable to look at her any longer.
The door closed, and I stood there, my heart heavy but resolute. I had settled the score. The final nail was in the coffin of our friendship, and there was no turning back.
Manhattan was truly the city that never sleeps. My cousin, Freda, was four years older than me and had been living there in a small one bedroom apartment with two roommates. She worked at an art gallery in SoHo. I spun around in the warm humidity.
The streets were quiet but not without traffic. A couple of taxi cabs drove by as she led me into a twenty-four-hour diner – Big Apple Bites. The scent of fresh brewed coffee and bacon hit my nose as we entered. It was 3 a.m. and tonight was my second night here.
“I love this place,” I said excitedly.
“A college students’ best friend when you’re pulling an all nighter.”
She grabbed my hand, squeezing it. “When are you moving?”
“The lease starts next month but my parents wanted me to wait until August.”
“Come early. I could use an intern. It’s a painfully exploitive position as far as salary but we could hang out after work.”
I laughed. “I had no intention of working this summer.”
“It’s four days a week. The gallery is closed on Fridays, and you would have weekends off. You have nothing going on in Asterdale, right?”
I shook my head, staring at the breakfast section of the menu. “I want to get out of there.”
“We’ll have a great time, I promise.”
I smiled and we perused the menu as the waitress stopped by with her order pad. For the first time in two weeks, I was hungry, ordering a small stack of chocolate chip pancakes and a couple of fried eggs. Tension eased in my shoulders as I sipped coffee and talked about the future. It was bright.