Chapter 3 - Nora
Tyson snuck back into my head again, and slithered right into my dreams. I had been able to keep him out of my dreams successfully for almost a year now. Knowing I would be seeing him soon, opened my nightmares back up.
The nightmares came from the worsening abuse he subjected me to when we were together. I had no idea that when I first started sleeping with Tyson, that everything would change. Not just our relationship, but my entire personality. Things started out fun, and exciting. It was the thrill of a summer romance, and what I thought was my first love. He wanted to spend every moment possible together, sleeping together, and I thought it was just a normal part of a new relationship.
It wasn’t until school started back up that I started to realize that things were not normal. First red flag should have been that he never referred to me as his girlfriend, and made me promise that I wouldn’t tell anyone about us. This was easy for me to accept at first because I didn’t have a close female friend to talk to, and I definitely wasn’t going to tell Liam. I didn’t care about the status of having a boyfriend.
Tyson would text me during the school day to see what I was doing, what class I was in, and who I was hanging out with. I thought it was because he missed me, not realizing he was keeping an eye on me. Obsessively monitoring me. I already planned on not playing a fall sport during my senior year, so If I wasn’t volunteering at the hospital or doing clinic hours, I was with him.
The next red flag should have been that he never took me anywhere in public. Never took me on an actual date. We would drive places together, but that always led to him taking me somewhere private so we could have sex in his car. That seemed to be all he wanted when we were together. But I wanted more than just sex.
Just before the competitive cheer season started up, Tyson got his own place. He knew that I couldn’t live there with him without my parents finding out about our relationship, so instead he asked me not to cheer. And when I hesitated, he told me he loved me. He loved me so much that he didn’t want all the other guys staring at me in my cheer uniform.
I believed him, and justified my decision for not cheering as being able to put more time into my online college courses, clinical hours, and softball. My parents were actually easy to convince, especially since I already didn’t see them every day. Liam however, wasn’t as easy to convince as my parents. He knew something was wrong, and I had to start ignoring calls and not responding to his texts.
Soon after that, his angry side showed up. Tyson would blow up my phone, and question what I was doing whenever I was not with him. Soon his anger turned into verbal abuse. Yelling, screaming, and threatening me.
He would tell me things like —” you don’t actually love me ,” or “I am going to have to find someone else that wants to be with me.” And of course there was — “I am the only guy who has ever found you attractive, you would have no one else to love you without me,” or “who would want to touch you after you gave your virginity to me.”
It only got worse when softball started up, and I had to spend time everyday at practice. Then there was the weekend of an overnight tournament before the actual season games started. It was two nights not with him, not pleasing him. And when I came back, the physical aggression and abuse started. Pushed up against the door or the wall, blocked me from leaving in the morning. He hid my phone, wallet, and keys.
When I spoke up, or argued with him, he would slap me, or yank my hair. Soon the only place I felt safe was in my catcher's gear, behind the plate. He never attended any of my games, but demanded that I come over as soon as they were done. He used my completely exhausted body as often as he saw fit.
I don’t know if I actually believed everything he said, that this was what relationships were supposed to be like, but I didn’t say a word to anyone else. I was so good at lying and hiding things from my family, I even started to believe that I was alright. Jules would check on me, and I would tell her I was just busy with everything, and she didn’t push farther. I was friendly with my teammates but I wasn't about to ask them for relationship advice.
Towards the end of the softball season, Tyson asked me not to go away to college, and to move in with him after graduation instead. That was the one thing I would never compromise on. I told him no, in more ways than one that night, and he wouldn’t take no for an answer. That is the night the sexual abuse started.
I realized then that I had to end things, I wasn’t giving up my scholarship and career dreams for him. I knew that there was no way he actually loved me, or that I actually could love him. The sexual abuse continued, and worsened until graduation. I completely disassociated from reality in order to survive getting to college. I gave him whatever he wanted, just buying my time until I could move to my dorm.
When Liam came home to attend my graduation, he only had to take one look at me to know I was absolutely not alright. He demanded I tell him what had happened and who had hurt me, but I couldn’t tell him the whole truth. I did tell him I was in a very bad relationship, and needed help getting away, needed somewhere to stay before I could move into my dorm.
Even though Liam had many unanswered questions, he made plans for me, and saved me. I told my family goodbye, and didn’t look back. The move put the physical distance between us, but Tyson continued to text, and monitor my social media. I ended up completely removing myself from all social media sites, and changing my number.
I became depressed, and was afraid to go home on breaks. I hid the broken part of me as best as possible so that I could be successful in college. It wasn’t until after the next softball season that I was able to shake the depression, but never fully return to my old self. The spark and fire within me was gone.
I remember when I saw Liam during Christmas break, he could tell I still wasn’t fully healed. It took another night of me completely breaking down, and letting everything out. I sobbed in his arms for at least an hour. He just held me, didn’t ask for details, but I eventually told about the abuse. I didn’t go into details but it was enough for him to realize the extent of my trauma. I can still remember the look of anger on his face, and the way his chest shook in response. The only time I had ever seen him like that.
I stirred awake, trying to shake off the thoughts about Tyson. Stretching out in the bed, it was too big, too much empty space. I turned over and tried to shift my thoughts towards more pleasant dreams, but that didn’t work out. My mind was still flooded with the fear of Tyson.
Predictably my dreams went straight back to the trip on the yacht for Liam and Zahir’s college graduation. They had invited me to join them with some of their other friends on Sayid’s luxury yacht. I didn’t realize that Tyson was included in the invitation. Liam didn’t usually do things together with him.
By the time I saw Tyson climbing aboard, it was too late to back out. Four days at sea was going to be too much. My anxiety almost got the best of me, but luckily Tyson kept his distance. I could feel his eyes watching me when we were in the same room, but he never spoke to me alone.
I kept to my room, and to open spaces with others around most of the time. I thought that maybe things were going to be alright. That was until some of the other guys started giving me attention, on the last night. It was later in the evening, after a couple of drinks, and three guys were playing pool. They asked me to join them so they could have even teams.
It was an innocent request, and I loved any competitive game, especially pool. I played a couple rounds with them, and was actually having a good time. That was until an inebriated Tyson came to watch us. The guys were not being crude in any way, just playing around and having a good time. But Tyson didn’t see it that way. Tyson saw that I was flirting, and trying to get their attention.
When we were done playing, I didn’t notice that Tyson was following me out of the room. He grabbed me by the arm, and pushed me up against the wall. Before I could even say anything, his hands were all over me. He was grabbing at me, kissing me. I tried to turn from him, and push him away. He ignored my protests, and finally I was screaming at him to stop.
He whispered in my ear, “you know you will always belong to me. No one other man knows how to handle you.” His hand dropped down between my thighs. I was not going to let this happen, again.
I stood my ground, and yelled, “I said No,” as loudly as I could muster. Tyson did not remove his hand, so I slapped him across the face. He pulled back from me, raising his hand into the air to strike me back. But we were both suddenly frozen by the sound of Liam’s angered voice.
“Get your fucking hands off of her,” Liam’s voice thundered down the hall as he ran towards Tyson, and tackled him to the ground. “What the fuck are you thinking? That’s Nora, she’s like our sister, you don’t ever fucking touch her like that.” Liam got up off of Tyson, and I was surprised that Tyson didn’t hit Liam, or say anything back.
Tyson just sat on the ground for a few moments in shock before he finally apologized. “Sorry, I had way too much to drink, I’m going to bed.” He got up and stumbled his way down the hall to his room. Zahir and Eliza were standing in the hallway behind me. Eliza reached out to comfort me, and asked if she could get me anything.
I shook my head no, looked at Liam, and thanked them both. Then I turned around and walked straight towards my room. I stayed there until we returned to the harbor the next day. Eliza and Liam tried to bring me food, but I couldn’t eat. I didn’t say another word to anyone until leaving the boat. I remember turning to Zahir and telling him, “please thank your Uncle for his generosity.”
It was all I could say, and I couldn’t even look Liam in the eyes. He didn’t have to say anything, I know he had most likely connected the dots, and figured out it was Tyson all along.
Unexpectedly my dream seemed to shift again, and this time to an unfamiliar scene. I am walking down a darkened hallway, and next thing I know Tyson is grabbing me by my arm and pulling me with him. Just then a smooth rich voice echoes off the walls around us, “she is not yours to take.” Tyson immediately drops my arm at the site of the man behind me.
When I turn around, I see the handsome tanned face of the stranger from earlier this evening. He pulls me away from Tyson, and embraces me against his strong chest. “Don’t worry Nora, you are safe now, I’ve got you.” And with those words, he was no longer a stranger—he was my protector.
∞∞∞
I am woken up by the sound of a soft knocking at my door. “Room service, I will leave your cart outside your door.” Bright light was seeping in around the blackout curtains. I grabbed my phone off the charger to check the time. Whoa, it was already almost nine o’clock. I stretched out in the bed before rolling out, then I slipped on the robe that was waiting on the chair.
Not sure if it was the bed, or the dream that left me with the feeling of being protected, but that is the most sleep I have gotten in months. I approached the door with a bit of apprehension, I knew I didn’t order anything. I peeked out into the hall, no sign of anyone else, then I pulled the cart into the room. When I lift the lid, I find a lightly toasted bagel with a side of whipped butter, and an iced coffee.
That’s weird, I am pretty sure Liam doesn’t know my current breakfast obsession. On the cart is also an itinerary for the wedding. I pick up the paper, and look it over. I will definitely be skipping the spa treatments at ten. Spending any additional time with the other women is a hard pass. I did need to get my nails done before the wedding, but I would rather walk to the nearest mall than spend another second with them.
Later this afternoon is the basketball game Liam had already texted me about and asked that I be there. I told him that I would at least watch. Then Zahir texted me practically begging me to save him, and join him. I will have to see how I feel when I get there. I am thankful I don’t have to go to the actual wedding rehearsal, and can use the extra time for studying
This evening was the rehearsal dinner, then the after celebration in the lounge. I promised to go to those, but I do not plan on actually drinking until tomorrow.
I enjoyed my bagel, and coffee, then I decided to go for a walk and explore the hotel, and surrounding areas. Before I can even leave the lobby, I find Gary and Beth waving at me from one of the couches. The sweetest couple in the world still had no idea the darkness that was hidden in their oldest son.
We spent at least twenty minutes catching up before we parted. Beth was heading to meet the bridal party at the spa, Gary was off to play some golf with Liam, and I wandered around some of the boutiques within the hotel. Nothing for those prices caught my eye, so I headed towards the backside of the hotel to walk some laps around the outside.
On the way out, I spotted a small salon. This is the perfect time to get my nails done, especially when I know everyone else will be over at the spa, and not here. I stepped up to the reception desk, gave the lady my name and room number, and asked for a manicure. “Full manicure and pedicure are included, free of charge, with your room reservation Ms. Stevens.”
“Oh wow, I didn’t know that. Thank you.” Once again, I am completely shocked by the generosity being offered to me. I thoroughly enjoyed the next hour of being pampered. Best of all, I just sat back and listened to my music, not having to talk to anyone else, or listen to the other women yapping.
Feeling completely refreshed, I head outside to go for that walk. After a few laps around the property, I head back towards the doors. That's when I spot him. My stomach immediately tightens with tension. I freeze in place, thinking about turning around and walking the other direction. But it is too late, he saw me.
He pauses, waiting outside the doors for a brief moment, his eyes roaming over me before he goes inside. Well shit.
I knew it was going to happen at some point today, so I might as well get it over now instead of waiting til the rehearsal dinner. And just as I expected, he is in the lobby waiting for me. He looks a bit older, definitely more disheveled since the last time I saw him. He is in desperate need of a haircut and a shave. No attraction left towards him whatsoever, only repulsion deep in my bones.
“Well hey there Nors, what a surprise. I heard you could only show up for the ceremony. But look, you made it early.” I want to slap the smirk right off of his, he doesn’t deserve to smile.
“Oh, I was able to free up my schedule in order to make it all weekend.” I try to keep a neutral, uninterested tone. I am suddenly thankful for the lobby full of people, and the fact that he kept a decent space between us.
“So what floor are you staying on? I’m on the 20th, I think most of the wedding party is there too.”
Definitely not going to give him that answer. “Not the 20th.” I manage to respond just before we are interrupted by one of the groomsmen. He grasps Tyson on the shoulders before embracing him in a manly hug. I slip away while Tyson is distracted.
As I am heading towards the elevators I hear, “Miss Stevens?” I turn to see a woman standing at the nearby coffee bar. For a moment, I think she could be talking to someone else, it’s a common last name afterall. “Are you Nora Stevens,” she asks again.
Weird. I nod my head shyly at her, trying to not let the blatant confusion cloud my face. She moves over to me, carrying an iced coffee. “This is for you, on the house, compliments of Mister Hassan.”
“Wow, thank you.” I take the drink, and she immediately turns and walks away. Another coffee? I take a sip, and it’s absolutely perfect, just like the one at breakfast. Did he get coffee preferences for all the guests, or did Zahir just pass along mine? All I know is that I was already looking forward to officially meeting Sayid Hassan, because these gestures of generosity only grew my enthusiasm.
I knew that his reputation was both commendable and fearsome. I had heard a few stories about him from Zahir and Liam over the last few years, but that was it. Just like myself, he didn’t have an online presence. I have no idea what he looks like.
I sipped my coffee on the way back to my room, and am thankful for the extra pick-me-up that helped me shake the unpleasant jolt Tyson set through me. I enjoy the rest of the coffee while studying, and before I know it, it is time to get ready for the basketball game. Liam texts again to remind me, and I don’t want to let him down. So I change into some plain black yoga pants, and a light blue tank top before heading to the courtyard.