When I got home, the house was quiet. As usual.
Lolita wasn't here either.
I sighed as I changed out of the clothes I had worn to school, before taking off the wig and throwing it across the room. I walked into the bathroom and took off my contacts as well.
I shook out my hair as I walked into my closet, picking out a pair of sweatpants and a tank top. I stopped and looked around, wondering what I could do to pass the time.
I could call Rain or Angel to come over but I didn't think I was ready for that, at least not yet.
Then there was Avian, but I didn't want to seem desperate.
I sighed again, and grabbed a sweater, before trudging down the stairs in my socks. I walked into the living room and flopped down on the couch, and grabbed the remote off the coffee table.
I placed my feet up on the table, leaned back in the chair, and turned on the television. I was flipping through the channels, scoffing when something came up that was so ridiculous that it shouldn't have been on the screen in the first place, when he walked in.
My mother's pet, also known as boyfriend number who-cared-enough-to-count. I groaned inwardly but didn't say anything as he walked over and flopped down on the same sofa I was seated in.
There was silence as the current movie on the screen played; he kept stealing glances at me creepily and I was inching away from him ever so slightly.
"I have a feeling you don't like me" he said with a grunt, and I turned my head to look at the sorry excuse for a man sitting next to me.
Go figure
I didn't say anything, hoping he would drop it but he sniffed and continued.
"I want you to like me."
I still didn't say anything, so it was quiet again for some time.
Then he placed his hand on my lap.
I turned to look at him.
"What are you doing?" I asked, picking up his hand and throwing it off my lap. I glared at him but he smiled stupidly and didn't say anything.
Then he put his hand back in my lap, except this time, it was higher up.
"Can you not?" I said angrily, removing his hand again and shifting away from him.
"But I want you to like me" he said and I turned to look at him, wondering what his problem was.
Was he drunk?
I sniffed.
Nope. Just downright crazy.
He shifted closer to me, and tucked a strand of hair behind my ear, the other hand running up my leg.
"That's it," I muttered, shoving him away and standing up.
When in doubt, get the hell out.
Suddenly, he grabbed my arm and yanked me back down to the couch.
"What are you doing?" I asked, my anger being replaced by.
I felt a cold sliver of fear run down my spine.
He ignored me, and shoved me into the couch, before laying over me.
"I want you to like me," he said forcefully as he ran his hand up my leg yet again.
My heart beat faster.
"Get off me," I said, my voice getting shaky. He ignored me, and it was only when he placed his hand between my legs that reality sunk in.
"I want you to like me" the sentence he kept saying replayed itself in my head.
Oh no.
"Get off of me" I yelled, getting more agitated after realizing just how much he wanted me to like him.
"Shut up," he said, holding my shoulders down with one hand and running another hand over my chest.
My heart thumped louder.
"Get off me, you creep," I said, trying to use all the strength I had to shove him away from me, my heart thumping "I will call the police and then my mother."
"And who do you think she'll believe huh?" He held me down and looked at me "the loving boyfriend that satisfies her or the stupid party child that caused everything to fall apart?"
How did he know?
He seemed to know what I was thinking.
"Your mother told me everything."
He ran a hand through my hair.
"You're so beautiful; more so than your mother"
I panicked.
"Get the fuck off" I yelled, using even more force to try and get out from under him but he was so heavy and my arms were getting weak.
"Shut up," he slapped my cheek and I gazed at him, completely stunned "you will like me whatever it takes."
The lump in my throat shut me up.
It was only when he started touching me again and looking for a way to take off my clothes that my mind snapped back to reality.
He had stopped holding down my right hand so he could unbutton the sweater I had worn over my tank top.
Desperately, I felt around me for something, anything that I could use to protect myself.
My hands touched the medium-sized flower vase that sat on a side table right next to the couch.
"I said get the hell off of me" I yelled again, picking up the vase, and smashing it into the right side of his head.
He collapsed then, completely unconscious and his entire weight fell on me.
I struggled but eventually managed to get him off me. When I did, I did not wait to see if he was knocked out for good. I grabbed my phone, put my feet into some slippers, and ran out of the house.
As I raced down the street, it dawned on me that there was nowhere I could go.
It was at that moment that I remembered Angel lived down the street, so I tightened my sweater around me and ran all the way there.
"Angel, open up," I banged on the door, and looked around me to be certain that my mother's crazy boyfriend hadn't followed me.
After banging on the door for a couple of minutes with no answer, and calling her phone without any luck, I gave up and walked away from the house.
What just happened?
I tried to clear my head as I picked up my pace and walked towards the convenience store around the corner.
"I want you to like me"
I shook my head as the voice replayed, and ran my fingers through my hair.
I pulled out my phone then and scrolled through my contacts.
Who on earth would still be willing to drop everything and come to my rescue at this time in the night?
My eyes stopped when I found his name. I hesitated, and then slowly pressed the call button. It rang for a couple of seconds, before he picked up.
I sighed in relief. "Hello?"
"I know I shouldn't be bothering you, but I need your help. Can you come and pick me up?"
"Slow down Shay, where are you? What happened?"
"I'm close to the convenience store around the corner from my house. Please, just come."
"The one with the big lettuce sign?"
"Yeah"
"I'm on my way."