Emily saw blood come off her hand as she slowly realized that she had just rammed her head into a cupboard. She should have expected the cupboard but it slipped her mind. She didn't feel pain. No numbness, no screams, no sore feeling. If she hadn't seen blood, she probably would not have known she had just smashed her head. Wasn't she too young to be forgetting simple things like this?
Emily walked slowly through the crowded halls of her college campus, her head bowed in thought. She had been struggling with her coursework for weeks and she was feeling the strain. Her classes had been the most difficult thing she had ever encountered and she was beginning to question her ability to make it through them.
As she walked, she felt the weight of the textbooks in her arms and the fear of failure in her heart. She had worked so hard to get here, to be accepted into a prestigious college, and now she was struggling to keep up. She felt like she was letting herself down.
The noise of the hallway faded as Emily walked, lost in thought. She had to get through this, she told herself. She had to find a way to excel in her classes and prove to herself that she could do this. She had to keep pushing, no matter how hard it got.
Emily stopped suddenly, her head lifting as she looked around. She had no idea where she was. She was lost in her thoughts and had walked straight through the campus without paying attention to her surroundings. She had no idea how to get back to her dorm.
Emily sighed and started walking again, determined to find her way back. She had to keep pushing, no matter how hard it got. She had chosen this path, and now she had to see it through.
She had applied to a new course and it was time to go to class. More like a little hell. Pffftt... Can someone, or anyone burn down this school already?
Emily nervously walked into her professor's office first, anxious to begin their meeting. Her professor, a tall, broad-shouldered man with a stern face, immediately began to ask her questions.
"So, Emily, why did you choose to enroll in this course?" he asked.
Emily was taken aback. She had been so focused on getting to the class that she hadn't thought to prepare an answer. "Uh, I, um...I just thought it would be interesting," she said.
The professor nodded, but his expression remained unreadable. "And why is that?"
Emily's mind raced, frantically trying to come up with a coherent response. She could feel her face turning red as she stammered out her thoughts. "I, uh, I...I think it would be a great way to learn more about the subject, and I thought it would be a challenge."
The professor nodded again. "You're right. It is a challenge. But if you're willing to put in the work, I'm sure you'll do very well in this course."
Emily felt a wave of relief as the professor's expression softened. She nodded, eager to show her enthusiasm for the class. "Yes, I'm definitely up for the challenge. I'm excited to learn more."
The professor smiled. "Good. I'm glad to hear that. I think you have potential in this subject, Emily. I look forward to seeing what you can do."
Emily smiled back, feeling more disgusted than before. She wasn't eager to prove herself in this course. She had just lied. She did not bother to show her professor what she was capable of. She just felt tired of everything.
She had promised herself she would hold on long enough and not let suicide cross her mind but it was getting harder day by day. This life was tiring. Breathing was tiring.
Emily used to be a bright bubbly Belle. She loved to be around people and enjoyed living life to the fullest. She was always up for an adventure and loved to explore new places and experience new cultures. Emily was an extrovert who loved to socialize and make new friends. She was indeed always the life of the party and was always up for a good time.
Being highly sociable and welcoming to new people. She was always the first one to introduce herself and loved to talk to people.
She had a lot of friends and loved to spend time with them. And Emily felt her friends appreciated her cheerful and optimistic personality as she always puts a positive spin on any situation. If only Emily had known. If only there was a clue somewhere. Something bold enough to draw her attention to Meghan.
Meghan had been Emily's best friend since they were in high school together. They had shared everything from secrets to laughs and had a bond that could not be broken.
But Meghan had a secret. She was jealous of Emily and her seemingly perfect life. She was always popular and always had the perfect boyfriend. Meghan felt like she was in the shadows, never getting the attention she deserved.
So, when Emily's 21st birthday rolled around, Meghan decided to take matters into her own hands. She planned a surprise birthday party for Emily, inviting all of her friends and family. But Meghan had some other plans in mind, too. She had arranged for two boys to come to the party, two boys that she knew had a reputation for being dangerous.
Meghan made sure that Emily was too drunk to realize what was going on. The two boys took advantage of Emily's intoxicated state and raped her. Emily was left feeling violated and betrayed by her best friend. She had ruined Emily's 21st birthday, and Emily would never forgive her. Even though Meghan had thought she would be happy.
Emily could still recall the experience. She closed her eyes and felt her body tense up as memories of the night came flooding back to her.
She remembered being at Meghan's house, drinking and partying with her and a few of her friends. The next thing she knew, the lights had gone out and two boys had come in and begun pushing her onto the couch. Meghan did nothing to stop them. Nobody did anything to stop them.
Emily remembered screaming and begging them to stop, but they laughed and kept going. She remembered feeling so scared and helpless as they took turns assaulting her, their hands everywhere.
The first boy tore off her shirt and made his way to her chest. Squeezing and teasing. She tried to push him away but that made him angry and he started beating her. Emily remembered crying.
The more she cried, the more the bastard felt turned on till he reached for her core and forcefully thrust in. Emily could feel a hot liquid gush out of her. She cried and screamed until she could no more. She felt her body go weak. This monster overpowered her. She was feeble. A fragile little girl.
She had lost her virginity in the most gruesome way possible. That was the price to pay for being friends with Meghan.
The first boy had slapped and spat on her and then, the second came for his round. When it was finally over, Emily curled up in a ball on the floor and sobbed. She couldn't believe that Meghan had sent those boys to her. It was all too much for her to handle, and she felt like she was never going to be able to trust anyone again.
Emily shook her head as the memories began to fade away. She was grateful that she had been able to get through that night alive, but the trauma still lingered.
She was still learning to cope with the pain and fear of that night, but she was determined to move forward, stronger than ever, or at least, that is what she promised her therapist.
Her therapist had promised her that time would heal every wound but that's not entirely true. It was three years ago and it still felt like yesterday.
Suddenly, Emily was brought back to reality by the bell. School time was finally over for her. Time to go home. Eat. Sleep and Repeat. At this point, life seemed worthless to her.