The Incomparable Edie Wells

“Do I look okay?” Rhett asks nervously, attempting to fix his tie in front of the mirror. “I mean, from a girl's perspective?”

I furrow my eyebrows, placing my hands on my hips. “Your tie isn't right,” I mutter, striding up to him and swatting his hands away from it. “Here, let me do it.”

Rhett rolls his eyes, but lowers his hands down to his sides. I attempt to untie the mass of silk that's accumulated where the original silver tie was supposed to be. “Where the hell did you learn to do that?” he muses, more to himself than to me. I chuckle lowly. “Seriously! It's frustrating! I haven't had to wear a tie since Mom and Dad's wedding.”

“Somehow, that doesn't surprise me,” I grumble, finally managing to get the knot out. “Parker always made me tie his – he's not very good at that kind of stuff, and he had to wear a tie to church every Sunday...”

Rhett frowns. “How is Parker, anyway?”

I sigh, finishing the tie. “Your guess is about as good as mine.”

“You haven't talked to him?”

“No.”

He pauses for a second while I tighten the fabric around his neck. I don't make eye contact with him as he thinks about what he's going to say next. I can pretty much tell what it is already.

“He really cares about you, you know.”

I sigh again, taking a step back and examining my makeup in the mirror. It's way more than I ever would have worn a few months ago – it actually makes me look pretty. Something that's very, very rare for a plain girl like me. “He has a weird way of showing it,” I mutter, searching around the living room for my clutch.

Rhett raises an eyebrow. “How so?”

I can feel tears spring to the back of my eyes and a lump form in my throat, but I don't let it show. “All those girls he's hooked up with lately? Does he think I'm stupid or something?”

I try not to let the malice in my voice show, but I know Rhett picks up on it. I know I don't have any reason to be mad with Parker – it's not like he doesn't have a right to hook up with whoever he wants. I just... I thought he'd meant, when he'd said he loved me. It hurt that he could say something like that just to throw me off. To get me to dump Levi.

“Edie, what are you talking about?” Rhett asks in disbelief.

“That sophomore chick?!” I screech, whirling around to Rhett, narrowing my eyes. “Maggie?! An-” I break off, mentally slapping myself. I may be in pain, but I can't do that to Rhett. He's too happy with her. “...Andrea Correa,” I mutter, running a hand through my hair. “Number three?”

Rhett takes a step towards me, lowering his voice. “Edie, why do you think Parker's been hanging out with those people?” He looks angry, like I've offended him, not Parker. “He's trying to fit in so he'll get your fucking attention!”

I stare at him. “What...?”

He grabs my shoulders roughly. I wince – fresh bruises. “When have you ever stopped to look at anyone twice that wasn't in at least the Top Hundred?” he hisses, looking me straight in the eyes. “What was Park supposed to do to catch your eye? Do you know how long that guy's been pining after you, Edie?! Years! Years I've had to sit and listen to him complain about how my little sister won't give him the time of day. Why do you think he changed everything about himself?”

I open my mouth, but no sound comes out.

“He's trying to be Levi,” Rhett finishes softly, releasing his grip on my shoulders. “He's trying to be the guy he thinks you want.”

I bite my lip, staring down at my shoes. I can't believe what Rhett's saying – why would Parker ever do that? He doesn't care about the List. He never has. Until...

Until I decided I was going to go out with Levi.

I shake my head. I'm not going to deal with this tonight – I have too much else on my mind. Like the way Anna had so easily talked about Levi's plans for tonight...

It makes me worry what might happen if I say no.

-[-]-

“Hey, baby,” Levi breathes, leaning in towards me as Rhett and I enter the ballroom.

I flinch away from him slightly – his breath reeks of alcohol. My heart sinks, since I kind of hoped that he wouldn't be drinking tonight. I just want to spend time with him, sober for once, you know?

“Hi,” I murmur, pecking him on the cheek.

I can't help but catch the eye of a hostile-looking Parker. He's standing at the door, hands in his pockets, scanning the room every so often to see if anything's changed. Even after he sees me, he remains still, keeping his composure.

I sigh and link my arm with Levi's, making my way onto the dance floor.

The ballroom of the hotel is completely decorated with snowflakes and light blue streamers, like some cheesy Winter Formal dance. It's a little bit disappointing. I've always heard about the Ball being the social event of the year – how could it not be, when the 100 most popular people in Westbrook were in attendance?

I guess maybe the ice sculptures are a plus, however.

The song pouring through the speakers is slow, mesmerizing, and soon I'm lost in the feeling of the bass pounding to the rhythm of my heart, and Levi's hands around my waist, and the general goodness of being able to let myself feel free, if only for a few moments. I don't pay attention as a prominent part of Levi becomes more and more active, and his grip become tighter on my hips.

Minutes turns into an hour faster than I ever thought possible.

Suddenly, Levi grabs me around the waist rather roughly, pulling my lower half against his. “Edie,” he whispers, his voice husky and slurred, though the last part is due to the large amount of alcohol he's consumed recently, “Babe, let's go somewhere more... private.”

It's unsettling how clearly his speech is now – it's almost like he's been pretending to be drunk the whole time. “I kinda just want to dance, Levi,” I reply, pulling his death grip from around my waist.

He leans in, grabbing my wrist tightly. I wince as I feel the circulation cut off. “You don't understand,” he breathes, his lower half pushing forward against mine. My eyes widen. “We have to go.”

“I'd rather not, actually-”

“You'll come, or I'll have to go give that Parker guy some shit for messing with my girlfriend.”

I feel a lump rise in my throat. He'd hurt Parker. I know he will – he's had no problem hurting me, what would stop him from...

I nod mutely, following him as he pulls me off of the dance floor. As we weave through the crowd, I look for someone – anyone – who can get me out of this, but all I see are unfamiliar faces, too involved in their own lives to care about me.

I know one person who would. But I'm trying to save him by doing this. At least, that's what I tell myself.

My heart races and my palms begin to sweat as Levi drags me first out of sight of the chaperones, then out of earshot of the few couples making out in the hallways. It's then that I realize he's rented a room for the night – one that he plans on using.

The hotel itself isn't particularly fancy, it's fairly plain. But I think it's the plainness of it, the idea that I may as well have stayed here with my family before, that makes me even more nervous. It's not even recognizable, indistinguishable from any other hotel. It makes me think I'm not the first person to be subject to this – to be forced into this.

I swallow the lump in my throat as I follow Levi through the halls.

This is what Maggie worked so hard or me to have.

This is what Parker wanted me to have, because he thought it would make me happy.

This is what Rhett thought I wanted.

This is what I thought I wanted.

So why do I feel like I'm going to be sick?

Levi stops in front of a door and takes out a key card, sliding it though the scanner and pushing open the door in a hurry. I'm shoved into the dimly-lit room, tripping over the heels Anna lent me and snapping them off. I wince as my ankle rolls, causing me to lose my balance and all, face first, onto the carpeting.

“Get up,” Levi orders hoarsely, shutting the door behind him. His purple eyes are glittering with something I don't recognize. They scare me.

I push myself up to my feet, feeling the tears burn the back of my eyes. I'm not going to let him see me cry – this isn't going to affect him as much as it's going to affect me, so why give him the satisfaction? I'm sure all the other girls didn't put up this much of a fight. I'm just like all the other girls.

Useless. Trash. Nothing.

Levi approaches me roughly, attacking my lips with his. They're rough, unrelenting, as he slips his tongue into my mouth, his hands roaming to my back.

I squeeze my eyes shut as they reach the zipper on the back of my dress, ripping the zipper down my back. I eel my shoulders tense, shuddering at the contact as his hands touch my exposed skin. His lips are on fire against mine – and from the way his lower body presses against mine, I know he's reached the point of no return.

I'm not going to end tonight as a virgin.

The realization washes over me like someone's thrown cold water over my head. My veins turn to ice, even as the boy I thought was the love of my life traces my spine, and reaches for the clasps on my bra. I realize I'm scared, scared out of my mind – but no matter what I tell myself, I'll be lucky to get out of here unharmed.

Suddenly my bra is undone, and Levi's hands are cupping my boobs, his lips still passionately attacking mine. I can feel the tears start to fall from my eyes. This is the farthest thing from what I want, but I can't get out of it. If I don't go through with this, Levi will hurt Parker. I don't care what he does to me, but I can't let him do anything to Park. Not if what Rhett said is true. Not if Parker's been doing this for me.

I can't let him hurt Parker. I love him.

I love Parker.

I feel a small bubble of hope rise in my chest as Levi pulls my dress down, pooling it around my ankles. I'm not paying attention to what he's doing anymore, because it doesn't matter. It doesn't matter to me. I'm in love with my best friend, Parker, who has always been there for me when I need him.

“Edie,” Levi growls, grabbing onto my hips. “Edie, I need you.”

I've waited or Levi to say those words to me for years. Now, I'm disgusted by them. How is it that just four months ago, this was all I could think about? Being here, with Levi, as his girlfriend. Now all I can think of is how I can make this as painless as possible.

Not that I can think of anything.

Levi lets another growl escape his throat. “Edie, say something.”

“Why?” I whisper, hearing the waver in my voice.

“Because,” he breathes, touching me in a place no one's ever touched me before. “I need you to talk to me. Tell me how this feels.”

I can't hold the tears back anymore.

“Why are you crying?!” he demands, slapping me across the face.

My head whips to the side as I stumble into the nightstand. I feel glass breaking under the all, as the light bulb goes out in the lamp, plunging the room into complete darkness except for the light the moon gives. Pain shoots up my back as I feel something warm start to trickle down my thigh.

“I'm n-not!” I stutter, pulling myself from the wreckage. It's an obvious lie, but I don't think it matters much. Levi's too riled up to care.

“I'm just trying to be a good boyfriend, to make love to my girlfriend!” he roars, picking up the nearest object to him – the pillow, thank goodness – and chucks it at my head. I stumble backwards, bracing myself against the wall. “And this is how you repay me – crying!?”

He grabs my face, yanking me towards him by the chin. I squeeze my eyes shut as I feel the pain rush from his hands. “Stop crying!” he says through gritted teeth.

I let out a choked sob. This has gotten really, really bad, really fast. Faster than I'd anticipated. Now all I can do is sit back and take it.

What can I say? I deserve it.

My head is starting to could, so whatever Levi does next is kind of a blur. I remember things breaking, being tossed around like a rag doll. I remember no one but Levi being able to hear me scream, and the more I scream the angrier he gets, the more pain I'm in. I remember wishing someone, anyone, had stopped me when they had the chance.

Except I wouldn't have listened to them.

Just as Levi grabs my underwear and starts to pull them off of me, someone starts banging on the door.

“Busy!” he calls, placing a hand over my mouth.

The knocking continues, more frantically this time.

Levi tightens his grip on me for a second, as a warning. He gets up and strides to the door, while I remain motionless, wallowing in the pain he's already caused me. I wince about the pain that's yet to come.

“What do you wa-” Levi's angry voice is cut off by the sound of something connecting with bone. I'd know it anywhere.

“Edie?” Parker's frantic voice whispers, running into the room.

My heart leaps. “Here, Park,” I croak, trying to cover myself but failing.

“Let's get you out of here.”