Sequel: The Epilogue ›
A Place on My Pillow
.51
She had underestimated the insentience that would occur after losing Alex. She didn’t realize how attached she was to the boy or how big of a role he played in her happiness. She had no idea just how much she needed that lanky boy with the hazel eyes.
She lay on that floor for hours, well into the night and then into the morning. Darren finally waltzed in, took one look at her and scoffed.
“Come on, bitch,” he growled, grabbing her by her already sore arm. She wanted to shove him off and tell him where he could shove it. She wanted that feisty girl she was to come back and tell Darren off. But she didn’t have it in her. She could barely move on her own, let fight back. She couldn’t be offended or insulted. She had no motivation anymore. Cady was in Wales. Alex probably hated her now. She wouldn’t blame him if he did. She did abandon him because of her boyfriend, a guy that neither one of them even liked.
“Where are we going?” she asked monotonously.
“You’re going to shower, put on that pretty dress,” he instructed, pointing to a dress that hung on the back of their couch, “And you’re going to act like you’re happy with me.”
“Okay.”
“Good.”
He left her in the bathroom, shutting the door behind him. She stripped and stepped into the shower. It was an average shower, despite all the settings and dials it had. It wasn’t like the one in the Jackson house, which had the perfect water pressure and stayed at the perfect temperature without having to be continuously adjusted. Alex’s had dim lighting, which Polly appreciated more than anything else, especially now in Darren’s overly bright, harsh fluorescent lighting. Plus, there was the issue about Darren’s body wash and shampoo. He had so many products that Polly never had room for anything feminine. She was forced to use his For Men things. She hated them. She hated smelling like a guy when she left the house. She hated how her skin itched with the heavy perfumes in his soap. She hated everything about his shower. She missed the soft scent of Alex’s body wash, the only thing he used that had any scent at all. She missed the soft towels and the gentle body scrubber that Cady had bought for her the first week she’d been there. At Darren’s house, there were only scratchy, pretentious towels and even scratchier, more pretentious washcloths that left her skin red and raw.
Over half an hour later, Polly stepped out of the shower, just the same as she had when she stepped in, only wetter. She hadn’t washed her hair or her body. She had only stood underneath the jet of water, her arms dangling at her sides uselessly. She wrapped herself in a scratchy, pretentious towel and padded out into Darren’s living room. He had set out the dress, a brand new matching white strapless bra and underwear set. She took them into their bedroom and toweled off before stepping into her new underclothes. She took a look at the dress and shrugged. It wasn’t hideous, it was actually rather pretty considering who had bought it.
It was a teal color, made of light fabric. It only fell to mid-thigh, and it was a one-shoulder design. But the one shoulder it had was a long sleeve that had almost more room than the dress did itself. She twirled and smiled, the fabric tickling her skin until she stopped. She found a pair of flats that would match the dress. She headed out to the bathroom, doing her make up quickly. She just covered up the dark circles she’d developed and evened out her sad excuse of a skin tone. When she was done, she swiped the pink lipstick that Darren had loved so much. One last glance over and she walked out to find Darren dressed in a pair of black slacks, white button-up and a black tie. She might find it attractive if she didn’t know who he was inside, underneath the good guy exterior.
“You look gorgeous,” he said, kissing her gently. The softer side of Darren had revealed itself, preparing himself for a public appearance. He put this side on whenever they needed to meet his family, or friends. He was a very good actor, Polly thought as he draped a coat over her shoulders. He pushed her gently towards the door. Even though the push was not as hard as it could’ve been, Polly still stumbled and had to catch herself on the counter.
He pulled her up and impatiently dragged her out of his apartment, straight to his car. He shoved her into the passenger seat and moved around to his side. She tucked herself into the seat, pulling the door shut. The car started and they were driving. She wasn’t paying attention though. She didn’t pay much attention to anything for the rest of the night. Not as his mother clucked on about how Polly could stand to lose a few pounds. Not as his father groped her ass drunkenly. Not as she downed several brandies a friend of the family offered.
Darren had to carry her back to the car at the end of the party and because of this, he wasn’t happy. She was going on and on in the car about how she hated him and wanted to run away from him. This set him over the edge. He let her know of it as soon as they were home. Her cheek stung and her ribs hurt. He left her laying on the kitchen floor, tracing the lines between the cool tiles as she passed out.
She lay on that floor for hours, well into the night and then into the morning. Darren finally waltzed in, took one look at her and scoffed.
“Come on, bitch,” he growled, grabbing her by her already sore arm. She wanted to shove him off and tell him where he could shove it. She wanted that feisty girl she was to come back and tell Darren off. But she didn’t have it in her. She could barely move on her own, let fight back. She couldn’t be offended or insulted. She had no motivation anymore. Cady was in Wales. Alex probably hated her now. She wouldn’t blame him if he did. She did abandon him because of her boyfriend, a guy that neither one of them even liked.
“Where are we going?” she asked monotonously.
“You’re going to shower, put on that pretty dress,” he instructed, pointing to a dress that hung on the back of their couch, “And you’re going to act like you’re happy with me.”
“Okay.”
“Good.”
He left her in the bathroom, shutting the door behind him. She stripped and stepped into the shower. It was an average shower, despite all the settings and dials it had. It wasn’t like the one in the Jackson house, which had the perfect water pressure and stayed at the perfect temperature without having to be continuously adjusted. Alex’s had dim lighting, which Polly appreciated more than anything else, especially now in Darren’s overly bright, harsh fluorescent lighting. Plus, there was the issue about Darren’s body wash and shampoo. He had so many products that Polly never had room for anything feminine. She was forced to use his For Men things. She hated them. She hated smelling like a guy when she left the house. She hated how her skin itched with the heavy perfumes in his soap. She hated everything about his shower. She missed the soft scent of Alex’s body wash, the only thing he used that had any scent at all. She missed the soft towels and the gentle body scrubber that Cady had bought for her the first week she’d been there. At Darren’s house, there were only scratchy, pretentious towels and even scratchier, more pretentious washcloths that left her skin red and raw.
Over half an hour later, Polly stepped out of the shower, just the same as she had when she stepped in, only wetter. She hadn’t washed her hair or her body. She had only stood underneath the jet of water, her arms dangling at her sides uselessly. She wrapped herself in a scratchy, pretentious towel and padded out into Darren’s living room. He had set out the dress, a brand new matching white strapless bra and underwear set. She took them into their bedroom and toweled off before stepping into her new underclothes. She took a look at the dress and shrugged. It wasn’t hideous, it was actually rather pretty considering who had bought it.
It was a teal color, made of light fabric. It only fell to mid-thigh, and it was a one-shoulder design. But the one shoulder it had was a long sleeve that had almost more room than the dress did itself. She twirled and smiled, the fabric tickling her skin until she stopped. She found a pair of flats that would match the dress. She headed out to the bathroom, doing her make up quickly. She just covered up the dark circles she’d developed and evened out her sad excuse of a skin tone. When she was done, she swiped the pink lipstick that Darren had loved so much. One last glance over and she walked out to find Darren dressed in a pair of black slacks, white button-up and a black tie. She might find it attractive if she didn’t know who he was inside, underneath the good guy exterior.
“You look gorgeous,” he said, kissing her gently. The softer side of Darren had revealed itself, preparing himself for a public appearance. He put this side on whenever they needed to meet his family, or friends. He was a very good actor, Polly thought as he draped a coat over her shoulders. He pushed her gently towards the door. Even though the push was not as hard as it could’ve been, Polly still stumbled and had to catch herself on the counter.
He pulled her up and impatiently dragged her out of his apartment, straight to his car. He shoved her into the passenger seat and moved around to his side. She tucked herself into the seat, pulling the door shut. The car started and they were driving. She wasn’t paying attention though. She didn’t pay much attention to anything for the rest of the night. Not as his mother clucked on about how Polly could stand to lose a few pounds. Not as his father groped her ass drunkenly. Not as she downed several brandies a friend of the family offered.
Darren had to carry her back to the car at the end of the party and because of this, he wasn’t happy. She was going on and on in the car about how she hated him and wanted to run away from him. This set him over the edge. He let her know of it as soon as they were home. Her cheek stung and her ribs hurt. He left her laying on the kitchen floor, tracing the lines between the cool tiles as she passed out.