Heartache

Juliette woke up with a start. The nightmares had come back.They seemed so real, so overwhelming. So frightening. Juliette found herself in someone else's bed, in someone else's home. And that's when it all came back. Memories of the day before. First was her step father abusing her. Second came meeting that guy. She sat up, rubbing her eyes. The sun was bright, it was a new day. She had remembered that she was in James' bed. James Neal. The James Neal. She got out of the bed. There were different articles of clothing strewn all over the floor of the bedroom. She was only wearing her white bra and underwear. She looked for her jeans and shirt. As soon as she found them she put them on quickly. Tying her hair in a bun she flew down the stairs. She needed to get home. Her Stepfather was going to freak. She slowed down as she reached the bottom of the steps. She smelt pancakes. Wtf? She thought as she walked into the kitchen. James Neal knew how to cook? "Um...hello," Juliette said.

"Hey," His voice sounds raspy like he just woke up but it was sexy.

"So...you know how to cook?"

"No not really, this is the best I can," he pointed to the plate of chocolate chip pancakes. They were her favorite. How did he know? Had she made the mistake of telling her whole life story to him? Does he hate me? Juliette's head spun with millions of different questions. "You can have some," James said handing her a plate and a fork. Juliette gingerly took it. She should be going back home before she got caught.

"Um...thanks for everything, James," Juliette thanked him, shyly. She was grateful she didn't have to spend a night with her stepfather.

"You're welcome," he smiled. Juliette felt all tingly inside.

"Why are you so nice to me?" Juliette asked. She was curious. Not many people in her life were actually nice to her.

"I don't know....you seemed like you just needed a friend," He said flipping another chocolate chip pancake.

"Well, thank you," Juliette said. Maybe they would be friends for a very long time.

"Where have you been?" A deep scary masculine voice yelled. Juliette felt instantly frightened. It was her stepfather. "N-nowhere," She couldn't tell the truth. "Really?" he said. "I was at a friends." "Without asking me?" "I'm an adult now, I can do whatever I want, you're not even my actual father," Juliette hoped that had hurt him. "Well, Then where's your real father?" he shouted. He didn't even have the right. Juliette's eyes filled with tears, she couldn't let them fall. Well, not in front of him. "You know if he cared about you he would come back," he continued. Juliette couldn't defend herself. She knew if she said anything. The tears in her eyes would fall. "No one will ever care about you!" He yelled, "Nobody likes a slut." The memories of her school years came flooding back. Maybe she was a slut. What was she thinking? Her stepfather only told her lies. "I hope you learn your lesson!" All Juliette remembers is falling into a deep dark sleep.

"Juliette?" Bridget opened the door to the house.

"H-hi," Juliette sniffed. Her eyes were filling with tears, her voice became hoarse. She was going to cry.

"Juliette, what happened?" A worried look appeared on Bridget's face.

"I-I don't know...h-he," Juliette couldn't talk. She starts to cry.

"Juliette, come inside, we can talk," Bridget says. They sit in her living room. The walls are white, the couch is white. Most of the things in her living room are white.

"M-my stepfather...h-he r-raped me," she choked out. Her voice cracked.

"He what?" Bridget is shocked, "He raped you?" Juliette can only nod.

"Are you okay?" Bridget doesn't know what to ask or say. She's speechless.

"Um...I-I don't really know," Juliette looks down at her bony hands.

"So, what happened?" Bridget asked. She was concerned. After all, Juliette was her best friend. They told each other everything. Or Bridget had thought.

"I don't really remember," Juliette says. Or she just doesn't want to remember.

"So has he done this before....or?" Bridget says. Juliette nods. It's the truth. Her stepfather abused her before. He's only raped Juliette a couple times, before. She shivers at the thought of it. She doesn't want to remember it. Not at all, not ever.

"Oh...oh no," Bridget doesn't say anything for a couple minutes. "Do you want to talk about it?"

An uncomfortable silence fills the air. Juliette shifts awkwardly in her seat. "I-I don't know, do you really want to know?" Did Bridget actually want to know?

"Yeah...I mean...uh..okay, unless you don't want to share it with me," Bridget says. She stares at the floor for a long time.

"It's a really long story," Juliette starts. It had started right after her mother's boyfriend moved in when Juliette turned thirteen. Her father had just moved away. Across the world. He had hated Juliette since the beginning. Or he just hated all children. He never showed it in front of my mother. He started to abuse Juliette after she turned fourteen. At the age of sixteen that's when it started to get worse. Like really worse. She still had scars from that terrible day. And when she turned seventeen that was the first time he had drugged her and raped her. He was really creepy. After she finishes, Bridget states at her. She wasn't judging her. She was just thinking.

"Why-why didn't you told me or anyone?" Bridget asks, not trying to be mean, "We've could've helped." Juliette doesn't believe that. No one could save her. No one would would want to any ways.

"I wanted to tell you before but..." Juliette stops mid sentence. But what? She didn't know why she hadn't told anyone before.

"I-I just-Do you want to stay here for a while?" Bridget asks. Here? With her? "Uh...um....if- I guess," Juliette answers too quickly."Okay cool! We can have lots of fun! You'll definitely forget about it!" Juliette hoped she would forget too. It was so hard. Juliette still remembers the first time. She shivers at the thought of it. It's too gross and scary. She still gets nightmares from it all the time. "Okay," Juliette tries to sound cheerful. It doesn't sound cheerful at all, It only sounds sad. Juliette just waned to be happy for once. Maybe this would be a new beginning for her. Juliette hopes it would be. She really needed one anyway.