Lacey

Chapter 24 - Lacey

School on Wednesday and Thursday is much the same as the shitty day I had on Tuesday. There are still flyers of me being fucked, raped, all over the lockers, and the football team has made it their mission to leer at me and make disgusting sexual offers every five minutes, much to Lyndsay's amusement. The bitch has black eyes, which makes it tolerable, knowing that I gave them to her. Ryder, Saint, Lawson and West have done their best to ignore me and have sat back and watched Lyndsay and her minion's shoulder check and push me around for their amusement. I wish they would come up with something a little more original, though, their bullshit was childish, and I held my head high. Not wanting to show any weakness or that their crap was bothering me.

It helped that I had Matt on my side; after explaining to him what had happened and why I had disappeared on prom night, he became protective of me and had even insisted he pick me up for school and drive me home each day. I omitted the details of who raped me and who their accomplice had been, some things I just wanted to keep to myself. Dad has been at home the last few days, working from his office and has noticed the rift between Ryder and me but hasn't pressed the issue thankfully after I assured him I was fine. He has mercifully organised a car for me, and it should be here by Sunday. Yay.

Thursday afternoon, I ask Matt if he would like to come in, I haven't had a chance to study much this week due to everything that is going on and my head not being in it, but I know I need to keep up my good grades. "Sure", Matt replies, parking his car and climbing out. "Do you want something to eat?" I call over my shoulder as I open the front door, feeling a little peckish. I had been hiding out in the library most lunch breaks to avoid Ryder and co and had been coming home starving. Before Matt can reply to my question, Ryder is pushing me aside roughly and has Matt roughly by the collar of his shirt. "What the fuck do you think you are doing" Ryder growls menacingly. I grab Ryder's shirt and tug him as hard as I can until he focuses his anger on me. "What the fuck Ryder. This isn't just your house; I am allowed to have friends over," I scream, letting out all my frustrations of the week out. "Let Matt go and fuck off", I continue, seeing red that he is trying to pull this bullshit with me. Ryder lets him go with a shove, instead grabbing the collar of my shirt. He leans down close until his face is inches from mine, a disgusted look twisting his features. "Are you fucking him too, you little slut" he rages. "Is that it? Four cocks weren't good enough for the trailer trash? God, you are a filthy whore aren't you".

"Watch your fucking mouth Ryder" Matt warns, stalking forward, his hands clenching in fists beside him. "Or what, Matt? What are you going to do about it?" Ryder spits, his fury coming to a head. Matt doesn't reply. He pulls his fist back and smashes it into Ryder's face, dropping him to the ground like a sack of shit. I want to feel sorry for Ryder because some stupid part of me loves him. I don't know when that happened, and now was not the time to examine my feelings for him, but the other part of me was happy that someone had stood up to him for me.

Not wasting any time, I grab Matt by the hand and drag him up to my room. My empty stomach promptly forgotten in favour of the haven of my room; I was too busy worrying about Ryder's possible retaliation to being decked in his own home. "I wish you didn't do that," I say to Matt as I close my bedroom door behind him. Matt gives me a puzzled look. "Why not? The bastard deserved it", he replies. "Because now you have an even bigger target on your back Matt. You had one when they liked me. I can't imagine it will be any better now that they hate me", I reply, feeling guilty for bringing Matt home with me and putting him in this position. "I know what I am doing, Lacey. If you think I will let you go through this alone, you have another thing coming. The way they are treating you is disgusting. I wish you would trust me enough to tell me who raped you," Matt replies passionately. "If you haven't noticed Lacey, I like you. Like really like you and would do anything to help and protect you," he continues. I knew Matt liked me; obviously, we had been on a date once before, but hearing how much makes me blush. It's not like I don't like Matt, he is handsome, kind and funny, but the timing for any relationship is off. "Matt", I start to reply, but he cuts me off swiftly ", It's ok, Lacey. I'm happy to be friends. Just to have you in my life. If things ever change, though, throw a guy a bone," he says with a wink, taking his backpack and plonking himself at my desk. "Ok," I reply, a smile pulling at my mouth. Matt was a sweetheart. He reminded me of Dane but a softer around the edge's version. I had to admit. I quite liked that about him. He was confident but not pushy. Protective but not possessive. All qualities I should want in a partner.