Taking Chances

Chapter Seventeen

“Then why did she do this to me?”

“Because she’s human, she makes mistakes. Mistakes that even you can commit”

“I…don’t know what to do…”

“But you know what you want to do, you want to forgive her but you’re afraid that she might hurt you again”

“I just don’t want to feel like this anymore, I feel so vulnerable and the fact that Elise made me feel like this makes it even worst”

“Don’t you think Elise feels guilty? She’s been trying to talk to you for days but you’re the one that’s been pushing her away”

The missed phone calls, her visits and the knocks on my window. All the things Elise did this past week just so she can talk to me, and I ignored all of it.

“You see? Elise is trying so hard to reach you. Take a chance and open your heart again to her, hear her side of the story and maybe it’ll help you fix this relationship…it’s not too late…”

I open my eyes and quickly sat up, I need to talk to Elise, I want to know everything. I need to know everything....

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Elise’s POV

I was briefly woken up by my phone’s message ringtone. When I saw that the message was from Charlie, I quickly sat and read it, “We need to talk. Come over” it said

The bruises on my body were still very visible so I wore my jacket and quickly went to her house.

I knocked on the door and seconds later, Charlie opened it. When I saw Charlie, I wanted to cry and embrace her. She looked so worn out and her eyes were so red, she’s been crying

“Charlie…” I moved closer to her so I could embrace her but she backed away

“I just want to talk” she said and motioned me to come inside, she then lead me to the living room where a blanket was laid in the middle. Charlie sat on it and motioned me to sit in front of her

As I looked at Charlie, I was overwhelmed with guilt, remorse and sadness but amidst all that, I felt happy, because Charlie finally wanted to talk to me

“Charlie….I am so sorry, I didn’t want things to end up this way...” I spoke

Charlie looked at me, “I know, I just…I want to know what happened, from your side of the story” she said “please, tell me everything, no lies, no sugar-coating, just the truth”

“…I don’t want to hurt you again…”

“I’m still hurting Elise, so just-” Charlie sighed “when you came back to see me after I visited you on your birthday, was that all you or did James had something to do with it?”

“James had nothing to do with anything I did when I came back here. I went back because I want to see you again” I answered honestly “when I saw you again, the confusing feelings I had for you before I left college went back and by the time you left, I already had an idea of what those feelings were..it was love”

“Then why did you lie to me about your relationship with James?”

“Because at that time I still wasn’t sure if those feelings were true love or just sisterly love and I wanted to know, I needed to know and I was afraid that if I tell you that James and I were still together, you would think that I was playing with you and you would end up hating me and I never want that to happen”

Charlie looked at me with a hint of doubt

“Charlie, you have to believe me when I tell you that knowing what I really feel for you was my only intention as to why I came back here and the more time I spent time with you, things became clearer. I’m in love with you Charlie and everything that happened between us were all real” I said

“Why didn’t you break up with James after we got together?”

“I tried but James told me that he gave up his career for me and I felt really guilty but I eventually broke up with him..”

“You broke up with him but there are still pictures of you two dating?”

I sighed heavily and began to tell Charlie everything that happened that day…

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Charlie’s POV

“I wanted you to know the truth from me, so I went to dinner with him to keep him from saying anything to you but I swear, I already broke up with him before we went to dinner” Elise told me with the most honest eyes so I continued to listen

“We were eating then I felt dizzy all of a sudden…the dizziness became worst, to the point that I couldn’t walk or even stand without someone holding me, I asked James to get me a taxi but he insisted that he take me home and I was too weak to argue or even talk so I went with him to his car…”

I held my breath and feared the worst. I looked at Elise and saw how disoriented and hesitant she was about telling me the rest of it

I sighed and closed my eyes for a bit then I looked Elise straight in the eyes, “…then what happened..?”

Elise bowed her head and spoke “…I blacked out during the car ride, and the next morning, I-I…found myself naked in James’s apartment…” and she started sobbing “…I didn’t know what happened or what he did to me, but my body felt sore and I have bruises and-”

“Wait. You have bruises?” I asked with shock mixed with deep concern

Elise nodded slowly, still with her head bowed

“Let me see them” I then moved next to her

Elise looked at me with concern and hesitation

“Elise, let me see them” I said once more

Elise then slowly took off her jacket and then her t-shirt. Her body revealed a number of dark, purple bruises. She had one on her right breast, shoulders and waist

I gently laid my hand on the bruise on her shoulder, it was a hand mark. The bruise on her waist had the same shape but the one on her breast tells a different story. It wasn’t a hand mark, it was a bite mark and it was the darkest of all her bruises

“What did that bastard do to you?!” I exclaimed, filled with anger and distress

“….James showed me the video…” Elise whispered “…h-he raped me…”

My heart sank and my fist balled with rage. I want to make him pay for what he did to Elise

“…I’m sorry Charlie…” Elise spoke softly “…I’m so sorry…”

I looked at Elise and my anger subsided, I quickly embraced her

“I should be the one whose apologizing…I’m sorry, sorry for not listening to you sooner and for letting this happen” I said and kissed her forehead “I’ll make sure James gets punish for this, I promise.”

Elise bursts into tears and embraced me tightly. I held her and made sure that she doesn’t feel alone. I kissed her lips and cried with her. I won’t rest until you’re in prison James. I’ll make you pay for this!