Hey, Loves! I am feeling much better, not tip top shape, but I got through both shows and rehearsals today. I also ate my first real meal since three days ago today, which was great, and I'm just looking to get some sleep tonight. But enough about me, onto the chapter! Xx. ❤
**Warning: mentions of abuse, as well as assault**
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The first day back at classes was strange for Pippa. At the top of every class, a moment of silence was rightfully had for Matthew, expelled or not, but she couldn't help but feel like everyone was just looking at her. Pippa bit her tounge as she passed by Matt's friend group when she was walking back to her dorm after classes were all over with. Nothing happened though, which she was thankful for.
By the time she got back to the dorm, Lin was already home. "Hey, Love." Pippa said as she came into the dorm. She gave Lin a quick kiss before sitting down and starting on her own assignments.
"What are you working on?" Lin asked, looking up from his book he was busy annotating.
"Stuff for school."
"Really?" Lin asked with a sarcastic chuckle.
"Yeah, I gotta do this choreo piece for Richards' class, and this essay for Mrs. King's class on music in the Renaissance era." Pippa sighed.
"Ooh, you have Mr. Richards for your dance classes? I am so sorry." Lin shook his head. It was no secret that Mr. Richards was one of Julliard's hardest teachers to please.
"Yeah, no kidding." Pippa chuckled dryly. "I think the whole Matt situation put me on his bad side."
"I told you to take your dance classes from Williams, she is better." Lin told Pippa.
"Well, I wanted a challenge. And I got what I wanted." Pippa shrugged and went to writing her blocks for the choreo piece.
~~~~~
It was later that night when Pippa got a text from Groff.
Jonathan: Hey, Pippa! You left your notebook in the music room today, do you want me to come give it to you?
Pippa: Don't come all the way down here, can we just meet at the theater?
Pippa sent her response, knowing the theater was right in between the two dorms, she didn't want Jonathan having to come all the way over to her dorm building.
Jonathan: Sure. I'll be over in ten minutes.
Pippa: Alright, thanks, Love.
Jonathan: Of course!
"Hey, Lin?" Pippa called. "I'll be right back, I'm going to go meet Groff at the theater! He found the notes I misplaced!"
"Alright! Be safe!" Lin called back over the sound of a running shower.
"I will! I love you!" Pippa called.
"I love you too!" Lin called back before Pippa left.
Pippa made her way over to the theater, even knowing that Groff would be a bit later. She just loved being in the theater alone, it was her home. She found herself just spaced out, in her own head, when the door to the theater opened. "Hey, Jonath--" Her breath hitched when she realized that it wasn't Jonathan; it was Caleb.
"Hey, Baby." He said, walking towards her.
"Don't call me that." Pippa said, backing up farther towards the back of the stage. "Why are you here?"
"That's no way to pay me a welcome, now is it?" Caleb still came closer to her, jumping up on the stage. Pippa backed all the way against the stage wall.
"Leave me alone." Pippa stuttered, even though she didn't mean to.
Caleb wickedly chuckled at this and walked even closer to her. Their faces were only a few inches apart. "Why are you stuttering? Are you scared, Baby?"
"I said to not call me that, leave me alone!" Pippa said, trying to pull herself away from him as he pressed her shoulders against the wall.
"Oh no, no, no. Don't leave, we just need to talk." He clicked the "k" and got impossibly closer to her face. Their noses were touching. Pippa whimpered under his grasp and started to hyperventilate slightly. "Shh, Baby Girl, calm down, we're just talking. Just a conversation." Right then, Pippa was praying that Jonathan would show up soon. "Now, listen, you are the reason that my best friend is dead. And you know it." Pippa's eyes nervously scanned over his face. Her breath stilled as his right hand moved from his shoulder to her chest. "Your heart is racing, isn't it?" He smirked and pinned her shoulders even farther back into the wall. "What do you have to say for yourself?"
"What?" Pippa whispered, horrified.
"You're the reason he's gone." Caleb growled. Pippa parted her lips to draw in a shaky breath, but he cut her inhale off with a rough, forceful kiss. Pippa gasped and tears started streaming down her cheeks. Her breaths started becoming more and more choppy as he angrily kissed her jawline. Caleb's hands moved to her waist, and at this, Pippa found the courage and voice to scream at the top of her lungs. "Shh, there's no reason to yell. You brought this upon yourself." She got halfway through a "help!" when he kissed her once more.
"Hey!" Pippa heard a familiar voice fill the theater. "Get off of her!" Pippa squeezed her eyes shut in fear, and all of a sudden, Caleb's grip released from her, and she slowly opened her eyes to see someone standing just as close to Caleb as Caleb was to Pippa. Pippa shouted as a few punches were thrown, but in a blur of what nightmares are made of, Caleb disappeared, and she was left curled up against the wall, shaking. "Hey, hey, you're okay. You're safe now." The hero in this whole situation wrapped Pippa up and rocked her back and forth. "You're safe now." Pippa finally came to her senses and realized that sure, this voice was familiar, but it wasn't Groff's. She pulled out of the hold and looked her friend right in his eyes.
"An-Anthony." Pippa exhaled, catching her breath. "I wasn't expecting you."
~~~~~
A/N: What do you think happened? How do you think that Anthony got there? And what do you think happened to Groff? Leave a comment!
Well, I hope you enjoyed! Xx. ❤
