Chapter 1
Quinn's going to have a bad day.
Edit: I wrote this chapter somewhere else and then pasted it here and I am now realizing there is more of it. So that has been added.
Warning: Abuse and Rape. Looking back this chapter is pretty intense.
Quinn's POV, 2 weeks later
"God Quinn, why are you such a freakin failure," my brother yells in my face. I cower further into the corner. "You can't even come home from school at the right time, what a freak. Just go kill yourself or something."
"I'm sorr..r..y," I sutter, terrified. This wasn't the first time this had happened but each time it did, I found myself paralysed with fear, unable to fight back. I had been at my usual Cafe for my daily classes. I was generally a happy, energetic person but around him I could barley speak. He knew I was enrolled in online college courses and he was already on edge about me leaving everyday to attend them. If he had it his way, I would stay home all day under his watchful eye. The beating was my fault, I should have hurried home but a rainstorm had rolled in and it was so hard to see. I came home to my older brother waiting at the door and I knew I was in trouble. The beatings had gotten worse in the last 2 weeks, ever since he found out I went to Queens on the weekends to get away from him. Everyone was running from something, this was my something. Because of the whole Queens thing he had refused to let me eat and I had lost a lot of weight. At frist I just ate at the Cafe but then I lost me appetite. Normally he would bounce back and lift whatever punishment had been inflicted (in this case, lack of food) after a week or so but that wasn't happening and I was starting to get scared.
"You're sorry," he says, mimicking my tone "you're so pathetic." He turns around and, for a moment, I feel relief but then he quickly whips around and brings his fist down on my cheek. I want to scream out but I know that will just make it worse so I hold my tough.
"No cute little scream?" he says tauntingly. "Do I need to hit you harder." So maybe I was wrong, maybe I should've screamed. I quickly shake my head. A malicious smile spreads across his face. "I bet I can make you scream." The look on his face was dangerous. I knew what this meant. I can feel myself shaking in utter fear. Then, I feel his foot make contact with my head and everything goes dark.
I blink, slowly opening my eyes. The sun is streaming in through the window and it takes my eyes a minute to adjust. When they do I look around, accessing my surroundings. My brother's room. That couldn't be good. I sit up, feeling beaten and sore. It's not only regular beat up sore, but special sore. Down there sore. Sure enough, my underwear are sitting across the room. I feel a lump in my throat. Something else would be posted to The Website.
The Website was one of the more sinister things my brother had ever thought up. Once when he was looking to make an extra buck he recorded himself, well, raping me. He made a website and sold the videos for money. I had been expected to play along and make everything seem like it was consensual. My parents knew about his abuse towards me but they didn't know about that. I would like to think if they did, they would put a stop to it but deep down I knew there was a chance that wasn't true. I look down at my hands and feeling a tear fall down my cheek. I cried every time I thought about The Website. I shock my head and straightened up. I needed to be in school in 20 minutes and I couldn't be here.
No, I needed to get to the Cafe. I stand, feeling dizzy and tired but I attempt to splash some cold water on my face though I wince in pain. The house feels quiet and I assume my brother isn't here, he usually isn't in the morning. I grab my backpack and feel my heart jump when I realize I don't have any of the school work for the day. I do my best to forget about it. I know I must look terrible, bruised and tired and hungry but I don't have time for makeup or food. I would just keep my face down.
Outside is bright and the light hits me like a brick. Today wasn't going to be a good. Nausea washes over me and I immediately squint. I began to walk, since school was about 15 minutes from here and I really needed to get going. I feel like I am walking through a dream. I'm spinning, walking through a light tunnel with no awareness of my surroundings or how long I had been going. Then, I lose my sense of up and down and pass out for the second time in 12 hours.
Sophia's POV
I yawn, readjusting my bag over my shoulder. It was early, 7:30am but Timbers insisted that we get to the theater early on rehearsal days. We only had one afternoon show today but Leslie was out today so we wanted to run the show with her understudy. It's warm and sunny, the kind of sun you only get after a huge storm, one of which we had last night.
I yawn again as I walk up on Winter Gardens. It's then I notice the figure of a human sprawled across the sidewalk in front of the Theater. My heart jumps as I run up on the body. As I get closer I can tell it's the skinny figure of a girl. I bend down and quickly attempt to pull her onto my lap. I expect it to be difficult since I am pretty small but the girl is so light and malnourished I don't struggle at all. Not only that but she seemed pretty naturally small. Then I realize who it is. Quinn. It's Quinn. She looked hollow and I could see about 5 visible bruises on her face, nothing like the Quinn I met. It had only been a couple of weeks since I had seen her, and she was unrecognizable. I feel myself begin to shake. She had helped me once and now I needed to return the favor. I need to help her, but what do I do? Just walk into the theater holding a beaten up girl. I'm at a loss for a moment, just looking at her but then Alex comes up behind me.
"Oh my god, Sophia, what are you doing," Alex says, bending down and placing his hand on shoulder. Then he sees her.
"What the hell happened," he says, alarmed.
"I have no idea, I just came to the theater and she was sitting there."
"She looks awful, I wonder what happened."
"She looked so much better last time I saw her," I mutter quietly but Alex catches it.
"You know her?" he asks, taken aback.
"Uh, I met her once. She helped me out. It's kind of a long story," I say looking down. Alex looks skeptical but then drops the subject.
"I'm going to take her inside," he says "get the police on the phone and tell them everything you know. And ask for a medic, we might need one."
"Are you sure? That wouldn't be overreacting?" I ask hesitantly as Alex scoops her up. I didn't want to believe bright, healthy Quinn needed paramedics.
"Look at her, Sophia, I don't think that's overreacting," he says, walking into the theater. I nod and then fish around in my bag for my phone just as Kerry is walking up to Winter Gardens.
"Sophia? What are you doing honey," she asks. I debate explaining the whole thing but I just tell her to go find Alex. She nods suppicoulsy and walks off. As soon as I have my phone I dial 911.
"911, what's your emergency," a lady's voice rings through the phone.
"Hi, we have a 16 year old girl who is pretty beat up and unconscious. Her name is Quinn Aizler. We found her outside our theater, Winter Gardens. She is breathing and stable but we still think she needs to be looked at."
"Alright,we'll get a couple of medics and an officer out to you as soon as possible but it may take a minute. Lots of emergencies today."
"Ok, thank you," I answer and then the line goes dead. I quickly pick up my bag and head into the theater. I went straight for Alex's dressing room because I knew that would be where he would take her. I was right. When I get there, Rob, Kerry, and Dana are with Alex and they are all quietly murmuring. Qiunn is still passed out and laying on Alex's couch. She really did look terrible. My stomach churns.
"I called 911, they are going to get a medic and some officers here as soon as possible but it may take a minute."
"Ok so do we just continue on with our rehearsal?" Dana says.
"I don't know," Alex answers "I don't think we should just leave her here. What if she wakes up?"
"Not all of us are on stage all the time," I say "let's just try to have one person here at all times." Everyone silently agrees.
"Ok everyone, let's get going," we hear Timbers calling from the stage entrance.
"We're in here," Alex says half heartedly.
Timbers walks down the hallway and knocks on Alex's dressing room door, poking his head in. "What are all of you doing in here," he asks. Kerry gestures to the girl. "What the?"
"We just found her outside the theater, well Sophia did," Alex says "We couldn't leave her there so we brought her in, the police are on their way." Just then she stirs and everything goes silent.