AN :- Hey guys! This chapter contains a trigger warning for attempt of sexual abuse. I didn't want to put the scene but it was crucial for the latter part of the chapter as well as the next one. So people who have this trigger, you have been warned. I will also put a warning before the scene so that you can skip that part and continue with the chapter. Still I ask you people to forgive me for putting it in.
Thanks.
*********************************
Atalie freshened up and went downstairs for dinner. The truth was, that, she was still rattled but she needed to be strong for her parents. The dinner that night was Atalie's favourite lasagna. After scarfing down her food— which made Janet chastise her— she made her way upstairs ready to sleep the whole ordeal off. Atalie had been asleep for only a few minutes when it came. The dream.
**************************
The room was sparsely decorated with minimalistic furnishings but there was a homey feeling to it, one which could not be replicated. A young mother was busy bouncing an infant child on her side. The baby was giggling with laughter and the mother was smiling as well. It was so long since she had last smiled!
"Come on baby! Say Mama!" The woman coaxed the child but the small baby did not pay heed to her words and started playing with the woman's necklace. She was enchanted by the light reflecting off the surface of the necklace.
The woman noticed this and kept the baby down on a sofa nearby. Again she was asking the child to say 'Mama' but the child refused to oblige. Suddenly a phone rang somewhere in the house. In her hurry to get to the phone, the woman – seated as she was – banged her knee against the coffee table and cried out "Ouch".
Seeing this the child began to laugh, clapping her hands with joy. "Hehehe Mama. Hehehe Mama." The woman turned to stare at the child incredulously. "You little brat. You think it is funny to laugh at Mama getting hurt?" She said with faux anger. Suddenly she realised something and froze. "You said Mama. You said Mama!" She said smiling like a fool. And why wouldn't she? It was believed that a baby's first word was the name of its favourite person or thing and by saying 'Mama' as her first word, the child had elevated her mother's status from simply a mother to her most favourite thing in the world. "God, I love you so so much!" The woman said, twirling and spinning with her baby.
**************************
Atalie sat up in bed. This time the dream was a very sweet one. She feel the lingering smile on her face as she thought about how amazing and emotional it must have been for the mother to hear the baby's first word. Truly a beautiful moment! Atalie sighed and laid back down to sleep. Strangely the dreams didn't plague her for the rest of the night.
***************************
The entire day was tiring. Between the dreams, the discussion with Meher and the shadow in the bathroom mirror, Atalie had had a really bad time with school. By the end of the school day she had made up the mind to go to the party just to let loose and leave all her troubles behind. Okay, that was too justificational. The truth was that Weston's invitation had lingered in the back if her mind all day. Nobody had ever invited her to a party anytime. Now that Weston was inviting she was going to enjoy the experience and then forget about it.
When evening came, Atalie got dressed in a dark blue sequined dress. She had no idea what to wear to these parties and decided to go with what was - according to her - appropriate.
(Atalie's dress for the party)
Atalie's friends Alix and Avery were also invited to the party but out of them only Alix was going. The two girls lived very close together and had made up the plan to go back home together. After putting on a pair of sensible flats, Atalie made her way to Alix's car.
"Don't enjoy your self too much and come back home before 12. I won't condone you staying out too late." Jamie issued a set of instructions like a mother hen or a strict principal. Which out of these, Atalie could not decide.
After assuring him that the instructions would be followed, Atalie and Alix left the house.
*****************************
Weston's house was full of loud music, one that could be heard all the way outside. Atalie had been here once, in broad daylight and when Weston's parents were home. The contrast between then and now was, well, expected. The once quite and peaceful garden was now filled with people who, drunk out of their minds, were busy doing things only drunk people did. One girl was vomiting in the bushes and another was trying to help her. Atalie felt sorry for the bushes. Upon making her way inside, Atalie discovered that the inside was even more jam packed. Turning behind her, she saw that Alix was nowhere to be found.
"Great! Now I am alone in this hellhole where ninety five percent of the people are drunk and the remaining five are on their way to drunkenland. Just great!" She made her way to the kitchen to get a glass of water to soothe her parched throat when she encountered the one person she had been hoping to avoid. Megan Morrison. Megan was the school's Queen Bee who disliked Atalie with passion. The feeling was mutual.
Megan noticed her and said, "What are you doing here?"
"I was invited to the party and decided to accept the invitation." Atalie told Megan truthfully. The thing was that Megan believed that Weston belonged to her and it was true, in a sense. See the truth was that the Brooks and Morrison families had decided to get Weston and Megan married after they reached 21. This was decided the day the sex of both babies was found out by the families. This wasn't a betrothal per say but a promise. Still, this made Megan very possessive about Weston. Truth be told, Atalie thought that the whole thing was rather funny.
"Invited huh? Look, for boys like Weston, you are only temporary, okay? So stop dreaming about you happily ever after with him. I am the one he will be getting married to so he belongs to me! Now back off!"
Had she just said that? Had Megan seriously accused her of trying to prey on Weston? Yes, yes she had! "Look, there are three things I would like to say to you in response to this. First, what I do with my life and my invitations is my business, not yours." Atalie saw Megan opening her mouth to speak so she continued, "Second, you can have Weston. I have never wanted him and never will. So if you want him, he is all yours. Finally I am not as shallow nor as insecure as you that I need to threaten someone or lay a claim on some boy. If someone likes you then he will come to you naturally, yeah now bye!" Atalie stormed off but not before seeing Megan's dumbfounded expression.
After finding a quite corner for her to hide, Atalie took a deep breath. Where she had come here to run from her own problems and where she had gotten embroiled in this drama. Honestly, couldn't a girl catch a break? Suddenly she felt a presence behind her and she turned. When she saw that it was Weston, she took a small relieved breath.
(Attempt of sexual abuse scene)
Weston was staring at Atalie with a small smile. "You came." He said.
"Yeah, I did. Great party by the way. Nice turnout." Atalie didn't know why but suddenly she felt very strange. There was a part of her that was weirdly alert telling her to run. Weston took one step forward. The predatory glint in his eyes frightened Atalie and she took a step back. This continued until her back hit the wall. Weston caged her by putting his hands on the wall behind her. Atalie was paralysed with fear. Weston quickly grabbed her hands and pinned them above her head with one of his hands while the other went towards the hem of her dress.
"Weston please let me go!" Atalie begged him but he didn't listen. He buried his face in the crook of his neck while the other hand inched higher and higher. She could smell the alcohol in his breath. "I have waited for you for so long. Ever since I saw you for the first time, I have been crazy about you, for you but you never gave me the time of day. Now you are all mine." He whispered. Atalie was screaming by this point but it was futile. The loud noise of the party and the music drowned out Atalie's screams.
"Weston please, I beg of you, please stop." She begged him. "Weston I said stop!"
Suddenly Weston broke away with a scream. When Atalie saw what was happening, she was terrified. Parts of Weston's body was on fire. There were swatches of fire on his arms, chest, torso, legs and face. He was screaming and trying desperately to put out the fire but it was pointless. After this, Atalie didn't think she simply ran.
(End of scene)
She ran out of the party and on the sidewalks of the streets. She ran until her legs protested for rest. She ran until she hadn't come quite a way away from that wretched house. Finally as she stood there panting, the realisation sunk in. "What have I done?!"
**************************
Atalie went home and opened the house using the spare key, which she had carried with her. She went up to her room and sat down on the bed, holding her head in her hands. "What have I done! Oh God, what have I done!"
Suddenly she heard a rustling sound behind her. She turned and saw a young man, no more than 20, standing there. Atalie raised her arms to get into a fighting stance. After the events of 10 minutes ago she wasn't taking any chances. The man held up his hands in a placating gesture and said, " My name is Jayden and I am a sentinel."
"What do you want?" Atalie asked him. Seeing that he was moving forward, she quickly picked up a book laying on the bed and brandished it like a weapon. "Stay back!" She ordered.
The man took a few steps back and said, "My name is Jayden. I am a Sentinel and I am here to take you to your rightful place."
"My rightful place, huh? And where is that?"
"At Vox Nevestra Academy of Magical Sciences."
**************************
Eeeee! I am so excited. The next chapters are going to be fun to write. I can't wait to share this crazy world with you guys!
So who do you think Jayden is and what did he mean by Atalie's rightful place?
On a more serious note, the chapter contains mention of sexual assault. If anyone has ever experienced it – God forbid something like this happens to anyone – then please talk to someone you trust and know that there are always people who will cherish you.
Also don't forget to Vote, Comment, Share and let me know how you guys liked the chapter.
Love you guys
Yours Fictionally,
Aurynn