CHAPTER EIGHT
IT'S NEVER THE VICTIM'S FAULT｡
TRIGGER WARNING: (almost) sexual assault
Coming back to consciousness, unrecognizable voices around me can be heard. I felt my left cheeks stinging and my head throbbing which made it hard for me to fully gain my consciousness but as my memories came rushing back to me, I quickly opened my eyes and raise my head. The sudden action made dizzy. I tried to move but my wrists and ankles were tied up. Without wasting any time, I took in my surroundings. I was in a dark, dirty abandoned house with only a few dim lights on to illuminate my surroundings.
"Great, the princess is finally awake."
One of my captors stated as they took notice of my conscious state. I trembled at the sight of my captors. I trashed around, trying to escape. The man laughed at the scene of me struggling.
"Don't trash around much, babe," the man said with a loop-side grin, "You'll be exposed to us soon enough. We don't want that flawless skin of your to be stained now, eh."
My blood runs cold, hands shook and legs went limp at the thought of them touching me. My mind is raising thinking of ways to escape. Tears are already building up in the corners of my eyes but I won't let it fall. I refuse to let this asshole have the satisfaction of seeing me scared. I glared at him with the best that I can.
"Such a pretty face you have there, glaring doesn't suit you," he mocked me.
"What do you want from me?" I asked him harshly through tears.
"We thought that nice body of yours shouldn't go to waste. Seeing that we have an opening, we took the opportunity. Besides, you'll be begging for more after this."
"Um, no, thanks. Don't you guys know what consent is? And yeah, I'll literally beg, beg you to leave me the fuck alone."
"You have a dirty mouth there. At the end of this, you'll take it back. I promise you'll have a good time," the guy bragged, "I know how to please a woman."
"You said you know how to please a woman, then please leave me the hell alone," I spat at him, "Are you deaf? Can't you understand and take a simple 'no' without hurting your ego? Consent really doesn't go with your vocabulary. Disgusting."
"Why you—"
Before the man could completely reply, his two accomplices entered.
"I see you're having a nice conversation," their voice stated.
"Yeah, it was nice talking to you guys, but I really need to go. Can you untie me now?" Sarcasm laced my words.
Their boss looked at me with amusement, "Not yet, princess. Not until we have our fun with you."
"This is why y'all can't get girls your age. Y'all are disgusting pedos."
Anger laced his face. His hands went straight to my face, slapping me.
**
He gripped the collar of my shirt, "You're a feisty one, princess. I should teach you a lesson not to talk back to me." He then completely ripped my shirt off. I was only left in my bra and skirt. I panicked and tried to pry him off. The tears in my eyes are threatening to fall. The boss saw how much I am struggling to keep my face on and smirked as he knows I'm already losing.
"Not so fierce now, are you?" He said with amusement.
**
But before they could go on even further on touching me, and before my tears that were threatening to drop could fall, the door opens wide and they all looked at the door, including me as the door was kicked to the ground. Karma came rushing towards the guy who was touching me a few moments ago and punched the guy in the face really hard that he fell as a menacing and dark look was etched on his face.
"Who the fuck gave you the right to touch her?" Karma hissed, glaring at the man darkly, while the man who was on the floor looked straight pissed.
"K-Karma..." I whispered, my tears on edge.
The other two guys who was with him attacked Karma but to no avail as he avoided the both of them, making them crash to each other and instead punched each other, and they both fell to the ground as Karma took the chance to cut the ties that were binding me, and removed his blazer and put it on me, covering my body before grabbing my hand as we stood up and left the place. I wanted nothing more to do but leave.
"Where the hell do you think are you two going?!" My eyes widened as I heard footsteps behind us but was immediately relieved when Karasuma-sensei and the others appeared along with the police.
"You're under arrest." The police said as we left the place. We stopped by under a tree as he looked at me and released my hand.
"K-Karma..." I whispered, my tears finally falling down that failed to fall back then, hiding my face with my hands. I feel so... so disgusted by myself.
"Shh... I'm here." Karma whispered soothingly as he hugged me, kissing my forehead.
"P-Please don't touch me! I feel so disgusted by myself..." I continued as I cried, pushing him away. "It's my fault!" I fell to my knees.
He bent down to my height, hugging me tighter than before as he replied weakly. "Baby, it's not your fault... You were never at fault. Please... don't blame yourself for something that's not your fault."
He held me in his arms, holding me tightly against his chest as I breathe in his musky, vanilla scent.
I continued to sob on his shoulders as he stroked my hair, calming me down as he whispered comforting words next to my ear. "You're so beautiful. So so beautiful."
After I calmed down a bit, I finally looked at him and he looked at me with so much adoration and worry in his eyes as he kissed my tear-stained cheek. I hugged him tighter than he did, as if I was afraid to let go of him.
"Stay with me..."
"I will always."
—
After I finished calming down, I changed in a restroom in a shirt that Karma gave me and I was till wearing his blazer. The memories of what happened before was still fresh in my mind as I shook it off, going outside and the moment I went out, I felt a tight hug, and my blazer— Karma's blazer getting wet with her tears.
"I-I'm so sorry, (Name)..." She whispered as she hugged me, and I smiled, patting her back.
"I'm fine, Rio." Physically.
She pulled back, not caring that she was still crying and spoke, "I know you're not! And I'm the reason why you're not!"
"You know me so well," I chuckled and gave her a small smile. "It's traumatizing, what happened to me, but I know I can do this because I'm strong, and because you're with me."
"(Name)...!" She exclaimed, and continued to cry on my shoulders again, I was the one calming her down this time.
When she calmed down, she pulled away and intertwined our hands together. "I'm always here for you."
"I know." I smiled, hugging her again.
"(Name)!" Voices can be heard and as I pulled away from Rio, seeing Kayano, Nagisa, Isogai, Maehara, and Karma was running towards us— except for Karma who was only walking with his hands in his pockets.
Kayano immediately hugged me once I was in her reach and was also crying for me. "Are you okay...?!"
"I'm fine," I laughed it off as she looked at me, analyzing my face.
"(Name)," Isogai called out and I looked at him with a small smile on my face. He looked worried.
"I'm sorry that we left you two... We shouldn't have done that..." He looked away guiltily.
"No! It's not anyone's fault, Isogai. Besides, I'm safe now. That's what matters, right?" I waved my hands, dismissing the matter.
"I mean... yeah, your safety does matters, but what you feel matters too." Isogai gently spoke, looking at me with concern.
I genuinely smiled at him, feeling touched by his words. "Thank you for saying so..."
Maehara suddenly puts his arms around Isogai's shoulders and spoke with a grin on his face. "We'll be your comfort crowd!"
Karma was quiet the whole time, only staring at me. It was kind of a good thing that he was quiet as I don't know how to face him now after what happened.
I grinned back. "Thank you!"
"Let's go back to the hotel, you guys," Karasuma-sensei suddenly popped up and we all followed him.
"And (Name), your assailants is in the police station already. They're going to be charged for sexual assault." Karasuma-sensei informed me along the way.
"They better serve for jail for a lifetime!" Maehara exclaimed.
"Yeah!" The others nodded in agreement.
Nagisa was besides me when we were about to board the bus when I stopped him. "How did you all know where I was?"
"The whole class had been informed of your disappearance and once we knew where you were, Karma came rushing towards to where you were. I'm glad to see you fine," Nagisa explained.
"...Is that so?" I replied, boarding the bus as I suddenly remembered what happened back then as I processed it.
I only realized now what he did once I sat next to Rio, having a huge blush on my face.
H-He... called me baby and kissed my cheek and forehead!
"(Name), are you sick? Your face is so red." Rio asked with concern and touched my forehead but I removed her hand away.
"Y-Yeah, I'm fine!" I stuttered, looking away.
—