Question: what movie can you watch over and over again without getting tired of it?
TRIGGER WARNING: CHAPTER HAS MENTIONS OF RAPE AND SEXUAL ABUSE.
Chapter 31~ Bring it on.
Fuck my life.
Is what I kept repeating in my head as I walked on the empty road at 7am in the morning on the first day back from Christmas break.
You're probably wondering where the hell am I going at this time and why am I going.
Well, ya see, I got a very interesting distress call 30 minutes ago from Stacy(yes you read right, Stacy) begging me to meet her in C park.
Now let me tell you. I was going to cut the call and go back to sleep but she began crying and my stupid subconscious just had to feel pity for her.
Hence, here I am.
And don't even get me started on all the things I had to go through the remainder of my break that left me in a bad mood.
My parents death anniversary for one, was spent with me and Stephan visiting their grave and a quiet day afterwards while Steven disappeared.
He showed up yesterday without a word to any of us and locked himself up in his room.
Then there was Ruby's burial.
It was horrible. We decided to do it early so it wouldn't come too close with Becca's birthday next week. Harold didn't make an appearance for his wife's burial, and Hunter went ballistic.
He went to his Grandma's with Rebecca the following afternoon.
Then Didi has been missing since when I last saw her at the hospital, the first day I came back. Only Jake sees her much, he says it's because her parents are very protective of her.
I call bull.
There's something really strange about Didi and her family, not that I've ever met them. I've only been to her house once, and no one but Didi was home.
It isn't any of my business anyway.
And now, Stacy wants to meet up.
You can see why I'm in a very bitchy mood right now.
I sighed when I spotted a figure on a nearby bench and quickened my pace, was that Stacy? It didn't look like her.
"Hi Stephanie, thanks for coming"
My jaw dropped when I got a good look at her, "T-talia?!"
She gave a small smile then looked down guiltily.
Talia was Stacy's real name. Back when she was still an amazing person, she had long brown hair that she always kept in a ponytail, and this thick rimmed glasses that she couldn't go without cause she was practically blind, and she hated all things fashion or girly, especially heels.
Her and her cousin were polar opposites, so Veronica hated her.
I loved her though, she had this amazing sense of humour, and she was super nice. She always made fun of Ronnie and defended the people she would make fun off, she was amazing to me.
Then one day, she showed up in the skimpiest outfit I'd ever seen, with contacts in and her makeup done flawlessly.
Veronica walked in with her and she told everyone to never call her cousin Talia anymore, but Stacy. Cause she had been reborn.
To say I was shocked would be an understatement. She became an exact replica of the person she hated most in the world, she was mean, she cussed, she let her grades slip, she started sleeping around and bribing teachers with sex or money to graduate, she was ruthless.
She became part of us.
We were Stephy, Ronnie, Stacy.
The baddest bitches in the school.
I didn't hate her, I didn't even ask her what happened, I left her alone. I hated her when she joined my cousin to ruin my life.
Seeing her looking like how she did 4 years ago was shocking.
"I can't believe you remember my name" she said with tears in her eyes, "nobody remembers, not even my own family. They all forgot who I was and just loved who I am" she cried.
I sat down beside her and raised an eyebrow, "you painted that image for everyone Stacy, what did you expect"
She flinched, "please don't ever call me that blasted name again"
I shifted uncomfortably, "you may not look like Stacy, but who says your heart isn't still like hers"
"It was never-"
She took a deep breath, "Look Stephanie, there are some things I really need to tell you"
My shoulders tensed, "I'm guessing, they aren't good things" I murmured.
"First, I'm sorry. I'm really really sorry, you don't understand how sorry I am" she wiped the tears from her eyes and stared at me.
I remained quiet.
"Four years ago, I was raped" she said quietly.
My eyes widened in surprise, "wha-"
"Please don't interrupt, I need you to listen to everything I have to say and not say anything" she pleaded and looked around in fear.
I nodded.
"Yes, I was raped. By Veronica's brother, Chuck. You remember him, don't you?"
My fist clenched, "didn't he die 4 years ago?"
She gulped then nodded, "It was a family dinner at Ron's house, my parents always hated my dressing and decided to force me into a short dress. I knew the minute I put it on that something bad was going to happen"
"When we got there, Chuck wouldn't take his eyes off me, him and half of the male workers in their mansion. Veronica kept on glaring daggers at me and always glanced at me in disgust, it was the worst dinner of my life"
My nails dug deeper into my skin.
"I went to use the restroom and by the time I came back, my parents were gone. I panicked, demanding for them to come back and pick me up but Chuck told me that they agreed for me to have a sleepover with Veronica, to have some bonding time. Veronica agreed" she choked on a sob and I parted her back awkwardly.
"I stayed as far as I could from everyone until Ronnie's mom demanded I go to bed immediately. Chuck suggested that he could show me the way, I and Veronica's dad refused immediately, but his mom said there was nothing wrong with it and had a big argument with her husband"
"Chuck grabbed my arm and pulled me away while he wasn't looking and I freaked out. He told me to relax, that he wouldn't do anything but lead me to Veronica's room. He showed me the room and immediately I stepped inside, I knew it was his room" she covered her face in shame.
"I was freaking 15 years old and he raped me, he tore my clothes off and tied me to his bed and had his way with me"
I put my arms around her and she cried into my chest.
"While he kept on defiling me I managed to free one of my hands and smashed his head with his glass lamp. He fell unconscious, and I tried to get up but I was sore all over from how badly he treated me"
"I screamed for help, but it turns out all the bedrooms are soundproof. So I lay there, crying, until the door opened and Veronica came in, she stepped on her brothers unconscious body and helped me"
"She gave me clothes and some money to take a cab home. I told her about her brother, that she should get him to a hospital and she told me she would take care of him but I needed the leave" she shook uncontrollably.
"Long story short, her brother died that night, and I was overwhelmed with the worst guilty conscience imaginable. I wanted to turn myself in but Veronica told me it was self defense and that I didn't need to, he slipped and fell unto his table making the lamp lose balance and smash unto his head"
"That was the story. It was our little secret, a secret that I thought brought us closer. I was a fool. I became pregnant and Veronica found out, that's when it all turned to hell" she said angrily.
"She told me to get an abortion immediately but I refused, then she threatened to tell everyone that I killed her brother while we were having sex like the dirty slut I am. I was heartbroken"
"I still refused to give up the baby, so she took actions into her own hands. She pushed me down the stairs, then kicked me in the stomach, over and over again until I vomited blood. Then she left"
"No proof of what she had done, and no one that even knew I was pregnant at 15. A week later, she showed me a sex tape. I and Chuck's sex tape, angled in a way that the ropes didn't show and it was to far away to see my tears"
"It just looked like I was having sex, and enjoying it, and then grabbed the lamp and threw it over his head" she sobbed.
"We made a deal then, I would do whatever she wanted until my 18th birthday, and on that day she would give me the footage and never talk to me again. I agreed in desperation, and she turned me into her minion, her prodigy, her slave"
"And then we moved last year, it was a miracle. I thought I would escape her, but it turns out she has people here to" she said quietly.
"So you're telling me she forced you to be mean to people and sleep around?" I asked
"No. I never, slept with anyone voluntarily Stephanie. I always did amazing in my studies, I didn't sleep with any teacher, she did. And if anyone were to find out, we had the same hairstyle, clothing style, everything. I had to take the blame for every single bad thing she did"
"The males in the school, I slept with them because I was either drugged, raped or threatened. My life was not what it appeared to be to everyone else. I was mean to you when you first came because I wanted you to leave" she said quietly.
I scrunched my eyebrows in confusion, "what?"
"Steph, when you first came, I didn't know it was you. I thought it was some new girl that I'd warn to leave Hunter alone because Hunter was Veronica's property"
"Her property?" I snapped.
"Oh come on, you know how much she's been after him since two years ago at that ball we went to" she said quietly.
Wait. She was there too??
"When I saw it was you, I panicked. You needed to leave before Veronica found out you were here, or worse Brandon" she shivered in fright.
At reflex, I put my hands on my dagger.
"So, I threatened to spill all your secrets and you still stayed" she looked at me in exhaustion.
"Veronica has eyes and ears everywhere, so the best way was to be mean, that way I'd come off as being a bitch. The worst part was that you got yourself mixed up with the popular kids. Why couldn't you just have come in quietly?!"
That was the plan.
"Anyway, my birthday was last week" she smiled and brought out a flash from her pocket. "So, I'm leaving this place for good"
"How do you know thats the only copy?!" I asked her seriously.
"It is. Trust me" she laughed.
"Well, that's goo-"
"No. Steph listen to me, I'm leaving, I'm 18 now so nothing can stop me. I'm going to disappear from the globe completely, and Veronica knows that"
She pushed a piece of paper into my hands, "this is my number, you and Veronica's dad are the only ones that have it. Promise me it won't get in the wrong hands"
I nodded with a smile on my face.
"I may be leaving, but the storm is still coming Stephanie. You need to be prepared for what's coming" she begged.
"What? I don't understand"
"Veronica. Her dad came last year and told me she was planning to transfer" she said harshly.
My whole body shut down.
"This is real Steph, she's going to be in school today. And she's going to make your life a living hell again" she said.
I was beyond confused. How the hell did she find out? And why does she want to follow me around so much?!
"She had her theories in the beginning, then it all came together when her sister got a cheque of 500 grand on Christmas morning" she gave me a pointed look and I looked away, whistling.
"It seemed a little suspicious how she had seen someone that looked exactly like you, few days before. It didn't take long for Veronica to put the pieces together and squeeze all the information about Pickles, from her sister"
"I'm not the same person I was before, Talia" I said in a steely voice.
"I know" she smiled softly.
"But I thought I should warn you that she's not alone. I don't know what she's up to but I've seen her with shady looking men once in a while and bags of money that she couldn't have gotten legally" she whispered.
"She deals drugs, Talia. We already know that" I said.
"No. This time it isn't some petty drug trafficking. She's involved in some serious shit, and I know it involves Jaxon, Brandon, Hunter and most importantly..."
She looked at me in concern.
"Me. It involves me"
Well then Veronica Devane.
Bring it on.
••••••••••••
Hello sweets!
Raise your hand if you have major anxiety now. 🙋🏽♀️
Who else feels bad for Talia? Shit. That's some shitty past.
And who has a theory of what the hell is going on with Veronica, Brandon and Jaxon👀
Well, as the author who knows all. Might I just say that, y'all ain't ready! 😭
Shits about to go down.
Update in two or three days cause I'm on break from school!
Stay connected,
Steph💖